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Chrysler says its 8-speed transmissions will save 700 million gallons

Chrysler Group's TorqueFlite eight-speed transmission could be earning some serious green bragging rights if the company's projections are correct. The recently widely proliferated automatic gearbox, which is now in more than a million vehicles around the world, is poised to save drivers an estimated 700+ million gallons of fuel over the vehicles' lifetimes (an expected cost savings of $2.5 billion). In addition, Chrysler expects a reduction in CO2 emissions by more than six million metric tons. According to Chrysler, and depending on the vehicle, the TorqueFlite can improve fuel economy. The TorqueFlite autobox features particularly close ratios from fifth to eighth gear (see the press release below for the specific numbers), and uses low-viscosity fluid that doesn't need to be replaced. Transmission software adapts to the driving situation to optimize efficiency based on driver behavior, temperature, grade, stability control, and longitudinal and lateral acceleration. The TorqueFlite is capable of handling a variety of duties. As evidenced by the wide range of vehicles Chrysler Group has seen fit to equip with the eight-speed transmission, the TorqueFlite is capable of handling a variety of duties. Since its 2012 introduction, the TorqueFlite has gone from performing cog-swapping duties in Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 models equipped with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 to changing gears in vehicles such as the Pentastar- and Hemi-powered Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee and even the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. For the 2015 model year, the eight-speed is finding its way into even more vehicles with the addition of a third version. In addition to the American-made TorqueFlite 845RE and 8HP70, the new 8HP90 will be manufactured in Saarbrucken, Germany. The 8HP90 is designed for higher torque loads, making it ideal for high-performance vehicles like the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. The already-in-use 8HP70 will expand its duties to be used in 2015 Hemi models such as the Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Challenger SRT8. You can see the list of those benchmarks in Chrysler's press release below.

Toyota, Lexus dominate KBB's Best Resale Value Awards

Toyota and Lexus stormed the 2014 Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards, winning a combined 18 categories including best brand and best luxury brand. This marks the third year in a row that both automakers have won the Brand and Luxury Brand resale value awards. In all, Toyota won 11 categories and Lexus won seven.
Honda made a good showing, as well, winning two segments (Accord Plug-In Hybrid and Civic Si) and putting one car on the top-10 Best Resale Value list (CR-V). Chevrolet did even better, winning two segments (with the V6 Camaro and the Corvette) and placing three cars on the top-10-overall list (again, the Camaro and Corvette, plus the Silverado 1500).
The other winners came from Jeep, Dodge, Infiniti, Subaru and Audi. To give you a clearer picture of the Toyota and Lexus domination, their 18 mentions represents more than half of the 34 awards (including the top-10-overall list).

2018 Jeep Wrangler production ending to make way for Jeep pickup

After more than a decade in production, the outgoing JK generation Jeep Wrangler is set to end production on April 7. According to Automotive News, parts supplier Hyundai Mobis North America notified the State of Ohio that production was ending. The Toledo, Ohio, plant where the Jeep is built is already deep into production of the replacement JL generation Wrangler. The big news isn't that JK production is ending but that the plant is retooling in order to get Wrangler pickup production underway. Details on the Wrangler pickup are scarce. Jeep hasn't said anything, so most of what we know comes from various spy shots. Basically, expect a JL Wrangler Unlimited with a bed. That's a good thing. We were quite smitten with the Wrangler when we drove it late last year. It's better equipped and more refined than ever. The Toledo plant has a capacity of about 300,000 units a year. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne expects about 100,000 Wrangler pickups to be sold each year. When the Wrangler pickup arrives, look for a naturally aspirated V6 under the hood. The turbo inline-four is likely, though smaller volumes could limit the truck's engine choices. The upcoming turbo diesel is a possibility, too. Other details include suspension that takes a cue from Ram. Look for a full reveal in the next few months. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.