Hyundai reveals six-speed auto
New six-speeder boosts fuel economy by 12 per cent and is 12kg lighter than the five-speed unit it's destined to replaceHyundai has provided further proof of its rapidly evolving technological nous by developing its own six-speed automatic transmission for transverse-engine applications.
Due to be introduced in Hyundai models from next year onwards, the six-speeder is said to boost fuel economy by more than 12.2 per cent, and the company claims it's only the third manufacturer (after Toyota and a GM/Ford joint venture) to engineer its own six-speed auto.
"The strength of our design is its completely unique layout, which makes it smaller, more compact and lighter than any other six-speed on the market today," boasted the project manager of the transaxle at Hyundai R&D Centre, Hong-Min Kim.
Hyundai claims the new transmission's design is so unique and so advanced, it's applied for almost 300 patents related to the technology.
The transaxle will first arrive in the new Grandeur sedan equipped with a 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine. In this application, claims Hyundai, it delivers a 12.2 per cent gain in fuel economy and is 2.5 per cent quicker in zero to 100km/h acceleration times (7.8sec versus 8.0 sec).
It also delivers an 11 per cent improvement in 60km/h to 100km/h overtaking performance (4.0 sec versus 4.5 sec).
The unit is also maintenance-free: the gearbox is 'filled for life' with automatic transmission fluid and needs no topping up, reducing servicing costs, according to Hyundai.
Despite the extra gear, the six-speeder is 12kg lighter than the five-speed it replaces. It is also 41mm shorter and has 62 fewer parts, which Hyundai says is a key to increased durability and lower cost.
The addition of a sixth gear enables closer spacing between ratios, and this is said to provide a better balance of performance and fuel economy, while the wide overall gear ratio helps deliver strong acceleration.
Hyundai has already commenced production of the new six-speed auto, and a total of 16 models will use the new transmission -- including a redesigned Santa Fe, which is due to launch internationally in late 2009.
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