OK, so the Porsche 956/962 is not the most underappreciated car in the world. It certainly wasn't a failure. However, it does contain a cutting-edge piece of technology that often gets overlooked, something that has since changed the face of road and race cars alike. The Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) or double clutch transmission. While the idea of the double clutch gearbox was not new, having featured on the 1961 Hillman Minx, it was not reliable enough for mass usage. By the 1980s however, the technology was starting to become practical and so Porsche began inserting prototypes into 924 and 944 road cars for testing. Focus would soon switch to using the 956/962 for development work. The PDK offered multiple advantages over the existing manual box. As the driver didn’t have to lift when shifting, it allowed the engine to stay “on boost”, especially important in the turbo crazy 80s. Works drive Hans-Joachim Stuck also reckoned that being able to keep both hands on the wheel would also cut down on on-track incidents. Reliability concerns a plenty would hamper the PDKs initial running, but it would become a winner at the 1986 WSC Monza round, as well as the ADAC Supercup of the same year. The gearbox would also find its way into the Audi Quattro Group B car which won on its debut. Fuel consumption and component wear would hamper its overall success and with Porsche’s shaky financial standings at the start of the 90s, combined with the collapse of Group B and Group C racing would see the PDK disappear from front line duty. While the sequential transmission would become the dominant force in racing, the PDK would find a new home, this time in road cars. They provide better economy than a manual, are faster than a traditional automatic and more durable than a conventional sequential. Although the exact technology would change, the 962 marks itself as the first top line works entry to not feature a traditional manually operated gearbox. It was a glimpse into the future of racing and helped to revolutionise road cars.