gets a write up in the January 2010 issue of Car and Driver (page 36)
Now I'll admit, the reason I didn't get a 2010 BMW 335i coupe to replace my last 335i coupe was two fold:
1. BMW didn't give the 2010 335i Coupe the LCI treatment like they should of.
2. BMW didn't put the DCT in the 335i for 2010 like they did in Europe for 2009.
But to be honest with you, that may not matter after reading this article about the 8 speed ZF tranny that's HIGHLY likely going to go into the next 335i, replacing the current ZF 6 speed auto.
INFO FROM THE C&D ARTICLE:
- This is the same tranny that's in the new 760Li as well as 5 series GT (and Rolls Royce's and Bentley's as well).
- It's the same weight (200 lbs) as the current 6AT, and has an optional wet multiplate clutch pack like the new E63 AMG, or an electric motor instead of the torque converter.
- It's said to offer up to 25% better fuel economy than the 6AT when optioned with the electric motor instead of the torque converter.
- The new 8HP as it's called, is also 6% more efficient than the 6AT (and nearly as efficient as their own dual clutch tranny) which means, even more power to the ground, better performance and better fuel economy from just that alone.
- The coolest part....it can handle up to 738 lbs-ft of torque. So absolutely NO worries about tranny failure when it comes to modding.
The ONLY drawback it seems is that it's 8 speeds. Which has always seemed ridiculous to me, and a complaint testers of the Lexus IS-F have had. Too many damn gears to have to paddle shift and keep track of. 6 or most 7 gears would still be sufficient and they could of made it just as strong, but 20-30 lbs less in weight that way too. Other than that, seems like this 8 speed auto is going to be a winner!