Engine, Gearbox ECU and ABS system are connected by a CAN link (steering angle and yaw sensor are sometimes shown, but they are only present on Omegas with ESP, and I've never seen that on a UK car).
If the devices detected on the CAN link are not consistent with the ECU config then errors will be raised.
ABS system measures vehicle speed and this is routed to other systems as a separate square wave signal. IIRC, it doesn't go to the autobox. This has its' own output shaft signal, as said, and gets input speed from engine RPM via CAN. It may also get vehicle speed via CAN, of course.
The fault really sounds like the engine ECU going into limp home for some reason, as it's odd to get a misfire starting at 4k RPM.
Can't think what it might be, though. ABS system not happy, perhaps? I could see it going into such a state if ABS and TC are known not to be functional due to a misconfigured CAN bus, for example, but you'd get the ABS and TC lights on then, surely?
It really needs a few hours with a Tech2, as has been said. Happy to oblige if you ever pass Hampshire...
