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S tronic® 47
What is the benefit of two clutches?
A double saving: time and energy.
The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission enables
rapid gear shifting with hardly any perceptible
break in propulsive power and is therefore
particularly efficient.
As long ago as 1985, Walter Röhrl tested this
technology in the Sport quattro S1 – and was
suitably impressed. Audi drivers share his
enthusiasm to this day, because the modern S tronic
changes gear in a flash. To do this, two multi-
disc clutches serve the different gears. One large
clutch transfers the torque via a solid drive shaft
to the gearwheels of the odd-numbered gears.
A second clutch serves the even-numbered gears
via a hollow shaft. Both parts of the transmission
are permanently active, but there is only ever one
actually connected to the engine via the closed
clutch. For example, if the vehicle is accelerating in
third gear, then the second part of the transmission
is already set in fourth gear. The gear change hap-
pens very quickly through the change of clutches –
the first clutch opens, whilst the second one closes.
The gear change takes only a few hundredths of
a second and is complete with virtually no interrup-
tion in the power flow. It runs so smoothly and
comfortably that the driver barely notices it.
It does not matter whether the driver chooses
the fully automatic modes with the program
D (Drive) or S (Sport) or changes gears manually
with the shift paddles – the gear change feels
precise and extremely sporty. Even with all of this
dynamic technology, the S tronic still remains
very efficient. Its high level of efficiency helps to
reduce both fuel consumption and emissions.
The fuel consumption and CO₂ emission figures can be found from page 108 onwards.
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