Hyundai to offer 8 speed automatic in Genesis
As the need for fuel efficiency and the desire for power continue on unabated, automakers are looking for more ways to increase the performance of their powertrains. Many times, we focus in on the engine as it holds the most promise for huge efficiency gains. There's more to eking out the best mileage possible, though, including making transmission adjustments. Mercedes-Benz has moved forward with seven gear ratios and Lexus has upped the ante with an eight-speed unit. BMW looks ready to follow as it introduces new eight-speeders of its own. Now, it sounds like Hyundai will be the third manufacturer to roll out transmissions with double the number of ratios that some transmissions still on the market employ. As more gearing options are included, the car's assorted computers can choose the most appropriate option to get the desired performance while retaining as much efficiency as possible. We'd expect the new tranny to see its first application in the Genesis sedan in 2010.
[Source: Green Car Advisor]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tush 1:15PM (11/07/2008)
Why wouldn't they go with a CVT? Is there a benefit to having an 8-speed over a CVT?
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tandk0g 1:58PM (11/07/2008)
CVTs go explodey with v8 engines.
MikeW 2:45PM (11/07/2008)
and CVTs have less ratio spread.
6:1 in medium power cars, Nissan Altima QR25
5.4:1 in the Nissan Altima VQ35
The Audi Multitronic is the leader, and it is only 6.73:1
The LS/GS 460 is 6.7:1
The previous GS430
The ZF 8 speed is 7:1
It would be nice if this is 7.5:1
mechanicaldan 1:31PM (11/07/2008)
I'd like to know the same thing. 8 gear sets is a lot of manufacturing. I know most people don't like the "feel" of a CVT, but I believe the ECUs can be programmed to shift the CVT like a standard gearbox.
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Jeff Kaufman 3:47PM (11/07/2008)
They can, and if you shift my Civic Hybrid into "S" it will use seven pre-set "gear" settings. However, since it's still connected to a hamster under the hood, you're not going to get much in terms of performance
RSR 2:27AM (11/08/2008)
When you program CVT to shift like automatic gear, you lose the benefit of improved fuel economy. And CVT has high frictions (-> heat generated -> energy lost), so it doesn't achieve its theoretical efficiency. That's one of the reasons why CVT did not find its place among most OEMs.
tekd 5:11PM (11/10/2008)
Wait...so Hyundai is going to go from using Aisin and ZF 6-speeds to their own 8-speed? I know "in 2010" is still a little ways off, but in previous years Hyundai's 4-speed automatics were already less than fantastic, so I don't exactly know how great an idea it is to jump from using other people's transmissions all of a sudden into using your own 8-speed.
That said, if they pull it off nicely it'll give the Genesis real legitimacy, since Hyundai can use it as an example of their engineering prowess. If the transmission turns out to be horribly problematic though it'll have the opposite effect so I hope Hyundai knows what they're doing this time.
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