Two companies, one transmission.(WIP)(Brief Article)

The collaboration between Ford and GM to build six-speed automatic transmissions for front- and all-wheel-drive vehicles continues to move forward. A total of $720 million will be spent to update three existing transmission facilities--two Ford (in Sterling Heights, MI and Sharonville, OH) and one GM (in Warren, MI)--with new equipment, tooling and more room. The plants are expected to launch concurrently in 2006 at which point, the companies expect their investment will exceed $1.0 billion.

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"This family of transmissions," says Dave Szczupak, vice president, Ford Powertrain Operations, "exceeds the torque capacity of any transmission …