Autoblog

CVT transmissions definitely aren't new, but high gas prices have thrust the once unreliable continuously variable trannies back into the powertrain equation. Chrysler uses the CVT in a few of its products, Mitsubishi added the tranny to the new Lancer, and Nissan has begun using the CVT in the Altima and Sentra, among others. According to a Japanese business rag, Subaru is planning to add the gearless transmission into every model they make by 2010. The first Subie to mate a boxer engine to the CVT is rumored to be the updated 2009 Legacy, and a 2.0L diesel with a CVT may follow shortly there after. While the CVT will be available with every model, we're assuming (and hoping) that manual transmissions will be offered as well.

CVTs are usually a bit quicker off the line than automatics, but in our experience fuel economy savings are a mix bag. While the Sentra's MPG improved with the CVT, in the 2006 Ford Five Hundred, the FWD CVT version got two less MPG on the highway than the auto-equipped SEL model. As far as the driving experience goes, CVTs take a little getting used to since the transmissions keep the engine in the optimal rev range at all times and the transmission feels like it's slipping, but most drivers may never notice the difference.

[Source: Winding Road]

At first blush, the Altima coupe sounds like a Japanese Monte Carlo -- firmly midsized, front drive, fast roofline -- but that's where the similarities end. Inside Line put an Altima coupe with the lusty 270 HP V6 under the microscope and proclaimed it the best of the field. While the performance figures and spec sheet may reflect solid numbers that don't necessarily best the competition, there are some cars that have a je ne sais quoi that defies measurement. The Inside Line folks laid down the clipboard on the passenger seat and discovered that the Altima Coupe experience is more about how the whole of the machine works. It sounds to us like the Altima is channelling the G37, and thusly, it outclasses its peers.

Thanks for the tip, Mehdi!

[Source: Inside Line]

The folks over at the North American Subaru Impreza Owner's Club (NASIOC) were kind enough to post a translated article from Yahoo! News that outlines the future use of CVTs by Subaru.

According to the article, Subaru is currently developing a CVT to be used in conjunction with their new boxer diesel on models sporting two-liter engines, including the upcoming Forester and Legacy models. Both models are expected to bow sometime in 2008, at which point other CVT-equipped vehicles will follow.

Since CVTs are said to offer a 10-percent boost in fuel economy, it's probably a smart move to equip Subaru's upcoming diesels with the gear-less tranny. As for the rest of the Subaru lineup, we're not entirely convinced.

[Source: NASIOC via Straightline]

UPDATE: Press release posted after the jump. Full specs included.


Edmunds' Straightline just went on a late night assault, revealing pictures of the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer. The debut is well ahead of the car's official unveiling next month in Detroit, although the website provided a fair amount of details about the underpinnings of Mitsubishi's newest sedan.

The vehicle is shorter overall, but noticeably wider, when sized up next to the outgoing model and is build off of the same platform that underpins the Outlander SUV. The base model will be powered by a 152 HP, 2-liter, inline four, mated to either a five-speed manual or a CVT that will allow drivers to choose from six, pre-selected ratios, controlled by a set of magnesium shift paddles.

Sales will begin sometime in early 2007 and will be available in DE, ES or GTS trim.

More pics after the jump and more information to follow. Watch this space.

[Source: Edmunds' Insideline]

Dual-clutch transmissions are viewed as an improvement over current automatic and auto-manual transmission technologies. Here in the US, we tend to look at the use of the technology by VW as a performance enhancement, primarily. It is a marriage of the directness of a manual transmission with the ease of use of an automatic, while providing quicker shifting than is humanly possible. BorgWarner, the supplier of the dual cluch technology for VW's DSG transmission, is setting its sights on the low-cost market as a way to offer automatic shifting in the 600cc to 1.0-liter segment. Currently, CVT and low-cost automatics are being used in this segment, and dual-clutch technology can offer improved performance and fuel economy over standard automatic transmissions and lower cost than CVTs with less mechanical complexity.

According to CSM Worldwide, an automotive market consultantcy, manufacturers pay anywhere from €300 to €400 ($381 to $509) a unit for low-cost, four-speed automatics. CVTs can cost up to €1,400 ($1780), but dual-clutch transmissions offer a nice middle ground at about €950 ($1208).

While some of us still prefer to row our own gearboxes, technologies like dual-clutch offer a better compromise so that others who are not comfortable with selecting their own gear ratios can experience improved performance and fuel economy. Few would argue that a standard slushbox is a better alternative, especially in smaller displacement engines.

[Source: Automotive News (Sub. req)]

Not only is the Caliber tough to find on dealer lots in the United States, but it's also selling out in Europe as well. According to AutoWeek, Dodge woefully underestimated European demand for its hatchback replacement for the Neon, causing dealers in Europe to put people on a waiting list in excess of six months.

Many questioned whether Dodge's very American design could do well in Western Europe, but that question is now answered, with 3,238 Calibers were sold so far this year. Dodge sold just 311 vehicles in western Europe all of last year, but announced plans earlier this year to push Dodge as an international brand for the automaker.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Although the new Corolla won't be seen for another two years, a couple of graining photos showed up yesterday which foretell the future of Toyota's "compact" sedan.

The styling is obviously influenced by the Yaris, with a few cues swiped from the current Camry to add some family resemblance. We can expect the new Corolla to grow in every conceivable dimension, as the new MC platform, which will underpin many upcoming Toyota models, allows a large degree of flexibility. Rumors of a coupe offering are also circulating.

Power will likely come from a 2-liter, inline-four, with approximately 150 hp being channeled through either a five- or six-speed manual, with the option of a CVT over the standard slushbox. Suspension upgrades will probably include the ditching of the rear torsion beam setup in favor of a new multi-link arrangement.

A rear, three-quarters shot is available after the jump.

[Source: The Hollywood Extra]

Related Links:

Spy Shots: 2008 Toyota Corolla

Conventional wisdom says that continuously- or infinitely-variable transmissions (CVT and IVT, respectively) are destined to toil away under the hoods of compact cars, but Torvec is having none of it. The manufacturer recently installed its hydraulic-based IVT behind the Cummins turbodiesel of a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 as a proof-of-concept demonstrator. While the primary application for the Torvec IVT is said to be school buses and other medium-duty vehicles - especially those engaged in a heavy amount of stop-and-go usage - the company is also enthusiastic about the transmission's prospects in the booming diesel heavy-duty light truck market.

A diesel engine is particularly well-suited to the characteristics of a CVT or IVT due to its relatively narrow powerband, but the torque limits of units based on belts or toroids have remained a problem. Of course, a hydraulic unit such as Torvec's may prove to have some drawbacks as well. Efficiency could be a problem (this has been an issue with the hydrostatic drives used in industrial vehicles and agricultural tractors), and of course keeping the hydraulic unit sealed for the average expected service life of a vehicle might be tricky. These are issues that can probably be overcome with some clever engineering, though, so we're not betting against Torvec.

[Sources: Autoindustry.co.uk; Torvec]

The next Mitsubishi Lancer will be the first vehicle from the company to be offered with a continuously variable transmission when it goes on sale next March. The CVT will be paired with a 2.4L version of the World Engine that Mitsubishi helped develop in conjunction with Hyundai and Daimler Chrysler.

AutoWeek reports that Mitsubishi is using the CVT as a relatively inexpensive way to increase fuel economy. The new tranny could improve the Lancer's fuel economy by up to 20 percent. The move will give the struggling Japanese automaker an attractive product in its portfolio for those seeking efficiency over performance.

Other notable items that AutoWeek mentioned include the fact that Mitsubishi isn't developing a hybrid because it would be just too expensive to develop. The company is, however, planning to offer a diesel in the U.S. by 2010 and is also working on creating flex-fuel engines capable of running E85.

[Source: AutoWeek]

$28,050. That's the price of entry for Nissan's new-for-2007 Maxima. That coin will get buyers a Max in base 3.5 SE spec, which includes the automaker's evergreen VQ engine, good here for 255 horsepower, tied to the company's Xtronic CVT transmission with manual override. The six-speed manual appears to be a casualty of the upgrade, continuing Nissan's trend of moving the Maxima away from its role as "The Four Door Sports Car" to that of a near-luxury player.

Those with a bit more largesse may wish to opt for the 3.5SL ($30,300), which includes new 'wood-tone' interior accents, heated leather seats, and 18" seven-spoke alloys,  among other niceties.

Click through for more information on the reworked Max (including video), then check here for more on-hand impressions at the New York Auto Show.

[Sources: TopSpeed.com; Nissan]