Land Rover cars will be equipped with nine-speed automatic gearboxes
There is still no final consensus about the number of speeds in the automatic gearbox for Land Rover cars today. Thus, Range Rover Sport and Discovery models got 6 and 8-speed gearboxes, fashionable Range Rover Evoque has received 6-speed automatic gearbox, but Range Rover got only 8-speed gearbox. In future, all new Land Rover cars will be equipped with the completely new automatic gearboxes with nine speeds. The first model of this car with the new transmission will be presented in Geneva at the beginning of March this year.
At first, the nine-speed automatic gearbox will replace the six-speed analogue, and then another one – the eight-speed gearbox.
The automatic transmission was developed by the experts of the German company ZF but, according to the British sources, Land Rover engineer team was the most important partner. The nine-speed automatic gearbox is longer only for 6mm than the ZF six-speed analogue and lighter for 7.5 kg.
The gear ratio range in the new transmission was expanded to the appropriate side of the lower plate. This solution should improve the efficiency of the gearbox while driving off-road and when towing the cargo. In addition, the automatic gearbox from ZF should adapt better and quicker to any type of the drivers: from the beginners up to the professionals.