One thing about being a spy is that you sometimes overhear conversations that surprise you.
One of particular interest, was a recent discussion between two automotive insiders concerning BMW. With my earphones in and electrical gadgets ablaze, I slipped in silently, and quickly gathered the following from their private conversation.
It seems the BMW has approached, and brokered a deal with Borg Warner, to supply the legendary Munich automaker their new twin-clutch transmissions. These twin clutch gearboxes are part of an overall plan to phase out the much-maligned SMG transmissions currently in production.
The reason for the monumental switch?
While the SMG design may be a technical marvel, its real life performance simply wasn’t up to par with the rest of the vehicle, and it tended to detract more than aide in the overall driving experience.
The Borg Warner twin-clutch designs are currently in production by VW and Audi and marketed as the Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG).
Porsche has also indicated they will be an option in the near future on select models.