Ricardo to make dual-clutch gearbox for Great Wall
Ricardo plc says it has signed a tentative agreement with Great Wall Motor Co. to design advanced powertrain components.
According to Ricardo, initial projects will include an advanced gasoline engine and a six-speed dual clutch transmission.
Great Wall Chairman Wei Janjun said the partnership will be used to help the company develop premium products.
Ricardo, an engineering firm based in West Sussex, England, generated sales of 163 million (1.7 billion yuan) pounds last year.
In 2007, the company opened its first Chinese technical center in Shanghai. Since then, it has attracted more than 20 regular customers in China.
For example, Ricardo is developing hybrid powertrains in projects with Chery Automobile Co. and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp.
Great Wall is based in the northeast China city of Baoding. The company aims to raise sales 38 percent this year to 500,000 vehicles, driven in part by demand for its popular Hover SUV.
