I have driven the future. Its PDK

If I had my druthers, I'd rock a PDK/DSG whatever in my daily or a full-on racecar, but I'd still have a stick in my fun weekend car.

I got to drive a friend's TDI Jetta equipped with the DSG for a week, and it really is the best of both worlds for a daily. You get to change the gears when the roads are fun, and stick it in auto when you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Of course, right now my commute is on entertaining two-lane country roads, so I'm quite happy in my manual Mazda 2.

Mitchell wrote: Imagine a world of sports cars where the two options were "traditional" manual and PDK (which have auto modes). I think that would be a good scenario.

Won't happen, as AngryCorvair pointed out, the soccer moms (and dads) call it "jerky" so the robo-manual will be programmed to use clutch slip/gear blending and stupid shift points to make it feel like a horrible autotragic slushbox.

GameboyRMH wrote:

Mitchell wrote: Imagine a world of sports cars where the two options were "traditional" manual and PDK (which have auto modes). I think that would be a good scenario.

Won't happen, as AngryCorvair pointed out, the soccer moms (and dads) call it "jerky" so the robo-manual will be programmed to use clutch slip/gear blending and stupid shift points to make it feel like a horrible autotragic slushbox.

It's already happening. The facelifted Panamera had its PDK software changed to make the shifts more fluid in full auto mode.

It's still just as badass in sport mode, so I guess I don't mind.

i never rowed gears cause its faster....

I like to row gears because I can..............

Duke wrote: But I'd never drive a 911 for a cruiser.

Just as some enthusiasts can't imagine enjoying the drive as much without doing the 3-pedal tango, others can't imagine owning a car like a 911 but driving something else most of the time.

wearymicrobe wrote: I have driven the future, and it is full of PDK. I have been a staunch manual transmission defender till about 3:00 this afternoon. PDK is the future and the future is good, 4 gear skips at a time, in 100 millisecond good. Like always in boost, always in the right gear, put your foot down and go perfect. Basically this In this Is perfect, its fully 100%. 153K new but I had a crisis. Still not as fun as a manual but if you think that you can shift faster then the computer can I flat out do not believe it. My next Porsche will 100% be PDK I am completely sold.

I've never thought I could out shift a computer … especially one that actually shifted WHEN I told it to … but I'm still very happy when I heel-n-toe a perfect downshift … as in I DID IT …

and going back and reading the rest of the post …. I HAVE driven the GTI … not a Porsche.. I get that.. but still a dual clutch transmission

it was faster, it was more precise in it's rev matching, it was smother …. but the problem was … the IT part … I wasn't getting the heel-n-toe downshift .. the computer was

if I raced one … I'd be more than fine with it … but for what I do… I'd rather do the 3 pedal dance … just for the sense of accomplishment

GameboyRMH wrote:

Mitchell wrote: Imagine a world of sports cars where the two options were "traditional" manual and PDK (which have auto modes). I think that would be a good scenario.

Won't happen, as AngryCorvair pointed out, the soccer moms (and dads) call it "jerky" so the robo-manual will be programmed to use clutch slip/gear blending and stupid shift points to make it feel like a horrible autotragic slushbox.

Honda already has a DCT/DSG/PDK with tork konverters in the works. Knowing Honda's typical crap transmissions it will probably be crap, but it would eliminate the on-off fashion of DCT's in stop and go traffic while preserving the clutches. Once you're moving the TC's will lock up and it can rip off lightning fast shifts like any DCT.

My biggest beef with most autos is delay in response, or if the computer decides that it isn't really time to shift after all. The PDK's and the VW DSG's were the exceptions - they actually shifted when I told them to.

Feedyurhed wrote:

kanaric wrote:

Maroon92 wrote:

kanaric wrote: I would drive a dual clutch car if they were more common. IDK why the Focus ST and cars like that don't have them.

VW GTi has it.

Yes I know about that. It's had it for a while which makes it all the more weird that it's competition hasn't offered a similar option. Kind of silly that the WRX went with a CVT over one.

Isn't cost a factor here too? I don't know but it seems like at the higher end (Porsche) a few thousand won't make a huge difference, but at the lower end (WRX, ST), it will.

The current-gen Lancer Ralliart cost around the same as a WRX and had a DCT, is was the only trans choice. Also the non-st Focus has it as an option. They are in inexpensive cars. A Dodge Dart trim I think has it now. The 1.4l turbo version I think.

I think Subaru likes the CVT because it's "their" quirky technology, like using flat 4s.

Quirky? It's in practically everything Nissan makes.

For a competition I can see the reasoning but for me personally, being the old and crusty guy I am, I still prefer 3 pedals in my "fun" car.

I would love to drive one and check it out!

The alfa 4c has forced my hand, no manual trans in a car I need, I will learn to love it. I always see p-cars as compromises; mixing sport and luxury.. not quite ferrari/mclaren serious, so I feel the manual is fitting. But their DSG's make a sweet sound in race cars.

The focus dct is neat in theory but horrbile in execution. That is the only dct I have driven.

You can see my other post. I broke down and went manual on the R8 still has tons more soul. so much slower then the new cars with the S-Tronic dual clutch though. I can see the dual clutch stuff being the go to option once they get the pricing down.

Edit my post count is going to go through the roof today as I am off work for most of the day.

I have driven a Cayman S and a Carrera 4S on a track with PDKs in both and it was frick'n awesome. In fact, the Cayman S was darn near telepathic.

ryanty22 wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: I don't care how much faster it is. I don't care if it sounds like I double clutch and blip the throttle every time. I REALLY don't care if it's more efficient and gets better mileage. I care that I know the computer is making me look good. No amount of computer goodness will replace the feeling of the perfect downshift as I accelerate out of a corner. So what if I can only do it half the time. Or even 1 out of 10 times. I did it. The fact that it is hard to do and doesn't always work is what makes it special. That is what makes it so satisfying to do right. You can have my stick shift when you pry it out of my cold dead hands.

This

And I reinforce this again

Junkyard_Dog wrote: You can have my stick shift when you pry it out of my cold dead hands.

This needs to be a T-shirt

I've driven the Ferrari and Lambo things.... whatever they call them. Hate them. They have an unnatural feel, throttle inputs cause weird things. Sure, they're blindingly fast but the feel is just.... wrong. It's too robotic for me.

Drove a PDK on the street at legal speeds and was totally underwhelmed. I guess I need to try one on the track to "get it". Any volunteers?

aussiesmg wrote:

ryanty22 wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: I don't care how much faster it is. I don't care if it sounds like I double clutch and blip the throttle every time. I REALLY don't care if it's more efficient and gets better mileage. I care that I know the computer is making me look good. No amount of computer goodness will replace the feeling of the perfect downshift as I accelerate out of a corner. So what if I can only do it half the time. Or even 1 out of 10 times. I did it. The fact that it is hard to do and doesn't always work is what makes it special. That is what makes it so satisfying to do right. You can have my stick shift when you pry it out of my cold dead hands.

This

And I reinforce this again

And yet again. Any goofball can drive a PDK and do good lap times, it takes real talent to drive a dogleg and drive it well.

Hungary Bill wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: You can have my stick shift when you pry it out of my cold dead hands.

This needs to be a T-shirt

Curmudgeon wrote:

aussiesmg wrote:

ryanty22 wrote:

Junkyard_Dog wrote: I don't care how much faster it is. I don't care if it sounds like I double clutch and blip the throttle every time. I REALLY don't care if it's more efficient and gets better mileage. I care that I know the computer is making me look good. No amount of computer goodness will replace the feeling of the perfect downshift as I accelerate out of a corner. So what if I can only do it half the time. Or even 1 out of 10 times. I did it. The fact that it is hard to do and doesn't always work is what makes it special. That is what makes it so satisfying to do right. You can have my stick shift when you pry it out of my cold dead hands.

This

And I reinforce this again

And yet again. Any goofball can drive a PDK and do good lap times, it takes real talent to drive a dogleg and drive it well.

Preachin' to the choir here. If I want to drive a video game, I'll fire up the Playstation.

Can someone just let me drive a Porsche PDK? I don't think I'll be able to walk in a dealership and be able to drive one. I just know I wont.

I bet some of the Google self driving cars can turn some pretty quick lap times. Pick one of those up and you won't have to bother with the gas, brake, or steering either. Just sit back and enjoy how fast your sports car is.