DETROIT, April 19 (UPI) -- The biggest of the Big 3 automakers, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors, are joining forces in a $720 million investment to build a new 6-speed transmission.
Plans by the rivals to collaborate on design, engineering and testing of an all-new automatic gearbox for front-wheel drive vehicles originally were announced in October 2002. The fuel-saving 6-speed transmission will be built separately at GM's 2-million-square-foot transmission plant in Warren, Mich., and at Ford plants in Sterling, Mich., and Sharonville, Ohio.
The new 6-speed transmission is expected to improve fuel economy over today's traditional 4-speed automatic transmissions
Gov. Jennifer Granholm said the joint project would save 900 jobs in Michigan. Another 200 jobs will be in Ohio. GM is investing $350 million and Ford $370 million.
"This partnership between Ford and GM will strengthen Michigan's manufacturing might and affect Michigan's place as the world leader in automotive technology," Granholm said.
