General Motors to Kill Continually Variable Transmission

Production will take place separately, for GM at its Warren, MI transmission plant - that will incidentally save 1,100 jobs as

By working together, Ford and GM claim the new transmission will arrive fast while dramatically cutting costs. (Photo: Ford Motor Company of Canada)

a direct result - and for Ford at the Van Dyke facility in Sterling MI and Sharonville, OH plant.

Such cooperation is among the first major indicators that domestic automakers are getting serious about working together to thwart off import aggression. The two companies stated that working together will allow the transmission to arrive on the market faster while dramatically cutting costs.

So, will a Ford Focus behave similarly to a Chevy Cobalt when the new transmission is installed? While there will be

Although designed together, Ford and GM promise that their cars will handle and perform differently. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

some similarities for sure, the companies stated that each will deliver distinctive characteristics with regards to "feel and performance," due mostly to different shift intervals being used to optimize each brand's unique engines.

The new 6-speed transmission will put Ford and GM ahead of Chrysler and the imported brands, which currently offer 4- and 5-speed automatic transmissions, or continuously variable transmissions (CVT). More gears usually translate into quicker acceleration due to shorter shift intervals and the ability to maintain an engine's "sweet spot," the optimal rev range for maintaining highest output. Often 6-speed transmissions offer a taller high gear, which benefits fuel economy.