Volkswagen might ditch DSG gearbox on smaller cars like Polo

The DSG dual clutch automatic gearbox is a widely used automatic transmission on Volkswagen group cars. The DSG transmission has had its share of gremlins on Volkswagen cars, prompting the German car maker to issue additional warranty in select countries. In India too, there have been numerous reports of the DSG gearbox failing due to complicated mechatronics issues.

The latest word emerging from Volkswagen's head of transmission development, Mr Michael Schaefer, is that the next-generation models of the Up! and Polo hatchbacks might eschew the usage of DSG automatic gearboxes in favour of torque converter units supplied by independent transmission suppliers such as ZF and Aisin. 

The conventional torque converter units that Volkswagen is looking at for the next-gen Up! and Polo hatchbacks includes the 8 speed unit from Aisin and the 9 speed unit from ZF. The move to shift to conventional torque converters from DSG gearboxes for the Volkswagen group's smaller cars has to do with two factors:

1. The cost of developing a new DSG gearbox for small cars is exorbitant considering the returns such an investment is likely to deliver. 

2. Conventional torque converters have more or less caught up with DSG dual clutch automatic gearboxes when it comes to the fuel efficiency bit. 

These revelations from Volkswagen mean that the likes of the next-gen versions of the Polo GT TSI and the Vento 1.2 TSI may no longer feature the 7 speed DSG dual clutch automatic gearbox. Instead, these cars are likely to hop over to conventional torque converters that feature a wide range of ratios. 

Here on, Volkswagen's DSG transmissions may be used only on cars that are Golf-sized and larger. The Volkswagen group will continue investing in the development of a new range of DSG dual clutch gearboxes for its larger cars across brands. The Volkswagen group includes car makers such as Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Seat, Skoda, Bugatti and Porsche. 

Source GoAuto