http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...a-finally-sorted-zf-9-speed-automatic-nearly/
This innovation is great. You don't have to have a CVT, and it promises a pretty modest mileage bump, and one would assume smoother shifting. And it adds complexity. I'm no mechanic, and I've seen cutaways of automatic transmissions, it's hard for me to imagine packing more in such a small space without sacrificing something.
My current car has one less gear, and also has had a TSB already for late shifts, and CR dinged it for shifting less smoothly than the previous 6 sp. (and they identified the late shifts, communicated that to Toyota, resulting in the TSB and a manufacture change before too many hit the road), and it's been a long time since I really felt a normal shift in a car.
BTW: I like this article's writing style, like a lot of articles. You can see the passion people have for cars, technology in general. I know this passion well. You may be able to relate. When I was a pretty young kid we got rear-ended. My dad yelled at my brother and me to get on the floor in back. We all made it out fine, but the four-door Rambler ('64?) was raised in the middle like a stick you'd crack over your knee. I'll never forget what it looked like. When I played with my Matchbox cars after that, I'd try to crash them together to see the damage, but in vain.
I remember a fortunate trip to Europe where my mom was auditioning for opera roles in '77. I saw my my first 450 SEL 6.9 in Munich. You could see the subtle upgrades, and I imagined what it would be like to drive one on the Autobahn. It was so fascinating at that age (15) to see the different models there. There were BMW 3-Series with so many engines. I think there was a 316, 318, 320, and 328 (maybe one more?) with various I's and D's. Similar with the 5's.
In '84 my mom had to have a new, loaded Supra 5sp. She let me borrow it a lot, it was great fun. It was the only car I ever saw with a full-sized spare on a wide, aluminum road wheel (as you know the five wheel rotation was common, reducing wear - especially of those expensive tires).
If I ever seem "not into cars" please chalk it up to age; I probably am overly cautious and conservative regarding cars anymore, and I may point toward only reliable brands while seeming less interested in the passion, or not empathetic to it, but nothing could be further from the truth.
This innovation is great. You don't have to have a CVT, and it promises a pretty modest mileage bump, and one would assume smoother shifting. And it adds complexity. I'm no mechanic, and I've seen cutaways of automatic transmissions, it's hard for me to imagine packing more in such a small space without sacrificing something.
My current car has one less gear, and also has had a TSB already for late shifts, and CR dinged it for shifting less smoothly than the previous 6 sp. (and they identified the late shifts, communicated that to Toyota, resulting in the TSB and a manufacture change before too many hit the road), and it's been a long time since I really felt a normal shift in a car.
BTW: I like this article's writing style, like a lot of articles. You can see the passion people have for cars, technology in general. I know this passion well. You may be able to relate. When I was a pretty young kid we got rear-ended. My dad yelled at my brother and me to get on the floor in back. We all made it out fine, but the four-door Rambler ('64?) was raised in the middle like a stick you'd crack over your knee. I'll never forget what it looked like. When I played with my Matchbox cars after that, I'd try to crash them together to see the damage, but in vain.
I remember a fortunate trip to Europe where my mom was auditioning for opera roles in '77. I saw my my first 450 SEL 6.9 in Munich. You could see the subtle upgrades, and I imagined what it would be like to drive one on the Autobahn. It was so fascinating at that age (15) to see the different models there. There were BMW 3-Series with so many engines. I think there was a 316, 318, 320, and 328 (maybe one more?) with various I's and D's. Similar with the 5's.
In '84 my mom had to have a new, loaded Supra 5sp. She let me borrow it a lot, it was great fun. It was the only car I ever saw with a full-sized spare on a wide, aluminum road wheel (as you know the five wheel rotation was common, reducing wear - especially of those expensive tires).
If I ever seem "not into cars" please chalk it up to age; I probably am overly cautious and conservative regarding cars anymore, and I may point toward only reliable brands while seeming less interested in the passion, or not empathetic to it, but nothing could be further from the truth.
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