Land Rover Brings Nine-Speed Automatic to 2013 Geneva Motor Show
Land Rover is displaying the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission for a passenger car at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
The transmission, developed in collaboration with ZF, is a nine-speed gearbox with a higher top gear in a more compact design in order to fit in the same space as the current six-speed transmissions. Dubbed 9HP, the new transmission will provide smoother gear shifts with improved accelerations and lower fuel consumption according to the British automaker.
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Rumors suggested ZF had been developing the 9HP since 2011, but the company was silent on which automaker it was for. The 9HP features a modular design with a software-based transmission control unit. This allows the gearbox to fit into transverse engines without significant modifications to the vehicle. Despite being 0.24 inches longer than the six-speed it’ll ultimately replace, it weighs 16.5 pounds less.
According to Land Rover, the 9HP reduces acceleration time to 62 mph (100 km/h) by two seconds compared to the current six-speeds. It has been tested to reduce fuel consumption by 12 percent in gasoline SUVs and 16 percent on diesels. ZF also said the 9HP will also be suitable for hybrid systems.
GALLERY: Land Rover / ZF Nine-Speed Automatic Transmission
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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