Land Rover will be displaying a new 9-speed automatic transmission
for use on its passenger cars and SUVs at next week's Geneva
International Auto Show. The new ZF 9HP gearbox was developed by
transmission specialist ZF with Land Rover being a lead partner in the
project – or so the British company says.
Specifically designed for transverse
applications, the ZF unit is rather compact in dimensions, as despite
sporting three more gears, it is only 6mm (0.23 inches) longer and
actually weighs 7.5kg (16.5 pounds) less than the outgoing six-speed
transmission it will replace.
According
to the British carmaker, increasing the number of gear ratios from six
to nine provides significant improvement in fuel consumption and a
corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions, while the smaller ratio steps
help improve response during acceleration, shift quality, drive and
refinement.
Furthermore, the lowest ratio in the new 9HP is far
lower than the existing 6sp transmission, with the company stating that
it is specifically designed for "off-road use, towing and more extreme
on-road conditions like gradients and altitude, giving the driver a
heightened sense of control".
Another special feature of the ZF 9HP is the
adaptive shifting system that allows the software to learn from the
driver's techniques "within seconds, sharpening up during brisk driving
then slipping seamlessly into a more economical regime just as quickly
when taking a more relaxed approach," according to Land Rover.
“We are extremely excited about the 9HP which has
been tailored exactly to dovetail with the unique attributes of our
vehicles,” said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director. “It will
add another layer of performance, refinement and efficiency, further
enhancing Land Rover’s world class abilities.”
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