Fait torque converter auto box?

[Colin Leake]

I see in MMM that a new A Class is available with.9 speed torque converter box on a Ivico chassis with a 3L Ivico engine. Does this mean the same box may be coming on Fait chassis with a 3L engines? Put me down for one of it does!

[Colin Leake]

?

[Derek Uzzell]

I guess you are referring to the 8-speed “Hi-Matic” gearbox that became available earlier this year for Iveco Daily vehicles.

 

http://www.guestfiat.co.uk/blog/153/the-hi-matic-experience-brought-to-you-by-iveco

 

The Iveco Daily is rear-wheel-drive, so significant modifications to the Hi-Matic transmission would need to be made to allow it to be fitted to the Fiat Ducato FWD chassis used as a base for so many motorhomes.

 

Nick Fisher (euroserv) may know if there’s anything to suggest a torque-converter gearbox is on the cards for Ducato. Although received wisdom seems to be that robotised-manual transmissions (like ComfortMatic) will eventually prove to be a technological dead end, I would not expect a different type of automatic ‘box to be fitted to Ducato until the range goes through the sort of radical revision that happened in 2006.

 

 

[euroserv]

I saw the Iveco Hi-Matic gearbox at the CV show in April and was amazed at how compact it was. Fitted to a Daily van it is about half of the size of a traditional manual 'box and apparently it is very light as well.

 

It is made by ZF, who supply this gearbox to a number of car manufacturers as well so it should be reliable but I am wary of ZF because their automated manual boxes supplied to DAF, Mercedes and MAN for trucks have been terrible! Even ZF have not been able to diagnose some of the faults!

 

In theory this could make an appearance in Fiat vehicles once it has been developed for front wheel drive, and this would be led by demand from car makers but I suspect they will stick with Comfort-Matic because they have more control over costs and it is basically the same as a manual with bits added.

 

I don't know what 'wisdom' suggests that automated manual boxes are on the way out; I hear quite the reverse in fact, particularly for small cars and I know that Fiat are working on new automated transmissions for the next generation of city cars and that deals have been done to supply this technology to other manufacturers as well.

 

If you desperately need a proper automatic Fiat Ducato, you will have to look at a Dodge Pro Master with a 3.6 litre V6 petrol engine (260hp) made in Mexico for the US market. At least for the foreseeable future!

 

[Colin Leake]

Now you might just be on to a good thing. Convert one of these to run on AutoGas and it sould be reasonably economical to run with a proper Auto Box and significant performance from the big engine. Indeed there is a strong rumour going round (just started) that more than one well known converter is looking at this with a view to showing products at the October NEC show!

 

As regards automated manual box some companies do,indeed seem to be heading this way but others are moving away from them. Merc have abandoned their sprint shift and gone back to a proper torque converter box and Honda have binned the one they used on their Jazz and gone.back to their original CRV box.

 

Peugeot would no doubt like to have an auto box on their Boxter. They could consider waiting for the new ZX box to be made available for front wheel drive or consider the Ford double clutch box that has earned itself a very good reputation. I've driven an S Max with one of these fitted and was most impressed.

 

We did look at a Merc based PVC with their auto box but I was unimpressed with the handeling and the reputation their none galvanised body has for rusting.