Quote:
Originally Posted by Fundguy1
And since when did you need 10 speeds in anything but a bicycle?
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A big reason automakers continue to add more gear ratios to transmissions is to increase the spread between the lowest and highest ratio, which in turn can yield (small, but real) fuel economy improvements. Since you can only have so big a jump form one ratio to the next while still maintaining a smooth running vehicle (particular important in luxury vehicles), the only way to increase the spread is to add more ratios.