Until the late ’80s, the Laycock Overdrive was fitted to a wide variety of cars, not just Volvos: Jaguars, MGs, Austin Healeys, Alpines and Triumphs, among others, were available with the unit.
The factory installed the Volvo M46 4-speed + overdrive transmission on Volvo 240s and later 740s
A 4-speed tranny became an 8-speed, for instance.Īs all-in-one 5-speeds with integrated overdrive became de rigeur, the Laycock Overdrive faded from the scene. Not only that, but the nature of the Laycock Overdrive meant that it could be engaged at any time, even in the lower gears, effectively doubling the number of ratios at a driver’s disposal. Invented by Edgar de Normanville, and manufactured by automotive supplier Laycock Products, the unit basically consisted of a solenoid-activated planetary gearset residing between the standard manual transmission and driveshaft, offering a reduction in gear ratio at the driver’s command.Īt the press of a button or flip of a switch (depending on the car) in the cockpit, the overdrive would engage and lower the engine speed relative to the driveshaft, markedly improving fuel economy.Īdvantages? Transmission development has always been pricey, and as fuel economy began to become a priority for automakers, the idea of a fuel-saving external add-on to an existing 3- or 4-speed manual transmission was an appealing one.
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