Saab and German parts manufacturer ZF will establish a new facility in Saab’s hometown of Trolhattan, Sweden, that will build suspension components for their upcoming Phoenix platform cars, one of which will be the next 9-3 sedan.

The plant, which will employ 50 people, will produce front subframes and rear axles for the new cars. The Phoenix platform will likely underpin Saab’s entire new car range, and takes its roots from the competent GM Epsilon platform, which underpins most of their mid-size front-drive vehicles sold today.

[Source: Saab]

Press release below the jump

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Chrysler will build a licensed version of a ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox at their Indiana transmission plant. Production is expected to start in 2013, and retain roughly 1,200 jobs.

The total cost for the project will be roughly $300 million, but Chrysler Senior VP of Powertrain Paolo Ferrero said that the new 8-speed transmission will lead to a 25 percent increase in fuel economy. With a new Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger due in 2011, the 8-speed automatic’s debut in 2013 would be perfect for a mid-cycle refresh, however another Chrysler spokesman said that the gearboxes would be imported prior to their domestic production, meaning that it could launch with the new vehicles from the get-go.

The 8-speed automatic could also see use in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram pickups. The transmission saw its first application in BMW’s 5-Series Gran Turismo and BMW 760Li.

[Source: Autoweek]

Auto parts maker and engineering firm ZF Friedrichshafen AG says that its new lineup of driveline modifications and transmissions, when combined, can deliver up to 18 percent better fuel-consumption on traditional gasoline powered cars. The results are even more impressive for hybrids, with total fuel-economy rising 30 percent.

Harald Naunheimer, VP of research at ZF delivered the news at the Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan, earlier this week. Naunheimer said all of his company’s new initiatives will make their way into production cars starting next year.

Included in the list of fuel-saving technologies are lighter transmissions with more gears, as well as electric, rather than mechanical, features. Electrical power steering can account for a savings of 2 to 3 percent, while electric active roll stabilizers add another 1 to 2 percent.

A start-stop function, which shuts off the engine at stop lights or when stuck in traffic, can save up to 5 percent while a new, lighter transfer case for all-wheel drive cars can add an additional 1 to 1.5 percent.

The single largest way to boost fuel-economy, however, is with a transmission with more gears. ZF says its new 8-speed box can deliver a 6 percent boost in fuel economy over a six-speed unit. Lexus already uses an 8-speed transmission and BMW recently launched a new 8-speed box in the flagship 760Li (pictured above). This, however, raises the issue of cost.

With an 8-speed in a six-figure BMW, we’re unlikely to see the same technology make it into a Toyota Corolla any time soon. Still, the race is on for improved fuel-consumption as the Obama Administration’s new CAFE regulations will see fleet averages for passenger cars rise to 35.5 mpg for 2016, up significantly from 27.3 mpg for 2011.

[Source: Automotive News]