Automatic transmission options

I know the 05 isn't even hear yet...but has anyone heard anything recently about the 6 speed automatic being developed by GM for rear wheel drive vehicles...and when it's going to be ready and when it might be offered in the GTO?
For those of us who wanted/needed an automatic, it would do wonders for the fuel economy (as well as for GM, it would probably get the GTO off the gas guzzler list and help their CAFE numbers). Not only would there be an obvious higher last gear, but they wouldn't have to be so aggressive with the initial ratio because they'd have more gears to play with.
Anyone have any updates? The last bit of news I heard on this was it would be ready in late 2005.

While those are all good reasons, I don't think Gm will have it in place for the GTO for 05.

By late 2005, I was thinking the 2006 model year. My hope is that it would be ready by then or possibly late in the 05 model year....my fear is that it won't be until the 2007's come out.

Well I'm leaning toward it possibly being in 07, but I don't think you will see anything before then, It would be great if they did, but I don't see it happening.

I read in some car magazine that GM and Ford are joining research info, towards a 6-speed auto to share the tech.

Originally posted by 2004blkgtostpmn@Aug 26 2004, 05:18 AM
I read in some car magazine that GM and Ford are joining research info, towards a 6-speed auto to share the tech.
Wouldnt that be interesting... It would be a very odd day indeed when you could start swapping transmissions or even other major engine and driveline parts between Ford and GM made vehicles without any effort.

The 6 speed automatic that you speak of is for front wheel drive vehicles...and that version SHOULD be available in some GM cars for the 2006 model year.

The 6 speed automatic for rear wheel drive vehicles (for use in Cadillac, the Corvette and GTO) is a GM project only.

Just found this on another forum...I hope and think that this would apply to the GTO also because it uses the same engine as the vette...although I'm not sure if the transmission setup is the same:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread...#post1548149335 (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?p=1548149335&posted=1#post1548149335)

Corvette to Get Sequential 6-Speed Automatic

By Peter Robinson

WardsAuto.com, Aug 26 2004

New “Tiptronic”-type automatic should be available on the ’06 Corvette.

Help is on the way for the new Corvette – specifically its carryover 4-speed automatic transmission.


Better automatic on way for new ’Vette.
The car’s current automatic, which lacks “Tiptronic”-like manual-shift capability, is one of the few real disappointments in the otherwise impressive new Corvette. (See related story: C6 Corvette Powers Up)

But not for long. General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman and chief product guru Bob Lutz admits a sequential 6-speeder is on the way, though he declines to specify timing.

“We don’t talk about future product,” says Lutz, who mostly talks only about future product.

GM’s all-new 6-speed automatic will be a derivative of the Hydramatic 5L50-E sequential-shift 5-speed that is standard in the Cadillac XLR roadster. It will be built in four sizes accommodating up to 520 lb.-ft. (705 Nm) of torque and 450 hp. It brings a 7% performance improvement over the new car’s current 4L60/65 automatic, while hiking fuel economy 4%.

The new 6-speed automatic is expected in late 2005, for the ’06 model year. That is about when the Corvette joins the supercar ranks with the launch of a 500-hp, 7L Z06 version of the new model, which is scheduled to debut at the 2005 Detroit auto show. A new LS7 V-8 replaces the old 5.7L 405-hp LS6 as the highest-performance Corvette engine. Top speed jumps from the standard ’Vette’s 186 mph (299 km/h) to more than 200 mph (322 km/h).