Photo: General Motors
Five years ago, Ford and General Motors signed an agreement that would give birth to not one, but two transmissions. First there’s the GM Hydra-Matic 10L90 - also known as Ford 10R80 – which is used in vehicles such as the Camaro, Mustang, F-150, and Silverado. The Hydra-Matic 9T50, however, is not as popular with Ford.
Developed by General Motors, the nine-speed automatic is designed for front- and all-wheel-drive vehicles with smoothness and efficiency in mind. “But Ford didn't get quite the result it anticipated from the arrangement” according to a report from Automotive News, instead choosing not to use the transmission “out of the box.”
What really grinds the Ford Motor Company’s cogs is the minimal to nonexistent gains in fuel economy. Take the Chevrolet Malibu as a prime example. Compared to the previous eight-speeder, the 9T50 delivers one mile per gallon more in highway driving. The Buick Envision AWD with the 2.0-liter turbo engine is good for 25 miles per gallon highway, down from 27 mpg for the Envision with the 6T40 box.
For this reason, Ford elected to drop one of the gears in the 9T50, choosing an eight-speed setup. The Dearborn-based automaker has a second eight-speed automatic, adapted from a six-speed transmission, for high-performance vehicles such as the Ford Edge ST and Lincoln Nautilus V6. Automotive News highlights that there’s a third eight-speed in the offing “for smaller, lower-torque vehicles.”
Commenting on the subject, Ford spokesman Mike Levine told the publication: “The small efficiency benefit did not justify the added weight and cost of an extra clutch and gear.”
General Motors vice president for global propulsion systems, Dan Nicholson, replied: “No matter the engine torque or vehicle speed, the 9T50 is always in the perfect gear." What Nicholson doesn’t mention in his statement is fuel economy, which has been proved by both the EPA and Ford as nothing to write home about.
What really grinds the Ford Motor Company’s cogs is the minimal to nonexistent gains in fuel economy. Take the Chevrolet Malibu as a prime example. Compared to the previous eight-speeder, the 9T50 delivers one mile per gallon more in highway driving. The Buick Envision AWD with the 2.0-liter turbo engine is good for 25 miles per gallon highway, down from 27 mpg for the Envision with the 6T40 box.
For this reason, Ford elected to drop one of the gears in the 9T50, choosing an eight-speed setup. The Dearborn-based automaker has a second eight-speed automatic, adapted from a six-speed transmission, for high-performance vehicles such as the Ford Edge ST and Lincoln Nautilus V6. Automotive News highlights that there’s a third eight-speed in the offing “for smaller, lower-torque vehicles.”
Commenting on the subject, Ford spokesman Mike Levine told the publication: “The small efficiency benefit did not justify the added weight and cost of an extra clutch and gear.”
General Motors vice president for global propulsion systems, Dan Nicholson, replied: “No matter the engine torque or vehicle speed, the 9T50 is always in the perfect gear." What Nicholson doesn’t mention in his statement is fuel economy, which has been proved by both the EPA and Ford as nothing to write home about.
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