We drove the Alfa MiTo with the new twin cluth transmission in elegant Brussels... 

After launching their clever Multiair technology, Alfa engineers have now turned their  attention to transmissions. Twin Clutch transmissions are the (obvious) trend, as they combine efficiency with low building cost and economy, gearshift refinement and comfort with performance.

The Alfa MiTo is the first car to be equipped with this transmission, and after this debut the Giulietta is the second Group model to combine an Alfa 6 speed TCT transmission with the 170 HP 1.4 MultiAir turbo petrol engine. This version was introduced on the latest Paris show, where we took also some detailed pictures of the transmission, and which we show here.

Needless to say we were very keen to drive the MiTo with the new 6 speed TCT transmission at the press presentation held here in Brussels this week at the refined Museum Brasserie…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Behaving masterfully in Brussels traffic…

We started our test drive in the Brussels tunnels after the Avenue Louise, towards boulevard Franklin Roosevelt.

We photographed the TCT transmission already on the latest Paris Motor Show... just use Ctrl +  to enlarge the picture for more detail...

Lane driving at a constant (legal) speed of 50 kph got the transmission shifting smoothly into the highest gear, reacting also correctly to our slight throttle opening.

When we drove out of the underground tunnels, maintaining our constant speed but with the road going uphill, the gearbox shifted very smoothly down two gears, perceptible only by seeing the rev counter rise in two movements. As soon as the road flattened again, the gearbox went back to the highest gear, again ever so smoothly.

Enlarging the photograph will show you clearly the two clutches, with here the front clutch, serving the gearwheels shown in red here, disengaged...

The slightest blip of the throttle got the gearbox actively choosing the ideal gear, and indeed we were impressed how well the TCT transmission was adapted to the engine characteristics. The MiTo we drove had the 135 hp 1.4 multiair engine, and it proved a silk smooth, magically thoroughbred combination.

In front of the gear selector sits the D.N.A. selector, one can choose between Dynamic, Normal and All weather modes...

Even with the selector switch of the D.N.A module set in “normal” mode, the gearbox is by no means sluggish. Even in this N mode, the gearbox immediately chooses the right gear when one puts the throttle down.

Of course, in the Dynamic mode, the revs are kept markedly higher, the box is even more active, the gearchanges are even faster but ever so smooth.

Downshifts are miraculously smooth and fast using the "minus" paddle...

Using the paddles next to the steering wheel column puts you in complete command, with engine revs ideally adapted to any gear you happen to choose. Therefore changes are instant but always silk-smooth

The TCT transmission acts intereactively with the whole car...

The gearbox is also ideally adapted to the start/stop module. Of cousre, one cannot expect instant getaways when the engine has been stopped at the traffic light.

A gearbox interactive with the whole car…

The gearbox interacts of course with the braking, engine control, Alfa D.N.A. selector, Start&Stop, steering and vehicle stability control systems, and interprets your driving commands accordingly.

Thanks to the speed with which the parameters are processed, the transmission can, for example, modify the gearshift speed and manage the amount of torque put to the wheels, which can be crucial on slippery roads.

When you shift the lever to the left, you can then shift it fore and aft to select the gear manually as in a manual sequential gearbox... 

It can work completely automatically or as a manual sequential gearbox and even adopt a shifting pattern focusing primarily on reducing fuel consumption. Need we say more?

Explaining the concept…

The new Alfa 6 speed TCT transmission consists of two gearboxes in parallel, each with its own clutch, which allows the selection and engagement of the subsequent gear while the previous one is still engaged.

The gear is therefore changed by a simple gradual switching of the corresponding clutches, guaranteeing continuous torque delivery and therefore traction. The result is a driving comfort and sporty feeling by the sheer speed of the gearshifts, the possibility of selecting between manual or automatic mode and a near-zero power loss during the gear changes .

One of the advantages of the twin cluth transmission is the continuous traction available when shifting gears. Just enlarge the picture with <ctrl> and <+> commands...  

In addition, the purchasing, servicing and running costs are limited, while fuel consumption is reduced, thanks also to the implementation of the Start&Stop system, by up to 10% less than with a traditional automatic hydraulic transmission with torque converter.

Mr. Eric Courtioux, Brand Country Manager Alfa Romeo of Fiat Group Automobiles Belgium, explained at the press conference in the Museum Brasserie the importance of the TCT transmission fot the Alfa Romeo range...

Other notable features of the new Alfa 6 speed TCT are its flexibility of application, thanks to the compact size of its components, and the fact that it is a dry twin clutch (the type of clutch that guarantees the highest degree of efficiency in terms of fuel consumption among all automatic transmissions).

The press conference was held in the elegant rooms of the Museum Brasserie... 

Dry clutches are more efficient…

Comparing dry clutches with oil bath (wet) clutches, we can safely say that the former dissipate energy only during the actual slipping phase of the gear change and on pick-up, whereas wet clutches, which always operate in an oil bath, introduce losses due to viscous friction even when they are not in operation.

Alfa elegance and panache in Brussels...

They also require forced cooling with oil and therefore continuous energy expenditure to drive the dedicated oil pump (absent in the case of dry clutches).

A ‘wet’ automatic transmission also requires approximately 4.8 litres more gearbox oil than the dry version, again for reasons of clutch cooling. This increase weight and induces also pumping losses.

The Alfa thoroughbreds feel at home on the Bussels cobblestones, even more so with the TCT automatic transmission...

Adding this all up, one finds that a dry transmission is approximately 6% more efficient than the corresponding wet one in terms of consumption. Last but not least, the advantages of the dry clutch are the lower cost and as a result of its compactness, easier installation.

Dining at the Museum Brasserie, with elegant four wheeled company waiting for you outside...

At present, the 6 speed TCT is available in Belgium on the MiTo with 1,4 Multiair engine, producing 135 hp. The car accelerates in 8,2 seconds to 100, and consumes in the urban cycle merely 7,1 litres per 100 km. Its CO2 emissions are merely 126 g/km. Need we say more?

We are anxious to drive the TCT transmission coupled to the 170 hp Diesel engine in the Giulietta. This car version will be available in our market in June this year. Look on these pages for our further Alfa tales…

Hans Knol ten Bensel