Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Chrysler investing $20M in Toledo plant to support 9-speed auto production]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/28/chrysler-investing-20m-in-toledo-plant-to-support-9-speed-auto/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/28/chrysler-investing-20m-in-toledo-plant-to-support-9-speed-auto/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/28/chrysler-investing-20m-in-toledo-plant-to-support-9-speed-auto/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



In 2011, Chrysler announced a $72-million investment in its Toledo Machining Plant to modernize production of the eight- and nine-speed torque-converters for automatic transmissions made there. That upgrade work won't be finished until Q3 of this year, but Chrysler has already announced a further $19.6-million investment to increase production capacity for the nine-speeders.

The extra units will be necessary because the nine-speed transmission they'll be mated to is going into three popular models: it will debut on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, then go into the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart. The company predicted that this year alone it would sell 200,000 units equipped with the nine-speed tranny, and it is spending some $374 million in addition to the investment in Toledo to upgrade production capacity for it.

The work attached to this new investment won't begin until Q3 of 2014, and it will be finished by the end of that year. There's a press release below with all the details.

Continue reading Chrysler investing $20M in Toledo plant to support 9-speed auto production

Chrysler investing $20M in Toledo plant to support 9-speed auto production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chryslerchrysler 200dodgedodge dartjeepjeep cherokeenine-speed transmissiontoledotoledo machining plantSun, 28 Apr 2013 15:05:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20550350/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/28/chrysler-investing-20m-in-toledo-plant-to-support-9-speed-auto/20550350/article-detail.xml 20550350 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/chrysler-nine-speed-auto_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/chrysler-nine-speed-auto.jpg <![CDATA[Ford, GM to collaborate on 9- and 10-speed transmissions]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/ford-gm-to-collaborate-on-9-and-10-speed-transmissions/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/ford-gm-to-collaborate-on-9-and-10-speed-transmissions/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/15/ford-gm-to-collaborate-on-9-and-10-speed-transmissions/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Back in October, there were reports that General Motors and Ford Motor Company were hard at work co-developing new nine- and ten-speed automatic transmissions, and now both automakers have confirmed this joint operation. While there are no specific vehicles mentioned to receive either transmission, a collaborative press release issued by GM and Ford mention that the transmission will be designed for front- and rear-wheel-drive cars, crossovers, trucks and SUVs.

These aren't the first powertrain components developed jointly between these cross-town rivals, either. The six-speed automatic currently used in vehicles like the Ford Edge, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Equinox was engineered in a similar fashion. As is the case with this existing transmission, both automakers will assist in the design, development and testing of the new transmissions, but each will build its own units in its own factories. Scroll down for the official press release.

Continue reading Ford, GM to collaborate on 9- and 10-speed transmissions

Ford, GM to collaborate on 9- and 10-speed transmissions originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-speed transmissionfordgeneral motorsgm ford joint venturenine-speed transmissionten-speed transmissionMon, 15 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20539151/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/15/ford-gm-to-collaborate-on-9-and-10-speed-transmissions/20539151/article-detail.xml 20539151 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/gm-ford-logos_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/gm-ford-logos.jpg <![CDATA[Land Rover bringing world's first nine-speed automatic transmission to Geneva]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/27/land-rover-bringing-worlds-first-nine-speed-automatic-transmiss/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/27/land-rover-bringing-worlds-first-nine-speed-automatic-transmiss/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/27/land-rover-bringing-worlds-first-nine-speed-automatic-transmiss/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque - 9-speed ZF transmission development vehicle - on the road

Among the future shocks to be shown at the rapidly approaching Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover will be displaying a nine-speed transmission it has been working with ZF to develop. Engineered for transverse - read: usually front-wheel drive - applications, the ZF 9HP will replace the six-speed transmission in the Evoque come 2014.

The three extra ratios add just a quarter of an inch in length to the case, yet it's 16.5 pounds lighter than that six-speed. The built-in benefits of the extra gears are better fuel economy and lower emissions, and the even lower gears possible will improve the Evoque's (never-used) off-road capability. The designed benefits are an adaptive shifting system that tailors the transmission to the driving style, a skip-shift function that avoids the need to move sequentially through the gears, and "Fast-Off" and "Curve" modes that take two different approaches to managing upshifts.

While it is the Evoque that breaks the news, it is rumored that the Dodge Dart will be getting this South Carolina-built transmission as well.

Continue reading Land Rover bringing world's first nine-speed automatic transmission to Geneva

Land Rover bringing world's first nine-speed automatic transmission to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9 speed automatic9-speedautomatic transmissionevoquegenevageneva 2013geneva motor showland rovernine-speednine-speed transmissiontransmissionzfzf 9hpWed, 27 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20480332/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/27/land-rover-bringing-worlds-first-nine-speed-automatic-transmiss/20480332/article-detail.xml 20480332 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/2014evoque9speed_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/2014evoque9speed.jpg <![CDATA[Chrysler expecting up to 200,000 9-speed transmissions for 3 models this year]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/22/chrysler-expecting-up-to-200-000-9-speed-transmissions-for-3-mod/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/22/chrysler-expecting-up-to-200-000-9-speed-transmissions-for-3-mod/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/22/chrysler-expecting-up-to-200-000-9-speed-transmissions-for-3-mod/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Camouflaged 2014 Jeep Liberty replacement prototype - spy shot

Striving for improved fuel economy, we already knew that Chrysler will begin using a nine-speed automatic transmission in some of its new products this year, but what we haven't known is that volume at which this gearbox will be used. According to Bloomberg, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has been quoted as saying that the automaker expects to sell close to 200,000 units equipped with this new transmission in 2013. Those gear-rich trannies will be spread out across three models, consisting of the redesigned Chrysler 200, the still-unnamed Jeep Liberty replacement and the Dodge Dart.

This transmission should play a pivotal role in making Chrysler vehicles more competitive in their respective segments. Just for comparison, one of the Dart's key competitors, the Toyota Corolla, still uses a four-speed automatic, and a previous report indicates that the next-generation 200 could get up to 38 miles per gallon on the highway, which is better than most non-hybrid midsize sedans on the market. Marchionne says that the new Jeep model is expected during the second quarter of this year, but there is no word as to when the new 200 or nine-speed Dart will debut, but clearly Dodge would like to have the transmission in its compact yesterday. As for that volume figure, it definitely doesn't seem out of reach since the Dart, Liberty and 200 combined for a total of more than 225,000 units in 2012.

How many more gears can we expect in future cars? Probably not many more, since the CEO of transmission-builder ZF, Stefan Sommer, previously stated that nine speeds was the "natural limit" for transmissions.

Chrysler expecting up to 200,000 9-speed transmissions for 3 models this year originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM and Ford logos

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and Ford with partner with General Motors on new transmission technology. Has anyone dusted off that old Mayan calendar lately? We're not sure that a Ford/GM tech share speaks to the end of days, but we're not ruling it out, either.

Seriously though, Detroit's two heavyweights, companies that have battled each other since the dawn of the automobile (or close, anyway) are in discussions about working jointly on some very aggressive new transmission projects in the name lessening development costs for each. It's not the first time the two automakers have teamed up on transmissions, hyperbole to the contrary, either.

If all goes to plan, Automotive News says GM will be taking the lead on a nine-speed cogswapper that will be used in front-wheel-drive applications. Ford, meanwhile, will be working on a 10-speed transmission that will find a home in rear-drive products, namely trucks and performance vehicles.

The goal of the new transmission technologies ­- both automatics, by the way - is twofold: greater fuel economy and a more refined driving experience. The "refinement" here has to do with less noise and vibration, most likely, as the many-ratio transmissions have to rev less than they would with fewer forward gears.

The new technology is seen as must-have for the domestic automakers, both of which are hoping to catch up with a competitive set that is now offering seven-, eight- and nine-speed transmissions. Crosstown rival Chrysler, for instance, has worked with German transmission specialist ZF to put an eight-speed auto in its 300 sedan, and has plans to introduce a nine-speed affair sometime in the near future.

Ford, GM co-developing 9- and 10-speed gearboxes originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZF Nine-speed transmission

Did your favorite brand just move to six-speed automatics? Are you already cruising along happily in seventh gear or perhaps you're enjoying the scenery with your transmission lazily churning in eighth. Well move over because ZF is getting ready to produce a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Marking a first for front-wheel drive passenger vehicles, the ZF nine-speed will help automakers generate greater fuel-economy gains while also providing a smoother driving experience. The shift times are said to be quite short and the resulting gear changes are nearly imperceptible to passengers.

The nine-speed automatic will be produced in a brand-new manufacturing facility located near Greenville, South Carolina, and there's talk that one of its first homes will be under the hood of something from Chrysler.

[Source: ZF]

Continue reading ZF developed nine-speed transmission is coming

ZF developed nine-speed transmission is coming originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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