Honda working on nine-speed automatic transmission?

Honda may be out to improve the fuel economy of its powertrains by throwing extra gears into the transmission. Automobile Magazine reports the Japanese automaker is currently working to use a new nine-speed gearbox developed by ZF in its products as soon as 2014. If you're keeping track, this is the same transmission set to debut in a host of Chrysler products, including the replacement for the Jeep Liberty.

Despite the additional gears, ZF says the transmission is surprisingly compact, thanks in part to the fact that it uses planetary gears in place of a traditional design. Called the 9HP, the German transmission can be used in either front- or all-wheel drive applications and handle up to 354 pound-feet of torque.

All told, ZF claims the 9HP can improve a vehicle's fuel economy as much as 10 to 16 percent. Given the torque capacities and relatively small size, the transmission could show up in nearly everything Honda makes, but odds are the company will debut the gearbox in models like the Odyssey and Pilot as well as the Acura MDX and TL.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/26/h...-transmission/

 

I'm wondering if this will be basically 3 pure overdrive gears?

 

I don't see this as Honda is working on a nine-speed automatic... more how to incorporate ZF's nine-speed automatic.

 

well in that case, ZF is working on 9 speed transmission and anyone can buy it from them...

 

seeing its the one Chrysler may get, I'd believe it.

I forget if the one MBZ has planned is in house or ZF (I think its the latter)

 

This is blasphemy!! LOL wouldn't be surprised, but they don't have a nice enough car to put it in

 

Will do nothing to help the fact that Honda's are torqueless engines. In fact, I would guess that mated to any of honda's current engines, except maybe the one in the ridgeline...it would cause ore of a headache with gear hunting than it would help with mpg.

 

It's going into the NSX with unobtanium paddle shifters.

 

Ultimately .. how many gear is really enough?

I though 8 is more than enough, but now 9 ??? so what's next 10,12,14 .. when is it going to end???

Personally I think 8 is really enough, 9 is really pushing it.

 

8 is more than enough gears. They need to stop worrying about how many gears a transmission has and instead focus on how to make automatic transmissions smoother and more reliable.
Honda especially, some of their models have been plagued by faulty automatic transmissions.

 

Good for Honda!

 

Exactly. That's the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the thread title. All though it seems as though this a german built transmission, so it should be fine.

 

 

Why don't they make a better CVT? 9 speeds seems really overkill. Nissan's new CVT's have reviewed well, they should take some notes from them.

 

Even I think 8 speed is overkill. 6 is sufficient but because sales revolve around "the more the better" 6 spd is now seen as undesireable in an automatic.