Exclusive: MINI DCT Details and First Photos

As part of the brand’s 2018 refresh, we will see not just a new MINI DCT but a total of four new automatic transmissions – two DCTs and two full automatics. What are the differences and what models get what? Lets dissect.
Yesterday we reported many of the details around the 7-spee DCT rollout. In reality that’s just one part of MINI’s transmission overhaul. The 7-speed double clutch transmission (DCT) will be split into two models:
– 2TF Steptronic
– 2TC Steptronic Sport (different shifter and paddle design)
The DCT will replace the current automatic on the the F55, F56 and F57 on the following models:
– MINI One – 11/17 Production
– MINI Cooper – 03/18 Production
– MINI Cooper S – 03/18 Production
– MINI Cooper D – 11/17 Production
Instead of using the new 7-speed DCT MINI across the entire range of small models, MINI has chosen to leverage it’s existing 8-speed automatic transmission (previously only available in the Clubman and Countryman) for JCW and Cooper SD models. The likely reasoning is two-fold. Given that the JCW and Cooper SD represent the highest torque output of the range, there’s a good chance that MINI didn’t feel comfortable with their DCT handling high torque loads for the life of the car. The other thought is that MINI is trying ti simplify it’s offerings and keep the 8AT for higher performance models allowing them to refine it further.
MINI is planning two models of the 8AT:
– 2O5 Steptronic
– 2TB Steptronic Sport (different shifter and paddle design)
The 8AT will replace the current automatic on the the F55, F56 and F57 on the following models:
– MINI F56 JCW – 11/17 Production (2TB standard)
– MINI F57 JCW – 03/18 Production (2TB standard)
– MINI Cooper SD (all models) – 11/17 Production
First reported yesterday, the production timeline for these changes will span four month with the second phase coinciding with MINI’s 2018 LCI. Look for details of the LCI (yes that means model refresh in BMW speak) tomorrow on MotoringFile.
4 Comments
<p>I’m confused….. the DCT is the performance choice BUT it won’t be in the most performance oriented cars. This is backwards to me. BMW doesn’t not offer the SMG in the M3 ( I was going to use VW example but that felt wrong).</p>
<p>I can’t wrap my head around this at all. To create a DCT and NOT make it for your performance cars doesn’t add up.</p>
<p>Whatever the technology, it is always the last transmission that is the best.!
8-speed Aisin is recent
DCT “max 300 nm of torque” is recent
*SMG/DKG is old today</p>
<p>I suppose…. The new shifter though looks identical in operation to the BMW shifter. I had a Cooper loaner with the 6 speed auto and I found that shifter’s operation to be more intuitive than the BMW design.</p>
<p>Good point ! Pull to the upper gear and push to retrograde (at last)
Thank you for noticing</p>