Dart’s mystery transmission
Two of the transmissions for the Dodge Dart are known — Fiat models, a manual six-speed and a dual-clutch automatic, the latter to be used exclusively with the Fiat turbo engine. Yet unknown, however, is the third transmission, which Reid Bigland and one of the engineers available at the Detroit Auto Show both noted would be a conventional hydraulic model. Neither would say who would provide that transmission, though. It does appear that it will not be a Chrysler based automatic, and Reid did say it would not be sourced from Fiat.
Chrysler does have a relationship with ZF, which makes a six speed automatic, but that would not seem to call for this level of secrecy. Many automakers have six-speed front-wheel-drive capable automatic transmissions, and Chrysler itself seems to know where the transmission is coming from, but for the moment, isn’t telling. It is possible that negotiations are still ongoing, and also that they might be hedging their bets, unless the transmission somehow provides a competitive advantage which they want to hold back.
