2014 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque To Feature Nine-Speed Automatic Transmission

The 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque will be one of the first vehicles on the market to feature a nine-speed automatic transmission. An Evoque demonstration vehicle with the new transmission will be on display at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show.

Land Rover told Edmunds on Tuesday the 2014 Evoque with the new ZF transmission will go on sale in the fall.

But it is still uncertain just how much the new technology will add to the price of the Evoque.

"We don't have 2014 Evoque pricing," wrote Wayne Kung, a Land Rover spokesman, in response to an e-mailed query.

The nine-speed automatic transmission is expected to be one of the most fuel-efficient transmissions on the market. The technology is likely to boost the appeal of the Evoque, which is already the most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever produced. The 2013 Evoque is equipped with a 240-horsepower turbocharged direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine linked to a six-speed automatic transmission.

"Increasing the number of gear ratios from six to nine gives significant improvement in fuel economy and a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions," said Land Rover in a statement. "Smaller ratio steps give improved response during acceleration, improved shift quality, drive and refinement. The higher top gear not only reduces fuel consumption but the lower engine revs improve comfort and reduce noise when cruising at high speed."

The nine-speed automatic transmission features a "skip-shift function" for much quicker downshifting under rapid deceleration or from greater drive input demands, the automaker said. The new transmission is similar in size to the six-speed transmission and is slightly lighter.

The EPA says the 2013 Evoque returns 20 mpg in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway. Land Rover did not offer fuel economy estimates on the 2014 Evoque with the nine-speed automatic transmission.

The wraps come off an Evoque demonstration vehicle in Geneva at a time when gas prices are rising in the U.S. The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report on Wednesday pegged the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in the U.S. at $3.78 versus $3.34 a month ago.



Courtesy of Edmunds