Volkswagen Announces 10-Speed Dual-Clutch Automatic, High-Performance Diesel

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn today announced at the Vienna motor symposium that his brand will produce a 10-speed dual-clutch automatic and a new high-performance diesel engine. In a speech in front of hundreds of engineers in Vienna’s Hofburg Palace, Winterkorn spoke of “the extremely wide gear-ratio spread, the reduced rpm range, and other improvements with regards to the gear-tooth system and friction.” The gear-ration spread exceeds 10:1—for reference, the six-speed DSG found in today’s GTI has a ratio spread of less than 5:1 and the brand’s seven-speed dual-clutch unit has a spread of 7.8:1—and the transmission is suitable for a torque range of more than 369 lb-ft.

The 10-speed DCT catapults Volkswagen to the head of the gears-available class. No other dual-clutch transmission with 10 cogs has been announced so far. ZF is working on a nine-speed torque-converter automatic, which will feature a gear-ratio spread of 9.84:1, and Hyundai will offer a 10-speed torque-converter automatic in the next-generation Genesis.

Winterkorn also announced that Volkswagen’s upcoming high-performance diesel is capable of producing 134 horsepower per liter of displacement. The engine is fitted with an optimized variable valvetrain, a high-pressure fuel-injection system that operates at extremely high pressures ranging from 2500 to 3000 bar, and a combination of a turbocharged and an electric supercharger VW is referring to as eBooster.

Further details about either the new 10-speed auto or the high-performance diesel aren’t available as yet, but we’ll pass along any further details from the symposium in Vienna as we gather them.

Smart Fortwo Edition by Jeremy Scott Production Details: Tailfins are Back [2013 Shanghai Auto Show]

A few months ago, we heralded the Smart Forjeremy concept as the weirdest car we’d ever written about. Today, we introduce the Smart Fortwo Edition by Jeremy Scott, which is nothing less than the production version of the aforementioned concept. And it is the weirdest car we’ve ever written about. The production version, which will be sold in “strictly limited quantities” in the U.S. and elsewhere, doesn’t deviate too far from the concept. Some changes have been implemented to keep cost under control, and to make the car street legal. The flamboyant wings now display five fins instead of seven, and they begin at the shoulder line, instead of sitting on top of the rear bumper; this allows Daimler to keep the Smart’s standard (and certified) taillights. The painted 16- or 17-inch aluminum wheels are now taken from Smart’s regular wheel portfolio. And there are a few more metallic accents replacing the concept’s white door handles and front air intake, which makes for a slightly more substantial and aggressive look.

Certainly in the interest of keeping windshield reflections to an acceptable level, the interior has shunned its chrome-white theme in favor of a black-and-white combination. The concept’s unique steering wheel, which looked more akin to an airplane’s yoke than a wheel, is gone. (That’s probably for the best considering the Smart’s indirect steering.)

Smart will offer the special edition with a choice of a Brabus-tuned, 101-hp turbocharged three-cylinder, as well as an Electric Drive variant available in standard 74-hp tune, or the 80-hp Brabus tune.

With the advent of the more conventionally engineered and more pleasant Scion iQ, the ageing Smart has suffered in the marketplace. But the Fortwo Edition by Jeremy Scott takes Daimler’s tiny city car a step ahead of its perfectionist and slightly dull Japanese competition again. There is no stylish version of the iQ—at least in the U.S., where the iQ-derived Aston Martin Cygnet is not offered.

Today’s automotive design has subjected us to more and more bland, vanilla offerings. Smart deserves some praise for bringing something as outlandish as the Fortwo Edition Jeremy Scott to market. When this rare Smart appears on the road, however, it may prompt more face-palms than smiles.

Lamborghini Aventador LP720-4 50 Anniversario: Celebrating 50 Years of Raging Bulls [2013 Shanghai Auto Show]

Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA: Resistance is Futile [2013 Shanghai Auto Show]

2014 BMW 2-series Coupe Spied Wearing M Sport Duds

Ford and GM to Jointly Develop Nine- and Ten-Speed Automatic Transmissions

The advent of seven- and eight-speed transmissions has changed drivers’ interactions with their cars. In the old days, we could determine which gear we were in based on speed, engine note, and the tachometer; and, if we were lucky enough to be driving a car with a stick or an automatic featuring a manual-shifting function, we could make a decision as to which gear would be necessary for an upcoming stretch of road. It was all part of the fun. But automakers seemingly have determined that seven or eight gears aren’t enough. As have Chrysler and others, GM and Ford have decided it is a good idea to equip future cars and trucks with nine- and ten-speed automatics, and that’s just what they plan to do.

Both companies have announced the joint development of slushboxes with nine and ten speeds for all vehicle classes and for front- and rear-wheel-drive applications. The cooperation is supposed to lower the cost of development and testing; it follows previous cooperation that focused on the development of six-speed automatics for front-wheel-drive vehicles. That team effort resulted in the six-speed automatics fitted in “some of America’s favorite vehicles,” as the joint press release gushes. This includes some of America’s least exciting vehicles, such as the Ford Explorer and the Chevrolet Malibu.

Nine- and ten-speed transmissions allow engineers to optimize their engines for smaller sections of the rev band; they can oscillate around an engine’s optimal point of efficiency, as does a—loathsome—CVT. Says GM’s transmission guru Jim Lanzon, “We expect these new transmissions to raise the standard of technology, performance, and quality for our customers while helping drive fuel-economy improvements into both companies’ future product portfolios.”

While the hardware will be largely identical, both Ford and GM will produce the slushboxes in their own production facilities. And the software application will differ “to ensure,” in the words of Ford’s driveline chief engineer Craig Renneker, “that each transmission is carefully matched to the individual brand-specific vehicle DNA for each company.”

We’ll get a taste of the “tremendous benefits” over the next few years, and we can’t help but wonder whether Ford and GM will even bother to offer a manual function for these boxes anymore; it would be little more than a cruel joke. The case for the old-fashioned manual has just become a lot stronger.

Citroën DS Wild Rubis Concept: No One Wants a Domesticated Ruby [2013 Shanghai Auto Show]

2016 Mercedes-Benz C-class Cabriolet Spy Photos: A Properly Badged C-class Droptop

Audi Scorpion Rendered: The Roadgoing Le Mans Racer

BMW X4 Concept: The Baby X6 is Almost Here [2013 Shanghai Auto Show]

Volvo’s S60 and XC60 R-Designs Revealed for 2014 [2013 New York Auto Show]

Chinese-owned Volvo has a rich, sporty heritage that goes back to rally cars of the 1950s and 1960s, which was buried during the safety-conscious 1970s and 1980s, and eventually rediscovered in the 1990s. Today, the brand is playing up that theme expertly with its R-Design models for its refreshed-for-2014 S60 and XC60. These packages go significantly beyond merely cosmetic changes, and were launched at this year’s New York auto show.

Both cars are fitted exclusively with the top-of-the-line T6 turbocharged straight-six engine, whose output has been lifted from 300 horsepower at 5600 rpm to 325 horsepower at 5400 rpm. Maximum torque rises from 325 lb-ft, available from 2100 rpm, up to 354 lb-ft, now available from 3000 rpm. As a result, 0-to-60-mph times improve: the S60′s time dips from 5.5 seconds to 5.3, and the XC60 goes from 6.6 down to 6.2. Both R-Design models receive the brand’s newest six-speed automatic, equipped with Advanced Quick Shifts, which Volvo claims can cut shift times by up to 50 percent.

Volvo also has improved cornering performance by lowering the chassis by 0.6 inch, and adding optional 19-inch wheels on the S60 and 20-inch wheels on the XC60. The S60 receives 20-percent stiffer bushings and 15-percent stiffer springs, as well as rear monotube dampers.

Visual changes include updated fascias, a frameless grille, unique wheel arches, a bespoke rear diffuser, and special exhaust outlets. The digital instrumentation is altered as well, and can be configured in three settings: Elegance, Eco, and Performance.

Pricing for the 2014 R-Designs hasn’t been announced yet, but the upgrade was a $3450 add-on last year. Volvo expects a 10 percent take rate for its R-Design packages. We commend Volvo to continue to emphasize its sporty side. But if we could ask for just one more thing, could you please put the 508-hp Polestar S60 concept into production?

2014 Kia Optima Photos and Info: A Mid-Term Refresh for Kia’s Most Stylish Car [2013 New York auto show]

2014 Kia Forte Koup Photos and Info: All-New Sekond-Gen Gets Turbokharged Option [2013 New York Auto Show]

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG: Small and Strong [2013 New York auto show]

2014 Jaguar XKR-S GT: Turning the XKR-S Into an Apex Predator [2013 New York Auto Show]

The Continental: Lingering Questions from the 2013 Geneva Auto Show

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

As this story is published, the Geneva auto show is in its second week. For me, the show triggered as many questions as it provided answers, and I could not identify a dominant theme for the show, which seemed to be weaker than usual on concept cars. Here are some random but thought-provoking observations:

Porsche and Manuals

The industry, unfortunately, is working to get rid of manual transmissions. Porsche is fitting its latest 911 GT3 with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, and when questioned about the move, the automaker responded with a flurry of rhetorical questions such as whether the company should go back to carburetors and or ditch ABS. Of course, the dual-clutch auto provides superior shifting times. But I contest the notion that it is therefore the only logical choice for the GT3. Shifting gears is an essential part of operating a car, over which I wish to exercise total control; even with paddle-actuated shifts, there is an extra layer between me and the car. And the dual-clutch automatic is heavier than a manual transmission, to boot. I hear that the upcoming GT3 RS could become available with a manual transmission. This is excellent news.

Porsche and others would do well to reflect on the enthusiastic reaction towards the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S/Toyota GT-86. It came in second in the European Car of the Year votes and placed among the top four in the World Car Awards; the actual winner will be announced later this month. The sports-car trio’s popularity is a powerful message to the industry: People love light-weight, tossable sports cars, even if they’re low on sophistication. And they love a manual. (The cars didn’t get votes because of their available slushboxes).

Qoros Charging On

Qoros could permanently change the perception of Chinese cars. Funded by an Israeli-Chinese cooperation and engineereed with input from Austrian and German engineers, these cars are bordering on premium in content and appearance. The long-term dedication is visible in the three body variations shown in Geneva; an SUV is sure to come, as are further variations in the future. Qoros displays a consistent, attractive styling language (at which some German manufacturers need to take a hard look). Safety will not be an issue, the cars are expected to pass the (overrated) NCAP tests with flying colors. And Qoros also triggered the amusing footnote which is Audi’s lawsuit against the Chinese company’s use of the “GQ3″ moniker. Transforming the image of the Chinese auto industry, and topping it off with exposing the Volkswagen Group’s nervousness—no wonder Qoros executives were all smiles at this show.

Fiat Group on Hold

For Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia, there was little in Geneva beyond a number of new trim levels and special editions, some of which we’d seen months ago. But, lo and behold, the Alfa Romeo 4C is here in production trim. I nearly choked on its headlight assembly, which looks like a cluster of aftermarket commodity parts thrown together. The units lack a glass cover, which I assume saves Alfa the cost of getting the headlights certified. This styling is barely acceptable for tuners, and least of all for a proud brand like Alfa Romeo.

Enthusiasts to BMW, Come In BMW

BMW needs to do something to please its loyalists. Its laundry list of enthusiast disappointments include the downsizing from its wonderful inline-six engines to four-cylinders; substituting hydraulic power steering with electric; announcing a new wave of front-wheel drive vehicles; and launching the “Active Tourer” people-mover concept as well as the i EV brand and hybrids in every segment. Now comes the un-pretty 3-series Gran Turismo derivative with a longer wheelbase, large hatch, and a raised seating position and center of gravity. The car makes sense, but we really, really, need to see something we can love, such as the next-gen M3.

Not-So-Super Supercars?

This year, supercars are hybrids. The contest between the McLaren P1, the Porsche 918, and the unfortunately named Ferrari La Ferrari will be played out in terms of flat-out performance, Nürburgring lap times, and—of course—mileage figures. What I am curious about is whether the prospective customers care. These good people, I am told by executives, are desperately waiting for a supercar which allows them to creep through their neighborhood on electric power, so their beloved neighbors won’t be disturbed in their sleep. Really? I submit that a day with a supercar needs to begin with ritual firing-up process which involves an angry bark right in my own driveway. I see these ultra-complex hybrid supercars as technology exercises and showcases, which may prove more difficult to sell than conventionally powered supercars.

Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen Group’s luxury cars need some styling help. Among the design community, there was almost universal disapproval of the Lamborghini Veneno, an Aventador-based supercar which was obviously designed for a racing game played by 12-year-olds. Cool-looking? Sure, but the Veneno’s “modular”styling language is utterly disconnected from every other Lamborghini currently sold, and in fact ever built. It was a relief when we heard that it won’t affect future Lamborghinis, either.

And the Bentley Flying Spur? I like the fact that it is further removed from the two-door Continental GT than its predecessor, but that means it also doesn’t look nearly as good as the Continental. The Flying Spur’s trunk is low, slightly sagging, and it also reveals some cost-cutting. Since this car is still based on the Volkswagen Phaeton, couldn’t Bentley keep the Phaeton’s trick trunk lock, which swings upwards and into the trunk when opened? Inside the Flying Spur, the door-to-instrument-panel section is poorly executed, too.

Road for EVs is Rocky

There is no clear path towards electric-vehicle production anymore. The industry anticipates sharp regulation to lower emissions and consumption, but the future methods of measuring them are up in the air; so is the measuring of the consumption of plug-in hybrids and electrics. The current disadvantages of battery-electric vehicles—expense, range, and weight—are so glaring that companies are beginning to strongly doubt the optimistic predictions. Now we hear the gospel of the plug-in hybrid everywhere, and of course the fuel cell is just beyond the horizon. Perhaps regulators wake up to the exciting possibilities by newfound natural gas resources. The technology is there, and it is not all that revolutionary, as witnessed by the A3 g-tron and the Honda Civic Natural Gas. Sometimes real progress is so easy. And for that “green” statement, you can always go biking.