DSG/double clutch/PDK gearboxes...not the usual winge...

[Hard-Drive]

Right. So after watching tonight's TG, my mind is made up. All of the above named gearboxes are rubbish from a spectators perspective.

That AMG Meec thing, hugely impressive, but he nanosecond delay between the noise of it at full chat, gearchange, noise at full chat, is somehow not nearly as satisfying as a car which pauses for a moment for mechanical stuff to happen between given the beans.

I'm not talking whether one is faster, purer, better or whatever, there's something about that slightly longer delay between gear changes for a manual car to draw breath that is infinitely more satisfying that the current crop of baaaaaaaaaaaaaarpbaaaaaaaaaaaarpbaaaaaaaaaaarp cars that we have now. If you have ever been next to a feckoff V8 Scania diesel truck with naughty exhausts on a motorway you will know what I mean...

Discuss.

From a spectators perspective, of course.

[McSam]

I understand what you're saying, and agree to an extent - it's not as good a soundtrack as a proper manual 'box, or even an old-school automated manual. But listen to the Jag F-Type change up from outside and you'll see how much worse a slurry torque converter is, even if it is the extremely impressive and pretty quick ZF unit.

If you must have an auto, the double-clutches sound the best IMO. They're also pretty delicious on downchanges, as you need a very quick rev match which sounds mega with a good engine.

[Paul_M3]

I completely agree, I thought exactly the same thing when watching that too.

I don't know why, but the instant change just takes something away from the noise.

(And I say that as a PDK owner and fan)

[CarAbuser]

I know what you mean about the gap between shifts. This video sums it up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN1alyW4tVE


Dual clutch boxes have their own perks though. The perfect throttle blips while rev matching on down-shifts and the bangs on full throttle up-shifts. The BMW DCT retards ignition timing on shifts to limit torque for engagement so I think the bangs are caused by unburned fuel hitting the cats.

[csd19]

F-Type R / XFR / XFR-S et al seem to make a lovely noise on a rev-matched downshift when the left paddle is pulled, and that's with a torque converter box. Pretty much all conventional autos retard the torque during an upshift so it doesn't thump through, and manages to do it without the flatulent racket that appears to be the current fashion with the DSG / DCT.

[rich83]

I quite like the DSG farts and bangs...

[Patrick Bateman]

Total agreement, the seamless, instant changes don't sound anywhere near as good as something like this-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkP5Svl16Qg

Albeit that is probably the best sounding car I've ever heard, as far as a youtube video goes anyway...

[Pentoman]

Our own short-term obsession with better technology, with making our lives easier and easier and easier, rarely if ever looking at the bigger picture, is certainly at risk of ruining things for the grounded, passionate enthusiast.

[Baryonyx]

Much like most car things, there is some variation on this theme. DGS in a dull VW diesel just provides varying degrees of drones and clatter. In a petrol V6 TT it sounds remarkably better. Better still are things like the Porsche PDK system, which sounds great firing gears up the box and then popping and barking on the way down. They sound nice and have their place. Many drivers like them because they blip going down the box, but surely every PH'er can adequately blip a downshift on a manual box anyway?

[amusingduck]

Pentoman said:

Our own short-term obsession with better technology, with making our lives easier and easier and easier, rarely if ever looking at the bigger picture

In which way do DSG gearboxes/modern technology not look at the bigger picture? It is the bigger picture, whether it's your preference or not.

[hornetrider]

Patrick Bateman said:

Total agreement, the seamless, instant changes don't sound anywhere near as good as something like this-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkP5Svl16Qg

Albeit that is probably the best sounding car I've ever heard, as far as a youtube video goes anyway...

There's an onboard video of some guy doing a quick lap in an historical Ferrari and it sounds absolutely mega, but the name of the vid escapes me. Lets see how my youtube-fu is.

Yes! Have some of this

Edited by hornetrider on Monday 16th February 08:37

[kambites]

They sound much the same as proper sequential manual gearboxes (except for the lack of whine) and we've been hearing them on racing cars for decades.