Detroit Inaugurates Full Production of the DT12TM Automated Manual Transmission for the North American Market

Contact: david.giroux@daimler.com

GAGGENAU, Germany – April 29, 2013 – The start of production of the DT12 was celebrated at Daimler’s Gaggenau, Germany powertrain facility where production will take place until 2015, at which time manufacturing will be transferred to the Detroit brand headquarters in Redford, Mich.

The DT12 will be available exclusively in the Freightliner Cascadia® equipped with a Detroit™ DD15® engine, the DT12 enhances fuel economy and performance for over-the-road/line-haul applications. Full production assembly of DT12 into the Freightliner Cascadia is expected to commence on May 6 at the company’s Cleveland, North Carolina Freightliner Truck Manufacturing Plant.

“The Gaggenau facility is the lead plant for all Daimler transmissions globally, so launching our production in Germany allows us to leverage operational efficiencies and production standards,” said Dr. Frank Reintjes, Head of Global Powertrain, Procurement and Manufacturing Engineering, Daimler Truck. “With the launch of the heavy-duty engine platform, we followed a similar process when transferring the production from Redford to Mannheim, Germany, benefitting from the experienced production force in NAFTA .Our manufacturing process adheres to our Global Excellence Strategy by leveraging the strengths of Gaggenau’s global and Detroit’s regional footprints, resulting in the highest-quality products.”

The DT12 combines the operational ease of an automatic with the efficiency of a manual transmission. Engineered for economy, the DT12 includes innovative features such as eCoast, skip shift, Active Driveline Protection and optional direct drive. The DT12 also has three driving modes that drivers can select based on terrain and application.

“The DT12 is not only more fuel efficient, but also has features that increase comfort and safety for drivers,” said Brad Williamson, Manager, Engine and Component Marketing for Daimler Truck North America.” “We have incorporated a number of performance-enhancing elements that will ultimately benefit drivability, efficiency and overall total cost of ownership.”

Like all Detroit products, the DT12 is designed and manufactured to the industry’s highest standards. The factory-installed Detroit Virtual Technician™ onboard diagnostic system further adds to the transmission’s overall performance and uptime. When a check transmission light illuminates, the fault is sent to a dedicated Detroit DT12 technical contact who will immediately analyze the issue and provide a service recommendation.

The DT12 comes with a five-year/750,000 mile standard warranty, and the clutch comes with a three-year/350,000 mile warranty. The DT12 is supported by the Detroit Customer Support Center and the Customer Service network, which provides immediate access to maintenance information, and with hundreds of authorized locations in the United States and Canada, factory-trained technicians are always available.

The 12-speed DT12 accommodates all DD15® engine ratings from 455–505, with a 1550–1750 lb-ft torque input. Additional versions of the DT12 for the DetroitTM DD13® and DetroitTM DD16® engines will be released in late 2013 and 2014. The transmission is part of the complete line of Detroit powertrain components that also includes Detroit engines and axles.

Optimized powertrain design and engineering is critical to DTNA’s environmental leadership. An example of this leadership is evident with DTNA’s GHG14 (Greenhouse Gas 2014) compliance which was achieved one full year ahead of the mandate for certification by the EPA and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety.

About Detroit
Detroit offers a complete line of heavy-duty diesel engines, axles and transmissions for the commercial transportation industry in both the on-highway and vocational markets. Detroit™ engines, axles and transmissions are sold and serviced through a network of more than 800 locations throughout North America. For more information, or to locate the nearest Detroit location, visit www.DemandDetroit.com. Detroit™ is a brand of Detroit Diesel Corporation, a Daimler company.