China Gets Its Dual Clutches From The Borg

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

The first fruits of a large scale joint venture of a leading U.S. supplier and a consortium of Chinese automakers will debut in FAW’s Hongqi (Red Flag) luxury sedan. BorgWarner United Transmission Systems (BWUTS) will supply DualTronic control modules and clutch modules for a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (DCT) that goes into FAW’s Hongqi in late 2013.

The car will be the first domestically built rear-wheel drive DCT in China, but it won’t be the last. BWUTS was set up in 2009 in the port city of Dalian, China. The company is 66 percent owned by Borg Warner. The remaining shares are held by 12 Chinese auto OEMs through the China Automobile Development United Investment Co Ltd (CDUI). By 2020, 80 percent of the vehicles the 12 Chinese auto OEMs produce will be equipped with DCT gearboxes – or so the planning was when the DCT venture was launched.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 3 comments
  • Iamwho2k Iamwho2k on Apr 26, 2012

    I think the Chinese *are* the Borg. Because of our short-sightedness they will assimilate us. Resistance is futile.

    • See 1 previous
    • -Cole- -Cole- on Apr 27, 2012

      @Volt 230 You guys are retarded

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