WITH the DSG ® Direct-Shift Gearbox you can enjoy an uninterrupted power flow and a healthy portion of driving pleasure. This innovative transmission combines the sportiness of a manual gearbox with the advantages of an automatic. Your driving can therefore be particularly sporty, extremely economical or an individually tailored combination of the two - just as you please.

Conventional manual gearboxes operate with just one clutch. To change gear, the driver steps on the clutch pedal and interrupts the power flow. This is a prerequisite because when changing gear a different pair of gears (ratios) is selected in the gearbox - and this cannot take place under load.

The DSG ® Direct-Shift Gearbox prevents this power interruption. In idealized terms, it offers the function of two manual gearboxes in one. Its technology though is combined in a single compact component.

Unlike conventional manual gearboxes, the Direct-Shift Gearbox has a two-part transmission shaft comprising an outer hollow shaft and an inner shaft. The inner transmission shaft serves the 1st , 3rd and 5th gears, the outer shaft is for gears 2, 4 and 6. A twin multi-plate clutch transfers engine power permanently to one of the two shafts.

When driving, one gear is always engaged and a second pre-selected. When the gearshift point is reached, one clutch segment opens in a flash while the other closes. The driver therefore hardly notices the gearshift process. This uninterrupted, efficient transfer of power enables particularly sporty driving.