We’ve said it countless times, but we’ll repeat it: the age of the manual transmission is nearing its end. In its place, automatic transmissions have become the go-to configuration for many, from manufacturers producing mundane grocery getters to some of the most hardcore cars available today.
While transmissions are far from the centerpieces of any given performance car, although there are a few gratifying manual transmissions, the engine takes that honor more often than not. However, some transmissions, specifically automatic transmissions, are worth writing home about. One of those is the ZF-8HP, and depending on who you ask, it’s the best automatic transmission of the modern age.
Debuting In BMW’s Luxury Sedan
2010 BMW 760Li Exterior Finished In WhiteBMW
Today, outside of the performance car segment, an automatic transmission isn’t the deal-breaker that many once viewed it as. In the early 2000s, automatic transmissions were, for the most part, a detriment to many cars. Beyond being less engaging than a manual transmission, automatic transmissions in the early 2000s were viewed as sluggish and came with a handful of gremlins, which helped cultivate a sour reputation.
Compared to modern transmissions, automatic transmissions from the 2000s were, for the most part, unreliable, inefficient, and a pain to use. Before automatic transmissions improved, performance cars of the early 2000s largely employed dual-clutch transmissions. This includes icons like the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 and the Volkswagen Golf R32. We’d continue to see DCTs used in performance cars up until manufacturers began opting for the transmission we’re talking about in this article.
While automatic transmission found little favor with motorists in the 2000s, its reputation and perception would be changed when the now-iconic ZF-8HP transmission debuted. We met this automatic transmission in the late 2000s, specifically in 2008, when BMW introduced the fifth generation of the BMW 7 Series luxury sedan, specifically the 2010 BMW 760Li.
2010 BMW 760Li Exterior Gear Selector Close-UpBMW
The ZF-8HP transmission debuted in the BMW 760i and the longer BMW 760Li models, where it was paired with BMW’s new V12 engine. According to BMW, the ZF-8HP was tailored to accommodate the power and performance characteristics of the BMW 7 Series’s V12 engine, which, according to BMW, combined gearshift control, sportiness, and efficiency to a degree that no automatic transmission had before.
What defined the ZF-8HP was its design, which featured a unique selection of gearsets that allowed it to use additional gears and a larger range of gear increments than the size-speed automatic it replaced in BMW’s 7 Series, without being negatively affected by the extra gears. Compared with the six-speed automatic transmission used in the fourth-generation BMW 7 Series, the ZF-8HP from the late 2000s was more efficient, more flexible, and lighter.
A Few Updates To Get It Just Right
ZF-8HP Evo Transmission Close-Up RenderingZF Friedrichshafen
The initial rendition of the ZF-8HP was enough to shift perceptions of the capabilities and potential of automatic transmissions. It was very versatile, used in an array of vehicles from rear-wheel-drive sedans with 220 lb-ft of torque to all-wheel-drive SUVs with double that amount of power, while also being slightly lighter and occupying the exact dimensions as the six-speed automatic transmission it replaced.
In its earliest incarnation, it debuted as the highest-ranking member of the fifth-generation BMW 7 Series range, but by 2010, it would be offered in rear-wheel-drive form. The first update to the ZF-8HP came in 2010, and the main difference between it and the first rendition of the transmission was that the updated transmission featured a unique gearset that included nearly all the gears and was more durable.
2010 BMW 760Li Exterior Transmission Rendering Close-UpBMW
Then, in 2014, the transmission was updated again. For this update, it gained a handful of improvements, which included enlarging the gear ratio span, thereby marginally improving its efficiency. This update prompted a significant design overhaul, marking the arrival of the second-generation ZF-8HP. ZF Friedrichshafen sought to address engine downspeeding, the practice of lowering an engine’s cruising RPM to improve fuel economy and efficiency. The result was an increase in transmission torque capacity, but it wasn’t the only change made. Other changes included an improved stop-start system, a new vibration-damper design, a new clutch-pack design, and the introduction of the Adaptive Shift Strategy.
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In later renditions, the ZF-8HP transmission gained a wider gear ratio span to improve fuel economy, and at this point, it was applied in both mild-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid applications. In 2019, it was announced that the new ZF-8HP transmission could be used in nearly all vehicle classes with a front longitudinal drive configuration and would be equipped with an electric drive system. In its current form, the ZF-8HP transmission is used across an array of vehicles, from combustion-only cars to hybrids.
We have consistently optimized our 8-speed automatic transmission according to future e-mobility requirements. With a modular construction using various starting elements, the new generation hybrid transmission offers a flexible solution which is suitable for all passenger cars – both conventional as well as electric.” – Michael Hankel, member of the ZF Board of Management.
Considered The Best
2010 BMW 760Li Exterior Transmission Cross-Section Close-UpBMW
It isn’t hyperbole to laud the ZF-8HP transmission as the golden standard for automatic transmission, and there’s more than enough merit to back up that sentiment. The ZF-8HP was immediately distinguished by its ability not only to be smooth enough for BMW’s flagship luxury sedan but also quick enough to keep up with the hot-blooded powertrains used in performance cars.
A significant contributor to the ZF-8HP’s ability to shift quickly enough to catch the hearts of many manufacturers was its torque converter, which employs a lock-up clutch that stays locked in most cases and, in its latest configuration. This twin-torsional damper system improves driving comfort at low speeds, enhancing its appeal given that conventional dual-clutch transmissions tend to struggle there, while also reducing fuel consumption.
2010 BMW 760Li Transmission Rendering Close-UpBMW
Not only is it an efficient transmission, but it’s also easy to adopt. A poignant example of this is BMW’s use of the ZF-8HP in both its standard sedans and its thoroughbred performance cars, like the BMW F90 M5, which lost its DCT in 2018 in favor of the ZF-8HP. The ZF-8HP is a readily available, competent transmission with a proven track record and is used as the yardstick for modern automatic transmission performance. It’s because of the ZF-8HP’s reputation as a mighty and reliable transmission that it’s been used by nearly every major automotive brand alive today.
Used By Nearly Everyone
ZF 8HP transmission gearboxZF
There’s a good chance that some of your favorite automotive brands have used the ZF-8HP transmission. BMW should be an easy guess for manufacturers that rely on the ZF-8HP, which has used the transmission in the BMW F20 1 Series, BMW F30 3 Series, BMW F10 5 Series, second-generation BMW X5, and BMW Z4 Roadster.
Although it’s been a mainstay in BMW’s catalog, the ZF-8HP has been integral to other manufacturers, including Jaguar, Land Rover, Dodge, Chrysler, Ram, Porsche, Audi, Toyota, Aston Martin, and Lamborghini. There seems to be no end in sight to the revered ZF-8HP transmission as it’s now being outfitted to accommodate the greater emphasis on electrification.
Manufacturers today need fast, flexible, and scalable solutions for a broad drive portfolio. The 8HP evo delivers exactly that and covers the full range. This combination is currently unique. Hybridization is not an interim solution, but part of the answer. The 8HP evo combines range, efficiency, and flexibility. Our technology suits the diversity of the markets.” – Mathias Miedreich, member of the Executive Board and responsible for the Electrified Drive Technology division.
Sources: ZF Friedrichshafen, BMW
