Skip to main content

Geneva 2013: Land Rover to introduce first nine-speed automatic transmission – because eight just wasn’t enough

Land Rover 9-speed Land Rover has partnered with ZF, a global leader in transmission technology, to introduce the first nine-speed automatic transmission at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

The ZF 9HP transmission, considered one of the world’s most advanced transmissions, increases the number of gear ratios from six to nine for significantly improved fuel economy and a reduction in CO2 emissions.

Land Rover says the transmission will also improve response during acceleration, shift quality and the overall drive and refinement of the vehicle.  In addition, the 9HP is also more versatile with a skip-shift function for swifter downshifting under rapid deceleration or for greater driver demands.

A Fast-Off mode measures the rate of throttle release, anticipates the driver wanting more power, then holds the gear if necessary.  

Land Rover 9-speed display
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even more impressive, is that the engineering teams have managed to pull off a lighter load with the additional gears with efficient packaging.  The nine-speed transmission is only about a quarter of an inch longer than the outgoing six-speed and weighs almost 17 pounds less.  

“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, in an official press release statement. “It will add another layer of performance, refinement and efficiency, further enhancing Land Rover’s world class ability.”  

The Land Rover team is working closely with the ZF engineering team to develop the nine-speed transmission for its vehicles. The company already has experience engineering ZP products having integrated the company’s eight-speed transmission with the Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery 4, and Range Rover Sport.  

Marcus Amick
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Marcus Amick has been writing about the world of cars for more than ten years and has covered everything from new automobiles…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more