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GM, Ford announce next phase of joint transmission project
Detroit (Michigan), Apr 20: General Motors Corp. and the Ford Motor Company have said they plan to make 720 million dollars in capital investments to manufacture a jointly developed transmission in a first-of-its-kind partnership.
Detroit (Michigan), Apr 20: General Motors Corp. and the Ford Motor Company have said they plan to make 720 million dollars in capital investments to manufacture a
jointly developed transmission in a first-of-its-kind partnership.
The two largest US automakers, and arch-rivals, tentatively agreed to collaborate on the six-speed transmission in October 2002. It is expected to go into production in 2006.
GM will spend 350 million dollars to upgrade its Warren, Michigan, plant to make the transmission. The Ford Motor Co. has earmarked 370 million dollars to outfit two plants in Michigan and Ohio for the same purpose.
The automakers said the new 6-speed will be used in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive passenger cars and sport-utility vehicles, and should offer up to four-percent improvement in fuel economy over traditional 4-speed automatic transmissions, the automakers said. By collaborating on the development process, the companies have saved millions of dollars and shaved several months off the time needed to bring it to market, according to a GM spokesman, who put the engineering cost of the project at about one billion dollars.
The automakers insisted that the "feel and performance" of their respective vehicles would still be distinct "because the transmissions will be mated to different engines."
Bureau Report
GM will spend 350 million dollars to upgrade its Warren, Michigan, plant to make the transmission. The Ford Motor Co. has earmarked 370 million dollars to outfit two plants in Michigan and Ohio for the same purpose.
The automakers said the new 6-speed will be used in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive passenger cars and sport-utility vehicles, and should offer up to four-percent improvement in fuel economy over traditional 4-speed automatic transmissions, the automakers said. By collaborating on the development process, the companies have saved millions of dollars and shaved several months off the time needed to bring it to market, according to a GM spokesman, who put the engineering cost of the project at about one billion dollars.
The automakers insisted that the "feel and performance" of their respective vehicles would still be distinct "because the transmissions will be mated to different engines."
Bureau Report