MT Auto Parts Blog | Expert Tips for BMW enthusiasts on BMW Parts, Accessories, Engines and More

  Photo by Y M on Unsplash So, What Is Steptronic? Steptronic is BMW’s name for its automatic transmission system, but it is more than just a badge on the gear selector. It combines a conventional automatic gearbox with the ability to change gears manually, either by tapping a steering wheel paddle or by nudging the gear lever forward and back. In plain terms , you get the smoothness of an automatic when you want it, and the engagement of a manual when you want that instead. No clutch pedal, no gear grinding, just the choice of how involved you want to be. The name ‘Steptronic’ appeared on BMWs in the late 1990s and has been BMW’s standard automatic transmission branding ever since. Under most F and G-generations BMWs, the gearbox itself is the ZF 8HP eight-speed unit, one of the finest automatic transmissions ever made, but it is the Steptronic software and controls that give the driver access to it. In short: Steptronic = BMW automatic gearbox + driver-selectable manual mode. Th...

Image: BMW M2, M3, M4, AUTOMATIC DCT GEARBOX with just 27K miles for sale at MT Auto Parts DCT stands for Dual Clutch Transmission. Where a traditional automatic gearbox uses a torque converter to manage the connection between the engine and gearbox, a DCT uses two separate clutch packs, one handling odd-numbered gears, the other handling even-numbered gears. While you are driving in one gear, the next gear is already pre-selected and waiting. The result is a gear change that takes milliseconds, with virtually no interruption in drive. BMW’s DCT is officially called the M Double Clutch Transmission, or M DCT for short. It is a seven-speed unit developed specifically for BMW M division cars, where rapid, precise gear changes and maximum driving engagement were the engineering priority. It is not the same gearbox as the ZF 8HP Steptronic found in mainstream BMW automatics; it is a performance-specific unit with a very different character. One line summary: BMW DCT = two clutches, pre-s...