Sponsored: All you need to know about DSG and rise of the automatics

A clear indicator of growth in India is the volume of traffic you see on our roads today. As Indians get more affluent the number of cars they buy and use increases exponentially. Today, India has one of the highest road traffic density compared to anywhere else in the world. We are all aware of the stress this leads to, driving in bumper to bumper traffic constantly avoiding collisions, sudden braking, honking, nose and general chaos that rules our roads. An interesting fact is that in the commute to work and back usually around 20 kilometers the average driver will utilise the clutch over 500 times. This is caused by either traffic, bad roads, speed breakers, traffic lights or various obstacles that force us to constantly use the clutch pedal to shift gears. That can be extremely exhausting and is one of the principal reasons consumers of cars are turning to automatic transmissions for a clutch free experience. Within this universe of automatic transmissions the best type of transmission is the dual clutch system or the direct shift gearbox. Also known as the DSG transmission, this transmission utilises two clutches, one which engages 1st, 3rd and 5th gear and the second which primes 2nd, 4th and 6th gear. So depending on whether you are accelerating or decelerating, the DSG automatic ensures you have much quicker shifts which in turn results in higher efficiencies. Skoda being a pioneer in the DSG technology, recently revolutionalized the sector with the introduction of a 7 speed DSG.  As opposed to most modern automatic transmission systems like the torque converter or even the Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), the DSG automatic provides a more refined feel in addition to quicker performance. So whether it is driving in urban areas or on the highways, the overall experience with a DSG is far superior. A critical aspect that hounded automatic transmissions for a very long time was the lower efficiencies. Modern automatics however have reduced the gap that exists between manuals and automatics significantly. In fact thanks to transmission systems like the DSG box, cars equipped with these transmissions offer sometimes better efficiency than their manual counterparts. The cost of ownership as well has dropped significantly thanks to DSG systems. These state of the art transmissions often used predominantly in high end luxury premium cars, SUVs and even sports and super cars, are now more affordable than ever. Skoda effectively uses the DSG transmission in their competitively priced cars like the Rapid. In India there is a huge shift towards automatic cars given the traffic situations we find ourselves in everyday. Indians today thanks to the virtues of transmission systems like the DSG are more willing to adopt the technology in their everyday lives. Transmissions like the DSG system are the future of automobiles, they provide stress free driving, ensure efficiencies are high and performance is electric. It’s a new level of luxury, stress and worry free motoring for the masses. As the driving gets more comfortable and economical, there are more cars that use automatic transmissions globally and now specifically the DSG. Safe reliable and comfortable, DSG is changing the way we drive. And with its range of newly launched Zeal edition models, Skoda is not just changing the driving experience by offering DSG but also through sportier cabins that set an ambience and mood for an exceptional drive. For instance, the newly launched Rapid Zeal Edition features beige Alcantara seats, a navigation device with rear view camera, rear parking sensors, observation mirror and textile floor-mats. The dashboard continues to be dual-tone. It also comes with an accessories package that which can be added to any variant of the sedan. This package includes a blackened front grille, tinted headlamps, blacked fog lamp enclosures, black finished 15- inch alloy wheels and black painted rear mirrors. Other Skoda models that are available in the special Zeal edition are Yeti, Rapid, Octavia and Superb. With this edition, they get an all-black interior which includes Alcantara leather seats, a black dashboard and black door inserts. For those desiring this sportier and easy to maintain edition, the details are here.