Autoblog

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

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Crossover, Land Rover, Luxury, Off-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.

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ZF CEO cites 9 speeds as "natural limit" for transmissions

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Ford, GM, Hyundai

How many is too many? When you're talking the number of ratios offered in automatic transmissions, it seems the industry is always interested in adding one more gear; four-speeds turned into five, then six, seven and now eight. Where will it all end? According to Stefan Sommer, CEO of transmission maker ZF, nine is the ultimate endgame.

"There is no hard line, but you have to consider the law of diminishing returns. The question is whether adding even more gears makes sense," he said, speaking at the Automobilwoche Congress in Germany. Back in July, ZF North American president Julio Caspari voiced similar statements, saying that today's best automatic transmissions are very nearly perfect - just 11 percent shy of their theoretical apogee - in efficiency.

Does this mean the race for more gears is officially over? Don't count on it. Automakers ranging from Ford and General Motors to Hyundai are all rumored to be working on automatic gearboxes with as many ratios as you have fingers and thumbs. As we're so often reminded, it seems the mine-is-bigger-than-yours marketing ethos will always be in play...

ZF CEO cites 9 speeds as "natural limit" for transmissions originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford, GM co-developing 9- and 10-speed gearboxes

Seyth Miersma — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Ford, GM

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 boss says transmission gear count one-upsmanship nearing end

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology

Remember the Powerglide? An automatic with two forward speeds, it's almost inconceivable today that such a transmission was ever state of the art. Why, we've heard plenty of grumbling from the peanut gallery about Honda and its continued widespread use of a five-speed automatic when most of the rest of the world is offering six speeds. And then there are those carmakers engaging in the mine-is-bigger-than-yours battle of transmissions that resulted in eight-speed automatics in cars like the Chrysler 300 and Hyundai Genesis pictured above.

German transmission supplier ZF has a nine-speed automatic that will be introduced next year, and reports have said Hyundai is looking to pack ten forward gears into a forthcoming gearbox. What's next? Cars with as many gears as mountain bikes?

That's unlikely, says ZF North American president Julio Caspari, who tells Automotive News that the gear race is "close to the limit." AN says Caspari thinks marketing may be a bigger factor than engineering when it comes to developing transmissions with additional gears, citing just an 11-percent difference between the best transmissions today and a theoretically perfect unit.

Caspari questions the cost-effectiveness of building a so-called "perfect" transmission, saying that further friction reduction would require expensive materials, like ceramic ball bearings.

ZF boss says transmission gear count one-upsmanship nearing end originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZF debuts world's first nine-speed transmission, promises 16% better fuel economy

Chris Shunk — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

Back in January, ZF Friedrichshafen AG promised a nine-speed transmission, and now the gearbox specialists are ready to deliver some details. ZF claims that the 9HP transmission has been designed for front-wheel-drive vehicles with transversely mounted engines. More importantly for automakers looking to hit ever-increasing fuel economy standards, the transmission will also be able to improve fuel economy by up to 16 percent versus vehicles with the now commonplace six-speed auto. The supplier claims that at optimal fuel consumption speeds the 9HP will allow the engine to run at 1,900 RPM, as apposed to 2,600 revolutions in a typical six-speed-equipped model.

Since ZF is in need of OEMs to include the new 9HP into their products, the supplier went out of its way to make sure the gearbox can adapt to many different applications. The transmission will reportedly be able to handle all-wheel-drive and hybrid duty, and it will be able to handle between 200 and 353 pound-feet of torque. ZF also designed the 9HP to be a "construction kit," with an additional transfer case for all-wheel-drive. It is also stop-start capable, and without the need for an additional oil pump.

ZF hasn't released a timetable detailing when the nine-speed transmission could make its way into production vehicles, but we're guessing some automakers will jump at the chance to feature nine forward gears. For perspective on the 16 percent fuel economy jump, a mid-size sedan that now hits 35 miles per gallon on the highway now could theoretically hit 40 or 41 mpg. Hit the jump to read over the ZF press release, which includes plenty of detail for the engineers among us.

Continue reading ZF debuts world's first nine-speed transmission, promises 16% better fuel economy

ZF debuts world's first nine-speed transmission, promises 16% better fuel economy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden

Noah Joseph — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:31:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Saab

Component suppliers form a huge part of the automotive industry, and few are as big - or as old - as ZF. The German consortium dates back nearly a century, and today has some 123 factories in 27 countries. Make that 124 in 28, now, as the company has announced plans for a new facility to be built with - and for - Saab.

The sub-assembly plant near Saab's main facility in Trolhättan (pictured above) will employ around 50 people and supply front sub-frames and complete rear axles to the Swedish automaker as part of the upcoming new Phoenix platform. The Phoenix groundwork is expected to underpin the next generation of Saab vehicles, starting with the all-new 9-3.

The new flexible vehicle architecture is loosely based on the current GM Epsilon platform, currently used in the 9-3. The automaker's official announcement is yours for the reading after the jump.

[Source: Saab]

Continue reading Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden

Saab establishing new chassis factory with ZF in Sweden originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 BMW M5 to be automatic only?

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, BMW, Rumormill, Luxury

2012 BMW M5 spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

As enthusiasts, we can't help but get depressed over the near-extinction of the manual transmission. More and more of our favorite performance cars are being offered without three-pedal setups, and if you believe the latest reports, the next car to fall victim to this change of engineering is the 2012 BMW M5. Don't get your hopes up for any sort of dual-clutch setup, either - Motor Trend is reporting that the next-generation M5 will be offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic.

When the 2012 BMW M5 goes on sale, it will be powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with direct injection. Motor Trend reports that BMW apparently tried to mate its M DCT transmission to this powerplant, a less-powerful version of which is used in both the X5 M and X6 M. The latest reports state that the 2012 M5 will produce over 550 horsepower, and while there's no word about what sort of torque numbers will be on tap, it's obviously too high to be handled by the M DCT unit. Presumably, the eight-speed autobox in question is the ZF unit that's spreading like kudzu throughout the automaker's lineup, and at least we know it to be a very agreeable and quick-shifting unit.

Look for the 2012 BMW M5 to debut in concept form at the Shanghai Motor Show this Spring, followed by the production car's debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this Fall.

Gallery: 2012 BMW M5 Spy Shots

[Source: Motor Trend | Images: CarPix]

2012 BMW M5 to be automatic only? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Pentastar V6 models first to get ZF eight-speed autos at Chrysler

Dan Roth — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Dodge, Rumormill

2011 Dodge Charger - Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler's LX platform cars will pick up a new eight-speed automatic transmission made by ZF for the 2012 model year. The Dodge Charger, Challenger and Chrysler 300 will benefit mightily from the new transmission that will eventually replace the older five-speed unit that's currently available.

Allpar reports that a reliable source within Chrysler has disclosed that the new transmission will first become available in 2012 Dodge Charger and 2012 Chryler 300 models powered by the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. 2012 Dodge Challenger SE models hang on to the five-speed for a little longer still.

The reason for rolling the new transmission out this way may be to suss out any problems while backing up a less-powerful engine. It may also be that the fuel economy improvement will be larger with the V6, and yet another theory suggests that the engineering and software work for the V6 and eight-speed link-up was further along. It stands to reason that sales of V6 models outstrip Hemi-powered LX cars, and bringing the transmission to market behind the highest-volume powerplant is going to make the biggest CAFE impact. Whatever the reason, the new automatic gearbox is a leapfrog move that further re-modernizes the redesigned LX range.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Charger: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Allpar]

Report: Pentastar V6 models first to get ZF eight-speed autos at Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZF developed nine-speed transmission is coming

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

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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Chrysler plans eight-speed automatic production in Indiana [w/video]

Chris Shunk — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Videos, Chrysler, Dodge

Chrysler eight-speed automatic transmission - click above to watch the video

Chrysler has announced that it will begin fitting an eight-speed transmission to select models for the 2013 model year. The ZF Group-sourced slushbox will be built at Team Pentastar's Kokomo, Indiana transmission plant thanks to a $300 million investment by the parent company. That cash commitment secures the 1,200 jobs currently working at the plant.

Eight-speed transmissions provide considerable fuel economy improvements compared to an automatic with five or six forward speeds. Chrysler isn't divulging which products will receive the new transmission, but Wards speculates that the upcoming eight-speed tranny makes the most sense in Chrysler's rear-drive LX platform vehicles like the 300 and Charger. That makes sense to us considering the fact that Chrysler will need to improve fuel economy considerably to meet stringent new EPA standards of 35 miles per gallon by 2016.

Senior Powertrain VP Paolo Ferraro says that the new transmission "will offer our customers refinement and comfort while achieving greater fuel economy and performance." Chrysler plans to improve its overall fuel economy by 25 percent by 2014. For comparison's sake, the ZF-sourced eight-speed transmission used in the BMW 760i is said to improve the big Bimmer's fuel economy by six percent. Learn more by checking out the official video and press release after the jump.

[Sources: Chrysler, Wards Automotive]

Continue reading Chrysler plans eight-speed automatic production in Indiana [w/video]

Chrysler plans eight-speed automatic production in Indiana [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZF designs carbon fiber MacPherson strut assembly

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:38:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

Carbon fiber has long been heralded as a wonder material for the automotive industry due to its inherent strength and light weight. Despite this favorable strength-to-weight ratio and the fact that it's now been around for decades in one form or another, the composite has yet to see widespread use in our cars and trucks. There are a number of reasons for this, including the well-known duo of cost and manufacturing difficulties.

With the backing of BMW, though, it seems that the time may finally have come for carbon fiber to come to the fore of automotive technologies. Now, another German company, automotive supplier ZF, is looking to get in on the front line of composite technology with a new carbon fiber MacPherson strut assembly.

According to the manufacturer, this new suspension component cuts up to 9 pounds at each corner through the use of an integrated wheel carrier, a piston rod of carbon fiber, a fiberglass spring (a use seen on cars such as the Corvette for years) and a plastic top mounting plate. While this unit is initially designed for the upcoming wave of small cars, ZF says the technology can be applied to larger offerings as well.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

ZF designs carbon fiber MacPherson strut assembly originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CONFIRMED: Rolls-Royce RR4 getting 500+HP turbo V12, 8-speed gearbox

Chris Paukert — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce 200EX Geneva debut - Click above for high-res image gallery

Historically, Rolls-Royce has somewhat smugly declined to quote horsepower numbers, utilizing amusingly evasive language like "entirely sufficient" to describe its engines' power outputs. Perhaps a sign of the times, Rolls is now being a bit more forthcoming about details for its upcoming "baby" RR4 model, including approximate horsepower numbers.

The company has disclosed that the RR4 will be powered by a new, 6.6-liter turbocharged V12 engine that gives "upwards of 500bhp." Further, it will route that prodigious output through a ZF transmission with no less than eight forward ratios. Despite its ability to generate big power figures, Rolls says that one important drivetrain figure will be smaller than any other Rolls on the market: C02 output.

The news came from CEO Tom Purves himself at a New York press event for the 200EX, where the Geneva concept car is making its first stop on a world tour designed to get prospective clients in the car and booking orders for the production RR4 version.

The BMW-owned British automaker has long been famous for its peerless interiors and isolated ride, but Purves promises that the RR4 will bring with it a new emphasis on driving entertainment: "... we have consciously engineered this car to be more involving and dynamic for those owners around the world that will wish to drive it themselves."

While we don't expect Porsche Cayman-baiting dynamics, we look forward to seeing what the company views as more involved driving dynamics when the car starts rolling out the front doors of its Goodwood production facility. Official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Rolls-Royce 200EX concept

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

Continue reading CONFIRMED: Rolls-Royce RR4 getting 500+HP turbo V12, 8-speed gearbox

CONFIRMED: Rolls-Royce RR4 getting 500+HP turbo V12, 8-speed gearbox originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler, ZF partnering on axle plant in Michigan

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler

One door closes, another one opens. Just as Chrysler is working to extricate itself from its deal with Getrag, the Pentastar people are about to announce a deal with ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Chrysler is erecting a plant in Marysville, Michigan that will build axles and employ 900 workers, but word is that the deal will involve ZF signing a long-term commitment to operate the plant.

As far back as September, the UAW said that Chrysler and ZF were getting together. The Detroit News reported on the talks at the time, but they were described as a "non-binding discussion" and "a possibility." The Marysville factory, planned to open in 2010, would replace the Detroit Axle plant that currently employs 1,430 workers. Letting ZF run the Marysville location would allow Chrysler to put more focus on getting its survival in order. The announcement will be made at 9 AM EST tomorrow.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

Chrysler, ZF partnering on axle plant in Michigan originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ZF may share new Chrysler axle plant

Chris Shunk — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler

Before Cerberus took over Chrysler, the Auburn Hills-based automaker announced that it would build a new axle plant in Marysville, MI as part of a broader plan to spend $3 billion on infrastructure upgrades. The new plant is under construction and scheduled to open in 2010, but the three headed dog's keen eye(s) on cash preservation has lead to talks with transmission maker ZF to somehow share the facility. It is unclear at this point what ZF, which is known for its transmissions but also produces axles for Mercedes, would get out of the deal, but the supplier would likely run the plant and get to build and sell axles for Chrysler, as well as other automakers, at the facility. The move to share the Marysville facility with ZF makes sense for Chrysler from a cash standpoint, and it could supply axles for one of the Pentastar's many collaboration projects with other automakers like Nissan. Regardless of whether ZF or Chrysler ends up owning the facility, the plant would still use the union workforce being abandoned from the soon-to-close Detroit Axle plant.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

ZF may share new Chrysler axle plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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