This guy doesn't let a lack of revere gear in his Nissan Pathfinder keep up from getting around. A system of chains and rollers is a unique but clearly functional solution to the problem.
When it comes to gearboxes in battery-electric vehicles, the more may be the merrier. That's one theory, and Plug In Cars says that the standard, single-gear EV configuration may eventually go by the wayside as engineers figure out how to better use multi-gear configurations to improve performance and range. It's an argument we've heard Danny King
Chevrolet is unveiling its highly anticipated C7 Corvette at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, but the new eight-speed automatic transmission that General Motors will introduce in this car reportedly won't be ready for at least another year. No, this doesn't mean that the C7 will only c
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 i
Motor Trend is reporting that Hyundai and Kia are working on creating a new 10-speed automatic transmission. The dual-headed Korean automaker unveiled a new eight-speed automatic gearbox in the 2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan. Along with revisions to the 3.8-liter V6 engine, the transmission helped the model generate up to two miles per gallon bette
When it isn't unusual to get into five or six different cars a month, you realize you spend a lot of time figuring out how, and how many ways, one can shift the gears in an automatic or double-clutch car. Where is the shifter? How many settings does the shifter have? How do I get into manual shift mode? Once there, how does it work? Are there paddle shifters as well? Do the paddle shifters move with the wheel or not? And so on...
Few topics have set the Autoblog commenting system on fire more than the Nissan GT-R. And once stories began to surface about Godzilla's gearbox grenading when customers invoked the power of launch control, it was like a Hateraid atom bomb had gone off below the fold. Well folks, strap on your riot gear and grab a stick of C4. Nis
Porsche, like every other automaker under the sun, is under pressure to produce vehicles with improved fuel efficiency that emits less CO2. The current 911 puts out 225 g/km of CO2, but Porsche believes that it can hack another 10 g/km off that figure with the implementation of start-stop technology on its flat-six engines. Not so fast, say Porschephiles. According to the automaker, buyers aren't fond of such a feature on their arse-engined performance machines. Porsche didn't cite the reasons b
The 308, one of the toughest competitors in the European compact hatchback market, is getting some improvements that increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.
Chrysler and Getrag are teaming up to build a transmission plant in Indiana, at a cost of around $530 million. The production center, set to open in 2009, will produce approximately 700,000 dual-clutch transmissions annually in Tipton, Indiana.
Although punching buttons to change gears is something that's been around for decades, these newest spy pics from KGP confirm that the new Jaguar XF and XK are likely to receive a setup reminiscent of the console found on the C-XF concept that debuted in Detroit.
It looks like the dual-clutch preselector transmission is emerging as the leader in automated manuals. Volkswagen's DSG has been around a while and offers fewer compromises than less purpose-built manuals. Ford's champing at the bit to get their own trick DSG-like transmission into production, and it looks like we'll see such a unit drop soon with the PowerShift moniker. Gearbox maker Getrag has several different variations on the theme, and word is they'll start off in Dan Roth
Whatever stance you take in the automatic versus manual debate, if you haven't done so already, go out and sample a VW or Audi product equipped with the DSG transmission. All the positives – quicker shifts, better fuel economy, geek-cred – far outweigh the negatives and the fact that Porsche, BMW and even Chrysler are looking to develop their own dual-clutch gearbox, should tell you that DSGs are here to stay. Add to the fact that they may also be cheaper to produce and service, it d
