Improved Shift Comfort, Safety and Fuel Economy: ZF Technology in the New BMW 5-Series

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany--The new BMW 5-Series, presented for the first time in Geneva, Switzerland on March 8 features significant ZF technology designed to improve performance, safety, fuel economy and comfort.

It features the new generation of ZF 6-speed automatic transmissions, which shift more quickly and improve fuel economy, along with driver assistance systems, such as Active Steering, the electronic suspension system Adaptive Drive with CDC (Continuous Damping Control), and the ARS (Active Roll Stabilization) by ZF Sachs.

The new 6-speeds from ZF were launched in November 2006 and can now be ordered in the new 5-Series. The use of a new torque converter in combination with optimized software control and hydraulics has made the new multi-ratio automatic transmission even more efficient. The ZF automatic transmission is available as an optional feature for all engine versions of the new 5- Series; it is standard on the 535d in Europe.

Driver assistance systems with ZF technology

Safety and driver assistance systems make key performance contributions on the new 5- Series. The Active Steering System – developed by ZF Lenksysteme together with BMW, which received the Innovation Award in 2004 – is also optional on the new 5-Series. With Active Steering, the ratio between the steering-wheel angle and setting angle of the wheels is variable. At low speeds, for example, less effort is required to move the wheels. At higher speeds, the system stiffens for a performance feel. The electronic system also corrects undesired lateral motion of the vehicle.

CDC improves vehicle contact with the road. The electronic controls adjust damping force within a split second. The aim of the skyhook principle is to keep the vehicle calm, as if it was linked to a rail that runs parallel in the sky. The significantly better utilization of the damping range allows for more driving comfort and vehicle control, particularly during critical driving maneuvers.

Preventing the vehicle's rolling tendency during fast cornering is another task of the BMW's Adaptive Drive optional package. In addition to the CDC, the Active Roll Stabilization system ARS also contributes to the system. It actively adapts the stabilizing effect to the driving situation. Hydraulically operated oscillating motors twist the two stabilizer halves in mutually opposite directions and generate a torsional torque which has a stabilizing impact on the vehicle body.

ZF is a leading international supplier of driveline and chassis technology headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Germany, employing approximately 55,400 at 122 locations in 26 countries. To continue supplying innovative products, ZF annually invests 5 percent of worldwide sales, ($13.5 billion in 2006) into research and development.

ZF operates an extensive manufacturing network in North America, combined with global research and development capabilities, to provide advanced technology to the NAFTA region. The ZF Group North American Operations Headquarters and Technical Center is located in Northville, Mich., USA.