Hello Gentlemen...

While doing routine paperwork at work this morning, I got lost in thought. I thought about how the 928 is sometimes called a ‘transaxle car.’

As usual for me, I over thought it.

The G28.** manual units should be called a transaxle because the differential casing is integral to the transmission casing, correct?

The A22.**/A28.** automatic units should be called a transmission because the differential casing is bolted onto the transmission casing, correct?

As I said in the thread title, this is random curiosity that I am splitting hairs over.

Thank you for your opinions, facts, insults, and brickbats.

 

C5+ Corvettes are referred to as having a transaxle too. It's an "off the shelf" transmission with a Vette specific differential unit attached. I wish Porsche had done that with our 5-speeds.

 

The hair has been successfully split.

If the gear box and differential are conjoined I considered transaxle to be correct usage.

 

Well, thank you for something really silly and pointless to ponder while I took my walk this morning.

I would consider both types to be 'transaxles'.

First off, the diff case is bolted directly to the trans. They are separate and isolated 'fluid containers' because they use different fluids, but it's still one 'unit'. I think it would be very difficult to remove one without the other. It may well be impossible to pull the trans as an individual piece (leaving the diff installed). Typically, the 'transaxle' is removed. It's separated on the bench, if that is done at all.
The auto transaxle and the manual transaxle appear pretty similar. Not identical, but similar.

Keep in mind that the term 'transaxle car' is used to differentiate the 924/944/968 and 928 from the 'rest of the crowd.' Technically, ALL the cars prior to the Cayenne (and Macan & Panamera) had transaxles. Its just that the motor is attached to the transaxle in the 911, 914 & Boxter/Cayman.
The transaxle & motor are at opposite ends in the 'transaxle cars'. Cayenne, Macan & Panamera have a more typical trans & motor at the front layout.

I seem to remember that the 'transaxle' cars were called "Front Engined Water Coolers" before the Cayenne came out in 03.
And they could easily have been differentiated as just 'water coolers' before the 996 & Boxter came out.

Porsche brought out the term 'transaxle car' a couple years ago, when they finally acknowledged that these cars even exist.
Remember when Jim Doerr first found #1? He got in touch with Porsche to see what their interest was.
It wasn't.
Now that they are finally realizing how dedicated (read; Obsessed) some folks are with these cars, they understand how much money they can make off of us and are starting to remember that they made them.
So #1 is in Atlanta, Minerva is on display in LA and some NLA parts are becoming very expensive.

So, despite the 'trans' and the 'axle' being individual components, I think the "Roger Box" cars count as 'transaxle cars.'

Besides, the Roger Box crowd is sad and lonely enough as it is. They even pretend to 'row the gears' when they want to use all of them.
Those of us with 'pudding basins' can let them think they are as good as us.

Others may have different opinions. This is just mine.

 

Outside of the Porsche world, if the transmission is hooked to the differential, people usually refer to it as a transaxle - I don't think it matters if it is manual or an automatic transmission.

(bc the axles are bolted to the transmission?)

My RWD Fiat 124 has a front engine, front transmission, rear differential.

My RWD Fiat 850 has a rear engine hooked to a transaxle.

My FWD Honda Civic has a transaxle.

We won't get into my Lancia - 3 differentials makes things too confusing for etymology discussions!

 

Gentlemen, thank you for your opinions and such. Like I said, splitting hairs out of curiosity. Having said that, I don't consider my Red Witch with her A28.07 to NOT be a transaxle car.

Now...for something off the wall. Anyone remember/hear of the double case 'Powershift' transaxle used in the 1963 Pontiac Super Duty Tempest station wagon?

 

Heard of it, never seen one.

Actually heard about it on here, when it was the answer (expanded from a simple 'no') to the question 'was the 928 the first transaxle car?'

It also had the torque tube intentionally bent to reduce vibrations. They called it the 'rope drive'.

https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/...l-bend--266081

 

I always kind of wanted to buy one of those 61-63 tempests and put in a OHC I6 Pontiac engine. Would be a quick little car.

BTW that is the car that you need part of the bell housing from for a Renegade Hybrid swap.

 

Also had a fully independent rear suspension....

 

I personally consider the 356's, the 911's, the 914's, and manual transmission 928's to be more of a "transaxle" than the automatic 928's.

If it can be unbolted and not taken apart (only "hacks" do this....the only good time to freshen the differential is when rebuilding the transmission)
when the transmission is rebuilt, there's a distinction.