ZF develops 9-speed auto tranny – when eight isn’t enough

ZF develops 9-speed auto tranny – when eight isn’t enough

Bigger, better, faster, more. Such is the world we live in now that something like the automatic transmission for the passenger car has a composed madness about it. 6-speed? Antiquated. Seven? Passe, man. 8 then? Acceptable enough, sure, but how about nine, eh?

That’s the number ZF Friedrichshafen has come up with for its spanking new nine-speed gearbox, developed for vehicles with a transverse engine, which it says will significantly improve fuel economy in front-engined cars.

The company had already presented the case for the box as a concept study at the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt, and now that box has been announced in Detroit as a reality for series development – it will be produced at ZF’s new US plant in Greenville, South Carolina. Chrysler has been named as one of the tranny’s first customers, with the company set to equip its minivans with the gearbox in 2013.

Packaged in a size similar to its eight-speed automatic transmission used in longitudinal installations, ZF says the new nine-speeder ensures extremely short response and shifting times below the threshold of perception, and makes seamless double shifts and direct multiple gearshifts possible. The modern shock absorber systems in the torque converter, which make a rapid lock-up of the converter clutch possible, also mean better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions.

So, money’s on to see when 10 becomes the new black. Can we expect a day when we’ll have a passenger car with 18 forward and three reverse gears then?

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • 4G63tDSM on Jan 12, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    Not sure why the big number of ratios unless it was for a semi.

    One can go for a CVT no for unlimited ratios….Newer CVTs are pretty good and don’t really suffer as much of the old rubberband effect CVTs from some 10 years back

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • makoi on Jan 12, 2011 at 5:08 pm

      cvt cannot for big cc cars la.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • But still CVT can only handle a limited amount of torque.

      I don’t know i.e. any turbodiesel with a CVT…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • littlefire on Jan 13, 2011 at 8:37 am

        I think i just posted yesterday but didnt shown up.. Audi A6 TDI did have CVT (Multitronic) on their turbodiesel engine.. Just google it..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • 1st, form coupling is always better than friction coupling(which most CVT based on).

      2nd, efficiency. in urban driving CVT keep engine rpm&load at it’s best brake specific fuel consumption which is very good. but for cruising – manual gearbox on direct (~1:1 ratio) drive is way more efficient.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • 4G63tDSM on Jan 13, 2011 at 8:20 am

      I don’t know how you define Big CC cars.

      The murano had a CVT on the VQ35. I think for most of us 3.5L is quite a big engine. That was some 6 years ago. I’m sure they have improved on that.

      Having a standard auto doesn’t mean it can handle lots of torque…it all depends on the design specification, even Mercedes had to downgrade their gearboxes on thier forcefed AMG monsters.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • 4G63tDSM on Jan 13, 2011 at 8:29 am

      Incidentally, the more power/torque you have the less gears you need especially if you have a chassis to match

      On my camaro, I only use 1st, 4th and 6th. Other gears are redundent unless I was really gunning for it. The car itself actually locks out 2nd and 3rd on low throttle gear changes to save gas.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • hangtuaha on Jan 12, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    for cars with high torque?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kaizer on Jan 12, 2011 at 4:39 pm

    9 gears are way too much imho

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • munaz743 on Jan 12, 2011 at 4:59 pm

    Penat la tangan nak menukar gear … ishk.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • lchan on Jan 12, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    this is getting out of hand!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • BeemerFreak on Jan 12, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    How bout a tri clutch gear box?that should sound good eh

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • tishaban on Jan 12, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    For 15-20 years we only had 4-speed auto gearboxes but in the past 5-10 years we went from 4-speed to 9-speed! That’s progress!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • TurboMan on Jan 13, 2011 at 8:53 am

      The iswara sold in 2002 had only 3 gears.

      Talking abt dumping ground for old tech

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • clutch basah on Jan 13, 2011 at 3:16 pm

        i owned a saga auto during uni days with same 3 speed auto as iswara you mentioned (i think)..
        man the fuel consumption was crazy as hell!!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • maybe one day u’ll be old enough to see a 13 speed too =D

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • tikus on Jan 12, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    But most of bolehland new car still using 4 speed lar…and the rakyat is very happy with it….how to chase? 9 speed wor?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ferruccio on Jan 12, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    interesting. really want to know how they fit a torque converter and the planetery gearsets into such a tight package. Torque converter autos normally can handle high torque loads. This one may have significantly reduced Torque rating I think

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kambing Gurun on Jan 12, 2011 at 6:55 pm

    Nice if they come out with a manual gearbox hahaha

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • The Loner on Jan 12, 2011 at 10:40 pm

      Really a suggestion but hard to allocate the gear speed in conventional H pattern in manual transmission. Kind of funny of four Hs glued together side-by-side.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Some lorries have a two-layer H pattern. First layer is low gears (1-6), second layer is high gears(7-12).

        You have to pull the lever to get into high gears and to push to get into low gears.

        BTW: Some lorries have a electric coupled intermediate gearbox too, operated by a pushbutton on the lever. This doubles the number of gears to 24 in above case, all manually operated… ;)

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • The Loner on Jan 13, 2011 at 5:49 pm

          Kind of technical to operate but implementation on cars may not be feasible.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
          • Yes, you’re absolutely right.

            Not to forget, that driving a lorry is different than driving a car.

            I.e. with an empty lorry you would not use gear 1-2-3-etc. but 3-5-7, etc.

            The small or even gears are only used when going uphill with full load or when you use the engine as a brake going downhill.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • 4G63T DSM on Jan 14, 2011 at 4:36 am

          some may remember they have that on cars too….point to note the 1980 Mitsu Colt had a 4×2 H pattern. basically 4 speeds x 2 final drives

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • armandd on Jan 12, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    Here we only have 4-speed auto for most small and medium cars, haihhh… so sad..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • not really surprised, even our advanced PT-91M tanks has 8 speed auto gearbox with 3 reverse gears lol :D jk

    ZF 9-speed + Veyron = epic top speed win? :D

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • i don’t think it’ll affect top speed. it may increase the acceleration but not top speed as the main limit at such speed is aerodynamic drag.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • littlefire on Jan 13, 2011 at 8:21 am

        Well, gear ratio also did effect the acceleration & top speed.. If u have a longer gear ratio at final, u may get a higher top speed. But like what u mention, aerodynamic drag may also effect top speed also..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • shawal on Jan 12, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    Bak pepatah kate sheryl crow
    ” If it makes you Happpeeeeeeeeeee , it can’t be that baaaaAAaaaAad~! ”

    Anything that improves fuel economy is a good thing, you can put a gazilion gears as long as its seamless and automatic

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ezalian on Jan 12, 2011 at 10:39 pm

    Most cars nowadays come standard with 6 gears auto. Some 4-5 years, 7 gears.. next 4-5 years 8 gears… and goes on..
    One possible reason for this is to save fuel. Since most cars nowadays are good fuel sippers.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Wait for wawasan 2020. Mesti ada 20 gear.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • tranny.

    that word always makes me laugh.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Fifteen on Jan 13, 2011 at 7:42 am

    A 9-speed tranny? Surely that’s a moonshot by any standards. One word: Pointless.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • ignoramus on Jan 14, 2011 at 12:36 am

      Anything benefits we do not understand is usually labeled as ‘pointless’

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ^pomen_GTR^ on Jan 13, 2011 at 10:22 am

    more gears to be broken..

    more solenoid to be faulty…

    more hydraulic valve to be clogged…

    yeah..even more money to repair/maintain this too-much gearbox gearing…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kevin on Jan 13, 2011 at 10:29 am

    I think it make more sense on modern diesel vehicle to compensate the relatively short redline…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ooh..car transmission system is finally catching up road/mountain bike transmission..we have 10 cogs at the rear in bike now like 2 years back only..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Unforgiven on Jan 13, 2011 at 10:44 am

    Most of the on the road auto Wira is only 3 speeds. 3 x 3 = 9.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • jolly_idiot on Jan 13, 2011 at 11:02 am

    Why can’t they enhance the CVT and make it more robust for high torque/horsepower engine rather than increasing number of gears in tranny?

    As CVT does gives the best shifting point at engine’s optimum speed.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sorchai on Jan 14, 2011 at 10:07 am

    After all this ‘n’ speed gearboxes, comes a fully electric car with no gearbox.

    Motor controlled by VFD and direct drive. People with the 28 speed gearbox cars will look like morons.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • gabriel chiong ming zhe on Jun 13, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    What car have 9-speed auto?please tell me!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required