GM’s new 8-speed automatic transmission, known internally as 8L90, will be introduced shortly on the 2015 Corvette, giving it up to 29 MPG on the highway. But its use won’t stop there. According to IHS Automotive, as many as 200,000 8-speed transmission units may be fitted to the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks in each of the next two years.
Starting in 2016, the 8L90 will appear in the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon midsize pickups. The General’s full-size Chevy Express and GMC Savana vans will get the 8 speed garbox in 2018, followed by the Cadillac ATS and CTS models, as well as select Camaros, will also get versions of the 8L90 as well. This new transmission will help GM stretch to meet stringent fuel economy mandates in 2020.
While GM has worked hard to perfect fast shifting for the Corvette application, having an 8-speeds pays significant fuel economy dividends in any rear wheel drive application. GM global product chief Mark Reuss says that transmissions with higher numbers of gears will be “a big part of our product lineup” in the future.
IHS Automotive expects the 8-speed transmission to be superseded by a 10-speed unit that GM is developing jointly with Ford by model year 2018.
Source: Automotive News
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