To me, the PDK makes the Macan really special. I love it.

 

I don't understand. I thought ZF made all of Porsche's transmissions.

 

aDias, that's not totally accurate. ZF is a longtime partner of Porsche and supplier of transmissions that were co-developed and wrung out on racetracks. Of the hundreds of engineers who contributed to the PDK, one can probably point to Dr. Michael Ebenhoch as the ZF engineer who was successful in modernizing the shift kinematics in the early 2000s to achieve the excellent functionality that we enjoy today. But there's no doubt that Porsche has its fingerprints all over the PDK throughout its history, which goes back to the 956 (raced in 1983) and therefore actually pre-dates Tiptronic transmissions.

This article from Car & Driver is a good quick read:
http://blog.caranddriver.com/shift-t...transmissions/

 

ZF manufactures the transmissions but the design differs. The PDK used in the sports cars is a Weissach design manufactured by ZF. The Macan transmission is a VW design manufactured by ZF. It may be tweaked (mainly software) by Weissach but it is a DSG. Saying that, does not make it bad...

How do I know this? From someone who works with these transmissions.

 

I'm curious how the VW design for the Macan PDK differs from the Weissach design for the 911 PDK.

 

I thought the PDK transmission in the 991 was fantastic. I'm wondering if it was just the fact that the diesel has a much lower redline than the 991 and that may have contributed to the experience. It certainly didn't feel like it shifted any faster than a Tiptronic.

 

I expect that the PDK is mapped differently for the high-torque/lower rpm diesel engines, so will feel different and perhaps less satisfying than in the gasoline engines.

 

Yeah had to be the diesel aspect. The PDK in the gasser is one of the bests. The Macan diesel overall doesn't seem nearly as rounded as the gasser, based on reviews.

 

It was a low-end torque monster, no doubt about that!

 

I suspect that VW engineering is not directly involved because VW primarily concentrates on easier-to-install transverse powertrains in its vehicles -- those are licensed from Borg-Warner. The high-torque longitudinal gearboxes used in VW and Audi utes are now 8-speed automatics (ZF 8HP), which we all know Porsche decided not to use on the Macan. It seems Porsche decided to forego the high towing rating to instead concentrate on faster shifting performance.

So the question is whether Porsche used a derivative of the Panamera's ZF 7DT-75 or whether Porsche chose instead to use Audi's ZF DL501 longitudinal 7-speed DCT. I haven't poked my head underneath a Macan to verify, but what you said is almost certainly correct: the Macan transmission is a hybrid of the two with the Audi case & mounting hardware and Porsche's software and gear ratios inside. To improve economics, it would be surprising if they didn't share as many parts as possible. But to enable Porsches "coasting" function and logic, it's very hard to believe that the stock Audi unit was installed without modification by Porsche -- not VW, not Audi, and not ZF -- engineers.

 

Not sure about the Macan diesel, but the Cayenne diesel has the same power train as the Touareg diesel. Exact. The tuning may be different.

 

Rumor has it that the Macan diesel engine comes straight from Audi. It seems that Porsche diesel enthusiasts are a different breed: http://porsche-diesel.com/

 

In my quest to find an SUV for my beautiful bride, I've drive the Q5 in 3.2 liter and TDI forms. Have yet too try the 2.0.

I'm confused as to what, exactly, the SQ5 is; my understanding is that the S is a trim line that's available across the range. I get the feeling I'm missing something big here.

Any kind soul care to enlighten me?

Thanks,

Vivian

P.S. I've driven my brother's Macan S at length. It's a great drive and a much better transmission, IMO, but it's too small for our needs. The Q5 offers that little bit more space for luggage and rear passengers.

 

Yes, Vivian, there is more to the story!

In general, Audi offers two levels of higher performance above the base versions of some of its vehicles:

- S (Sport)
- RS (RennSport)

Consistent with any other Sport model, the SQ5 is not merely a trim upgrade. In addition to improved trim inside & out, it has a much sportier suspension with wider track, larger brakes, and improved wheels/tires compared to the Q5. The SQ5 has a 354hp supercharged (Thanks Dennis!) 3.0l V-6 compared to the Q5's 272 hp V6 and the Macan S' 340 hp turbo 3.0 V6.

Note that Audi does offer an "S-Line" option on some models. This typically includes the black trim, suspension, wheel, and tire upgrades without the drivetrain upgrades that the Sport models include. Also, you can sometimes opt for just the "Sport Interior" package, which does not impact the interior feature list from the user-selected "Prestige" or "Premium" or a-la-carte options but rather upgrades the interior with all the black seat & trim upgrades of the Sport model without the drivetrain & suspension & w/b/t improvements. At this time, there is no RSQ5 model but a Sport Interior package is available on the Q5.

So let's spell that all out again. In rough order of ascending value, you could choose:

- Q5 (various powertrains up to 272 hp)
- Q5 with Sport Interior (various powertrains up to 272 hp)
- SQ5 with 354 hp, which includes the aforementioned interior plus suspension & wheel & tire & brake improvements

in my humble opinion, the Macan S is very close to the SQ5 in value and capability, with the SQ5 having more cargo room and relatively more forgiving ride & handling (i.e., the Macan S is a tad sharper) With the air suspension, the Macan is the clear winner in dynamic performance, and of course the Macan Turbo has the most power if that's important to you.

Hope that helps!

 

^ Thanks for that, Roule, that really helps.

Regards,

Vivian.