Ford 500 comes with either a A6 or CVT (A6 gets better milage )

I assume that this is the same automatic that GM & Ford built together, why does Ford have it out NOW and GM doesn't? This would have been a great tranny to debut with the Pontiac G6 and Buick LaCrosse.

 

it is not the same join venture 6spd, but one built by Aisin.

 

its not realy a 6 spd they are counting the coverter lockup as a gear

 

really? The 6spd is probably the only thing that allows the 500 to be considerd by anyone looking at a large sedan. Engine is weak on top of a nearly 2 ton vehicle.

 

As I recall the Buick Lucerne will get the FWD application of the GM 6 spd auto.

 

Yes, the Lucerne will get the GM 6spd, but the 500 does NOT have it. Im sure the DTS will also get the 6spd.

 

How about the 5.3L V8 2006 Impala and GP?

I would think a new tranny would be needed to handle the torque of those engines.

I would also suspect a new tranny helped with the decision to go with a 5.3L in the FWD cars instead of the 4.8L

 

I've been building transmissions professionally for over 14 years. The only thing I've got to say about a Ford 6 speed is. They couldn't ever get 4 forward gears right How in the heck are they gonna get 6 right? As a whole, Ford transmissions are a large festering pile of dog crap...Everything from the Taurus AXOD/AX4N, Ford truck E4OD, light truck/Mustang/Thunderbird AOD/AODE. If it weren't for Ford and Chrysler we transmission guys would have ALOT of spare time on our hands. Hasn't anyone wondered WHY you can't get an auto in a Cobra? It's simple..because even Ford knows their automatic transmissions are junk.

I constantly see f-body owners cursing the 4L60E. Be thankful we're not using an AODE. Trying to get them to work correctly and last is like trying to create peace in the middle east. No matter what you do to a Ford transmission, it's like polishing a turd...When you get done, it's still a turd.

It doesn't matter if Ford is using a 6 speed FIRST...It'll be GM that gets it right.

Frank

 

On a side note...Lucerne is the stupidest name ever...makes me think of milk and cows.

Not the image you want tied to a Lexus fighter...

Is it gonna have 8 utters instead of portholes if it has a V8?

 

That's an interesting concept. So middle aged folks (almost like myself) will walk into the dealer and say something like "that car is ugly, underpowered, weighs 2 tons, and oh btw, its a Ford. But is has a 6 speed transmission, so I'm going to buy it."

Logical.

 

I think the idea is that if you actually drive the car, it will feel powerful enough, because of the 6 spd transmission.

I'm waiting to see what times the testers get. If they get a mid 16 quarter mile, that will be plenty quick for people who want boring cars, which are the only people Ford is aiming this thing at. Think Toyota Avalon or Buick LeSabre.

 

Do people buying a 16 second car really care if it is "quick"?

 

Not really, most customers won't even know about the 6-speed till they see it on the window sheet. And even then, it'll only have probably .5% bearing on their purchasing decision.

 

I think that the transmission is still a little important to most people. I know a friend that purchased a New Accord (5-spd auto) and kept raving about how it is the best thing since sliced bread and that the domestics are still stuck in the ancient world with 4-sp autos. He pointed to the vette as well with the 4-spd and the German 7-spd. (this was before word of the triptronic for the vette)

I reminded him that GM's trannys are some of the best and that is why BMW get their's from them. He just kept going on about the 5-spds and how they have become the norm and that the domestics should offer them.

In a way he is right. the perception is that a 4 spd is old technology and even though a 5-spd offers minimal gains to mpg etc the fact that Honda offers it means that Honda is moving ahead while GM is lagging behind.

 

GM does have 5 speeds is all Caddys with 6 speeds autos coming out next year, (were is hondas 6 speed auto? )

Tell him GM was using 6 speed manuals in 1992, how long did it take Honda to catch up? 2000?