Where is GM at regarding automatic transmissions?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,449
From: Bentonville, AR
Where is GM at regarding automatic transmissions?
The reason I ask is I did the BMW drive for the cure this weekend (This is the third year I have attended). Basically you can test drive all the cars in their lineup (Z4, 3 series, 5 series, 6 series. 7 series, X3, X5). One of the things that I noticed were all the cars had 6 speed automatics with the ability to "sport shift" (manually control the gear selection). Not only can I see that the 2 extra gears could help with fuel economy, but the sport shift made some cars that weren't great performers feel a heck of lot more fun to drive than they would have normally been. Hell, even my buddies 2002 3 series has a 5 speed auto with sport shift.
The question I have is where is GM with their automatics? I know that some of the upper end stuff like Corvette, Yukon, and Cadillac are getting the 6 speed autos. When is something other than a 20 year old 4 speed auto going to trickle down to the rest of the lineup?
The question I have is where is GM with their automatics? I know that some of the upper end stuff like Corvette, Yukon, and Cadillac are getting the 6 speed autos. When is something other than a 20 year old 4 speed auto going to trickle down to the rest of the lineup?
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
The 5 speed and some of the 6 speeds BMW uses are GM automatic transmissions.
GM is replacing all its 4 and 5 speed autos with 6 speeds over the next few years. They can't just start building millions of 6 speeds over night so the higher end GMs are getting them first. As vehicles are redesigned the new models will get 6 speeds.
Gm is also working on an 8 speed automatic.
GM is replacing all its 4 and 5 speed autos with 6 speeds over the next few years. They can't just start building millions of 6 speeds over night so the higher end GMs are getting them first. As vehicles are redesigned the new models will get 6 speeds.
Gm is also working on an 8 speed automatic.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 284
From: Van Nuys, Ca.
JUst off the top of my head you can get a 6 speed auto in an '08
-Malibu
-Aura
-G6
-Vue
-Torrent
-Equinox
-Enclave
-Acadia
-Outlook
-Every single 2500/3500 Truck GM makes including Suburban/Yukon XL 2500
-All Cadillacs except for the DTS
-and of course the Corvette and Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali you mentioned.
My apologies if I missed any.
-Malibu
-Aura
-G6
-Vue
-Torrent
-Equinox
-Enclave
-Acadia
-Outlook
-Every single 2500/3500 Truck GM makes including Suburban/Yukon XL 2500
-All Cadillacs except for the DTS
-and of course the Corvette and Yukon Denali/Yukon XL Denali you mentioned.
My apologies if I missed any.
Last edited by Hoodshaker; Jul 16, 2007 at 11:47 AM.
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 669
From: Arcadia, OK
[QUOTE=soul strife;4739185]
Yeah, some of the guys over on the BMW forum found out and threatened to cancel their orders... 
FWIW, only the low-horsepower cars get the GM-designed 6-speed auto tranny. The 335i and 535i (twin turbo 300 hp/300 torque) get a ZF-designed 6-speed auto tranny that shifts quicker (supposedly 100ms) and gets the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. In full manual mode, it will bounce off the rev limiter (ask me how I know
), but will not allow a downshift that would exceed redline. It also rev-matches on downshifts, and can skip gears on downshift (sixth to forth, for example).
FWIW, only the low-horsepower cars get the GM-designed 6-speed auto tranny. The 335i and 535i (twin turbo 300 hp/300 torque) get a ZF-designed 6-speed auto tranny that shifts quicker (supposedly 100ms) and gets the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. In full manual mode, it will bounce off the rev limiter (ask me how I know
), but will not allow a downshift that would exceed redline. It also rev-matches on downshifts, and can skip gears on downshift (sixth to forth, for example).
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,449
From: Bentonville, AR
The 5 speed and some of the 6 speeds BMW uses are GM automatic transmissions.
GM is replacing all its 4 and 5 speed autos with 6 speeds over the next few years. They can't just start building millions of 6 speeds over night so the higher end GMs are getting them first. As vehicles are redesigned the new models will get 6 speeds.
Gm is also working on an 8 speed automatic.
GM is replacing all its 4 and 5 speed autos with 6 speeds over the next few years. They can't just start building millions of 6 speeds over night so the higher end GMs are getting them first. As vehicles are redesigned the new models will get 6 speeds.
Gm is also working on an 8 speed automatic.
GM isn't going to get back to the powerhouse they were before if they stay 5 ~ 7 years behind the competition...
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,449
From: Bentonville, AR
[QUOTE=routesixtysixer;4740139]
Yeah, some of the guys over on the BMW forum found out and threatened to cancel their orders...
FWIW, only the low-horsepower cars get the GM-designed 6-speed auto tranny. The 335i and 535i (twin turbo 300 hp/300 torque) get a ZF-designed 6-speed auto tranny that shifts quicker (supposedly 100ms) and gets the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. In full manual mode, it will bounce off the rev limiter (ask me how I know ), but will not allow a downshift that would exceed redline. It also rev-matches on downshifts, and can skip gears on downshift (sixth to forth, for example).
Yeah, The Z4s, and the 335is had the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
Yeah, some of the guys over on the BMW forum found out and threatened to cancel their orders...
FWIW, only the low-horsepower cars get the GM-designed 6-speed auto tranny. The 335i and 535i (twin turbo 300 hp/300 torque) get a ZF-designed 6-speed auto tranny that shifts quicker (supposedly 100ms) and gets the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. In full manual mode, it will bounce off the rev limiter (ask me how I know
), but will not allow a downshift that would exceed redline. It also rev-matches on downshifts, and can skip gears on downshift (sixth to forth, for example).
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,712
From: Ontario
That pretty much shows where they sit on the automotive enthusiast scale. If they don't know enough about the automotive world to know that GM makes some of the best automatics around, then they probably bought their Bimmers solely for the name and image they think it projects.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 10,285
From: Albany, NY
I wouldn't consider this an "overnight" request. Like I stated before, if a friends' 2002 had a 5 speed in a $30,000 car, why can't GM match that in thier mid-level stuff such as upper end Pontiacs, Tahoes, and Buicks in 2007?
GM isn't going to get back to the powerhouse they were before if they stay 5 ~ 7 years behind the competition...
GM isn't going to get back to the powerhouse they were before if they stay 5 ~ 7 years behind the competition...
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,132
From: Santa Clara, CA
That pretty much shows where they sit on the automotive enthusiast scale. If they don't know enough about the automotive world to know that GM makes some of the best automatics around, then they probably bought their Bimmers solely for the name and image they think it projects.