Diesels and DCTs

Turbodiesel engines may soon power half the car sold in Europe, and as European roads become ever more crowded, dual-clutch and automatic transmissions are becoming more attractive propositions.

A well-established automotive industry axiom is that nothing changes and everything changes. Set priorities concerning emissions and fuel economy remain firmly in place, but the technology that serves them is constantly developing, and that in itself creates new priorities.

“The need to fulfill fuel-economy and emissions requirements in worldwide markets without compromising customer expectations in other areas will be the driver for most of the power train innovations in coming years,” said Hans- Joachim Schopf, Executive Vice President for Development, Mercedes Car Group, and one of Europe's most senior automotive engineers. “The development of the gasoline engine will be mainly focused on fuel economy.”