Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackZeda
Correct me if I am wrong, but a DCT is not necessarily an automatic, but most are. As far as pure performance goes, I think DCT is the way to go, even though you would lose some fun compared to a manual and clutch pedal. As long as they offer, and I am sure they will, a manual mode I am fine with a DCT.
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Correct.
A true DCT transmission does not have a torque converter. Nor a Park gear. It is more akin to a manual than an automatic, although there is a computer in between your shifting and the transmission. Think of it as a robotized manual transmission, not an automatic with manual override.
As someone adeptly pointed out in another thread on this forum, you already have a pilot hydraluic system between your clutch pedal and the actual clutch in a modern manual. And the 370Z will blip the downshifts for you unless you tell it not to. The DCT is an improvement over both.
I can report from my 4C forum that even the most fervent advocates of the 3-pedal layout forget about the difference in about 10 minutes. Those who continue to bellyache about it have simply never driven a true DCT. If anyone is among the latter category, go test drive a true DCT car in manual mode before you judge. In a slow, touring car, 3 pedals are perhaps still preferable. On a real sports car, times have moved on.
Shifts are lightnening fast, and fully driver controlled. You can make them as early or late as you wish, you just cannot slip the clutch. Instead, there are usually different driving modes recognizing varying driving situations (such as comfort, snow, or track), which affect the speed of clutch engagement. However, the opportunity to heel and toe is lost.