Two things keep coming back to mind when recalling a test-drive this week in a Ram 3500 pickup equipped with ZF’s new 8-speed PowerLine automatic transmission: increased power and better fuel economy.
Okay, that and impressive weight reduction, versatility in terms of vehicle applications and extensive R&D – all of which come together to make this continuously variable transmission one to watch.
ZF’s new 8AP transmission springs from plenty of real-world development through its established passenger vehicle variant, the 8HP, which has been in production since 2007. Roughly 15 million units have made their way into Ram, Jeep, Dodge, BMW, Audi and Porsche vehicles.
But where the 8HP cools off at 430 lb. ft. of torque the 8AP picks up the pace and delivers up to 1,000 foot pounds. That added power, according to ZF, makes the 8AP a good fit for Class 5 – 8 trucks, buses, RVs and pickups. (When it comes to Class 8, think baby 8.)
On Wednesday, reporters at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis had a chance to try out the 8AP in a 2015 Ram 3500 equipped with a 6.7-liter Cummins. The bed of the dually pickup was weighed down with a 3,000-lb. water tank.
Acceleration on straightaways was impressive and shifting so smooth that it begged the question of performance relative to the truck’s stock 6-speed Aisin. Christoper Ross, ZF’s manager of product development in North America, explained that the truck had nearly a one-second zero to 60 advantage over the Aisin.
“As you loaded it up, that gap just gets bigger and bigger,” Ross said. “You have eight speeds versus six. You have a deeper first gear than the original first gear. You have closer steps. All these things combine to make a huge difference. It makes a huge difference on the acceleration performance of the vehicle.”
