Ford changing co-developed GM 9-speed into an 8-speed?

[silvrsvt]

I know driving my Wife's Escape is a different experience in upper gears vs the SHO, though they share the same basic transmission the upper gears on the Escape feel like A CVT then a regular automatic when shifting. Its a werid sensation when you give it full throttle and its shifting through the gears after it goes past 3-4 gear

[jpd80]

I know driving my Wife's Escape is a different experience in upper gears vs the SHO, though they share the same basic transmission the upper gears on the Escape feel like A CVT then a regular automatic when shifting. Its a werid sensation when you give it full throttle and its shifting through the gears after it goes past 3-4 gear

That could also be part of the shift program.

[brucelinc]

My experience with the 6F is primarily in V6 equipped vehicles - many miles 2 different naturally aspirated Taurus' and 2 different twin turbo Lincolns. I have driven the 4 cylinder vehicles but really didn't pay much attention to how they shifted. With the trend to 4 cylinder turbo engines, clearly the 8 or 9 speed transmissions must provide some benefit.

 

As for the V6 versions, about the last thing the 6F needs is a gear between 1st and 2nd. In normal (gentle) driving, 1st barely gets the car in motion when it shifts to the more economical 2nd gear. With the torque management, the shift is barely noticeable. There would be no point in a less economical gear in between. The 2.87 2nd gear provides plenty of torque even at a standing start and it provides excellent smooth acceleration at WOT up to over 60 MPH with the 2.77 gear, a bit under 60 with the 3.16 and around 52 with the 3.39.

 

When equipped with the 2.77 gear like FWD Taurus' or SHOs without the performance package, the 6th gear ratio of 0.74 provides excellent cruising economy and none of the aggravating hunting for gears or downshifting if there happens to be a gust of headwind. On my Continental, with the 3.39 gear, it could definitely use an OD gear higher (lower numerically) than the 0.74 to improve highway mileage.

 

Clearly Ford has not jumped on this 9 speed transmission yet. I have no idea if it is simply because they are slow or if they really are making some modifications to it. I hope they do something soon. Whether the real benefit is worthwhile or not, having a 6 speed automatic when almost every other automaker has 8-10 could be problematic from an image perspective if nothing else.

[jpd80]

My experience with the 6F is primarily in V6 equipped vehicles - many miles 2 different naturally aspirated Taurus' and 2 different twin turbo Lincolns. I have driven the 4 cylinder vehicles but really didn't pay much attention to how they shifted. With the trend to 4 cylinder turbo engines, clearly the 8 or 9 speed transmissions must provide some benefit.

 

As for the V6 versions, about the last thing the 6F needs is a gear between 1st and 2nd. In normal (gentle) driving, 1st barely gets the car in motion when it shifts to the more economical 2nd gear. With the torque management, the shift is barely noticeable. There would be no point in a less economical gear in between. The 2.87 2nd gear provides plenty of torque even at a standing start and it provides excellent smooth acceleration at WOT up to over 60 MPH with the 2.77 gear, a bit under 60 with the 3.16 and around 52 with the 3.39.

 

When equipped with the 2.77 gear like FWD Taurus' or SHOs without the performance package, the 6th gear ratio of 0.74 provides excellent cruising economy and none of the aggravating hunting for gears or downshifting if there happens to be a gust of headwind. On my Continental, with the 3.39 gear, it could definitely use an OD gear higher (lower numerically) than the 0.74 to improve highway mileage.

 

Clearly Ford has not jumped on this 9 speed transmission yet. I have no idea if it is simply because they are slow or if they really are making some modifications to it. I hope they do something soon. Whether the real benefit is worthwhile or not, having a 6 speed automatic when almost every other automaker has 8-10 could be problematic from an image perspective if nothing else.

Ford is still re-configuring its 9F transmission lines, preferring production of its own 10AT in F 150 over the 9F trans roll out....

that makes sense because the trucks are where all the money is made and adding the 10AT really adds ot the freshness

of Ford's trucks.All the FWD car and utility platforms ar set to roll in a year or two's time ( exception was Continental)

 

So far we've only ben able to compare the RWD gearboxes, the 6R versus the 10R an in that situation.

The 10R achieves both faster acceleration with taller rear axle and allows Ford to tow heavier loads

without the fuel economy penalty of a shorter rear axle as used with the 6R tow package.

 

I can only imagine a similar situation occurs with the 9F transmission versus the 6F, be that either

acceleration, improved towing efficiency or reduced transient throttle movement during official fuel

economy tests - the goal being to approximate a stepless CVT

 

Either way, Ford and GM have decided that their buyers need gearboxes with more gears

and there's no going back when the 6R or 6F choices are discontinued...

Edited July 23, 2017 by jpd80

[papilgee4evaeva]

So has anyone discussed which will be the first Ford/Lincoln product to be equipped with a 9F transmission?

[fuzzymoomoo]

So has anyone discussed which will be the first Ford/Lincoln product to be equipped with a 9F transmission?

Edge, MKX and MKC refreshes are all due next year so that's probably a good place to start.