General Motors is an innovator of automatic transmissions, introducing the Hydra-Matic in 1940.[1] This list includes some GM transmissions.
Automatic transmissions
Early models
The GM Hydra-Matic was a success and installed in the majority of GM models by 1950. Through the 1950s, all makers were working on their own automatic transmission, with four more developed inside GM alone. All of GM's early automatic transmissions were replaced by variants of the Turbo-Hydramatic by the 1970s.
- 1940–1967 Hydra-Matic — Oldsmobile (now the trade name for all GM automatic transmissions)
- 1948–1963 Dynaflow — Buick
- 1950–1973 Powerglide — Chevrolet (also used by Pontiac, Holden, Vauxhall and Opel)
- 1968-1971 Torquedrive- Chevrolet ( Camaro and Chevy II, Nova. Manually shifted on Column. )
- 1957–1961 Turboglide — Chevrolet (V8 models only, except Corvette)
- 1958–1959 Flightpitch — Buick
- 1961–1963 Dual Path Turbine Drive — Buick
- 1961–1964 Roto Hydramatic — Oldsmobile/Pontiac (also used by Holden, Vauxhall and Opel)
- 1964–1969 Super Turbine 300 — Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac (Oldsmobile Jetaway)
- 1968–1969 Torquedrive — Chevrolet (manually column shifted 2 speed automatic, 6 cyl only)
- 1956-1964 4 speed Controlled coupling HydraMatic, also known as Cadillac 315 or P 315 HydraMatic, Oldsmobile Jetaway, Pontiac Super HydraMatic.
- TempestTorque, ( Pontiac) a two speed based on Powerglide, but having the added feature of " Split Torque " dividing the engine power between mechanical connection and the torque converter in high gear.
Turbo-Hydramatic
The Turbo-Hydramatic was used by all GM divisions, and formed the basis for the company's modern Hydramatic line. The basic rear-wheel drive Turbo-Hydramatic spawned two front-wheel drive variants, the transverse Turbo-Hydramatic 125, and the longitudinal Turbo-Hydramatic 425. A third variant was the light-duty rear wheel drive Turbo-Hydramatic 180 used in many European models. In Argentina, the Turbo Hydra-Matic was available on some models of the 1969-1978 Chevrolet "Chevy," essentially the 1968 U.S. Nova, but was marketed as the "Chevromatic."
- Heavy-duty rear wheel drive
- 1971–1994 3L80HD (heavy duty version of TH400)
- Medium-duty rear wheel drive
- Light-duty rear wheel drive
- 1969–1998 TH180/TH180C/3L30 — 3-speed European/Asian model. Also manufactured and used by Holden as the Trimatic transmission.
- Transverse front wheel drive
- Longitudinal front wheel drive
Electronic Hydra-Matics
The next-generation transmissions, introduced in the early 1990s, were the electronic Hydra-Matics based on the Turbo-Hydramatic design. Most early electronic transmissions use the "-E" designator to differentiate them from their non-electronic cousins, but this has been dropped on transmissions with no mechanical version like the new GM 6L transmission.
Today, GM uses a simple naming scheme for their transmissions, with the "Hydra-Matic" name used on most automatics across all divisions.
| 3/4/5/6 |
L/T |
## |
-Elll
|
| Number of forward gears |
L=Longitudinal
T=Transverse |
GVWR rating |
"E" for Electronic
"HD" for Heavy Duty
|
- First-generation longitudinal (Rear Wheel drive)
- 1991–2001 4L30-E — 4-speed light-duty (used in BMW, Cadillac, Isuzu, and Opel cars)
- 1992– 4L60-E/4L65-E — 4-speed medium-duty (used in GM trucks and rear-wheel-drive cars)
- 1991– 4L80-E/4L85-E — 4-speed heavy-duty (used in GM trucks)
- First-generation transverse (Front Wheel drive)
- 1995–2010 4T40-E/4T45-E — 4-speed light-duty (used in smaller front wheel drive GM vehicles)
- 1991–2010 4T60-E/4T65-E/4T65E-HD — 4-speed medium-duty (used in larger front wheel drive GM vehicles)
- 1993–2010 4T80-E — 4-speed heavy-duty (used in large front wheel drive GM vehicles, only with Cadillac NorthStar V8 and Related Oldsmobile V8)
- Second-generation longitudinal (Rear Wheel drive)
- ^ a b *This transmission is part of a joint-venture between General Motors and Ford Motor Company to split development of two transmissions, a longitudinal 10-speed and transverse 9-speed. Ford led the design of the 10-speed transmission, as well as filing the design patents for said transmission. According to an official report by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) the design of the 10-speed gearbox is essentially all Ford, while GM was responsible for designing the 9-speed 9T transverse automatic gearbox. As part of their joint-venture, Ford will let GM use the 10-speed transmission with rights to modify and manufacture it for their own applications. In-exchange for Ford's 10-speed transmission, General Motors will let Ford use its 9-speed transmission for front-wheel drive applications; Ford ultimately declined use of the 9T and instead, removed 1 gear and used the 9T as an 8-speed transmission.[2][3][4]
- Second-generation transverse (Front Wheel drive)
Hybrid and PHEV
Other automatics
Future
