I'll tackle your questions one at a time:

A sequential manual can have a stick, paddles, or even a ring (think WRC cars). There is no clutch pedal. A hydraulic clutch is just a fluid (hence hydraulic) assisted foot clutch, while the electronic clutch uses a computer control to actuate the clutch (it is still hydraulic).

Yes, a sequential manual is really a transmission (generally a dogbox - a complete other discussion) that is selectable one gear at a time (up or down) to avoid mis-shifts (like a motorcycle). The sequential can also extend the life of the gearbox by avoiding downshifts that would destroy the transmission or engine.

I hope that helps. I gave really brief descriptions, so those of you who know about this stuff, don't rag me for the quick and dirty...

Chris

 

To add to the info above, a sequential manual with a an electronic clutch can provide much faster shifts than a human with a foot clutch but more importantly it can do it with essentially no loss of power.

For example:

Using a foot clutch you disengage the engine everytime you want to shift, change gears and then re-engage the engine. When you do this, there is no power during the shift (rpm needle will begin falling back down until the next gear is engaged). You try to match revs during the shift with the accelerator to maintain peak power across shifts.

With an electronic dual clutch and sequential gearbox (using a shift **** or paddles, or whatever), 2 gears are able to be engaged at once. So if you are in 2nd and reaching the shift point, 3rd gear engages as well and when you shift, the power is transferred between the two in milliseconds by the computer. Because it is so fast and accurate (and also with many systems matching revs) there is no drop in power. In other words, your rpm's do not fall and you stay up where you want to be in the power curve.

Paddles or any steering wheel based shift mechanism are taken from racing cars and are simply there so that you do not have to take your hand off the wheel or re-locate your hand positions on it. Faster shifting with the ability to keep your focus on driving the car.

That's pretty simplified and much more detailed info is available. Test drive an Audi with the DSG if you get a chance.

 

Thnx for clearing that up guys.

Why cant they put this transmission into the street cars though? Not street legal? Or is it not practical? MY guess is that its too harsh for the street to be practical?

 

For ones and twos, it's very expensive. To convert an Evo (a car I checked on) to sequential manual was over $10,000 for just the hardware (not labor). That covered a new dogbox, all the hydraulics, linkage, etc.

Also when the dogs engage in the dogbox, it is very abrupt. Most people on the street wouldn't like it.