Have you driven a modern implementation, like in any reasonably current Porsche with PDK? It's smooth in all modes, and there's no torque converter type feeling at all, it really feels like a manual with only 2 pedals.
On the matter of "almost succeeds", this has to be something that some drivers will notice more than others. Those who drive MT cars exclusively (or nearly so) are probably going to see it fully succeeding in simulating the feel of a conventional AT. Those who usually drive automatics won't notice the feel being much different from some/most of the cars they do drive.
If Ford only sells 5,000 GT500 units (for example) a 50/50 mix would mean 2,500 manuals and 2,500 DCT's. Those are horrible numbers for both transmissions and point to the reason Ford has put all their eggs in one transmission basket for the GT350, the previous generation GT500, the Termi all the way back to the best Fox offerings. The economies of scale just aren't there for that small of a run of DCT's OR that small of a run of a manual transmission in the upcoming GT500. Furthermore, Ford would seem to have abandoned the TR6060 for good. The TR3160 can't take the power at the levels being talked about. TR6070 (seven speed)? I don't see that either.I am going to guess, stick shift trans at about $85K and the auto upgrade will cost about an additional $20K.
Plus, outside of production/supplychain/costs, it provides a single marketing narrative, and a unique differentiator (vs. the Hellcat(s), ZL1/Z06 Vette), I can see them going all in on talking up the advantages of the DCT, how it's derived from their $400K supercar, etc. The cost will be diluted into the whole model run too, otherwise you might actually get a price difference between manual and DCT that's a hard sell, if the DCT is done right, that's what they want to put into the hands of buyers (and not expose the manual to magazine racing comparisons ...)
FWIW, I wouldn't mention DSG in the same conversation as more current options like the M/DCT or PDK, it's a bit clunky. I have a pretty good amount of wheel time in manuals (I even currently drive a GT convertible with a hard-to-source manual), let's call it the majority of over 35 years of drive time, (including 100s of hours of track time
), and I can tell you from my first hand experience, with [very modern] BMW, Porsche, the Nissan GT-R, that the DCT does not have an AT feel, even though - and I suspect that's due in part to the psychological impact of the missing 3rd pedal - I'd say it's not quite parity with the experience of a traditional manual.
You'll have to excuse some inaccuracies in what I'm calling these things - they're all 2-pedal devices. But the description I found specifically for the PDK says in no uncertain terms that Porsche has gone to considerable effort to make the PDK drive like a conventional automatic. Obviously so that they can bring those with automatic-only driving in their background into their showroom.
No flame intended, not even a little, but this does mean that you also have a pretty good amount of wheel time with automatics. Perhaps even a CVT here and there. Any more, I get zero-point-zero seat time with automatics. I just don't drive them at all, so I've got no "adapting" to 2-pedal driving going on in the background like most drivers who still keep a conventional MT car in their stable do. None.I have a pretty good amount of wheel time in manuals (I even currently drive a GT convertible with a hard-to-source manual), let's call it the majority of over 35 years of drive time, (including 100s of hours of track time
I cant help but think of the crappy manual that was in the last gt500. heavy, high travel engagement, 1st to 2nd lock out... it was a piece of crap IMO. No thanks to that again. Sure, you could mod it to make it better, but off the shelf, it was junk.
