In response to increasing European demand for dual clutch transmission technology, known as DualTronic (or DSG for Direct Shift Gearbox at launch customer VW group), and associated new business gained in transmission controls systems, BorgWarner Transmission Systems has opened a new, 170,000-square-foot facility in Eyrein, north of Tulle, France.
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The new facility replaces a smaller facility in central Tulle and includes application engineering, testing, prototyping and manufacturing capabilities. It will produce solenoids for automatic transmission controls as well as DualTronic transmission control modules. The new facility currently employs about 280 people.
“As more customers and drivers experience the improved fuel economy and dynamic performance of this exciting technology, we expect the demand for dual clutch transmissions in Europe to continue to grow significantly,” said Bernd Matthes, president and general manager, BorgWarner Transmission Systems.
DualTronic clutch and transmission control technology enables a conventional, manual gearbox to function as a fully automatic transmission by eliminating the ‘torque-interrupt’ feeling that occurs when a manual transmission shifts gears, while delivering performance and fuel economy that rival that of a manual transmission. The technology debuted on the VW Golf R32 DSG and the Audi TT 3.2 in 2003.
BorgWarner has announced five programs with four customers, including VW/Audi, Getrag, another European OEM and SAIC in China. Total BorgWarner dual clutch technology programmes announced to date represent over 1.5m transmissions per year at full production volumes.
BorgWarner Transmission Systems is a supplier to virtually every automatic transmission manufacturer in the world. It produces ‘shift quality’ components and systems including one-way clutches, transmission bands, friction plates and clutch-pack assemblies, and controls including transmission solenoids, control modules and integrated mechatronic control systems.
