A mate at work seems convinced that all car makers use different gearing and/or final drive ratios between their saloon and estate cars to counter the extra weight and load capacity of the estate. Therefore reducing performance and acceleration over the saloon version.

Looking at VW's acceleration, top speed and economy figures for the saloon and estate Passat there is a difference.

Is this just down to weight and aerodynamics or would they actually bother making different ratio'd gearboxes for different models?

In this world of mass production I would expect them to settle for a one-size-fits-all set-up.

I think they would all be the same. Has anyone experienced any differences from a type 9 out of a sierra hatchback and estate?

All t9's are the same it was just the diff that was different. (so I was told anyway)

Maybe that VW have different gearbox's for estate with different ratio being front wheel drive, shouldn't be too hard to find spec lists for each.

i have no direct answer but a gearbox is to pricey to make them different.

to compensate suchs thinks a diff would be cheaper or a rimm/tyre size.

sow i think that the boxes are the same good thing about that is that the boxes are compatible to each model.

Tks

Hi it is quite normal for major manufacturers to change diff ratios for estate and saloon variants Also for different countries.

Different gearbox ratios are not always as common but some do fit different ratios on different CC application ect Ie difference between a 1.0L and a 1.8/2.0 L although it also usually a different box altogether except for looking the same.

Cheers Matt

My Haynes manual only lists one set of ratios for the type 9 gearbox. It is an older edition.

Then you add the van derivatives

MkIII 1.6 escort van faster to 60 than and XR3 due to gearing when empty.

They do tend to chop things about on the diff ratio's

Hi dont go giving the secrets away about diesel boxes having better ratios.

Who said that .

Cheers Matt

Differences in performance are also down to different maps in the ECU.

adrian