Tech-Talk Archives • Torquing Cars

Tech Talk – What are Differentials?

When we think of the basic driveline elements of a car, the engine, gearbox, and driven wheels are our first and often only thoughts as critical elements responsible for driving. But there’s a lesser thought of device that plays a big, big role – the differential. The differential plays a … Read more

Tech Talk – Mazda’s revolutionary SKYACTIV-X

The world has caught on to the latest trend of killing the combustion engine – electricity is the new hot thing, and why should the world wait? Not Mazda though, who seemingly missed the memo and instead have developed the next iteration of the petrol engine; a system set to … Read more

Tech Talk – What is Volvo PowerPulse?

You may remember our Tech Talk segment on turbo-lag; what it is, what it isn’t, and the ways around it. At the time of writing, there were only a few ways around it, with the most likely going forward in production cars being ‘electric turbocharging’. Audi has proven us right … Read more

Tech-Talk – Turbocharged Fuel Economy is a Lie

Of late, a few articles have been released stating that manufacturers are going to re-look at the idea of small displacement turbocharged engines. It seems, despite the downsizing trend, they’ll actually need to start making their engines bigger again. We’re not talking about getting back the 6208cc V8 from the … Read more

Tech-Talk – Understanding Ride Comfort:

Soft suspension equals comfort, and hard suspension equals a trip to the chiropractor, right? Not quite. Soft isn’t always plush, and likewise, hard doesn’t always mean harsh. It might be tough to understand at first, but TCR Tech Talk is on hand to explain how soft can be harsh and … Read more

Tech Talk – Why do DSG’s/DCT’s burp?

Ever wondered what causes the DSG/DCT phenomenon of the 'burp'? Wonder no more... — Ever wondered what causes the DSG/DCT phenomenon of the ‘burp’? Wonder no more…

The ‘DSG Burp’ is a cultural phenomenon in South Africa – more so than it should be, really. The excitement that can be drawn from the ‘burp’ of a DSG equipped Golf GTI in unreal,

Mercedes Plotting More Luxurious V-Class Variants

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Tech Talk – Types of Transmission:

Not all transmissions that change gears themselves are automatics, and in fact not all transmissions have gears at all... — Not all transmissions that change gears themselves are automatics, and in fact not all transmissions have gears at all…

There are only 2 types of gearbox used in cars, right? Wrong. Contrary to popular belief, there’s more to a gearbox than just whether it’s an automatic or a manual – not all gearboxes that