Our Two Cents: One Gear Too Many?

The debate is simple: how many forward gears are “too many” in a transmission? The article argues that gear count can meaningfully change driving feel compared with four- or five-speed setups, but adding more cogs brings trade-offs—especially with some 10-speed automatics in certain applications. It turns the question into a call for opinions, asking why anyone would limit gears. One response suggests more than six gears is “nuts,” with exceptions cited for ZF eight-speed automatics (8HP70, 8HP76, 8HP90). Another concern raised is that automatics can degrade after six gears, particularly beyond warranty coverage.