Volkswagen Golf

By Michael Scarlett

May 2004

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The notable exception has been the slick-shifting, technology-packed DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox), fitted to the V6 Audi TT since last year. Now this transmission has filtered down through the ranks of the Volkswagen Group, and has ended up in the new Golf.

And it is not only the sporty models that will get the treatment, as here in the UK the box is also available on the 1.9 and 2.0-litre TDI variants. So what's all the fuss about? DSG manages to combine the efficiency of a manual box with the smooth and responsive gearshifts of a really good conventional automatic. The transmission's secret is to have two electro-hydraulically op-erated clutches instead of one. This bridges any gap in power delivery during a shift by bringing in the clutch of the next ratio before it has quite disengaged the previous gear.

Not even the best drivers can manage that in a conventional manual. And unlike with normal automatics, the transmission saps only a small amount of power - around 2bhp - so the performance and fuel economy are virtually identical to the manual version's.

The newcomer is simple to drive, too. In the place where a gearlever would normally be found is a selector with the usual PRNDS positions, and a slot for manual shifting. As an optional extra, you can specify steering wheel paddles to do the job even more easily. We sampled the 2.0-litre TDI version, along with an FSI petrol variant currently available only in Germany. In both machines, whether we selected D or manual, the smooth take-off and gearchanges were just as good as in the best standard automatics, including VW's new six-speed self-shifter.

The transmission kicks down in D as briskly as a conventional auto. It is marginally quicker than any other paddleshifter when moving between the gears manually, too, yet it keeps that smoothness. In fact, you can only tell that the box has changed ratio at all by the alterations in engine note.

The DSG set-up manages to satisfy all the needs of the keen sporting driver, while proving equally effective as a smooth and refined automatic. At last, even the fussiest motorist can boot out that clutch pedal.