A transmission comprising: a housing; an input shaft configured to receive torque from a drive unit, an output shaft configured to transmit torque to a load, a variable-ratio unit arranged between the input shaft and the output shaft, wherein an input ring of the variable-ratio unit is coupled to the input shaft, a plurality of gearsets (128, 130, 132, 134) including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, and a plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms (116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126) arranged between the input shaft and the output shaft, the plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms (116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126) including a first clutch, a second clutch, a third clutch, a fourth clutch, and a fifth clutch, wherein a ring gear of the first planetary gearset is coupled to a ring gear of the second planetary gearset, a sun gear of the first planetary gearset is coupled to the input shaft, a carrier of the first planetary gearset is coupled to the output shaft, a sun gear of the secondary planetary gearset is coupled to a carrier of the fourth planetary gearset, a sun gear of the third planetary gearset is coupled to an output ring 140) of the variable-ratio unit, and a ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset is coupled to the input shaft, wherein the first clutch is engageable to couple a carrier of the second planetary gearset to the housing, the second clutch is engageable to couple the carrier of the first planetary gearset to the sun gear of the second planetary gearset, the fourth clutch is engageable to couple the carrier of the fourth planetary gearset and a carrier of the third planetary gearset to the sun gear of the third planetary gearset, the third clutch is engageable to couple a ring gear of the third planetary gearset to the housing, and the fifth clutch is engageable to couple the a sun gear of the fourth planetary gearset to the housing, wherein the transmission is operable to engage the first clutch and the fourth clutch in a first operating mode of the transmission and engage the first clutch and the third clutch in a second operating mode of the transmission, and wherein the transmission is further operable to engage the fifth clutch and disengage the fourth clutch during a first period of time, engage the third clutch and disengage the fifth clutch during a second period of time following the first period of time to transition from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and adjust the variable-ratio unit from outputting a torque at a first torque ratio to outputting torque at a second torque ratio. a housing; an input shaft configured to receive torque from a drive unit, an output shaft configured to transmit torque to a load, a variable-ratio unit arranged between the input shaft and the output shaft, wherein an input ring of the variable-ratio unit is coupled to the input shaft, a plurality of gearsets (128, 130, 132, 134) including a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, and a fourth planetary gearset, and a plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms (116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126) arranged between the input shaft and the output shaft, the plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms (116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126) including a first clutch, a second clutch, a third clutch, a fourth clutch, and a fifth clutch, wherein a ring gear of the first planetary gearset is coupled to a ring gear of the second planetary gearset, a sun gear of the first planetary gearset is coupled to the input shaft, a carrier of the first planetary gearset is coupled to the output shaft, a sun gear of the secondary planetary gearset is coupled to a carrier of the fourth planetary gearset, a sun gear of the third planetary gearset is coupled to an output ring 140) of the variable-ratio unit, and a ring gear of the fourth planetary gearset is coupled to the input shaft, wherein the first clutch is engageable to couple a carrier of the second planetary gearset to the housing, the second clutch is engageable to couple the carrier of the first planetary gearset to the sun gear of the second planetary gearset, the fourth clutch is engageable to couple the carrier of the fourth planetary gearset and a carrier of the third planetary gearset to the sun gear of the third planetary gearset, the third clutch is engageable to couple a ring gear of the third planetary gearset to the housing, and the fifth clutch is engageable to couple the a sun gear of the fourth planetary gearset to the housing, wherein the transmission is operable to engage the first clutch and the fourth clutch in a first operating mode of the transmission and engage the first clutch and the third clutch in a second operating mode of the transmission, and wherein the transmission is further operable to engage the fifth clutch and disengage the fourth clutch during a first period of time, engage the third clutch and disengage the fifth clutch during a second period of time following the first period of time to transition from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, and adjust the variable-ratio unit from outputting a torque at a first torque ratio to outputting torque at a second torque ratio.