Ford Patents 11-Speed Automatic Transmission
A new patent document published on April 9 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office suggests that Ford is eyeing an 11-speed automatic transmission.
The document includes details for three different embodiments of the transmission using different combinations of clutches, brakes and gears. Currently the company has only announced plans for a 10-speed automatic transmission that will arrive in the 2017 F-150 Raptor pickup truck. Ford powertrain spokesman Paul Seredynski wouldn’t confirm that Ford is developing an 11-speed automatic transmission.
“As a technology leader, we submit patents on innovative ideas as a normal course of business. Patent submissions help protect our new ideas but do not necessarily indicate future business or product plans,” he said in an official statement.
Ford is already able to claim an average 20 MPG, which is a two-MPG improvement for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost 2015 F-150 in two-wheel drive form compared to the previous generation equipped with the same engine by shaving up to 700 lbs from the curb weight of the old truck courtesy of an aluminum body.
Ford filed the patent on October 4, 2013.
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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Eleven gears, seven of which will be "overdrive", continuing the inescapable trend of all your car's mechanicals and electronics conspiring to have the engine constantly lugging around at 1800 rpm, in the name of theorical fuel economy numbers.
How about bringing the F150 back down to the size it was 20 years ago, and make it aluminum? I would think that would be good for another 500 lbs and I would be able to get it into a parking place.... just sayin'.