Operation of the dual clutch transmission or DCT

The DCT transmission (dual clutch transmission), initially used only in sports models, has since been adopted in road cars of various types. The operating principle of the dual clutch gearbox has its origins before the Second World War, when the Frenchman Adolphe Kégresse invented it, although no working model was developed until the system reached racing cars at the end of the 1980s.

Porsche was the first manufacturer to incorporate this technology, in its 956 and 962 at the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Audi followed a little later with the Audi Sport Quattro in the WRC. The first production vehicle to receive this type of transmission was the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32, in 2003. However, each brand and manufacturer has adapted the dual clutch system to its own needs, making subtle modifications to the clutch actuation system. But how do these transmissions work?

Their operating principle is to use two separate clutches, one for the even gears and another for the odd gears. Broadly speaking, it can be described as two separate gearboxes within the same casing, using two twin clutches, since each gear change can be made without interrupting the engine’s power: while one clutch is transmitting torque, the other is disengaging. This is the reason for the smoothness and speed of gear changes in this type of transmission.

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