New BMW 7-series will come with 8-speed transmission
02-05-07, 07:15 AM
#1
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New BMW 7-series will come with 8-speed transmission
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/0...ssion/
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When BMW released the redesigned 7-series back in 2001, they were the first to offer a six-speed automatic transmission. Two years later, Mercedes upped the ante by throwing an additional cog into the mix, equipping their new S-class with a seven-speed auto. Now that Lexus is offering an eight-speed slush box in their waftastic LS460, BMW has vowed not be left behind in the ratio wars and plans to bring an nine- eight-speed transmission to market by the end of the decade.
The next 7-series will be due for a substantial redesign by 2009 or 2010, so that's when industry analysts expect the eight-speed box to find its way into BMW's luxury sedan. The engineering haus, ZF Friedrichsafen, has been tapped to create the new automatic and has plenty of experience increasing fuel economy, while decreasing build costs, on the current model's six-speed automatic.
When will this cog-swapping numbers race end? We're not entirely sure, but as soon as manufacturers start cresting the double digits, we doubt anyone will even be paying attention.
Quote »
When BMW released the redesigned 7-series back in 2001, they were the first to offer a six-speed automatic transmission. Two years later, Mercedes upped the ante by throwing an additional cog into the mix, equipping their new S-class with a seven-speed auto. Now that Lexus is offering an eight-speed slush box in their waftastic LS460, BMW has vowed not be left behind in the ratio wars and plans to bring an nine- eight-speed transmission to market by the end of the decade.
The next 7-series will be due for a substantial redesign by 2009 or 2010, so that's when industry analysts expect the eight-speed box to find its way into BMW's luxury sedan. The engineering haus, ZF Friedrichsafen, has been tapped to create the new automatic and has plenty of experience increasing fuel economy, while decreasing build costs, on the current model's six-speed automatic.
When will this cog-swapping numbers race end? We're not entirely sure, but as soon as manufacturers start cresting the double digits, we doubt anyone will even be paying attention.
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02-05-07, 08:52 AM
#8
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I was just responding to the question of more having more gears 
The 7 speed of MB's can't even handle the enormous torque of some of the AMG & V12 models, that's why they still have 5-speed auto's on them . . .
The 7 speed of MB's can't even handle the enormous torque of some of the AMG & V12 models, that's why they still have 5-speed auto's on them . . .
Last edited by Gojirra99; 02-05-07 at 08:56 AM.
02-05-07, 08:55 AM
#9
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02-05-07, 09:08 AM
#13
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Yeah, it's already at the point where the # of gears is mainly bumped for marketing purposes. I doubt they can really make a solid engineering case for it otherwise, even with the constantly quickening shift quickness. I can't help but think if they'd make the LS460's 8-speed a 6-speed instead, how much more reliable could they have made it? How much lighter and simpler could they have made it?
That would be absolutely pointless unless it was just a byproduct of another beneficial design change that added absolutely no additional complexity, weight, or chance of breaking something.
That would be absolutely pointless unless it was just a byproduct of another beneficial design change that added absolutely no additional complexity, weight, or chance of breaking something.
02-05-07, 09:16 AM
#15