Official Launch At Melbourne Motor Show

[Laurence]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is an independant transaxle?

its a transaxle thats indepedant

Edited March 7, 2008 by Laurence

[nisskid]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is an independant transaxle?

pretty sure the independent part refers to the suspension (aka independent suspension) and obviously transaxle describes the trans/diff/axle combo.

[Laurence]

FACEPALM WITHDRAWN... nisskid was right.

Edited March 7, 2008 by Laurence

[sewid]

do some homework?? lol tell that to the whole world then. the gtr is the first to have independant rear transaxle.

Thats what they claim, and they wouldnt get it wrong

"The Nissan GT-R features a newly developed Premium Midship package, including the world's first independent transaxle 4WD developed independently by Nissan. "

i missed the 4wd part.. but its still the one and only going around

They might be the only company to make a AWD rear mounted independant transaxle. A big difference to what you said though. Like I said. Do your homework as there are a lot of rear mounted independant transaxles on many different cars.

Nissan marketing also told me at the Melbourne motor show that their R35 GT-R was the only one in the southern hemisphere... Marketing is like that... You're not paid to tell the truth all the time...

[Laurence]

What is an independant transaxle?

edit: I have a horrible suspicion that either a) nobody knows or b) it is what nisskid said

Might as well stick an Radial Tuned Suspension badge on it while we are there.

Edited March 7, 2008 by Laurence

[Beer Baron]

a transaxle is a rear mounted gearbox and diff in one unit driving the rear wheels. independent refers to the suspension arrangement at the rear as being an independent rear end. they have combined the two. also, we can all stop saying 'rear mounted transaxle' by it's very definition a transaxle is mounted in the rear. it's like saying atm machine.

as for it being the first independent transaxle i'm not sure. there have been a few road cars with transaxles over the years but I don't know many of them in depth. I have done a bit of work with alfa transaxles and they are a de-dion transaxle (ie not independent). It's still not clear to me whether or not they claim the first independent transaxle, or the first independent transaxle with AWD.

[Laurence]

So an independant transaxle is a transaxle...

Sorry for doubting you Nisskid, I just expected a bit more from Nissan's jargon department.

To be honest I am not sure that it should be called a transaxle at all, looks to me like a normal gearbox slid back with the diff welded on the rear.

Edited March 7, 2008 by Laurence

[nisskid]

FACEPALM WITHDRAWN... nisskid was right.

im grabbin that pic, sure to come in handy soon.

[sewid]

So an independant transaxle is a transaxle...

Sorry for doubting you Nisskid, I just expected a bit more from Nissan's jargon department.

To be honest I am not sure that it should be called a transaxle at all, looks to me like a normal gearbox slid back with the diff welded on the rear.

lol I thought you were joking... I kinda thought it was obvious...

A transaxle is when you combine the transmission and the differential.

An independent transaxle is when you do not mount it directly to the engine.

A rear mounted independent transaxle is when the transaxle is mounted at the rear of the car.

A rear mounted AWD independent transaxle is when you combine all that and add a secondary drive shaft back to the front..

Nissan have the first REAR mounted AWD independent transaxle but not the first independant transaxle or even the first independent AWD transaxle as the Ford RS200 had a independent FRONT mounted transaxle with the engine in the middle of the car.

Does that help?

[Laurence]

a transaxle is a rear mounted gearbox and diff in one unit driving the rear wheels. independent refers to the suspension arrangement at the rear as being an independent rear end.

An independent transaxle is when you do not mount it directly to the engine.

Does that help?

No, it doesn't at all, because now I have two different but perfectly cromulant answers to the same question.

I kinda thought it was obvious...

Hehe, well I guess it isn't.

[sewid]

No, it doesn't at all, because now I have two different but perfectly cromulant answers to the same question.

Hehe, well I guess it isn't.

Richard's explanation is perfectly reasonable except that it wouldn't really be so great to mount a transaxle to a vehicle with non-independent suspension (live axle) as you're adding a huge lump of unsprung weight. So to add the term independent in describing a transaxle would be slightly redundant.

I look at it as jargon and marketing hyperbole so take from it what you will , both answers are right ! its the marketing guys who dish out the buzz words and leave the actual technical explanations to someone else.

[Laurence]

*cough* and we look a few posts back and ummm... errr

I have done a bit of work with alfa transaxles and they are a de-dion transaxle (ie not independent).

Anyway, enough bickering. I got the answer I needed which is that it is essentially a meaningless bit of marketing jargon rather than some particularly useful technical distinction. I mean if I couldn't work out the R35 was IRS or the engine was not connected to the transmission I would have the answer to why my knuckles drag along the ground when I walk.

As always SAU provides a nice mix of infotainment. Thanks

[Duncan]

lol are we all ok now?

I can't think of any other front engine 4wd/awd that has a rear mounted gearbox/transfer case/transaxle. It means you need 2 long driveshafts - engine to gearbox and then gearbox right back to front axle. But it was kind of an obvious design step once they decided to go rear gearbox, might as well put the xfer case back there as well.

BTW love the pics Laurence I am keeping them for when the school holidays come around