Dual-clutch gearboxes are becoming increasingly common, and today's versions of these fast-shifting automatic gearboxes are far better than they were just a few years ago when they first hit the consumer market.
Our friend Jason Fenske at Engineering Explained takes a look at these transmissions in this simple, highly informative video, and he tells us just what not to do when we encounter one.
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Inspired by racing technology, this type of transmission essentially contains two gearboxes with, as their name implies, two clutches inside of one housing. Each clutch operates either the even or odd set of gears, essentially allowing shifts to be "pre-loaded" and ready to go.
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The benefit for drivers is supposed to be ultra-fast upshifts and downshifts, accompanied by minimal driveline loss. In practice, the earliest dual-clutch units were balky, especially at low speeds, but they have improved with age and, as a result, are far more prevalent today than they were just a couple years ago when they were mostly offered in sports cars. For instance, Hyundai's dual-clutch featured in the video is in its Santa Fe, hardly a sporty vehicle by any stretch.
What are your thoughts on dual-clutch versus conventional, torque-converter automatics? Sound off in the comments below.
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