ZF and Chrysler Group LLC Reach Agreement for New 8HP 8-Speed Automatic Transmissions

ZF and Chrysler Group LLC have reached a supply and license agreement for ZF’s 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler Group is licensed to produce the 8HP at the company’s Indiana Transmission Plant I and the Kokomo casting plant, starting in 2013.

Chrysler Group LLC will initially receive the 8HP 8-speed automatic transmissions from the ZF Getriebe GmbH plant in Saarbrucken, Germany. By 2013, in parallel with Chrysler Group, ZF is setting up a new transmission production plant in North America, where the 8-speed transmissions will be produced.

“As the U.S. auto industry continues its rebound, we see considerable growth opportunities within it – especially for next-generation vehicles, such as those at Chrysler Group that will use the 8HP 8-speed automatic,” says Hans-Georg Harter, ZF’s President and CEO. “America is the birthplace of the automotive automatic transmission and we feel it is important for ZF to participate in the business here with a dedicated manufacturing facility. We are excited to begin this venture.”

“The American market remains as mobile as ever, so the importance of environmentally friendly, fuel-saving technology has never been more important,” says Dr. Gerhard Wagner, Group Executive of ZF’s Car Driveline Division. “ZF is a leader and innovator in fuel-saving transmission technology and our 8HP 8-speed automatic offers efficiency without sacrifice.”

ZF is a leading worldwide automotive supplier for Driveline and Chassis Technology with approximately 60,000 employees at 123 production locations in 27 countries. ZF is among the top 10 companies on the ranking list of the largest automotive suppliers worldwide.