As automakers continue their quest for more fuel efficient vehicles, auto suppliers are doing their best to meet the need. One of the major gearbox manufacturers, ZF, has created the overkill nine-speed transmission.
And just when you may have thought eight speeds were over doing it, this behemoth comes out of right field. Having experience driving the Lexus IS-F and Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, I can say one thing's for sure: eight speeds is horrible. Having nine can't be any better.
ZF insists that the new tranny can get people an extra 16 percent efficiency but I can't imagine it really mattering when I am irritated because the car's constantly searching for a gear.
What say you, Spies?
Is this insanity at this point or do cars need nine gears?
German transmission specialist ZF has launched the world’s first nine-speed automatic gearbox for passenger cars.
The gearbox has been designed for front-wheel drive cars with transverse engines and can handle between 200lb ft and 353lb ft of torque...
[Source: Autocar]
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