What is "multitronic"

Multitronic is a stepless transmission launched by AUDI AG in late 1999, jointly developed and manufactured by LuK, a division of the Schaeffler Group. The capitalization used is multitronic (spelled by Audi with a lower-case leading 'm') and is a registered trademark of AUDI AG.

Based on the principles of continuously variable transmission (CVT) popularised by DAF, Multitronic offers a stepless automatic transmission in which the ratio between the input shaft and output shaft can be varied continuously within a given range, providing virtually an infinite number of possible ratios. The Multitronic system uses a link-plate chain drive, an oil-cooled multi-plate clutch (initially of six parts, later of seven to enable it to cope better with the high torque outputs of larger turbodiesel engines), and complex electronics, to overcome the traditional shortcomings of CVTs.