BMW will soon be offering a new eight-speed automatic transmission, which is expected to debut in its next-generation 7-series saloon. According to consultancy firm CSM Worldwide, Europe’s ZF is developing the new transmission for a market launch by as early as 2009. In an interview with reporters from Automotive News, powertrain analyst Chris Guile stated “ZF has made quite a few modifications to its six-speed transmission to improve fuel economy and reduce manufacturing costs,” in the run-up to the new eight-speed gearbox. The transmission almost certainly will go into upcoming BMW models, he added.
ZF debuted the world’s first six-speed auto in 2001 also in a 7-series sedan, and then Mercedes-Benz went one-better with its own seven-speed gearbox by late 2003. Recently, Lexus has been bragging about the first eight-speed gearbox to be fitted in its flagship LS460 sedan and sourced from Japanese supplier Aisin. Never one to back down from a fight, BMW spokesman Wieland Bruch said “when it comes to the number of speeds, we will not be left behind by the competition.”
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. ZF’s six-speed range has also received upgrades to compete with the onslaught of dual clutch systems that are appearing on the market. Both fuel consumption and shift quality between the two technologies are comparable, but standard autos suffer the prejudices of poor fuel consumption and slow shift-speeds.
Using BMW’s own vehicle test data, ZF has found that its new transmissions achieve 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.
ZF debuted the world’s first six-speed auto in 2001 also in a 7-series sedan, and then Mercedes-Benz went one-better with its own seven-speed gearbox by late 2003. Recently, Lexus has been bragging about the first eight-speed gearbox to be fitted in its flagship LS460 sedan and sourced from Japanese supplier Aisin. Never one to back down from a fight, BMW spokesman Wieland Bruch said “when it comes to the number of speeds, we will not be left behind by the competition.”
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. ZF’s six-speed range has also received upgrades to compete with the onslaught of dual clutch systems that are appearing on the market. Both fuel consumption and shift quality between the two technologies are comparable, but standard autos suffer the prejudices of poor fuel consumption and slow shift-speeds.
Using BMW’s own vehicle test data, ZF has found that its new transmissions achieve 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.
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