ZF Friedrichshafen to supply nine-speed gearbox for Chrysler minivans
By Steph, 14 Jan, 2011. 0 Comments
2011 Chrysler Town&Country
Starting in 2013, ZF Friedrichshafen AG will supply a nine-speed automatic transmission for the Chrysler Group LLC's minivans. This is the first time that a nine-speed gearbox has been adopted for a mass-market vehicle. Dr. Michael Paul, a member of ZF's board of management, said that the German supplier will build the transmission at its plant in Greenville, South Carolina. This announcement proves that Chrysler aims to beat its mass-market competitors, instead of just matching the industry's adoption of six-speed automatics.
Last summer, Chrysler said that it will equip its rear-wheel drive cars with ZF's eight-speed automatic. The eight-speed is expected to boost fuel economy by 25% compared to a standard five-speed automatic.
Paul said that with this nine-speed, fuel economy will improve by double digits.
He added though that conventional automatic transmissions may be nearing the upper limits of fuel economy improvements to be achieved by adding more gears. [via autonews - sub. required]
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