Dual-clutch and manual transmissions on their way out
Dual-clutch and manual transmissions on their way out
Just when we thought dual-clutch transmission is the way forward, someone from BMW reckons that the fast shifting transmission might be replaced with the conventional torque converter-based automatic.
As seen in Motor Authority, Peter Quintus, Vice President for Sales and Marketing at BMW M, said he expects manual and dual-clutch transmissions to be phased out in the coming years. Other than the obvious low demand for manual transmission, he explained that manuals have poor durability when paired with high-torque engines. Current heavy-duty manual transmissions that can handle high torque are, according to him, "heavy" and having shift quality that was "awful."
As for dual-clutch gearboxes, Quintus said the advantages they once offered over an automatic, such as their lighter weight and superior shift speed, were no longer significant. Like the manual gearboxes, they needed lots of beefing up to make them more durable for high-powered cars which in turns hurts the advantage the dual-clutch have over the normal torque converters ones.
Also in the article, Quintus also mentioned that he wasn’t sure if a manual transmission would even be offered on the next-generation M3 and M4 due later this decade.
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