September 26th, 2013
Drew Dowdell
Managing Editor - CheersandGears.com
Patent Drawings published on September 19th reveal that General Motors has filed a patent for a 7-Speed Dual Clutch Transmission. While there has been talk about a conventional GM 8-Speed automatic for a while, a 7-Speed DCT could give GM an upmarket transmission to offer in premium products from Cadillac or the Chevrolet Corvette.
At the moment, the 2014 Corvette Stingray will be shipping with a 6-speed auto when the buyer opts not to row his own, leading us to believe that this 7-Speed DCT could be offered in the Corvette in the future. We also speculate that with a couple of V-series Cadillacs on the way, the timing could be right for an introduction in one of them.
Update: A reader points out that the output shaft in the above drawing is offset to the side of the transmission (label 16). This means it is highly unlikely that this is a rear wheel drive transmission, but instead is a front wheel drive, transversely mounted transmission.
Source: CorvetteBlogger.Com, US Patent Office
Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheerandGears.com or on Twitter as @Cheersngears
Recommended Comments
Your content will need to be approved by a moderator