C7 to offer 8 speed auto & 7 speed manual
#1
Le Mans Master
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C7 to offer 8 speed auto & 7 speed manual
Aisin to build A8 and ZF to build 7 speed
manual according to latest info from LSX-tv.com
manual according to latest info from LSX-tv.com
Last edited by VNAMVET; 11-20-2012 at 06:51 PM.
#3
Drifting
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#4
Le Mans Master
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Sorry, my bad....... its on LSX TV.com/news/c7-corvettegetting placeholder-8-speed-auto.
Info was just received via cell phone message.
According to Motor Trend, GM has found itself in a bit of a bine regarging it's next generation transmissions for the up coming C7 Corvette. Their own in-house units is not quite ready yet, so the General has outsourced the work to Aisin.
Info was just received via cell phone message.
According to Motor Trend, GM has found itself in a bit of a bine regarging it's next generation transmissions for the up coming C7 Corvette. Their own in-house units is not quite ready yet, so the General has outsourced the work to Aisin.
#5
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
#9
As to the old C6 tranny, that assumes the existing tranny could be modified in time to fit the new engine, chassis, etc.
Neither option is good, especially from a marketing standpoint.
#10
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
#11
Burning Brakes
Here's an article on the ZF 7-speed manual that they built for Porsche:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012...-20120511.html
Fascinating fact: On Porsche's implementation, the engine shuts off as soon as you shift into neutral and release the clutch.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012...-20120511.html
Fascinating fact: On Porsche's implementation, the engine shuts off as soon as you shift into neutral and release the clutch.
#12
Burning Brakes
I won't speculate on the future, but if the Aisin 8-speed is indeed the transmission used in the Lexus IS-F that I had, it was without question fabulous. As far as I knew, the 8 speed auto in my Lexus was "Lexus made" but I never looked into the outsourcing of it. This much I can say, Lexus only used that 8-speed auto in the LS series and the IS-F, the latter was tuned for performance with 100 ms upshifts, throttle matching blips for downshifts, it was very very crisp, slick and fast! The IS-F has a 5.0L 416hp V8, with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. It was very very close in speed of shifts to the BMW M3 with its 6 speed DCT dual clutch transmission, yet retained nearly imperceptible shifts when in the "Auto" mode. I think the only tranny that could top it for all out performance would be a BMW DCT, Porsche PDK or GT-R, yet I'd bet the house none of those can approach the smooth shifting refinement, quiet operation or reliability of the Lexus 8-spd when in full "Auto".
Last edited by Reciprocal; 11-20-2012 at 08:59 PM.
#14
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Lexus IS F transmission quote
By far my favorite aspect of the IS F however - and I can't believe I'm about to say this - is the automatic transmission. Not because it has eight gears - but because it's the closest thing to a dual personality gearbox currently available. Forget the sequential manuals. They're great in manual mode, but bad in auto mode. The dual clutch systems are better, playin' automatic very convincingly, but they disappoint in manual mode with a less-than-smooth getaway. The IS F gearbox utilizes its torque converter straight off the line for smoothness, and then locks out second through eighth gears to feel like a true manual. And its shifts in manual mode are amazingly quick, with an audible "beeeep" alerting you to pull the paddle back just before you tap into the rev limiter - very cool. This is truly one of the best gearboxes in the world.
By far my favorite aspect of the IS F however - and I can't believe I'm about to say this - is the automatic transmission. Not because it has eight gears - but because it's the closest thing to a dual personality gearbox currently available. Forget the sequential manuals. They're great in manual mode, but bad in auto mode. The dual clutch systems are better, playin' automatic very convincingly, but they disappoint in manual mode with a less-than-smooth getaway. The IS F gearbox utilizes its torque converter straight off the line for smoothness, and then locks out second through eighth gears to feel like a true manual. And its shifts in manual mode are amazingly quick, with an audible "beeeep" alerting you to pull the paddle back just before you tap into the rev limiter - very cool. This is truly one of the best gearboxes in the world.
#15
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7 speed review in 911
The seven-speed manual shift pattern is that of a six-speed but with the seventh forward gear up and to the right; it is of no use beyond its function as a tall, fuel-saving ratio for highway cruising. The gates are very tightly spaced way over there, so Porsche blocks out seventh electronically unless you first select fifth or sixth. People will reflexively complain about electro-nanny tyranny, and some forum poster somewhere will surely tell you how to disable the lockout, but that would be silly.
That’s because, unlike GM’s one-to-four skip-shift, which exists solely to help the car’s fuel-economy test numbers, this lockout is for driver convenience. Porsche found in testing that it was far too easy to accidentally select seventh when you’re intending to upshift into fifth. As soon as you get fifth, the lockout deactivates. After probing its function a few times, we ceased to notice it. The Carrera S still accelerates up hills in seventh, but the base Carrera probably won’t do so much quicker than water.
The seven-speed manual shift pattern is that of a six-speed but with the seventh forward gear up and to the right; it is of no use beyond its function as a tall, fuel-saving ratio for highway cruising. The gates are very tightly spaced way over there, so Porsche blocks out seventh electronically unless you first select fifth or sixth. People will reflexively complain about electro-nanny tyranny, and some forum poster somewhere will surely tell you how to disable the lockout, but that would be silly.
That’s because, unlike GM’s one-to-four skip-shift, which exists solely to help the car’s fuel-economy test numbers, this lockout is for driver convenience. Porsche found in testing that it was far too easy to accidentally select seventh when you’re intending to upshift into fifth. As soon as you get fifth, the lockout deactivates. After probing its function a few times, we ceased to notice it. The Carrera S still accelerates up hills in seventh, but the base Carrera probably won’t do so much quicker than water.
#16
Lexus IS F transmission quote
By far my favorite aspect of the IS F however - and I can't believe I'm about to say this - is the automatic transmission. Not because it has eight gears - but because it's the closest thing to a dual personality gearbox currently available. Forget the sequential manuals. They're great in manual mode, but bad in auto mode. The dual clutch systems are better, playin' automatic very convincingly, but they disappoint in manual mode with a less-than-smooth getaway. The IS F gearbox utilizes its torque converter straight off the line for smoothness, and then locks out second through eighth gears to feel like a true manual. And its shifts in manual mode are amazingly quick, with an audible "beeeep" alerting you to pull the paddle back just before you tap into the rev limiter - very cool. This is truly one of the best gearboxes in the world.
By far my favorite aspect of the IS F however - and I can't believe I'm about to say this - is the automatic transmission. Not because it has eight gears - but because it's the closest thing to a dual personality gearbox currently available. Forget the sequential manuals. They're great in manual mode, but bad in auto mode. The dual clutch systems are better, playin' automatic very convincingly, but they disappoint in manual mode with a less-than-smooth getaway. The IS F gearbox utilizes its torque converter straight off the line for smoothness, and then locks out second through eighth gears to feel like a true manual. And its shifts in manual mode are amazingly quick, with an audible "beeeep" alerting you to pull the paddle back just before you tap into the rev limiter - very cool. This is truly one of the best gearboxes in the world.
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ZF did the C4 ZR-1 transmission, if I'm not mistaken. It's centuries ago, so I guess it's just a fun fact.
I still can't figure out why I need 7 speeds. Not that I've tried very hard.
I still can't figure out why I need 7 speeds. Not that I've tried very hard.
#19
The Consigliere
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#20
Le Mans Master
What's the alternative? The GM one is not yet available, and they don't want to send a new car out with an outdated transmission.
There isn't anything I've seen that says they can't stick with the Aisen unit if it works well.
Well, there is one alternative. Buy a manual. It's a sports car.
Michael
There isn't anything I've seen that says they can't stick with the Aisen unit if it works well.
Well, there is one alternative. Buy a manual. It's a sports car.
Michael