[335i/335d?]

Hi all,

I am about to order a 335i, black with m sport package (19"). I have not decided yet what kind of transmission, manual / step / DCT, I want. I have always had manual cars so I know how to shift and I think it adds a little bit of sportivity to the car. For the future I have plans to add some dual cones and a tune (procede V3/JB3) and hope to get +/- 350 - 360 WHP. The MT and AT are tested and I believe I havent read about any failures yet. Of course I dont know if the DCT is able to hold the extra torque after a tune. I have read its the same transmission as used in the M3, with new software to fit the 335i. But the torque of the m3 is probably lower (dont exactly now the figures). Does someone has anymore inside information about this?

Thanks!

I am dutch so please forgive my grammar mistakes

[335i/335d?]

Searched a bit more and found the specs of the DCT geabox used in the M3:

KEY FEATURES
Max. Torque Capacity 600 Nm
Weight (dry) 79 kg
Installation length 660 mm
Synchronization:
1st, 2nd and 3th gear dual cone
4th and 5th gear single cone
6th, and 7th gear dual cone
Reverse gear single cone

Gear Spread Ratio 6,8
Max. Gross Vehicle Mass/Gross Trailer Mass 2500 kg/4500 kg
Shifter System hydraulic
Miscellaneous DCT dual clutch transmission

Will the existing tunes (procede, JB, Helix) work on the DCT?

[StarrDlux]

yeah you know the 335i folks do not want jerky-start transmissions most folks would probably drive them in automatic. from my experience a steptronic does a better job of an automatic and the dual-clutch do a better job with flappy paddle shifting.

i rode in some sort of hybrid automatic in a merc and it was nice but had some issues going from a start. reminded me of the loaner CVT nissan i had. was darn near impossible to modulate smoothly. was like whiplash coming off the line no matter what pedal modulation you had. aggrevated by using shoes or any sort.

drive the car through one of those car washes that has a floating air dryer about 1ft/sec speed (requiring brakes and gas) and see how smooth it is.

[335i/335d?]

yes too bad it is not possible to do a test drive with a 335i DCT yet. Maybe a m3 although ist not really a good comparison. Just came back from the bmw dearler where I asked two of the sales people about the DCT. One didnt know about it the other one told me its not a DCT but a 7 gear steptronic and only available in the sedan and touring.

[djrobroe]

i thought it was only slated to be released on the couple and the convertible... can anyone confirm that the 7 speed gearbox is being released for the sedan as well?

[JOe335i]

Originally Posted by djrobroe

i thought it was only slated to be released on the couple and the convertible... can anyone confirm that the 7 speed gearbox is being released for the sedan as well?

its not being released to the sedan. only e92 and e93

and DCT isnt coming to the US for 2009. maybe just maybe in 2010

[335i/335d?]

no not for the sedan only for the coupe and the convertible. Another BMW dealer told me that the production of the DCT will start in september, if I order the car now I could get the car with dct in October. Also no price yet, but for us (Netherlands) I expect that it would be around 3500 euro(about 500 euro more then the auto). This monday the dealer will receive further details together with the information about the face lift for the sedan and touring.

[335i/335d?]

Would it be possible to use one of the existing tunes, or would it be necessary to make a completly new tune/map? If it will take a while before the DCT will be available on the US market, companies like Vishnu, Helix etc will probably not look into it.

[per]

I did take a testdrive yesterday with the m3 DCT and i must say it realy impressed on me.
I was a little surpriced the first run, when i did a kickdown it did go from 7th gear to the
2d.
The DCT will be perfect with the torque from a tuned N54, that gearbox will be in my next car.

[335i/335d?]

thanks per!, what do you have now? AT or MT?

[per]

I have a MT, the dct feels better in my opinion than the gear box in M5/M6.The shifts settings where easy to change from soft to real fast.
You could go from soft cruising to race very simple.

[335i/335d?]

they told me the DCT will not be as hardcore as the one from the M3. I dont exactly know what they mean with this, I do hope that it will shift as fast as the M3 does.

maybe one of the tuner can chime in and give an answer if the existing tunes will work on the DCT.

[335i/335d?]

I dont know if this is already posted, but I received this today. Its a bit more information about the DCT tranny on the 335i (coupe and convertible). Pictures where already posted in another thread

Product Argumentation, No. 24/2008
BMW 335i Coupé and Convertible:
New sports automatic with double clutch –
faster gear changes, lower fuel consumption.

From this September, customers buying a top-of-the-range BMW 3 Series model – a BMW 335i Coupé or BMW 335i Convertible – will have the option of the new sports automatic transmission with double clutch, delivering an even sportier driving experience. And thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics, this extra excitement does not come at the expense of fuel economy. The seven-speed sports automatic replaces the six-speed automatic option on both these models, and drivers will notice the benefits immediately, namely incredibly smooth and rapid acceleration with no interruption in the flow of engine torque to the wheels. The car is quicker from 0 to 100 km/h than BMW 335i Coupé and Convertible models with manual transmission, and yet still uses less fuel. Vehicles fitted with the new sports automatic transmission with double clutch can be identified by the electronic sport selector lever in the centre console of the cockpit and the two shift paddles on the steering wheel.



The BMW 335i Coupé: best in class for technology and performance. From September, it will be available with the optional sports automatic transmission with double clutch – cutting the acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h by 0.3 seconds and improving fuel efficiency by up to five per cent compared with the current six-speed automatic.







New sports automatic transmission with double clutch: an electronic sport selector lever in the centre console and shift paddles on the steering wheel are the only evidence in the cockpit that a BMW 335i Coupé or BMW 335i Convertible is fitted with this option. An exciting new equipment option for the two sportiest BMW 3 Series models.

The new seven-speed sports automatic transmission with double clutch is an option that no buyer of the top-of-the-range BMW 335i Coupé and BMW 335i Convertible models will want to go without. It is based on the M DCT Drivelogic transmission that made its debut in the BMW M3 in spring this year, and from September, it will replace the optional six-speed automatic currently available. This innovative new system delivers faster acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h than manual transmission, yet consumes 0.4 litres less fuel per 100 kilometres over the EU combined cycle. As such, it emphasizes the “dynamic” aspect of BMW EfficientDynamics, the BMW programme of technologies to reduce fuel consumption while increasing performance. Below is the performance data for the BMW 335i Coupé and Convertible with the new sports automatic transmission, with the figures for manual-transmission versions in brackets for comparison purposes

• BMW 335i Coupé: 0–100 km/h in 5.4 sec (5.5 sec), EU combined-cycle fuel consumption 8.8 l/100 km (9.1 l/100 km), CO2 emissions 210 g/km (218 g/km).

• BMW 335i Convertible: 0–100 km/h in 5.7 sec (5.8 sec), EU combined-cycle fuel consumption 9.1 l/100 km (9.5 l/100 km), CO2 emissions 217 g/km (226 g/km).

To shift or not to shift? The choice is yours.

The new sports automatic transmission with double clutch allows drivers to choose between automatic and manual gear changes. In the latter case, shifts are initiated via either the electronic sport selector lever in the centre console or the two paddles on the steering wheel. Using the paddles in particular gives a highly enjoyable, Formula One-style driving experience; the paddles turn with the wheel, and so they are always to hand, meaning it is possible to change gear even when cornering at speed.

Customer benefits at a glance:

• Seven forward gears mean better acceleration and lower fuel consumption than the six-speed manual transmission.

• Noticeably smoother acceleration, with no interruption to the flow of engine torque during gear changes.

• Formula One-inspired gearshift mechanism, with two paddles that the driver can operate, whatever the position of the steering wheel and without taking their hands off it.

• Launch Control for maximum acceleration from a standing start.



The BMW 335i Convertible: available from September, the optional sports automatic transmission with double clutch will further enhance both performance and fuel economy. No competitor in this class can offer a comparable technology.



The technology of the M DCT Drivelogic transmission in the BMW M3 provides the basis for the sports automatic transmission, with double clutch offered for the two BMW 335i models. BMW is the only premium manufacturer to offer a dual-clutch transmission with outputs of over 300 horsepower.

The basic concept for the sports automatic transmission with double clutch comes from the world of motorsport, where fractions of a second can be the difference between victory and defeat. The technological journey from the first racing use of such systems in the 1980s to the new BMW solution has been a long one, but the BMW engineers have succeeded in creating a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission suitable for use in high-performance production models with engine outputs in excess of 300 horsepower, based on the M DCT Drivelogic found in the BMW M3. Of the competition, only the Volkswagen Group currently offers anything similar, but their dual-clutch transmission is generally only available with low-output four-cylinder engines. The exception is the 3.2-litre V6 in the VW Passat, VW Eos, Audi A3 and Audi TT, but even this only produces 250 horsepower. BMW is therefore the first manufacturer to offer a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that is suitable for use with more powerful, high-revving engines and rear-wheel drive layouts. Among sports car manufacturers, Porsche will shortly be introducing a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission for its 911.

• Competitor dual-clutch transmissions mostly available only with low-output, low-torque engines.

• Rivals in the compact executive class (Audi A4 Cabriolet, Audi A5, Mercedes-Benz CLK) do not offer anything comparable.

• BMW 335i Coupé and Convertible featuring the sports automatic transmission with double clutch offer significantly better performance and fuel consumption than competitors with conventional torque-converter automatic transmissions (Audi A4 Cabriolet, Audi A5 and Mercedes CLK).


Cut-away view of the new sports automatic transmission with double clutch, including the selector lever: a sophisticated and highly innovative piece of technology that delivers more driving pleasure while using less fuel.




See for yourself: the two gear sets – illustrated here side by side for clarity – each with preselected gears, and a clutch at the top. What makes sports automatic with double clutch so special?

With conventional manual transmissions, it is up to the driver to shift up from one gear to the next. Foot off the accelerator, declutch, shift gear, let the clutch back in – no driver, however experienced or skilled, can do all this without the passengers feeling the gear change. During the short – but nevertheless, noticeable – time that the clutch is disengaged, the engine is not connected to the wheels, and the car is powered solely by its momentum.

The new sports automatic transmission with double clutch, on the other hand, is able to deliver an interrupted flow of engine torque to the wheels. The double clutch consists – as the name implies – of two clutches, each operating a different gear set in a compact housing. One clutch operates the gear set for the even-numbered gears (second, fourth and sixth), the other the odd-numbered gears (first, third, fifth, seventh) and reverse. While one gear set is transmitting power from the engine to the wheels, the next gear in the other gear set is already preselected. So when a shift is required, no time is wasted in changing the gear, as this has already been done; instead, one clutch is disengaged at the same time as the other is engaged. As a result, there is no interruption in the flow of torque to the wheels, and gearshifts are completed far faster than any driver could manage unassisted. The result is completely smooth acceleration – and a unique driving sensation.

The sports automatic transmission with double clutch in the BMW 335i Coupé and Convertible is controlled by sophisticated electronics that preselect the most suitable next gear in the non-active gear set, based on the car’s current revs and speed. Other key features of the sports automatic include:

• Three modes: D (Comfort), S (Sport) and M (Manual).

• Drive-at-idle, as with conventional automatic transmissions, for easier low-speed manoeuvring.

• Hill Recognition adjusts timing of gear shifts on slopes. Benefits include improved engine braking in Automatic mode.

• Improved stability when downshifting into corners thanks to automatic double declutching.



The controls for two very special equipment options in the BMW 335i Coupé and BMW 335i Convertible: the electronic sport selector lever of the sports automatic transmission with double clutch and the new iDrive controller (in conjunction with navigation system). Key facts at a glance:

• New seven-speed sports automatic transmission with double clutch available as an option on the BMW 335i Coupé and BMW 335i Convertible from September, replacing the current six-speed automatic.

• Direct transmission, with no torque converter, shifts gear without interrupting the flow of engine torque, for even faster acceleration, plus lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

• Sports automatic transmission offers a choice of three modes, D (Comfort), S (Sport) and M (Manual), together with the everyday practicality of drive-at-idle, Hill Recognition and automatic double declutching.

• Identifying features in the cockpit: electronic sport selector lever and shift paddles on steering wheel.

• No competitor premium vehicle offers a comparable system for engines of this power.

• BMW 335i Coupé and Convertible featuring the sports automatic transmission with double clutch offer significantly better performance and fuel consumption than competitors with conventional torque-converter automatic transmissions (Audi A4 Cabriolet, Audi A5 and Mercedes CLK).