Aisin Automatic Transmission shift kit?

I have an Aisin AF-23 automatic 5-speed in a 2003 Saturn ION. The transmission in these cars has always been one of the biggest complaints among its owners, and, given the performance difference between the Aisin 5-speed and the 4T-45E Hydramatic 4-speed in the 05+ models, it's obvious that the motor isn't what's holding this car down the most. (It's sad: Some sources are quoting 0-60 time differences on the order of 2 seconds.)

With all that said, I've seen "shift kits" throughout the Internet that promise quicker and more solid shifts, and, despite what I would think, better transmission reliability, but I've yet to find one for this particular transmission.

1. Where can I get such a kit for the Aisin AF-23?
2. Why would Aisin design a transmission with less-than-optimal reliability AND performance?
3. How does a shift kit actually work? What parts are replaced/improved?

If it's helpful to know, this isn't the transmission in the Chevrolet Cobalt, but I've heard that Aisin makes transmissions for various Japanese manufacturers.

If you really want better transmission performance from your car, then I'd suggest swaping out the automatic and dropping in a manual trans. If the automatic drops 0-60 times by almoast 2 seconds, then even an automatic with a shift kit will still be slower than the manual.

If you really want better transmission performance from your car, then I'd suggest swaping out the automatic and dropping in a manual trans. If the automatic drops 0-60 times by almoast 2 seconds, then even an automatic with a shift kit will still be slower than the manual.

I think you misread the post. One automatic is 2 seconds faster than the other automatic. I'm not talking about the manual, which is faster than both.