Photo: MINI
At the core of the MINI lineup, there are the three-door hatch, five-door hatch, and convertible. And up to this point, customers who didn’t feel the need to row their own gears were offered the option to choose a six-speed automatic. For 2018, the British automaker steps up its game even further thanks to the help of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The additional ratio is there to help with fuel economy on the motorway, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Enabling acceleration without torque interruption, a higher degree of shift comfort, and a reshaped gear lever, these are all upgrades from the preceding six-speed of the torque-converter type. And in addition to those, “enhanced driving fun” is on the menu too.
As it’s the case with any other DCT, the Steptronic in the MINI uses two clutches. Oil-cooled for greater shift comfort, one clutch is responsible for the even forward ratios (2, 4, 6) and the second clutch takes care of reverse and uneven gears (1, 3, 5, 7). At any point during driving, one of the clutches is engaged and the other remains open in preparation for the next upshift or downshift.
With MINI being part of the BMW Group, the automaker couldn’t help but boast about the all-new transmission, claiming that the control system “always knows which is the right gear.” The electronic brain of the DCT analyzes the driver’s style, intentions, and road conditions, making automatic changes to shifting behavior according to those circumstances.
Beyond D for Drive and S for Sport Mode, the seven-speed transmission offers manual shifting in M Mode. Being a dual-clutch, gear changes are sequential, and changing gears is done by moving the selector lever forward (downshift) or backward (upshift). For models equipped with the MINI navigation system, the transmission draws navigation data to adapt its shift strategy. Case in point: a downshift is made early when approaching a shard bend, therefore decelerating through engine braking.
Last, but certainly not least, the DCT offers a coasting mode and a crawl function. The latter is of utmost importance, for it enables smooth set-off without pressing the accelerator. This ensures no shuddering in stop-and-go traffic or when maneuvering.
As it’s the case with any other DCT, the Steptronic in the MINI uses two clutches. Oil-cooled for greater shift comfort, one clutch is responsible for the even forward ratios (2, 4, 6) and the second clutch takes care of reverse and uneven gears (1, 3, 5, 7). At any point during driving, one of the clutches is engaged and the other remains open in preparation for the next upshift or downshift.
With MINI being part of the BMW Group, the automaker couldn’t help but boast about the all-new transmission, claiming that the control system “always knows which is the right gear.” The electronic brain of the DCT analyzes the driver’s style, intentions, and road conditions, making automatic changes to shifting behavior according to those circumstances.
Beyond D for Drive and S for Sport Mode, the seven-speed transmission offers manual shifting in M Mode. Being a dual-clutch, gear changes are sequential, and changing gears is done by moving the selector lever forward (downshift) or backward (upshift). For models equipped with the MINI navigation system, the transmission draws navigation data to adapt its shift strategy. Case in point: a downshift is made early when approaching a shard bend, therefore decelerating through engine braking.
Last, but certainly not least, the DCT offers a coasting mode and a crawl function. The latter is of utmost importance, for it enables smooth set-off without pressing the accelerator. This ensures no shuddering in stop-and-go traffic or when maneuvering.
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