Patent ID: 8419585

Claim:
A transmission comprising: an input member; an output member; a planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member; a stacked planetary gear set arrangement having a sun gear, a common member, a first carrier member, a ring gear and a second carrier member, wherein the common member has an annular shape with a first plurality of gear teeth on an inner periphery of the common member and a second plurality of gear teeth on an outer periphery of the common member; an interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the second carrier member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement; and at least six torque transmitting mechanisms each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the sun gear, common member, first carrier member and ring gear of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and at least one of the first, second and third members of the planetary gear set with another of sun gear, common member, first carrier member and ring gear of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement, another of the first, second and third members of the planetary gear set and a stationary member, and wherein the at least six torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.