A multi-step transmission having a housing accommodating eight shafts and four planetary gearsets (4, 5, 6, 7), and at least six shift elements comprising brakes and clutches which implement different transmission ratios between a drive shaft and output shaft. A carrier of gearset (4) is connected to shaft (14) which can be fixed, via brake (8), to the housing and further is connectable, via a first clutch, to shaft (15) which is coupled to a carrier of gearset (5) and is connectable, via a second clutch, to the drive shaft. A ring gear of gearset (6) is coupled to shaft (16) which can be fixed, via brake (9), to the housing. The drive shaft is additionally coupled to a sun gear of gearset (5). A ring gear of gearset (5) is connected to shaft (17). The gearset (5) is a plus planetary gearset.