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GM Begins Production of New Six-Speed, More Fuel-Efficient, Transmissions
26 October 2005
GM has begun production of a new, modular family of Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmissions for rear-drive applications. The 6L80 six-speed transmission debuts in the 2006 Chevy Corvette, Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V, and several models of GM’s all-new 2007 full-size SUVs.
Production of the transmissions is the culmination of a $450-million, 3-year investment at the Ypsilanti Transmissions Operations (YTO) facility. By 2010, GM will introduce 10 variants of six-speed transmissions, including front-drive models, which can enhance vehicle fuel economy by up to 4% when compared to four- and five-speed automatics.
The six-speed transmissions feature two overdrive gears and a wide, 6.04:1 gear ratio spread to improve performance and fuel economy when compared with conventional four- and five-speed automatic transmissions. With two overdrive gears, engine rpm is reduced by approximately 9% at 60 mph—a reduction to about 1,500 rpm.
Lower engine rpm can bolster fuel economy because less fuel is used. A lower-rpm cruising speed also enhances smoothness and reduces noise heard in the vehicle’s cabin.
GM estimates the wide ratio spread can help cut 0-60 mph times by as much as 7% and enhance fuel economy by up to 4%.
Engineering the all-new Hydra-Matic six-speed transmission with a modular architecture enabled engineers and designers to design a transmission that is easily adapted to a wide range of vehicles. Equally important from an operational perspective, the new six-speed automatic’s modular design means any of the four primary variants can be manufactured in the same assembly plant.
As many as 47% of all components are common for all four transmission variants. In theory, different variants could run sequentially down the same assembly line. The new six-speed automatic’s manufacturing plan dovetails completely with GM’s Global Manufacturing System strategy to implement a common manufacturing process and procedure at every worldwide GM assembly plant.
YTO’s six-speed facility is currently configured to produce up to 1,500 transmissions per day. The six-speed RWD transmissions will be featured in 25 different models globally by 2007.
In addition to the Hydra-Matic six-speed RWD family, GM recently introduced the new Allison 1000 six-speed automatic for Duramax diesel-equipped heavy-duty trucks. GM also will introduce a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic for front-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive vehicles; it debuts in the 2007 Saturn Aura sedan. GM also will produce six-speed transmissions at additional facilities in Michigan and Europe. GM Powertrain and GM Daewoo are working to develop six-speed transmissions for front-drive global applications.
GM and Ford cooperated on the basic design for the front-drive six-speeds, but they will produce their own versions of the transmissions at separate facilities.
October 26, 2005 in Fuel Efficiency, Vehicle Systems | Permalink | Comments (28) | TrackBack (0)
Comments
Posted by: Stephen | August 04, 2007 at 01:45 PM
The guy who said that "GM still Doesn't Get It" doesn't get it. A 4% improvement in one system of a multi-system automobile is real progress. Remember that engineers across the planet have been trying to optimize vehicles for over 100 years. GM actually has more vehicles that get over 30 mpg than Toyota. There is only so much you can do to squeeze more energy out of a gallon of gasoline.
I'd like to see some of these people that are calling to improve efficiency by 50% get out of there trees and try to make it happen.
As the world is weened from fossil fuels. We'll need every minor improvement we can get to make a real difference. Especially since automobiles worldwide only contribute 0.4% of the worlds yearly CO2.
Posted by: Stephen | August 04, 2007 at 01:58 PM
This is to all the GM and UAW bashers out there take it or leave it. Get out of your trees and realise this...perhaps the most of the problems occuring today with the US economy are directly related to the jobs that are leaving this country and going offshore. every UAW job creates 7 jobs in the manufacture of parts to produce these vehicles. So drive your Hondas and Toyotas and support a country that takes from North America and gives little in return. One car we make here is sold in Japan and they sell 140 here in Korea the number is more like 170 to 1. Keep buying there cars and watch this economy crash as u may have noticed already. You have no one to thank but yourselves.Keep up the bashin.
Posted by: Lecktrick | May 17, 2008 at 04:02 AM
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The guy who said that "GM still Doesn't Get It" doesn't get it. A 4% improvement in one system of a multi-system automobile is real progress. Remember that engineers across the planet have been trying to optimize vehicles for over 100 years. GM actually has more vehicles that get over 30 mpg than Toyota. There is only so much you can do to squeeze more energy out of a gallon of gasoline.
I'd like to see some of these people that are calling to improve efficiency by 50% get out of there trees and try to make it happen.
As the world is weened from fossil fuels. We'll need every minor improvement we can get to make a real difference. Especially since automobiles worldwide only contribute 0.4% of the worlds yearly CO2.