Explaining the Porsche PDK Clutch System
When companies develop exciting new technologies, they often give them complex names that are abbreviated or turned into an acronym. While these usually sound catchy, they often don’t give consumers enough information to figure out what they entail.
So, when you hear something like PDK when people are talking about Porsche vehicles, it may be confusing. Let us help.
What does Porsche PDK stand for?
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What PDK Means
PDK is an acronym for Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, which directly translates to Porsche dual-clutch transmission. The PDK system was originally developed for racing. It was, and still is, known for some of the fastest shifts that automatic transmissions are capable of. The first PDK was publicly offered on the 2009 Porsche 911 and has been a mainstay ever since.
How the PDK Works
Like the name suggests, the PDK has two clutches that work in tandem to shift as smoothly and efficiently as possible. It does this by assigning all odd gears to one clutch and all even gears to the other. So then, R, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th gears are taken care of by one clutch, and 2nd, 4th, and 6th are handled by the other. This set-up lets one clutch disengage and the other engage in the same motion, where a normal automatic would have to disengage from one gear, shift, and then engage the next.
Which Porsche Models have a PDK
Every 2020 combustion engine Porsche model has an available PDK transmission option, excluding the Porsche Cayenne, which only get the Tiptronic transmission. So, the 718, the 911, the Panamera, and the Macan all can get the 7-speed PDK. However, buyers can opt for a 6-speed manual on most of those models.
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Schedule a test drive and experience the PDK for yourself. If you’re more interested in classic Porsche models, then make sure to check out our classic Porsche inventory.