The GM 4L30-E transmission is one of the GM (General Motors) entries the open record knows by name and by date — in 1991, and by little else. That is not nothing: a name in the catalogue is where a car's story starts to be recoverable.
How it came about
The 4L30-E was an automatic transmission developed and produced by General Motors. It was developed for light-duty use in longitudinal engine rear-wheel drive vehicles, replacing the similar TH180/3L30. The 4L30-E was used in many European and Japanese vehicles, including the BMW 3- and 5 Series, Isuzu Rodeo and its derivatives, and Opel Omega/Cadillac Catera. It was replaced by the 5-speed 5L40-E/5L50. The 4L30-E was built at GM's transmission plant in Strasbourg, France.
Family and rivals
Where it sits in GM (General Motors)'s history is not in doubt: the TH180/3L30 came before it; the 5L40-E/5L50 followed it. On a showroom list of its day it stood against the Dodge Viper, the Volvo 850, the Opel Astra. Its GM (General Motors) stablemates include the 1955 Chevrolet and the 1957 Chevrolet.