Transmission
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The news that Porsche's newest take on the hardcore 911, the GT3, would come in PDK-only form was taken a bit hard by some enthusiasts. We totally understand the lack of a three-pedal in the GT3--it's the street-going track version of the car, after all, and race cars have flappy paddle gearboxes these days. But some fans long for the purity and engagement of the classic stickshift, and, according to a report from Car and Driver, it might still happen. The boffins at Porsche are said to be "strongly considering" adding a manual transmission to the GT3, but not the standard model--the even...
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GM Files Patent For 7-Speed Dual-Clutch, Is Corvette First In Line?
There's no doubt the 2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray is a truly impressive performance car, from its electronically actuated limited-slip differential to its direct-injected, 460-horsepower LT1 V-8. But it might soon become even more advanced: GM has filed a patent for a seven-speed dual-clutch...
Nelson Ireson -
Can You Count To Ten? Hyundai's Next Automatic Gearbox Can
If anything is going to make you feel old it's remembering you grew up with four-, or even three-speed gearboxes. In the 1980s a trend for five-speed manual transmissions started to develop and automatics followed close behind, and from the late 1990s and early 2000s manual and automatic 'boxes...
Antony Ingram -
7 High Tech Options, The Cheapest Cars You'll Find Them In
One of the benefits of the rapid pace of technological advancement is that economies of scale are achieved relatively easily. Sounds boring, but this means that the high-technologies of a few years ago have already found themselves in much more affordable cars. Once this meant heated rear screens...
Antony Ingram -
New Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger First To Get 8-Speed Automatic
Plans for an eight-speed transmission at Chrysler have been known since last summer, but we have a few new details from the first drive launch of the 2011 Chrysler 300. The ZF-built unit will first appear in the revamped 300 and the 2011 Dodge Charger , and it will feature some distinguishing...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Ford Focus Has 'Torque Hole Filling' Auto Trans Tech
Changing gear is a necessary evil. Of course, for driving enthusiasts it can be a challenge and a pleasure, and in cars with automatic transmissions you can sit back and let the car do the work for you, but the downside with the shifting process is always the momentary pause in progress...
Antony Ingram -
We've known since the summer that Chrysler is planning a new range of eight-speed transmissions, licensed from ZF and built in the U.S., but this week the company announced it plans to move production dates up from their previous 2013 target. How early will we see the transmission? Chrysler hasn't said. The transmissions have also moved plants: from the Indiana Transmission Plant to the Kokomo Transmission Plant, to better meet the new time frame. Along with the move comes another $85 million investment. "We're moving eight-speed production to KTP because we're pulling production ahead and...
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Lamborghini Reveals New 700-Horsepower V-12 For Murcielago Successor
The successor for the Lamborghini Murcielago is just around the corner and with it a new V-12 engine, the latter of which has been revealed today along with a new automated manual gearbox dubbed ISR. Still displacing 6.5-liters, the new V-12 engine has been redesigned from scratch and is rated at...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
GM says Camaro SS transmission issues identified, but doesn't disclose the problem
The new Camaro SS is definitely one of the hottest pony cars to come along in the last decade, but so far it hasn't been all roses for the car, with a recall over a faulty battery and most recently, a new problem with breaking manual transmissions. Now a General Motors spokesman says the problem...
Nelson Ireson -
Smart offering free upgrade to fix balky ForTwo transmissions
Questions about safety, affordability, ultimate value and even performance are all well-worn topics for fans of the Daimler-built Smart ForTwo minicar, but to date mechanical problems haven't been a hot topic - aside from balky transmissions. Now Daimler has decided to fix the problem by offering a...
Alex Kaufmann -
BMW will focus on eight-speed automatic transmissions
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...
James Martinez -
Australian firm working on beefed-up Nissan GT-R gearbox
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...
Ralph Hanson -
American automotive enthusiasts have long been used to being left out of the loop on some of the best models European and Japanese carmakers have to offer - the pre-R35 Nissan Skyline GT-R range, any number of hot hatches, wagons and sedans and pretty much anything fun with a diesel engine in it are prime examples. But American carmakers haven't tended to be among those saving the best for the rest of the world, with a few notable exceptions. One of the latest such exceptions is the new Dodge Avenger, which is now available in Australia and other markets with a 2.0L turbodiesel engine and a...
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ZF Develops New 8-Speed Auto
Gearbox manufacturer ZF unveiled its latest eight-speed automatic gearbox at the recent Vienna Motor Symposium, a design that promises to reduce fuel consumption and at the same time transmit more power to the wheels than its current six-speed boxes. With the extra cogs on board, the new gearbox...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Finally, Maserati’s Quattroporte Automatic
When it comes to big luxury saloons, our favorite has always been the Quattroporte. Not because it’s got the most gadgets or it’s the most expensive, but because it’s incredibly fun to drive and feels more special than the usual German sedans. The only major problem is the...
Alex Kaufmann -
Porsche To Feature New Seven-Speed DSG
The Tiptronic auto transmission found in the 911 Turbo is already quicker than the manual version, and now Porsche is adding the final nail to the coffin of traditional manual gearboxes with its plans to introduce a new seven-speed dual-clutch Direct-Shift Gearbox. The new DSG setup will be...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran