GM, Ford Prepare To Downshift To 8th Gear
GM and Ford will be working together to bring 9 and 10 speed transmissions to market. Reuters reports that the two companies will jointly develop the gearboxes for both front and rear-drive applications, and expect to use them in cars, trucks and SUVs.
Automotive News reports that GM will take responsibility for a transverse 9-speed gearbox, while Ford will handle the longitudinal 10-speed unit. Production is expected to begin in 2016, and that volumes for each transmission could exceed one million units annually by 2018.
TTAC’s own Alex Dykes outlined the way that OEMs share gearboxes from various parts suppliers. GM and Ford already source many transmissions from third party suppliers. Their new 9-speed design will face competition from ZF’s upcoming 9-speed unit (above), which is expected to be used in Honda products as well as Chrysler’s full line of transverse vehicles.
More by Derek Kreindler
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More disposable transmissions that will force consumers to buy new cars every few years. Of course the bureaucrats that made these ridiculous CAFE restrictions that forced manufacturers to offer 8 and 10 speed transmissions to squeeze 1 more mile per gallon will of course NEVER be caught dead buying a used car without a warranty anyway, so it's no big deal.
9 and 10 speed transmissions are old tech. Take a look at this GMC Denali, it has a 21 speed transmission! http://www.amazon.com/GMC-Denali-Medium-Frame-Yellow/dp/B002GNWPK2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366248820&sr=8-1&keywords=bicycle
Seems to me that as CAFE standards have increased fuel economy, the number of cars with 300+ to 500+ horsepower have increased dramatically. You can buy a 300+ HP V6 Mustang for $25k that would blow the doors off (in every way) a Fox-Body 5.0 liter of yore, and get 50% better gas mileage while doing it. You just can't please some people :-)
You gotta love it when an article about automatic transmissions will fan the flames of political discourse. Which happens a lot here (and on the greater Interwebz) lately.