Audi introduced its first dual-clutch transmission in a production car in 2003.
The transmission appeared in the first-generation Audi TT, specifically the 3.2-litre VR6 quattro version. Audi called the six-speed unit Direct-Shift Gearbox, or DSG. Unlike a conventional automatic, it uses two clutches: one controls odd-numbered gears and the other controls even-numbered gears, allowing the next gear to be preselected for rapid shifts.
The wider Volkswagen Group rollout also began in 2003, when the DSG debuted in the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 R32. The Audi TT followed shortly afterward, which explains why some sources identify the Golf as the first production car while Audi-focused references point to the TT as Audi’s first application.
Audi later adopted the name S tronic for its dual-clutch transmissions. It became a major part of the brand’s performance and efficiency strategy, appearing across models such as the A3, A4, A6 and R8.