NC 91 Z28

The Hydra-Matic 6L80 debuts in the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac STS-V and Cadillac XLR-V. It will be featured in 25 different 2007 model-year vehicles, including several of GM's new full-size sport utility vehicles.

Six-speed automatic transmissions are installed in less than 1 percent of vehicles sold today in North America, primarily high-performance sports cars and luxury sedans.

Its good to see GM getting into this earlier than most of the competition.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9827972/

94Z28/03mach1

QUOTE:Six-speed automatic transmissions are installed in less than 1 percent of vehicles sold today in North America, primarily high-performance sports cars and luxury sedans.

Its good to see GM getting into this earlier than most of the competition.


Ummmmm.......My wife's 2006 explorer has a 6 speed auto with her 3 valve 4.6(292hp/300tq).Nice car,and the motor/tranny combo is world class.

HAZ-Matt

hurray

Ken S

Its about time.. Any ideas when they'll be massily available thru the performance parts catalog? I'm envisioning a mass of hotrod and muscle car builders and owners having their cake and eating it too.. (aggressive low gears for tire shredding and 1/4 mile, but the overdrives for good mpg and low revs while cruising.)

Threxx

Less than 1% of all cars sold today have 6-speed autos? Wow... woulda figured it'd be higher than that.

So GM was contributing zero to that number before, what percentage of GM vehicles sold will come with 6-speed autos in 2007? What will be the world-wide number by then? I know Lexus is currently using the 6-speed auto for quite a few of their models, Mercedes is using 7-speed autos in several of their models, and Lexus is currently working on an 8-speed auto which begs the question - how many gears is too many?

I'm sure the ultimate answer is CVT/IVT type setups, but until they become more refined and reliable, how many gears will OEMs bother setting up?

Both my cars have 5-speed autos and they seem fine and dandy. Only thing I'd ask for is a taller highway gear if that would help improve fuel economy. But then again it seems when they went to the 6speed auto they primarily just shortened the spread between each gear... they didn't really make a taller cruising gear.

94LightningGal

Ford uses 6-speed autos in all of their V6 Fusion/Milan/Zephyr cars, as well as the 500/Montego/Freestyle. They also use them in the Explorer/Mountaineer, as well as the Lincoln Navigator. I'm not sure if they are in the Expedition yet, but if not they are coming. Also, the upcoming crossovers, Edge/Aviator will have them.

The F150 should be getting them also, although I am not sure when.

Threxx

Are they true 6-speed autos? I know back when Ford first came out with 5-speed autos in some of their models I read it was actually a 4speed auto that "simulated" a 5th gear using the torque converter... not much different than most cars do anyway, just Ford tried to call it an additional gear.

I know Ford and GM were cooperatively designing a 6speed auto for FWD apps.. is that what Fusion is using?

BTW, not sure about some of the others, but I'm pretty sure the Freestyle is CVT only, no 6-speed auto that I've seen.