BorgWarner to make dual-clutch auto-manuals
BorgWarner Inc. announces that it has a customer and will begin production in 2003 of its DualTronic automated manual transmission. The DualTronic dual-clutch automated manual improves upon the automatic-shifting manual transmissions currently fitted in several European vehicles by employing two separate gearset shafts, each with its own corresponding wet clutch, to engage and disengage the gears.
![WardsAuto logo WardsAuto logo](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt7121b6ec5c11097b/blt45f10b537a75bb26/65d72d47647c28040affd46b/Generic_image_WA.png?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=95&format=jpg&disable=upscale)
BorgWarner Inc. announces that it has a customer and will begin production in 2003 of its DualTronic automated manual transmission.
The DualTronic dual-clutch automated manual improves upon the automatic-shifting manual transmissions currently fitted in several European vehicles by employing two separate gearset shafts, each with its own corresponding wet clutch, to engage and disengage the gears. In a 5-speed manual, for instance, one shaft would account for gears 1, 3 and 5, and the second shaft would contain gears 2, 4 and reverse. By clutching the shaft for the outgoing gear while simultaneously engaging the shaft for the next-desired gear, the unit greatly reduces the time required for the gearshift — but more importantly, drastically improves shift quality, all but eliminating shift “shock” and balky response to throttle inputs.
BorgWarner says the market for this new-technology transmission — which combines the fuel-efficiency advantages common to manual transmissions with the driving ease of an automatic — could exceed $1 billion “in the future” and account for 25% of Europe's transmission market by 2008.
About the Author
You May Also Like