Magna Joint Venture Starts Production of Dual-Clutch Transmissions in China

Just recently, Magna International Inc. has announced that Dongfeng GETRAG Transmission Co., Ltd., a 50/50 joint-venture established in 2012 between GETRAG and Dongfeng Motor Group, has kicked off serial production at its factory in Wuhan, China. The factory manufactures the GETRAG 6DCT150, a third-generation dual-clutch transmission (DCT) featuring a new compact gear design that was jointly developed by the JV partners.

The 6DCT150 is a six-speed DCT developed for front-transverse applications in both small and compact cars. With one reverse gear, six forward gears and a wet clutch, the automatic transmission fully addresses market demands in China for a smaller and lower weight system. Moreover, the transmission could contribute to a favorable fleet fuel-consumption rating as well as lower fuel costs for inpidual car buyers. The GETRAG 6DCT200, another DCT family member, will also be brought to the China vehicle market next year.

According to Didier Lexa, GETRAG Chief Technical Officer, compared to automatic torque converters and CVTs in the low-cost segment, DCTs can attain a fuel-consumption advantage of 10 to 20 percent. He said that it could also attain a fuel-consumption advantage of five percent compared to a five-speed manual transmission. “The GETRAG low-torque DCTs can therefore provide an efficient and affordable automatic transmission to lower-priced vehicles.”

Dongfeng GETRAG Transmission Co., Ltd. is one of two GETRAG engineering and manufacturing joint ventures in China. In a statement, YoungHo Lee, GETRAG Asia Pacific CEO, said that the Chinese car market is important to them, and the joint development of 6DCT150 and 6DCT200 together with Dongfeng reveals that they take this market and its requirements very seriously. He noted that their company believes economic growth, climate change and automation would drive the developments in their industry. Lee added that these new products could help them get a better position to realize future opportunities.