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Tags: Audi, myths, DSG, Turbo, AWD
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Myths about Audi
Well, since I've heard all sorts of non-sense on this site, I decided clear a fwe things up.
So here goes.
1. Was Audi the first to use turbos ?
2. Was Audi the first to use AWD on production and/or racing cars ?
3. Was Audi the first to use a dual/twin clutch gearbox ?
So the answers are no, no and no.
1. The turbocharger was invented by Swiss engineer Alfred Buchi.
The first production turbocharged automobile engines came from General Motors. The A-body Oldsmobile Cutlass Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder were both fitted with turbochargers in 1962. The Oldsmobile is often recognized as the first, since it came out a few months earlier than the Corvair.
In Europe, in 1969, BMW were the first to use a turbocharged car in the European Touring Car Championship, known as the 2002 TIK.
In 1973 the production version, called the 2002 Turbo, went into sale.
2. The first automaker to use AWD, on a racecar, was Spyker.
And that was in 1903, yes 1903.
Others such as Bugatti, Lotus, Jensen followed.
The Bugatti Type 53 model was historically significant in that it used four wheel drive. The Type 53 was one of the first racing cars to attempt to drive all four wheels.
The Type 53 was an adept hill-climber. Louis Chiron broke the records at La Turbie and Mont Ventoux in 1932. René Dreyfus reclaimed the La Turbie record from Count Carlo Felcie Trossi in a Type 53 in 1934.
The Jensen FF was an all wheel drive GT car produced by the British manufacturer Jensen between 1966 and 1971. Preceding, by far, the Audi Quattro it was the first non all-terrain production car equipped with all wheel drive.
The Subaru Leone AWD car was put into production in 1972.
3. The twin/dual clutch gearbox was invented by Andolphe Kégresse in the late 1930s.
Known as the "Transmission autoserve Kégresse" it was intended for the legendary Citroen Traction Avant.
However, due to circumstances, it never made into the Traction Avant.
After improvements it was presented at the 1947 Salon de Paris on a Citroen 11 CV.
After more than 45 years since Andolphe Kégresse first created it, Porsche had the PDK twin-clutch put into their endurance racers. This PDK gearbox was also used by Audi in their some of their rally cars.
Today BorgWarner is currently the leading manufacturer of this type of transmission.
They are most commonly sold under the name Direct-Shift Gearbox, as sold by Volkswagen Group.
In August 2005 BorgWarner, who call their technology "DualTronic", signed further agreements with two other (unnamed) European automotive manufacturers to incorporate their gearbox.