PHELAN'S CORNER: BMW 1 & 3 and X3 uses Caddy transmission
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PHELAN'S CORNER: BMW 3-series uses Cadillac transmission
October 11, 2007
The six-speed automatic transmission in the 2008 Cadillac CTS is the latest in a line of gearboxes General Motors sells to another luxury automaker.
GM produces the transmission for the CTS at its plant in Strasbourg, France, and sells it to BMW for use in the German automaker's best-selling model, the iconic 3-series. BMW also uses the automatic in its X3 SUV and the 1-series compact performance car that went on sale in Europe a year ago and hits U.S. roads in 2008.
GM has a long history of selling automatic transmissions to luxury brands that need reliable gearboxes for high-powered models but don't have the resources or inclination to develop their own automatic.
For decades, every car Rolls-Royce and Bentley built used a four-speed transmission from GM's Hydra-Matic division developed for the company's pickups and SUVs. The two ultra-luxury marques now buy their transmissions from German supplier ZF AG. Coincidentally, ZF builds the steering gear in the 2008 CTS.
PHELAN'S CORNER: BMW 3-series uses Cadillac transmission
October 11, 2007
The six-speed automatic transmission in the 2008 Cadillac CTS is the latest in a line of gearboxes General Motors sells to another luxury automaker.
GM produces the transmission for the CTS at its plant in Strasbourg, France, and sells it to BMW for use in the German automaker's best-selling model, the iconic 3-series. BMW also uses the automatic in its X3 SUV and the 1-series compact performance car that went on sale in Europe a year ago and hits U.S. roads in 2008.
GM has a long history of selling automatic transmissions to luxury brands that need reliable gearboxes for high-powered models but don't have the resources or inclination to develop their own automatic.
For decades, every car Rolls-Royce and Bentley built used a four-speed transmission from GM's Hydra-Matic division developed for the company's pickups and SUVs. The two ultra-luxury marques now buy their transmissions from German supplier ZF AG. Coincidentally, ZF builds the steering gear in the 2008 CTS.
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even if the basic hardware is the same, a lot of automotive hardware can be tuned differently just with their ECU setup...and given the target market for the BMW and Cadillac, it's likely that their ECUs are setup differently for a different feel.
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They have been doing this for years, most of the inline 6 cylinders from BMW have the GM trans, the Isuzu Ascender also used it, it's essentially BMW design and specs built by GM.
Google BMW trans problems, they seem to crap out at over 100k with the lifetime fluid and no fluid change
Google BMW trans problems, they seem to crap out at over 100k with the lifetime fluid and no fluid change
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