Chrysler eight-speed automatic
Chrysler Group LLC will invest $300 million (USD) into the Company’s existing transmission manufacturing facilities in Kokomo, Indiana, to accommodate a new highly fuel-efficient eight-speed automatic transmission for future Chrysler Group vehicles.
The investment will fund the installation of equipment and special tooling to modernise Indiana Transmission Plant I and the Kokomo Casting Plant. The project will extend the life of both facilities and retain nearly 1,200 jobs.
Chrysler Group has licensed the manufacturing rights from Friedrichshafen, Germany-based ZF Group to build the new eight-speed beginning in 2013. Included in this is the purchase of transmissions manufactured by ZF.
”The new eight-speed transmission that we’ll be producing in Kokomo will transform our future product line, but equally important, ensures the future viability of our Kokomo facilities and our dedicated workforce,” said Scott Garberding, Senior Vice President and Head of Manufacturing, Chrysler Group LLC.
The new transmission will contribute to an overall fuel economy improvement across the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep® and Ram Truck product lineup. More sophisticated and efficient than traditional five- and six-speed automatic transmissions, the new eight-speed is proof of Chrysler Group’s commitment to fuel economy.
Paolo Ferrero, Senior Vice President—Powertrain says he looks forward to integrating the new transmission into future Chrysler Group products and welcome its contribution to a corporate fuel economy improvement of more than 25 percent by 2014.
Chrysler Group Powertrain engineers benchmarked the industry's leading automatic transmissions to set functional goals. After working closely with ZF, the result is a seamless shifting eight-speed transmission without sacrifice. Specific product information and timing for the new transmission will come at a later date.
Earlier this month, Chrysler Group announced that it would invest $43 million (USD) in new equipment and tooling to expand its operations in Kokomo to support production of the World Engine and improve processes for the 62TE transmission program. In December 2009, the Company announced that it would invest $179 million (USD) in its Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) plant in Dundee, Mich., to produce the 1.4-litre, 16-valve Fully Integrated Robotized Engine (FIRE). In May 2007, Chrysler announced a $730 million (USD) investment in the Pentastar V-6 engine program, which began production at the all-new Trenton (Mich.) Engine Plant in March 2010—bringing the total powertrain investment to nearly $1.3 billion (USD) since 2007.