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In the face of the increasing price of petroleum products in the world market, the demand for fuel efficient cars continually increases. This demand is directed towards automakers. Automobile manufacturers are now scrambling to come with technologies that would reduce the fuel consumption of their vehicles.

One of these automakers making steps forward in developing fuel efficient vehicles is the Japanese firm Subaru. The Japanese automaker has been known in the past as the maker of vehicles with all-wheel drive configuration and boxer engines.

In Subaru’s plight to come up with fuel saving technologies for their vehicles, one solution is being reported as the next step that the Japanese automaker will be taking. According to Japanese daily Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Subaru is planning to use continuously variable transmissions on their auto models for the 2010 model year.

The use of CVT is steadily gaining ground. American automaker Chrysler is already using CVTs on some of their vehicles. The new Lancer from Mitsubishi is also equipped with a CVT. Another Japanese automaker which has been using CVTs is Nissan. In fact, in the automaker’s environment-conscious plan, they are aiming to sell a million vehicles equipped with the CVT this year.

A continuously variable transmission is a gearbox with an infinite number of gear ratios between two set gear ratios. This so-called modern automatic transmission though is actually conceived hundreds of years ago by Leonardo da Vinci. Although it was conceptualized in 1490, the engineering challenge has pushed the CVT into obscurity. It is only now that it is being widely promoted by auto manufacturers. The reason for this is that with the use of a CVT, fuel consumption is reduced.

With an almost infinite number of gear ratios, a CVT efficiently transmits the power from the engine to other drivetrain components such as the Subaru axle and finally down to the wheels. What this means is that with less power being wasted, the vehicle’s engine will not be tasked to produce more power. Thus, fuel consumption is reduced. With the current trend in the market, a fuel efficient vehicle with a CVT is a good choice for budget conscious consumers.

According to reports, although Subaru is yet to formally announce their plans, the first Subaru that will be equipped with a CVT is the next-generation Legacy. Technically, the Legacy will not be the first Subaru with a CVT since the Japanese automaker has already equipped past auto models with CVT. The small car Subaru Justy was offered with CVT when it was launched in the United States auto market until its discontinuation in 1994.

One issue that was raised concerning the plan of the Japanese automaker is financial. Although the company has mass-produced CVTs in the past for the Justy, their plan means that they would be mass producing CVTs not only for a single nameplate but several. Subaru’s lineup includes the Impreza, the Forester, Legacy, and the Tribeca. This means that Subaru will be investing a huge sum for the mass production of CVTs for these auto models.

Although CVTs have been avoided by some consumers since they do not offer the exciting ride that manual transmissions can, Subaru’s venture means that the carmaker is serious in its effort to help protect the environment.

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