Modern automatics no longer shuffle between a handful of gears. Today’s best transmissions think, predict and react faster than most drivers can blink. They transformed ordinary cars into refined cruisers and performance machines into weapons. These ten automatics stand out for their engineering brilliance and for the iconic models and years in which they appeared.
ZF 8HP
Featured in: 2009 BMW 7 Series onward
The ZF 8HP launched with the 2009 BMW 7 Series and instantly rewrote the rulebook. Its crisp shifts, lightning reactions and uncanny smoothness made it the go to gearbox for performance sedans and muscle cars alike. BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Dodge and even Rolls Royce adopted it across the 2010s. The eight speed’s balance of refinement and aggression set a new global standard.
Mercedes Benz 9G Tronic
Featured in: 2014 Mercedes E Class onward
The 9G Tronic debuted in the 2014 E Class and brought nine ratios of effortless motion. Large sedans, SUVs and even AMG tuned models benefitted from its near silent cruising and razor precise downshifts. The transmission transformed Mercedes driving dynamics through the 2010s and remains one of the smoothest torque converter units ever built.
Toyota Direct Shift 10 Speed
Featured in: 2018 Lexus LC500 and 2018 Toyota Camry V6 onward
Toyota introduced its ten speed in high performance form with the 2018 Lexus LC500, then expanded it to the 2018 Camry V6 and later to trucks. It offered tight ratios, fast shifts and the durability Toyota is famous for. Whether paired with a screaming V8 or a family sedan engine, the gearbox provided seamless control and surprising athleticism.
Ford GM Ten Speed
Featured in: 2017 Ford F150, 2018 Mustang GT and 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 onward
The Ford GM ten speed entered the scene in 2017 with the F150 and Camaro ZL1. It gave trucks quicker acceleration and improved towing while transforming the Mustang GT into a brutally fast straight line machine for 2018. This joint project proved that American engineering could deliver a modern transmission worthy of global praise.
Porsche PDK
Featured in: 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera and Cayman onward
PDK arrived in 2009 and immediately became a defining Porsche feature. The dual clutch system produced razor sharp shifts in sport mode yet behaved softer than many luxury automatics in comfort settings. From the 911 GT3 to the Cayman GTS, PDK became the gearbox that let everyday drivers feel like race pros.
BMW Eight Speed Sport Automatic
Featured in: 2011 BMW M5 and 2012 3 Series onward
BMW’s performance tuned version of the ZF 8HP appeared in the 2011 M5 and later in mainstream models like the 2012 3 Series. Its programming created a transmission that felt telepathic. It knew when to hold a gear, when to downshift aggressively and when to glide. The result was a gearbox that preserved BMW’s sporting DNA in the turbocharged era.
Honda Ten Speed Automatic
Featured in: 2018 Honda Accord and 2018 Honda Odyssey onward
Honda rolled out its smooth, quick shifting ten speed in the 2018 Accord and Odyssey. It offered near seamless acceleration and crisp gear changes, especially under load. It kept engines quiet on the highway yet eager in city driving. It became one of the most refined family focused transmissions to come out of Japan.
Lexus Ten Speed Sport Direct Shift
Featured in: 2018 Lexus LC500 and 2018 Lexus LS500 onward
This ten speed debuted in the flagship LC500 and LS500 in 2018. Lexus tuned it to behave like two transmissions in one, calm during luxury cruising and fierce during spirited driving. Paired with the LC’s V8 it produced a level of connection normally reserved for dual clutch systems, but with the comfort Lexus demands.
Audi Eight Speed Tiptronic
Featured in: 2011 Audi A6, A8 and Q7 onward
Audi’s eight speed Tiptronic arrived in the early 2010s and quickly became a benchmark in all wheel drive platforms. From the 2011 A6 to the Q7, the gearbox delivered consistent torque, crisp gearing and winter confidence. Paired with Audi’s quattro system it became one of the most trusted transmissions in cold climate markets.
Jaguar Land Rover Eight Speed Automatic
Featured in: 2013 Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F Type onward
Jaguar Land Rover began using their tuned version of the ZF eight speed in 2013 and transformed heavy SUVs into surprisingly agile machines. The same gearbox allowed the Jaguar F Type to snarl through gears with sports car precision. It handled off road crawling, towing and high speed runs with equal confidence.
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