JATCO (President & CEO Shigeo Ishida, Headquartered in Fuji City, Shizuoka, Japan, Capital: 29.9353 billion yen), a manufacturer of automatic and continuously variable transmissions (AT/CVT), has announced that it has developed a new 4-speed AT for Small FWD vehicles (JF414E).

Newly developed 4-speed AT for small FWD vehicles (JF414E)

This 4-speed AT has been remodeled for the first time in approximately 21 years, based on the 4-speed AT for small FWD vehicles whose launch on the market came when it was installed in the Nissan Sunny in 1989. A unit with a simple structure and high level of durability (features which are required in new emerging economy markets) has been developed by appropriating the highly reliable core technologies and re-examining the specifications of the best-selling unit, which has seen cumulative unit production of more than 11 million units since production began. The new AT is considerably lighter, more compact and more efficient than the existing base model, and improved basic transmission performance.

The main characteristics are as follows.

● High reliability and robustness based on the best-selling unit

The new unit is based on the existing 4-speed AT, which has seen cumulative unit production of more than 11 million units; as it is envisaged for use in new emerging economy markets, we appropriated the highly reliable technologies and reexamined the designs specifications of the unit.　In addition to ensuring robustness (tolerance for environmental changes), new unit applies the simpler design for easy maintenance.

Furthermore, the driving performance has been improved through improved acceleration control.

● A lighter, more compact design with reduced friction

In order to create the improved basic performance which is required for today’s transmissions, the total length is shrunk by 11% and the weight is reduced by 15% compared to the previous design through the adoption of a super-flat torque converter and redesign of the parts. In addition to increasing the adaptability to vehicle installation, this also reduces friction by 32%*, improves the performance of the unit itself and contributes to improved fuel efficiency.

*Comparison of the unit itself with JATCO’s existing FF4AT in the same class

This newly developed 4-speed AT for small FWD vehicles is produced in Fuji Area No.4 (Fuji City, Shizuoka), and is installed in the Nissan March which goes on sale in China on August 30.