<p>An automatic transmission comprising: a first planetary gearset of a double pinion; a second planetary gearset of a single pinion; a third planetary gearset of the single pinion, first sun gear and second sun gear being at all times linked together to constitute a first rotary member and second ring gear and third sun gear being at all times linked together to constitute a second rotary member; an input shaft; an output shaft; a first frictional element; a second frictional element; a third frictional element; a fourth frictional element; a fifth frictional element; a sixth frictional element, the six frictional elements being appropriately released or engaged to make a gear shift to a gear shift stage of at least eight forward speeds and, from among the six frictional elements, a combination of simultaneous engagements of three frictional elements achieving at least eight forward speed and one reverse speed.
</p>
