Patent ID: 8277355

Claim:
A transmission comprising: an input member; a first planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member; a second planetary gear set having a first, a second and a third member; a stacked planetary gear set arrangement having a first member, a second member, a third member, a fourth member and a fifth member; an output member continuously interconnected for common rotation with the first member of the first planetary gear set; a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set; a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear set; a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the third member of the first planetary gear set with the fourth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement; a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement with the fourth member of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement; and at least six torque transmitting mechanisms, wherein each of the torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement and the first, second and third members of the first and second planetary gear sets with at least one other of first, second, third, fourth and fifth members of the stacked planetary gear set arrangement, and the first, second and third members of the first and second planetary gear sets 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.