PSA Peugeot Citroën has inaugurated a new production unit at its Valenciennes plant dedicated to the manufacture of the MPC compact automated gearbox.
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PSA said this first six-speed transmission was a major innovation because it was designed to be electronically controlled from the start.
With a capacity of over 800,000 gearboxes a year, the new production unit has secured the plant’s existing 2,200 jobs.
Project costs amounted to EUR290m for capital equipment and EUR140m for research and development.
The new gearbox is built on a six-speed mechanical base and can function in either automatic or manually controlled mode. The electronic control of the clutch and gear shifting is claimed significantly to improve vehicle performance and drivability while drastically reducing fuel consumption.
The new automated gearbox will gradually be fitted on Peugeot and Citroën mid-range petrol and diesel-powered vehicles.
