GM spreads six-speed automatic/four-cylinder combination across line
08/13/2008, 12:54 PM
By Andrew Ganz
After first mating its six-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission to a 2.4 liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine in the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ Spring Edition earlier this year, General Motors will spread the combination to a handful of other vehicles for 2009. With gas prices still well above where they were last year, GM is hoping to capitalize on the fuel economy (and performance) benefits of the additional two cogs.
For 2009, the Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura will get the same combination Leftlane previewed in the Malibu last fall. GM is said to be increasing production of four-cylinder equipped Auras, G6s and Malibus and decreasing production of six-cylinders. No doubt the marketing campaigns set to begin soon will capitalize on the fuel economy of the four-cylinders.
With the six-speed/four-cylinder combination, the Aura, G6 and Malibu achieve 22/33 mpg city/highway fuel economy, a fairly healthy increase over the 22/30 the four-speed/four-cylinder 2008 models achieved. The Aura XR will come equipped with the TAPShift paddle-style shifters from the Mailbu.
On the G6, the six-speed will be part of the Sport Package 1 on base sedans only. Unlike the Aura, only the base model G6 will come with the four-cylinder motor. The Malibu will now offer the six-speed as an option in the less expensive LT trim level, though it won’t be available on the base LS trim.
With the four-speed automatic, GM says it was left at a competitive disadvantage compared to most of its five-speed automatic competition. Only a handful of competitors offer six-speed automatics.
08/13, 12:57 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Hmm… and why won’t Toyota admit this for their four speeds?
08/13, 1:00 PM
posted by:
crackerhemi
I agree. Toyota needs to kick it up a notch with some more gears.
08/13, 1:09 PM
posted by:
cookie4me
This transmission (co-developed by GM/FORD) was implemented more quickly and more effectively by Ford across their model lines. GMs 4 speed has been superior to other 4 speed trannies so I suppose they had a vested interest in hanging on to it as long as possible but that kind of thing tends to leave one in the dust when others move more quickly to something better.
08/13, 1:10 PM
posted by:
oldman420
Too bad these vehicles are rattle traps built with no trim and body quality. Decent drive trains with the ecotec/6 speed auto. I still would wait to see if they have problems with the 6t40’s.
08/13, 2:11 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
It’s about damn time. Now if they can put that unit into the Cruze they’ll really have something.
08/13, 2:41 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I’d still rather have my 6 gears come with a third pedal.
08/13, 3:06 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Toyota needs to kick it up with a whole new drivetrain!
The Camry is due for a facelift, so I await a response
Toyot is supposed to release a line of “Valvematic” engines by 2010.
And the Camry is supposed thav a new engine with more power to fight Altima and Accord.
THe Corolla and Camry fours are ancient, but tried and true.
The Camry’s 2.4 is just a bored out old 2.2
DrFill
08/13, 3:07 PM
posted by:
rds130
I agree with johnnycanuck. Can’t believe I said that, but I prefer MTs to ATs. Although, I prefer a GOOD AT to a bad MT anyday, so I say bring on the sixers.
08/13, 3:29 PM
posted by:
C6Racer
Sweet.
08/13, 6:50 PM
posted by:
ktulu
What’s the pint?
I say make ‘em al PRNDL
toyota’s 20R was crap
08/13, 7:27 PM
posted by:
bigp
go for it
08/13, 8:34 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
‘GM spreads six-speed automatic/four-cylinder combination across line’
What line? You should say across line of mid-size cars, as I don’t see entire line of GM cars getting six-speed automatic!
08/13, 9:12 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
About damn time, if you ask me!
08/13, 9:42 PM
posted by:
LS7
Good call on Chevy.
Toyota Camry 4cyl 5speed: 21/31mpg
Honda Accord 4cyl 5speed: 21/31mpg
Hyundai Sonata 4cyl 4speed: 21/30mpg
Ford Fusion 4cyl 5speed: 20/28mpg
Chrysler Sebring 4cyl 4speed: 21/30mpg
VW Jetta 5cyl 6speed: 21/29mpg
Chevorlet Malibu 4cyl 4speed: 22/30mpg
Chevorlet Malibu 4cyl 6speed: 22/33mpg
According to http://www.fueleconomy.gov, Malibu just became BEST IN CLASS, by implementing their 6-speed tranny. As usual, the most efficient vehicles belong to Ford & VW. Especially VW. I love how they try to duck the direct comparison with 5-cyl, however it does not make any more power than almost everyone’s 4-cyl. Yet it is the most cramped, and gets one of the worst gas mileage out of all of them, despite their own 6speed. VW makes pretty, but horriblely engineered cars. Anyone that talks crap about German engineering and efficiency should have their head examined. Accord, for example, is HUGE compared to the Jetta–yet makes just as much power, and gets better fuel consumption, with less gears. Of course, the real hidden gem of the bunch happens to be the Accord Coupe, with 190HP 4-cyl that gets exact same mileage as the lesser 177HP found in the sedan.
08/13, 9:42 PM
posted by:
LS7
opps.. i meant inefficient for VW & Ford.
08/13, 10:50 PM
posted by:
A4
LS7 VW sells the 5 cylinder here because the 4 cylinder version does not meet US emissions.. that said, it has got a good bump in power for this year, and is significantly more powerful than comparably priced 4-cylinders. Once you get to accord coupe and civic Si price you get to 2.0T pricing as well.
08/14, 1:12 AM
posted by:
Jax
The cirrent Sonata does not have the powertrain and mileage listed above.
08/14, 9:24 AM
posted by:
sj79
A4,
The VW 2.5L makes 170hp which is less than the output of the 4’s offered by Honda, Nissan and Hyundai. GM’s 2.4L makes 169hp. VWs with the 2.5L arent all that efficient.
08/14, 5:23 PM
posted by:
LS7
A4: How do you figure? The 2.5L 5-cyl only makes 170HP. GM, with 2.4L and similar 6-speed, makes 169HP, but trumps the VW in fuel mileage. I’m not quite sure where you are getting your stats from. But you seem like a typical Audi driver, who is confused about real life results from the “technology” that the car maker employees. You are more interested in how they do it, rather than what they do with it.