CHAPTER 5.

CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION OF VARIABLES.

2 KM pe Jhagda.
10 KM pe hathapai.
25 KM pe shanti.
aur
30 KM par romance.
Woh haathon kaa milna humne sambhal kar rakha hai kahin.
Use banaa lo apna.
It can only happen if you hold her soft, cozy and a comfortable hand. Perhaps thats what is called as a bond.
A bond called love, eternal love. Perhaps love is a continuous evolution of variables. Its not fixed, there are
no two sides to the same coin. Toss it and you either get heads up, or tails down. No, nothing to bog you
down, but perhaps, AT transmissions are like love stories. Call it a continuous evolution of variables, or call it
a continuously variable transmission or popularly known as a CVT.
Simply put, A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is a transimssion that can change steplessly
through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts
with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios. The flexibility of a CVT allows
the driving shaft to maintain a constant angular velocity over a range of output velocities. This can provide
better fuel economy than other transmissions by enabling the engine to run at its most efficient revolutions
per minute (RPM) for a range of vehicle speeds. Alternatively it can be used to maximize the performance of
a vehicle by allowing the engine to turn at the RPM at which it produces peak power. This is typically higher
than the RPM that achieves peak efficiency.
So unbelievable, it will leave you speechless, Isn't it? Or perhaps, that's what was proclaimed when Honda
launched its revolutionery all new City I-DSI CVT in late 2003.
Welcome to the world of user friendliness. Its responsive, efficient and refined twin spark I-DSI engine with
77 hp and 12.5 kg-m torque makes city driving extremely user friendly. No longer a chore, CVT works
seemlessly and keeps engine RPM constent, whatever the driving style may be.
The new city was a radical departure from being an enthusiast's driving machine to a practical family
oriented urban commuter, perfectly justifying its name tag. Competitors loathed, the public went berserk and
aghast over the car but the market gave its answer. 4 months waiting and later, the best selling sedan in its
class, with the CVT also being in good demand among the ladies. Later facelifted and upgraded to City ZX, it
was known for its excellent fuel efficiency (for an AT car) and about 12-13 kmpl was easily achievable. This
car changed the way India looked at automatics.
In contrast to the people's CVT car, Nissan launched the country's first CVT luxury sedan, the teana, in 2007.
2.5 V6 and priced at 27 lakhs, it was a sales disaster but Nissan's VQ motors and CVTs were receiving good
reviews worldwide. A better version of the aforementioned gearbox was launched in the new redesigned
teana in 2009 and was a much better behaved car on the road as compared to the previous one. Sales for
this model, too was slow.
Meanwhile, convectional automatics were also launched in multiple cars.

toyota camry, 2004, facelift, 2.4 I-4 with 145 ps approx, 4 speed AT

All new camry in 2006, with an upgraded 2.4 I-4 with 167 ps and a 5 speed ECT AT. The same car
was facelifted in 2009.

skoda superb, the old one, 2004, with a 6 speed tiptronic.

An all new Sonata with 2.4 VVT theta petrol, 4 speed H-matic tiptronic.

The country's second upper D segment diesel automatic was launched in 2007 with the sonata
embera CRDI, 2.0L, 150 ps.

The same car was facelifted in 2009 as the sonata transform with upgraded dual VVT (first in class)
petrol and carryover diesel motors. The petrol AT was discontinued whereas the diesel AT was carried
over.

Perhaps while maruti struggled with Wagon-R AT, Hyundai's santro AT sold decently till end 2008 when it was
phased out.
The new global Hyundai kei-car, the i10 was launched in October 2007. Initially (on paper) the automatic
transmission was made optional in 1.1 era IRDE variant but that car never saw the light of the day in the
Indian market. It was in july 2008 when Hyundai unveiled its all new kappa engine, the i10 automatic saw
light of the day.
Carrying over the same JATCO engineered (thanks to BHPian Volt for the name) 4 speed AT transmission, it
was unveiled in magna, sportz and asta variants in conjuction with the 1.2 16V DOHC kappa motor with 78
hp. Sales were brisk but slowed down as owners complained of single digit fuel efficiency, though some
exceptions are always there. While the motor was a delight, it lacked bottom end power and was tuned more
for the top end cruising. The addition of VTVT tech on the facelifted I10, unveiled in end 2010, has helped
matters to some extent. Still, i10 was the only kei-car to be available with a competent 4 speed AT
transmission...until this car stopped at something..or should we say...stop at nothing.
A star is born..or should we say, a fading star is re-born. Maruti's latest global kei-car, the A-star was a
sales disaster, To improve sales, MSIL recently launched it in (hold your breath) an 4 speed AT version in
2010. Competitively priced and with ABS standard (at least on paper), unllike the i10 for which you need to
chell out Rs. 1.5 lakh more in the ASTA, this car is not actively promoted but somehow has been launched
just to have a product for the name sake. 3 pot motor and a cramped rear space can limit appeal, but it
should make perfect sense for singles as a second or a third city car. This transmission to has a convectional
torque converter and is expected to return decent mileage figures considering its light weight and a 3 pot
engine.
The wagonR AT was finally retired in 2010 when an all new BS 4 model replaced the original 1999 launched
tall man. With the transmission in place on the a-star, a wagonR AT would actually make a much more
perfect sense.
Sadly, India loves diesels and there is no diesel hatchback with an AT gearbox available as option, despite 8
hatchbacks vie for the same pie.
As to make amends, Hyundai launched its 2009 verna (first facelifted) with a CRDI motor mated to
an AT and ABS as standard (SX AT). 1498 cc, 110ps and the convenience of an AT, with diesel economy
and good performance would have made it a perfect family sedan. Yet, sales are modest at best, again due
to its old power sapping 4 speed autocog, and absence of airbags in a 10 lakh rupee sedan, more so with the
transformed (second facelift in 2010) looks. The all new verna RB should make the much needed amends
when it hits showroom floors this april.
The premium hatch segment too only has only one automatic option-the Hyundai i20 1.4. The 1.4 gamma
engine with VTVT and 100 ps power mated to the same 4 speed AT box is ideal again, as a sedan
complimenting hatch. But priced at north of 8.5 lakhs OTR, it has seen very limited numbers. A CRDI motor
mated to the AT gearbox would make a much better sense.
Sense? or sensibility? Perhaps its the sixth sense..or 7,8..whatever sense it is, now, its the number game. A
game of insane brutality. Because someone has rightly said, two is better than one. Call it a dual
personality, or call it a _________.
Well, keep guessing what word would fill that blank, till then isn't it time to enjoy this cool friday evening
with a hot cup of lavasa inside that swanky Fiat showroom and grilling the hapless fiat sales person about
the dual logic?
Find out soon, as this revolutionary transmission will shock the automotive world and rock the Indian
automobile industry to its core...
CHAPTER 5.
MIXED DOUBLES. AT ODDS OF EVENS.

2 Km pe Jhagda.
10 Km pe hathapai.
25 Km pe shanti.
Aur 30 Km pe romance.
Un haathon ka milna, humne sambhal kar rakha hai kahin.
Use bana loon apna.
The key to happiness. For me, and my other half.
A revolution in automatic gearboxes. A gearbox that shatters the myth that automatics can't be fun.

Power sapping torque converter? Eliminated.

High RPM CVT rubber band effect? Eliminated.

Drop in pickup and mileage? Eliminated.

Just 4 and 5 speeds? They are ancient things of the past.

Its official. The Clutch is back.

Yes, I say it again, the clutch is back.
But hey, an AT transmission isn't supposed to have a clutch, isn't it?
"Its an automated clutch, in fact it has two clutches."
Two. Yes, two is better than one. The law of duality takes a whole new meaning. The odds are stacked
adjacent to the evens, as against them.
Welcome to the world of DSG gearbox. Also called as:

Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG)

S-Tronic

M-DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission)

Double Clutch Gearbox

PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe)

and many more terms used by different manufacturers worldwide.

The basics of dual clutch gearbox and some trivia
(courtesy wikipedia):

A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT (sometimes informally referred to as a twinclutch gearbox, double clutch transmission, or similar variations thereof), is a differing type of semiautomatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even
gear sets. It can fundamentally be described as two separate manual transmissions (with their respective
clutches) contained within one housing, and working as one unit. They are usually operated in a fully
automatic mode, and many also have the ability to allow the driver to manually shift gears, albeit still carried
out by the transmission's electro-hydraulics.
This type of transmission was invented by Frenchman Adolphe Kgresse just prior to World War II, but he
never developed a working model. The first actual DCTs arrived from Porsche in-house development, for
Porsche racing cars in the 1980s, when computers to control the transmission became compact enough: the
Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (English: dual clutch gearbox) (PDK) used in the Porsche 956 and 962 Le
Mans race cars from 1983, and the Audi Sport Quattro S1 rally car.
A dual clutch transmission eliminates the torque converter as used in conventional epicyclic-geared
automatic transmissions. Instead, dual clutch transmissions that are currently on the market primarily use
two oil-bathed wet multi-plate clutches, similar to the clutches used in most motorcycles, though dry clutch
versions are also available.
The first series production road car to be fitted with a DCT was the 2003 Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32.
As of 2009, the largest number of sales of DCTs in Western Europe are by various marques of the German
Volkswagen Group, though this is anticipated to lessen as other transmission makers and vehicle
manufacturers make DCTs available in series production automobiles.
In 2010, on BMW Canada's website for the 3 Series Coupe, it is described both as a 7-speed double clutch

transmission and as a 7-speed automatic transmission. It is actually a dual clutch semi-automatic.

Overview
In DCTs where the two clutches are arranged concentrically, the larger outer clutch drives the odd numbered
gears, whilst the smaller inner clutch drives the even numbered gears. Shifts can be accomplished without
interrupting torque distribution to the driven roadwheels, by applying the engine's torque to one clutch at the
same time as it is being disconnected from the other clutch. Since alternate gear ratios can pre-select an odd
gear on one gear shaft whilst the vehicle is being driven in an even gear, (and vice versa), DCTs are able to
shift more quickly than other cars equipped with single-clutch automated-manual transmissions (AMTs),
a.k.a. single-clutch semi-automatics. Also, with a DCT, shifts can be made more smoothly than with an AMT,
making a DCT more suitable for conventional road cars.
Clutch types
There are two fundamental types of clutches utilised in dual clutch transmissions: either two wet multi-plate
clutches which are bathed in oil (for cooling), or two dry single-plate clutches. The wet clutch design is
generally used for higher torque engines which can generate 350 newton metres (258 ftlbf) and more (the
wet multi-plate clutch DCT in the Bugatti Veyron is designed to cope with 1,250 Nm (922 ftlbf), whereas
the dry clutch design is generally suitable for smaller vehicles with lower torque outputs up to 250 Nm (184
ftlbf). However, whilst the dry clutch variants may be limited in torque compared to their wet clutch
counterparts, the dry clutch variants offer an increase in fuel efficiency, due to the lack of pumping losses of
the transmission fluid in the clutch housing.
Clutch installation
There are now three variations of clutch installation. The original design used a concentric arrangement,
where both clutches shared the same plane when viewed perpendicularly from the transmission input shaft,
along the same centre line as the engine crankshaft; when viewed head-on along the length of the input
shaft, this makes one clutch noticeably larger than the other.
The second implementation utilised two single-plate dry clutches which are side-by-side from the
perpendicular view, but again sharing the centre line of the crankshaft.
A latest variation uses two separate but identical sized clutches; these are arranged side-by-side when
viewed head-on (along the length of the input shaft and crankshaft centre line), and also share the same
plane when viewed perpendicularly. This latter clutch arrangement (unlike the other two variations) is driven
via a gear from the engine crankshaft.
The Indian Journey of DSG:
The first car to be launched with DSG was, not surprisingly from a company that pioneered this tech, that is
VW group. But it was skoda that got this 'box first. In 2006, Skoda launched its all new second generation
octavia, renamed Laura for the Indian market as the old octavia was repositioned in the lower price bracket.
With a 1.9L Pumpe duse motor, 105 bhp is not exactly what you expect from a modern diesel motor but the
transmission's mechanism and lightning quick gear changes due to computer controlled timing of the double
clutches made it very quick, torquey and kept skoda's reputation for amazing fuel efficiency intact.
Surprisingly, despite the AT-only option available initially, demand was strong and the car was on a wait.
But this advance technology is not without its share of drawbacks. VW group's DSG gearboxes are too
sensitive for our conditions and somehow the typical Indian driving style of varying rpms took their toll and
led to premature failures and huge warranty claims. Skoda'a laura too was a victim of it. Though in
subsequent years proper driver training and improved reliability has made this gearbox the enthusiast's
choice, it's long term reliability is one thing which needs to be proven in our country.
Skoda's poor after sales and lack of customer concern also remains to blame. But till now, the company has
enjoyed decent success with the DSG box.

The Facelifted laura was offered a DSG gearbox with both a 1.9L 105 hp and 2.0L 140 hp PD engine,
the latter in the top end L and K version. This car received a new set of common rail motors which
replaced the inferior PD engines and perfectly suited the characteristics of the cog. 2.0L 140 hp motor
comes with DSG whereas 2.0L 110 hp comes with manual.

Skoda's all new second generation superb, launched with 1.8L 7 speed DSG with TSI and 160 PS,
2.0L PD (later CRDI 140 hp) DSG 6 speed and 3.6 VR-6 FSI 6 speed DSG is a stupendous success for
the brand and remains the bestselling upper D segment sedan in its segment. Competitive price and
equipment levels only add to the appeal.

Audi's range of cars in the Indian market has DSG gearboxes as standard. Not surprisingly, being a
VW flagship. The redesigned TT 3.2 uses a 6 speed s-tronic DSG, the A4 1.8, 2.0 and 2.0 TDI use

DSG, the Q5 2.0 TDi uses DSG and the Q7 now also uses DSG. Rest of the lineups continue to use
convectional tiptronic gearboxes.

Mercedes SLS AMG and SL 63 AMG use 7 speed M-DCT wet clutch gearbox.

BMW M3 also uses M-DCT 7 speed as an option.

Porsche's facelifted Bosxter S, Cayman S, 911 (carrera/4, targa, turbo and turbo S) PDK all use
Porsche version of 7 speed DCT called PDK or Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe. The latest Porsches,
the cayenne and Panamera are also equipped with standard PDK on all but their base versions. These
cars are much quicker and actually more efficient as compared to their manual counterparts. Same
can be said for the TT also.

The latest Japanese car, the Lancer Evolution X also uses a Twin Clutch SST gearbox, the same info
for which can be found on team-bhp's official review link.

VW offered its DSG box in the jetta 1.9 PD and passat 2.0 PD cars, but poor sales meant that this
were replaced with manual equipped versions, that is passat 1.8 TSI and Jetta 2.0 PD respectively.
Expect the redesigned versions of these cars to get back the DSG option when they will hit the
market shortly along with the redesigned toureag, which too was continued to be available with a
DSG in its present avatar.

Globally, Nissan's GT-R also uses this box. And now Hyundai too has jumped into foray by launching its in
house developed 6 speed DCT transmission, the first application of which will see in its upcoming VELOSTER
.coupe
Fiat DUOLOGIC gearbox
Fiat's pioneering duologic transmission is nothing but a sequential manual gearbox, similar to the BMW's
.SMG (M5 and M6) gearboxes
:From Fiat
Normally performance and economy pull in different directions, but the DuaLogic gearbox is designed to
make extremely efficient use of the engines to which it is attached, ensuring that they are always working at
their peak effectiveness for the task in hand. This translates into better performance and lower fuel
.consumption, by way of lower exhaust emissions
The DuaLogic gearbox is technically described as a sequential manual gearbox, which means it has a
conventional clutch and gearbox, so there is no power-sapping torque converter and hydraulic gears. Instead
there is small, light actuator unit to operate the clutch and move the gears, plus a highly intelligent
computer. Thus, the DuaLogic equipped car has the performance and economy of the manual car as a
starting point, unlike a conventional automatic which is always at a disadvantage to a manual gearbox given
its weight and power-consuming technology. To this already efficient system is added a computer that knows
the engine to which it is connected inside-out. The computer ensures that the gearbox is always in the most
effective gear for the performance required, maximising both performance and economy capabilities. Indeed,
the cars with DuaLogic even know if it is going downhill or climbing a hill and adjusts its changing patterns
.appropriately
With the DuaLogic taking over the operation of the gearbox and the clutch, driving is easier and simpler. The
driver has the choice of placing the DuaLogic in automatic or manual modes. In automatic mode, DuaLogic
does all the work, selecting the gears, operating the clutch and getting the best economy and performance.
The driver can also select normal mode or economy mode, with, as the name suggests, the latter selection
.ensuring that the car extracts every the maximum energy out of every last drop of fuel
DuaLogic doesnt just blindly change gears. It has full fuzzy logic, so it can adapt to the drivers style,
matching his changing demands, both his style and changing road conditions. Another feature of the
.DuaLogic is its ability to assess vehicle deceleration and adjust downshifts
In semiautomatic mode, for example, the system allows downshifts, particularly when the driver demands a
lower gear to take a corner at speed during a sporty drive. In automatic mode, the system anticipates the

downshift to ensure the driver can always call on the most appropriate speed to maintain the required
.comfort level or fuel saving
With the DuaLogic gearbox in automatic mode, its robotised electronic management system allows the gears
to be changed at the time of maximum engine performance. This makes it possible to exploit all the power
.and torque of the engines and achieve a distinct improvement in acceleration over a manual gearbox
However, the DuaLogic also has a manual mode where, using the gear lever, the driver can self-select gears
.to get the maximum pleasure out of driving the car
DuaLogic also boosts safety. To prevent unwanted gear changes, the system engages neutral when the
engine is still running and the door has been opened and DuaLogic device also activates warning lights and
buzzers to notify the driver of emergency situations or manoeuvres that are not permitted and could damage
.the engine or gearbox
Expect the Fiat to launch the Linea in India with this gearbox as sales stabilise, internationally its available in
conjunction with the 1.3 multijet diesel engine and 1.6 multijet in South America. For all its capabilities, the
?1.6 will perfectly suit the bill. Perhaps, how about another cup of lavasa with more icing on the cake
.But icing the competition for a cakewalk won't be easy
.Perhaps the numbers game just got a whole lot more interesting
.Till then, enjoy this wonderful Sunday evening and chillax without fretting your brains
.Because the game of one upmanship has just began
Find out more about it, in the next chapter, titled "bigger is better
CHAPTER 6.
ONE UPMANSHIP.

Marriage is like a three-speed gearbox affection, friendship, love.

It is not advisable to crash your gears and go right through to love straightaway.
You need to ease your way through.
The basis of love is respect, and that needs to be learned from affection and friendship.
Perhaps, there is no scope for any of the aforementioned terms in this world of one upmanship.
The Indian automobile industry has come a long way, 26 years since this creature set afoot and since the
time the M 800 Automatic was launched. New technology, innovations and the game of one upmanship
between various players have changed the way we think of AT boxes. Four and five speed is now stone age.
Perhaps, its time for 8 speeds to dominate. More on that later.
F1 style paddle shifts

In today's world of mee too products, a customer wants something different from the usual, something he
feels will be his money's worth. We are demanding, aren't we? And despite the dull response to the ATs,
something is always in store for the horizon. Perhaps, one thing that makes perfect civic sense is the fun to
put the joy back in the driving, F1 style.

Honda realized this opportunity and launched its all new 2006 civic S AT in July 2006, with a 1.8L
132 ps i-vtec engine and 5 speed AT box. But the car had something different- it was the first car in
the country (IIRC) which had shift paddles in steering wheel. Again, a typical manumatic gearbox
with a torque converter, but with an added pleasure of shifting gears manually from the steering
wheel. The steering had paddles (buttons inspired from formula 1 car) behind the top two spokes and
on the right was a plus, for upshifting gears and minus for downshifting gears. Put it in "S" mode and
enjoy the pleasure of driving a F1 car when in spirited mode, or the convinience of a convectional AT
when in sober mode, what say? Isnt it true that two is better than one? The S model was replaced by
an upgraded AT in 2007 and till today enjoys a fair amount of success.

The all new gen 3 City, launched in september 2008 also saw introduction of shift paddles in its S
AT versions in conjunction with 1.5 i-VTEC with 118 PS and 5 AT. The S AT was again replaced with V
AT in 2009 and is in production ever since.

Honda's all new 2008 accord also saw the introduction of shift paddles in its 2.4 AT, 180 PS, 5 speed
and 3.5 V6, 275 PS, 5 speed. The accord F/L coming next month will have carryover mechanicals.

Toyota's all new corolla altis continues to be offered with a dated 4 speed auto box.

CVT evolution

The CVT mania, first started by Honda and Nissan has slowly spread through other manufacturers
also.

Toyota's popular hybrid, the prius, is offered with a 1.8L hybrid electric motor mated to a CVT.

Audi's A4 and A6 are offered with a new gen CVT called "multitronic" in front wheel drive versions
with 7 speed close ratios.

About multitronic by AUDI:

multitronic is a stepless transmission launched by Audi AG in late 1999,jointly developed and manufactured
by LuK.
Based on the principles of continuously variable Transmission (CVT)popularised by DAF trucks, multitronic

offers a stepless automatic transmission in which the ratio between the input shaft and output shaft can be
varied continuously within a given range, providing virtually an infinite number of possible ratios. The
multitronic system uses a link-plate chain drive, an oil cooled multi plate clutch(initially of six parts, later of
seven to enable it to cope better with the high torque outputs of larger turbo diesel engines), and complex
electronics, to overcome the traditional shortcomings of CVTs.
multitronic is a registered trademark of AUDI AG.
How it works:
The transmission is monitored and regulated under the guise of Audi's "Dynamic Regulating Programme"
(DRP), which tracks the driver's inputs (from how the driver applies the throttle pedal), driving conditions,
and engine load - to compute the optimal gear ratio for fuel efficiency or maximum performance, as
mandated by the user. The transmission can select pre-programmed underdrive to increase performance, or
overdrive to improve economy. From 2004, multitronic transmissions offered manual selection of a 'sport
mode' to pre-select the performance mapping. The electronic system also includes sensors to detect whether
the vehicle is traveling downhill, and provides additional engine braking in such circumstances. Multitronic
also offers a number of driver-selectable fixed ratios, selectable from either the gear-lever in a sequential
style, or via (optional) steering wheel-mounted fingertip paddle-shift controls.
Early versions offered six ratios; in 2004, this was increased to seven, while new Audi models now have
multitronic transmission with eight ratios. Some Audi A6 variants that feature the multitronic transmission
are now equipped with the fingertip controls as standard. These controls can also switch to semi-automatic
mode when one of the paddles is activated; however, they revert to fully automatic after a predetermined
period of time of inactivity.
The Game of one upmanship:

Hum Saath Aath hain. Kyonki yeh dil maange more.

5 speed is for rookies.
6 speed is for ameteurs.
Its time to play 7. Welcome to the world of 7G-tronic grarbox, the world's first 7 speed transmission which
debuted in India in the W 211 Mercedes Benz E 280 and E 280 CDI versions.

The company claims that the 7G-Tronic can save up to 0.6 litres of fuel per 100 kilometers (depending
on the car) and has shorter acceleration times and quicker intermediate sprints than the outgoing 5speed automatic transmission.

The transmission can skip gears when downshifting, allowing for quicker acceleration. It also has a
lockup torque converter on all seven gears, allowing better transmission of torque for improved
acceleration. The transmission's case is made of magnesium, a first for the industry, to save weight

Powered by 3.0L V6 petrol and diesel motors with 231 and 198 hp respectively, these big engines had
well spaced ratios for optimum performance, efficiency and low emissions with a lightweight high
performance convectional torque converter designed to cope up with the load and power of these
motors.

The all new W221 S class also debuted with 7G tronic in S 350, S 500 and S 320 CDI versions.
Facelifted S class along with the new S 350 CDI (3.5 V6 diesel) continues to use an improved version
with retuned gar ratios.

The all new W212 E class, debuted in fall 2009 also had 7G tronic as standard. Avantgarde versions of
E 350 and E 350 CDI have shift paddles as standard.

The 2011 S 350 CGI ans S 500 CGI (4.7 V8) will have a new version of 7G tronic with more lighter
weight driveshaft for better pickup and mileage. Expect these cars to hit Indian roads in april 2011.

The GL 350 CDI and he ML 350 CDI are also equipped with the same gearbox.

The CLS and SLK 350 versions are equipped with an older version of 7G tronic. Newer versions
coming late this year (billed as 2012 models) will switch to new versions with light weight driveshaft.
There is also a talk of MCT (multi clutch transmision) as an option in the later stage.

Other 4 and 12 cylinder vesions continue to use the obsolete 5 speed garboxes, expect them to
switch to the 7 speeder as competition gets intense.

The 7G-Tronic has two reverse gear ratios: 3.416 and 2.231. The winter mode, also recently named
'comfort' mode, starts out in 2nd forward and 2nd reverse.

The SL 63 AMG, E 63 AMG and SLS AMG however, are equipped with AMG speedshift MCT gearbox.

AMG speedshift MCT

Mercedes-AMG developed the 7-speed MCT "Multi Clutch Technology" dual clutch semi automatic
transmission.

The new MCT transmission is essentially the 7G-Tronic automatic transmission without a torque
converter. Instead of a torque converter, it uses a compact wet startup clutch to start the car off, and
also supports computer-controlled double declutching. The MCT (Multi-Clutch Technology) acronym
refers to a planetary (automatic) transmissions multiple clutches and bands for each gear.

The MCT is fitted with four drive modes: C (Comfort), S (Sport), S+ (Sport plus) and M
(Manual) and boasts 100 millisecond shifts in "M" mode. MCT-equipped cars are also fitted with the
new AMG DRIVE UNIT with innovative Race Start function. The AMG DRIVE UNIT is the central control
unit for the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission and all driving dynamics functions.
The driver can change gears either using the new AMG selector lever with its leather/ carbon-fibre
finish, or by nudging the AMG steering-wheel shift paddles. The new Race start Function is a launch
control system which enables the driver to call on maximum acceleration, while ensuring optimum
traction of the driven wheels.

While engineers at Mercedes Benz were hard on work perfecting the 7 speed box, a jolt was about to come
from crosstown rivals in 2010. Perhaps the concept of bigg boss takes a whole new meaning, with bitter
rivalries in store of the future.
Perhaps its time for that aathva vachan?
Wake up from your Monday morning blues and keep guessing this aathva vachan during a well deserved
lunch break and show your boss that you, it's you who is the real big boss, as !xobile takes you further in
chapter 7, coming up next.
(Technical excerpts for multitronic and 7Gtronic courtesy Mercedes Benz, Audi and wikipedia)