Motor Authority - blog Tag: Gearbox

There’s no denying that dual-clutch gearboxes are the way of the future for most automakers, with everything from hypercars like the Bugatti Veyron to fuel-efficient econo cars like the Volkswagen Polo now available with the advanced cog-swapper. Dual-clutch gearboxes offer the comfort and ease of use of an automatic, better fuel economy than a manual, and shift times faster than the gearbox in an F1 car, so it’s only a matter of time until they will become the predominant gearbox choice in the auto market.

Honda is the latest in a growing list of companies to announce the development of a new dual-clutch gearbox, but in an odd...

There’s no denying that dual-clutch gearboxes are the way of the future for most automakers, with everything from hypercars like the Bugatti Veyron to fuel-efficient econo cars like the Volkswagen Polo now available with the advanced cog-swapper. Dual-clutch gearboxes offer the comfort and ease of use of an automatic, better fuel economy than a manual, and shift times faster than the gearbox in an F1 car, so it’s only a matter of time until they will become the predominant gearbox choice in the auto market. Honda is the latest in a growing list of companies to announce the development of a new dual-clutch gearbox, but in an odd move has launched it in its motorcycle range instead of its vehicle range. A new large-displacement sport bike equipped with the dual-clutch gearbox will be released in Europe and North America next year, with sales to commence in Japan at a later date. The new transmission features a dual clutch transmission configuration in which independent clutches are employed for the odd gears (1st, 3rd, 5th) and the even gears (2nd, 4th, 6th), respectively. While some dual-clutch transmissions tend to be bulky, Honda’s system employs original technologies such as dual input shafts, exclusive in-line clutch design, and concentration of hydraulic circuitry beneath the engine cover to achieve a compact design. The gearbox is also equipped with three operating modes, two full-auto modes (D-mode for regular operation and S-mode for sporty riding); and a 6-speed manual mode, which delivers the same shift feel as a manual transmission. Honda intends to gradually expand the deployment of the new transmission to more and more of its large-displacement motorcycles, but eventually it should appear in the company’s passenger lineup, including Acura-branded models. Read More

Porsche’s facelifted Cayman and Boxster range has been on sale for several months now but engineers are already working on the next-generation of the platform, which is due to spawn a brand new Cayman and Boxster by late 2011. This timeline coincides with last year’s announcement by Porsche that its contract with Finland’s Valmet Automotive will end around the same time. Instead, the new models will be manufactured under a deal with Austria’s Magna Steyr.

Telltale signs that a new platform is residing under the familiar 987 sheet metal are the extended wheel arches, which suggest a wider track. This means the new car... Porsche’s facelifted Cayman and Boxster range has been on sale for several months now but engineers are already working on the next-generation of the platform, which is due to spawn a brand new Cayman and Boxster by late 2011. This timeline coincides with last year’s announcement by Porsche that its contract with Finland’s Valmet Automotive will end around the same time. Instead, the new models will be manufactured under a deal with Austria’s Magna Steyr. Telltale signs that a new platform is residing under the familiar 987 sheet metal are the extended wheel arches, which suggest a wider track. This means the new car should be slightly bigger than the current model, while handling and dynamics should also see an improvement. The roll-cage fitted on this test car is another indication that the new platform is still in the early stages. It’s still too early to determine what changes Porsche has in store for the engine lineup, but expect to see the familiar flat-six engine range carry over with only minimal updates – possibly for emissions and economy standards. However, a rumor alleging that Porsche insiders are talking about a lightweight, turbocharged four-cylinder platform for the next-gen Boxster recently began making the rounds. Such a design premise might offer more room to launch a detuned entry-level Carrera also aimed at improving emissions ratings. Even the current six-cylinder Boxster and Cayman, the most efficient in Porsche's line, emit about 222g/km of CO2 - about 100g/km more than the projected 2015 limits. Whatever Porsche has in store for the new car, we’ll have to wait until its arrival in 2011 to find out.2011 Next-generation Porsche Cayman test mule spy shotsNext-generation Porsche Boxster spy shots Read More

BMW will soon be offering a new eight-speed automatic transmission developed by ZF that is set to appear first in the 7-series flagship saloon. The new transmission is said to be both more fuel-efficient and cheaper to manufacture than the current six-speed unit, and its performance is also claimed to be comparable with the more advanced seven-speed dual-clutch unit launched last year in the M3.

Speaking with Automotive News, BMW development chief Klaus Draeger said the luxury carmaker plans to focus on automatic transmissions instead of dual-clutch units for its high-volume models.

“The eight-speed automatic that we developed with... BMW will soon be offering a new eight-speed automatic transmission developed by ZF that is set to appear first in the 7-series flagship saloon. The new transmission is said to be both more fuel-efficient and cheaper to manufacture than the current six-speed unit, and its performance is also claimed to be comparable with the more advanced seven-speed dual-clutch unit launched last year in the M3. Speaking with Automotive News, BMW development chief Klaus Draeger said the luxury carmaker plans to focus on automatic transmissions instead of dual-clutch units for its high-volume models. “The eight-speed automatic that we developed with ZF can compete with dual-clutch transmissions on shifting times, but it’s lighter and more efficient and has cost advantages,” he revealed. “The incompatibility with high engine-speed designs is a disadvantage, however.” Draeger went on to explain that dual-clutch transmissions are complex, expensive and heavy, especially for cars with longitudinally mounted engines and RWD. ZF’s new eight-speed auto, meanwhile, has been designed for both RWD and AWD cars and will appear in several BMW and Audi models later this year. The extra cogs have the added benefit of improved fuel economy because the gearbox can better match engine speeds with the right gear since there’s more to choose from. To further enhance fuel-economy, the new ZF gearbox will also have an engine stop-start feature. Using BMW’s own vehicle test data, ZF has found that the transmissions achieves a fuel economy benefit of 3% for gasoline engines and 6% for diesel engines over its current six-speed auto. Both the first and second generation gearboxes will be built at ZF’s Saarbrucken plant in Germany with half of these earmarked for use in BMW vehicles. Read More

The highlight of this weekend’s Tokyo Auto Salon will undoubtedly be Nissan’s brand new SpecV GT-R, but as expected Japan’s big name tuners have not stood idly by and let Nissan take all the spotlight. We’ve already seen custom GT-Rs from the likes of Zele International and Branew, and new Blitz has revealed a custom version of the supercar designed for the D1 drift series.

The Blitz car is still in the development stage and is expected to start competing until next year. However, many of the details have been specified. These include the removal of the standard GT-R’s ATTESA-ETS AWD system, which has been... The highlight of this weekend’s Tokyo Auto Salon will undoubtedly be Nissan’s brand new SpecV GT-R, but as expected Japan’s big name tuners have not stood idly by and let Nissan take all the spotlight. We’ve already seen custom GT-Rs from the likes of Zele International and Branew, and new Blitz has revealed a custom version of the supercar designed for the D1 drift series. The Blitz car is still in the development stage and is expected to start competing until next year. However, many of the details have been specified. These include the removal of the standard GT-R’s ATTESA-ETS AWD system, which has been replaced with a conventional rear-drive layout. Also gone is the GT’R’s trick dual-clutch gearbox, and in its place is a Hollinger sequential unit so there’s no need for a standard H-pattern gate. To save more weight, engineers also removed the air-conditioner, seats, and many unnecessary panels. In their place are lighter carbon-fiber units, Bride sports bucket seats, and plenty of Blitz gauges. Other details include a Blitz ZRR suspension, carbon-fiber hood, forged magnesium wheels, and a high-flow exhaust system. Expect more details to be released as the car’s development progresses. Via: GT-R BlogBlitz GT-R with RWD and manual gearbox Read More

Rumors, reports and even the odd video of its slick dual-clutch AWD gearbox grenading itself into oblivion have plagued the Nissan GT-R since shortly after its release into the wild. A short while later we learned that using the undocumented AWD launch control feature could void the relevant sections powertrain warranty, Nissan followed that up with a decision to strip the troublesome feature from 2010 models.

Now a team of Aussie engineers from Pfitzner's Performance Gearboxes (PPG) are working to become the first to offer a more durable upgrade alternative for those that insist on relentlessly hammering their trannies at the strip.

So... Rumors, reports and even the odd video of its slick dual-clutch AWD gearbox grenading itself into oblivion have plagued the Nissan GT-R since shortly after its release into the wild. A short while later we learned that using the undocumented AWD launch control feature could void the relevant sections powertrain warranty, Nissan followed that up with a decision to strip the troublesome feature from 2010 models. Now a team of Aussie engineers from Pfitzner's Performance Gearboxes (PPG) are working to become the first to offer a more durable upgrade alternative for those that insist on relentlessly hammering their trannies at the strip. So far little is known about the mechanics underlying the upgrade, but it's being built for Samurai Speed and Titan Motorsports who are cooperating on a 600hp+ (447kW+) engine. Whatever can stand up to repeated AWD launches at that power level on a 3,800lb (1,727kg) car will no doubt be able to withstand the thrashing stock versions are likely to see on the street or the local drag strip. Pricing and a date for availability are still unknown as the new gearbox is a work in progress, but from the look of the new first gear cogs (on the left in the photo) there will be plenty of metal beefing-up of the perceived weak spots. Another small change from stock appears to be a slightly shallower angle of engagement. That will allow more power to be transmitted more readily, but will also likely result in more gear noise as well. The apparent weak spot in the stock transmission, according to PPG, is the teeth on the first gear cog, which develop tiny fractures that eventually fail under repeated stressful launches. For those that won't be able to afford the likely expensive upgrade, but still want to win those prestigious stop-light races, there will be some comfort in knowing the car can still nearly equal a Corvette ZR-1 in the 0-60mph (96km/h) dash without launch control. Via: GT-R Blog Read More