#9-speedAutomaticTransmission

News of a new 8-speed automatic for rear-drive Chrysler vehicles has been floating around for a few months now, but it appears as though the American automaker has one more trick – or should we say one more gear – up its sleeve. At Chrysler’s recent dealer meeting (the first in three years) those in attendance heard about a new Viper and a host of other upcoming products. They were also told of a new 9-speed automatic transmission in the works. The new 9-speed auto-box is being built for front drive applications, although Marchionne did say that it will also be adaptable to AWD and hybrid setups. He gave no indication on when the unit would be available in a production model.

With just 300 units sold globally per year, it was expected that the dawn of a new S-Class in 2012 would see the demise of Mercedes‘ ultra-luxury Maybach brand. Not so says a new report by Automobile Magazine.

When Mercedes introduced its 7-speed transmission, the German automaker launched a new era of multi-geared auto-boxes with all other luxury automakers taking part in a bid to offer increased performance and fuel economy. Lexus responded with an 8-speed automatic transmission, Infiniti developed a 7-speed box and both BMW and Audi now have 8-speed units as well. So what is Mercedes to do if it wants to stay at the top? Develop a 9-speed of course!