31 MPG Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger Thanks to 8 Speed Trans - Eric Loveday

The first eight-speed automatic transmission in a domestically manufactured automobile will debut in both the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger for 2012. The eight-speed slushbox, developed by German transmission specialist ZF and often found packed in luxury vehicles from automakers including Audi, Bentley, BMW, Range Rover and Rolls-Royce, will be mated to Chrysler's 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine on select models within the 300 and Charger lineups.

The result, says Chrysler, is a four mile-per-gallon increase that bumps up the highway fuel economy rating to 31 miles per gallon for both the 300 and Charger – up from the 27-mpg rating found on five-speed, auto-equipped 2011 300s and Chargers. City fuel economy for both of the full-size sedans checks in at 19 mpg - an increase of five percent over 2011's five speed slushbox.

Compact and lightweight, the ZF eight-speed fit into the 300 and Charger with no structural changes and, despite the addition of three more gears, the transmission actually weighs only 6.6 pounds more than the five-speed tranny. By adding a dash of German ingenuity, Chrysler has gotten two significantly improved sedans. We'll see what the Italians can add.