Racing gearbox from ZF

05.01.2017

The 8HP45 racing gearbox is the first automatic gearbox in racing. Since the 2014 racing season, the gearbox has proven its benefits in the BMW M235i Racing Cup. The next evolutionary stage is the even lighter and more dynamic racing gearbox 8P45R. It is optimally suited for motorsport applications and is used, for example, in the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport.

The 8HP/8HP45 automatic gearbox makes driving easier for the racers in the BMW M235i Racing Cup, meaning that the drivers can optimally concentrate on the race itself. In addition, technical complications, which occur due to switching errors among other things, are excluded from the outset. In designing the planetary racing gear, ZF Race Engineering has placed great importance on low weight, high switching speeds and optimum gear switching points. The weight reduction was achieved by dispensing with the torque converter, as well as further measures. In addition, it was possible to reduce the internal power loss enormously.

The gear ratios were designed so that they are even finer in the 8HP45 in comparison to the 8HP gearbox, and the rpm jumps were also reduced. Therefore, all eight gear steps are sensibly distributed for motorsport use in the power transmission of the ZF 8HP45 gearbox.

ZF Race Engineering, together with the Porsche engineers, has developed a racing version of the Porsche dual-clutch gearbox "PDK", which is used in the Cayman GT4 Clubsport. When developing the Porsche gearbox, the focus was on adapting the standard gearbox in terms of weight, stability and switching times in order to achieve the best possible results in motorsport use.

ZF 8HP gearbox in racing use

Performance clutches by SACHS for all vehicles with manual transmission can still be found here in the online shop.