VW Group planning 10-speed DSG, new powerful diesel engine & more plug-in hybrids

Volkswagen has a new 10-speed DSG gearbox in development, a new diesel engine with electric boost delivering 136bhp per litre and will roll out more plug-in hybrids.

The end of the internal combustion engine is nigh, they say, as the world tries to clean up its environmental act and works towards a goal of electric motors to power our personal transport.

But car makers are fighting that belief by extracting more power for less fuel from ICE engines, and there’s still a very long way to go before the ICE engine is consigned to the history books.

Volkswagen has already reduced the fuel consumption of both their diesel and petrol engines by 30 per cent since 2000 and plan a further reduction of 15 per cent by 2020. With that goal in mind VW boss, Martin Winterkorn, has revealed plans for more plug-in hybrids across the VW group, a new 10-speed DSG ‘box and a new, powerful diesel engine.

The 10-speed dsg ‘box promises a wide gear-ratio spread and reduced rpm – good for economy – although we must be getting to the point of diminishing returns with so many cogs to shift? Unless the changes are instant and imperceptible the ‘box would surely be sending signs through to the cabin all the time that it’s busy seeking the right ratio?

The new 10-Speed ‘box is said to be good for a torque range of more than 370lb/ft of torque, so it’s not just going to go in to eco-boxes. But is there really any advantage – or at least one that outweighs the added complexity and cost – over an 8-speed box?

On the new diesel engine VW has in the planning, Winterkorn says it comes with 134bhp per litre, has a variable valve train, very high pressure fuel injection (up to 3000 bar) and has both a turbo and an electric supercharger – something VW call eBooster. It’s a lot of power from a diesel, but we have no idea yet whether it’s a 1.0 litre diesel with 134bhp or a 5.0 litre with 670bhp. Both would be hugely appealing.

Finally, Winterkorn has confirmed that the latest Audi A3 e-tron we saw at Geneva in March is heading for production, as is the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, and that plug-in hybrid versions of the VW Golf and Passat, Audi A6 and Porsche Cayenne are in the planning.

It’s all very clever stuff to cut headline fuel economy (not all of which, by any means, actually translates to real world usage)  but all it’s really doing is throwing up-front costs at motorists as the cost and complexity of cars increases. Yes, they use less fuel, but probably don’t save the motorists any money when you balance the extra up-front costs against the reduction in fuel costs.

The added problem with cars becoming more economical is that they deprive governments of revenue. Green evangelists trumpet the savings on running costs for EVs and car makers tell us how much more economical new cars are, but in truth none of it actually makes any difference to our standard of living, as governments will simply increase taxation on fuels or move it to another part of the motoring spectrum to recover lost revenues.

We may get better cars and live with the perception that motoring is becoming more economical. But we’re wrong.