7 speed transmissions?
 

Racing usually leads the auto market in innovation. That which makes a racecar faster today makes a street car more fuel efficient tomorrow. In transmissions, however, the higher number of gears have shown up on the street first. Would more gears benefit the racecars? Is there too much friction, or too much rotating mass in these transmissions? Is the torque converter technology such that benefits of operating the engine in a small rpm band already been achieved?

Re: 7 speed transmissions?
 

Not Stock or SS but my buddy drives a Pro Mod with a 7spd Liberty and a lock up converter..So yep there must be something to it

Re: 7 speed transmissions?
 

Back when Liberty came out with the 5 speed; it didn't take long for Comp Racers to switch from 4 speed - it was faster and you needed it! You did need to make changes - but it ended up faster.

Re: 7 speed transmissions?
 

Have you seen a in car camera in F-1 car recently? You can't count the gear changes.

Re: 7 speed transmissions?
 

Eight forward gears plus reverse per the F1 rules. Mandatory..

Re: 7 speed transmissions?
 

For what we do in Stock and SS I would say there would not be an advantage.

Granted, these new transmissions are pretty much well rollerized from the factory, but the extra internal parts and rotational weight would seem to offset any gain by minimizing the rpm drop between gears.

I could be wrong on that but that would make for one interesting back to back test while keeping the race weight of the car the same.