Chrysler nixes dual-clutch plans for 2011 over refinement concerns

Chrysler has delayed plans for a dual-clutch gearbox in the United States, according to The Car Connection. The high-tech gearbox was slated to be introduced with the 2012 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200, but refinement issues have reportedly put the introduction on hold. At present, the best transmission offered with the front-wheel-drive sedans is a conventional six-speed automatic.

Fiat and Chrysler head Sergio Marchionne has said that any new product released by the reborn Detroit-based automaker has to be perfect before being offered to the public, and the automaker was concerned that Americans wouldn't like the feel of a dual-clutch gearbox. Europeans have had access to dual clutches in Chrysler products mated to diesel engines for several years.

The Car Connection highlights the latest Ford Focus, as an example of a dual-clutch gearbox that feels unnatural to drivers who are used to a conventional automatic transmission, though the unit is functioning as designed. Consumer Reports has cited gearbox complaints from Focus and Fiesta owners as a reason why Ford's scores have dropped on its pages in the last year.

After being further refined to suit American tastes, it's possible the new cog-swapper may be introduced in Chrysler's upcoming small car (possibly known as the Dodge Hornet) instead of first seeing duty in its range of mid-sizers.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/09/c...nement-concer/

 

They should probably wait and get that 8-speed auto into the line-up first. If this dual clutch unit is going into the presumed Hornet, it would make for a good comparo against the Hyundai Veloster and its dual clutch

 

The idea that dual-clutch trannies have to be unrefined is nonsense. The VW/Audi DSG/S-Tronic is as smooth and seamless as most fluid-driven, torque-converter automatics, and, of course, is more efficient to boot. Just because Ford puts clunky dual-shift-boxes in the Focus and Fiesta, that vibrate when starting up from rest, doesn't mean that they have to be that way.

 

Don't forget the Porsche PDK (doppelkupplung) is one of the best as well.

Ford supposedly has a remedy for those clunky transmissions that make it less jerky at lower speeds. We'll see if the fix works over the next few months

 

Well its nice to see that they are working our the quirks before putting anything on the market. I find a lot of issues with cars these days could have been corrected if the manufacturer just didn't rush so much to put it out on the market and actually worked out the kinks.

 

Is the PDK used on front or rear-engine Porsches? If front-engine, its excellence may (?) be due to some similarities with the superb VW/Audi units, since they are all the same parent organization.

 

As far as I know yes, the PDK (7-speed) can be had on the rear engined 911, mid engined Cayman/Boxster, and the front engined Panamera. Only the Cayenne SUV comes with an 8-speed auto

 

Interesting. If the engineers found a way to mount the same transmission (reliably) three different ways, on three different engine-configurations, that's quite an achievment.

I can remember when GM tried something that may have been similiar, back in 1984, with the Pontiac Fiero (I don't know if you are old enough to remember the Fiero and its well-known problems). To save development money, the engineers took an existing X-Body (Chevy Citation) FWD engine/transaxle assembly and mounted it in the back of the mid-engine Fiero. The result (along with a lot of other design/assembly goofs on the car) was a pure disaster......one of the worst-quality cars to ever come out of Detroit.

 

I agree, if there's a way to make something as important as a transmission universal to your vehicle line-up albeit do it reliably then that is a milestone

Hah naw 87' baby. I've heard this car was plagued by problems, but had no idea about its drivetrain till you mentioned it. I looked more into it just for fun and found that Pontiac offered speakers in the seats