A third wave quality superauto one day? - Page 4

Want to talk espresso but not sure which forum? If so, this is the right one.
Shife
Posts: 552
Joined: 9 years ago

#31: Post by Shife »

pcrussell50 wrote:I have driven them. A DSG is a manual, regardless of who commands the shift (computer or person). For the purposes of sports cars, if it has a torque converter, it's an automatic, even if you put it in manual mode and have to shift it manually. And if it does not have a torque converter, it is manual, even if you set it to shift for you. The distinction is in the coupling. Fluid coupling = automatic. Disc/clutch coupling = manual, even if there's no pedal, as with DSG.

DSG was invented so that driving enthusiasts did not have to suffer the drawbacks of a torque converter, to get automated shifting. Yes, a proper DSG set in sport mode can shift faster than a person with pedal and an H-gate. But you're talking maybe, maybe, one second total (and that's being generous) per lap. If you've ever been racing at the amateur level like I do, or advanced hot lapping, you are doing well just to make all your laps within one second of each other. A good driver in an old school manual will run 20-30 seconds a lap faster than a beginner in the same car with a DSG. Skill matters a LOT on the road course...

And getting back on topic, as it also does with espresso.

-Peter
The physical mechanics of shifting are just one piece. The real performance increase with a DSG is the ability to apply power to both the even and odd shafts at the same time. No loss of power transfer during the shift. That is simply not possible with a conventionally shifted manual trans.

pcrussell50 (original poster)
Posts: 4010
Joined: 15 years ago

#32: Post by pcrussell50 (original poster) replying to Shife »

Excluding the effects of nearly double the weight of a DSG gearbox versus a single shaft manual... Yes, and worth a fraction of a second per shift. And perhaps a second a lap on you typical 2-3 minute/lap track. A time savings that is lost in the noise, except at advanced and elite levels, where the difference between the winner and loser is a fraction of a second a lap. For you and me on a trackday? You'd never separate the difference from the noise.

-Peter
LMWDP #553

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