End of the DCT is Near?
Has the time of the BMW Dual Clutch Transmission come and gone? Sources are indicating that the recently introduced DCT may be such a niche product that its time may be short lived. Porsche is feeling the same way with the famed PDK. The dual-clutch setup is fantastic in its implementation but remains an extremely niche product. According to Automotive News, transmission specialist ZF Friedrichshafen AG does not see a mass market for the dual-clutch technology that it sells to Porsche. Part of the issue is the cost to performance proposition of building a DCT that can handle lots of torque. With today’s performance cars increasing torque exponentially it leaves little market for the DCT.
With the introduction of the X5 and X6 ///M versions using a technically updated automatic transmission and cylinder deactivation to produce shifts as fast as a DCT the writing was on the wall for a possible end to the BMW DCT. What this means now is that in the short term we will more than likely not see future products offered with a DCT, with a shift to 8 speed automatics across the line by 2013. We have been told not to assume anything in regards to current offerings but that the ///M3 and DCT are a perfect match.
All you F10 ///M5 anticipators take note- this seals the deal that a DCT will NOT be in that vehicle!
With the introduction of the X5 and X6 ///M versions using a technically updated automatic transmission and cylinder deactivation to produce shifts as fast as a DCT the writing was on the wall for a possible end to the BMW DCT. What this means now is that in the short term we will more than likely not see future products offered with a DCT, with a shift to 8 speed automatics across the line by 2013. We have been told not to assume anything in regards to current offerings but that the ///M3 and DCT are a perfect match.
All you F10 ///M5 anticipators take note- this seals the deal that a DCT will NOT be in that vehicle!
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