TOLEDO, Ohio — General Motors said it plans to invest $500 million to expand its transmission plant here to build the Hydra-matic 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission, beginning in late 2008.
The six-speed is designed for rear-wheel-drive applications, primarily in full-size SUVs and pickups.
GM previously announced a $700-million joint venture with Ford to build six-speed automatics for front-wheel-drive passenger-car and crossover applications.
Last fall, GM announced the first details on the 6L80, which is designed for use in such high-performance vehicles as the Cadillac STS-V and XLR-V, the Chevrolet Corvette, and the 2007 GMC Yukon Denali.
The GM/Ford six-speed will be used on the new GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave crossover vehicles, as well as the 2007 Saturn Aura sedan.
As GM brings its six-speed transmission production online, competitors such as Mercedes-Benz and Toyota already are building or preparing new seven- and eight-speed automatics
