Land Rover reveals nine-speed auto
* Improvements to fuel economy and refinement
* Replaces the Evoque's six-speed
Land Rover is to introduce a nine-speed automatic gearbox and the Range Rover Evoque will be the first car to get it.
The new nine-speed transmission will replace the Evoque's six-speed auto gearbox. It is a full 7.5kg lighter than the six-speeder.
Land Rover says it will help improve fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions, while also cutting noise levels at higher speeds.
The lowest of the nine ratios is lower than that of the current gearbox, which will help improve control during off-road driving and towing.
A skip-shift function selects the correct gear for the speed of the car without the 'box having to move consecutively through the gears. A fast-off mode maximises acceleration by holding gears for longer.
Developed in conjunction with transmission specialists ZF, the new gearbox will be shown at the Geneva motor show next week. Evoques with the new gearbox will be available to order in June.
