GM says its 10-speed gearbox faster than PDK

The Camaro Zl1’s 10-speed automatic might lack the sophistication of dual clutch gearboxes but General Motors claims that its version is quicker and smoother than the competition.

Developed in conjunction with Ford Motor Company (which could make it available for the 2017 Ford F-150) the closely-stacked ratios unleashes greater performance because the engine is more often in its heady rpm range. The shorter first gear ratio helps with quick acceleration.

We know what you’re thinking, how bulky is a 10-speed gearbox? Compared to the 8-speed gearbox, GM has packaged the extra cogs into the same confines. The new gearbox comes with ‘unique calibration settings’ and the upcoming Z/28 performance version, which crashed at the Nurburgring yesterday, will have additional sporty options for shift speed.

Now for the juicy bit; GM’s in-house testing showed that the gearbox is 36% quicker from first to second than Porsche’s PDK gearbox. Second to third is 27% faster and third to fourth 26% faster. Colour us sceptical on those claims – we’ve never stepped out from a Porsche wanting quicker shifts.

“You touch the paddle and the gear changes with immediacy,” Aaron Link, the ZL1’s lead engineer, said in a statement. “The shifts happen so quickly and without delay that it almost feels like an extension of your reflexes.”