ZF to supply new 8HP 8-speed auto ‘box to the BMW 5 Series
ZF, which have a pedigree in every conceivable field of automobile engineering, have announced that they will begin mass production of their 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission which will feature on the upcoming BMW 5 Series. The new 8HP features comprehensive upgrades that range from lower drag torques and a higher spread through, to improve torsional vibration absorption. Eventually ZF say that the 8HP will feature in many additional models across the production spectrum.
Thinking ahead, ZF has included a modular construction kit predestined to meet the requirements of down-sized turbocharged engines.
“Our longstanding customer BMW is impressively demonstrating how to successfully make vehicles more efficient yet more dynamic at the same time,” said Dr. Jürgen Greiner, head of Passenger Car Transmission Development at ZF Friedrichshafen AG. “Therefore, we are particularly delighted that the premium manufacturer is the first OEM to rely on the second generation of our 8-speed automatic transmission that, when it comes to these criteria, is also groundbreaking. Through many further developments, we have made the 8HP significantly even more efficient compared to the predecessor transmission — up to three percent in total”.
The new 8-speed automatic transmission combines many technological advances: above all, ZF has further optimized the new transmission generation for the requirements of modern engine technology. This is due to the fact that in order to meet the forthcoming CO2 emission specifications without losses in terms of torque and performance, there are two central trends when it comes to combustion units, downsizing, which means turbocharged engines with fewer cylinders and less engine displacement, and downspeeding, which is the reduction of the engine speeds combined with a maximum torque that is applied at a very early stage.
