European customers are now taking delivery of the first Volvo and Ford models to be equipped with Getrag-Ford’s Powershift dual clutch transmission. Initial applications center on the 105 and 136 hp two-liter turbodiesel engine packages, where the DCT is presented as a straightforward alternative to a manual transmission, in place of the previous torque converter automatics.

No sport or alternative shift programs are offered, though the driver may change ratios manually via the central transmission selector lever. Steering wheel-mounted shift paddles will be introduced later, the companies say.

Offered in the Volvo C30 coupé, S40 sedan and V50 station wagon, Powershift costs an additional £1400 ($2500): on the C30R 2.0D it gives CO2 figure of 156 g/km, close to the six-speed manual’s 151 grams.

Ford’s applications initially cover the broad Focus range, C-Max medium minivan and the larger
S-Max sports minivan: the transmission cuts consumption by 8 percent compared with a conventional automatic, says Ford.

The Ford/Volvo Powershift transmission, along with the DQ200 dry clutch seven-speed offered in lower-powered Volkswagen group models such as the Golf and, eventually, the Polo, are the first truly mainstream DCT applications and their take-up rates will be closely monitored by technical specialists and market trend analysts.