5HP is ZF Friedrichshafen AG's trademark name for its 5-speed automatic transmission models (5-speed transmission with Hydraulic converter and Planetary gearsets) for longitudinal engine applications, designed and built by ZF's subsidiary in Saarbrücken.
With planetary gearboxes, the number of gears can be increased conventionally by adding additional gearsets as well as brakes and clutches, or conceptually by switching from serial to parallel power flow.
The 5HP is the last transmission family with serial power flow: to provide more gears, components were added.
This makes these transmissions larger, heavier and even more expensive to manufacture.
Applications[1] Applications[1] BMW — longitudinal engine, rear wheel drive Applications[1] Volkswagen Group — longitudinal engine transaxle, front-wheel drive Applications[1] Volkswagen Group — longitudinal engine, transaxle permanent four-wheel drive 1999 (DRN/EKX) transmissions used Induction speed sensors and 2000+ (FAS) transmissions used Hall Effect sensors.