Just_me

Last night I had the opportunity to have dinner with both the lead engineer in charge of the M3 project and an BMW Motorsport executive at the M3 press event. One of the more interesting bits of information that we chatted about was the new M DCT transmission that the M3 will offer this summer. It’s a Dual Clutch transmission that promises to be all things to all people. Apparently BMW has so much faith in the technology that they will be replacing the automatic in the 3 Series altogether next year for a non-M version of this dual clutch transmission.

Based on their technical similarity, you could expect the transmission to potentially find it’s way to both the 1 Series and the X3 in the near future as well.

Source: bimmer file

vabboud

which is a quite logical move since the jack of all trades nature of a DCT makes it a
perfect fit for the sporty nature of the 3, whereas the luxury nature of the 5,6 and 7 makes for a standard multicogged automatic

Merc1

This is the first real step in this type of transmission replacing the traditional automatic. Though Audi has had this tech for some time they've been slow as hell at putting it in anything above a 4-cylinder. The Audi TT 3.2 and the Europe only Passat R36 are the 6-cylinders that have it as far as I know. The rest are all small petrol and diesel engines, and nothing but the TT 3.2 for the U.S. What I can't for is this BMW gearbox to make it to the M5 and M6, arguably their weakest feature is the SMG in automatic mode where most people use it regularly, at least in the U.S. Once again BMW is poised to take a serious lead over its German competition.


M

Sunny

Yeah shame on Audi/VW for squandering a good lead in a promising technology.

EnI

Same case with Quattro AWD ... it seems.

While Dynamic xDrive (DPC vectoring system + active rear differential on board) will be offered in all models with xDrive, Audi will offer its AWD vectoring system in RS models only. Not to mention some RWD BMW models will also get DPC for better handling & traction. While Audi FWD models won't benefit from QVS at all.

PC Valkyrie

Wow, great news if true. Imagine a 135i with a dual clutch gearbox as a good track car and daily driver.

Deutsch

Ultimate Bimmer; but really I think that could apply to just about any Bimmer equipped with this gearbox which will definitely be limited to the smaller BM's.

dr Dunkel

This is old news to readers of Swedish magazines. The last two years BMWs X-drive system has beaten the Quattro counterpart in different winter tests several times, more times than it has lost.

Foxfire

Great, I've been bitching that 335d is only available as an automatic, which turned me off it as a potential car. If I can't have it in manual, DCT is the next best thing

Hmm... are you sure about this, EnI? I remember reading that quattro torque vectoring would be introduced with the next S4, therefore it shouldn't be exclusive to RS models. I'd prefer it if they offered it on A cars as well, but S would have to be the bare minimum. Also, I'm not sure QTV is applied only to the rear wheels ala BMW DPC... seems to me it could also be applied to the front axle and therefore benefit FWD Audis as well

EnI

QTV is also based on rear active differential (just like BMWs DPC), while front axle torque distribution is controlled via central Quattro differential - while left-right torque distribution on front wheels is managed by ABS & ESC systems.

Mind that BMW M3, M5 & M6 cars already feature rear fully variable M-diff (with up to 100% lock). While non-M models will get the DPC.

I'm not sure which Audi cars will feature QVT - yet I'm sure the sporty models will get it initially (RS, perhaps even S).