The company began its World transmission program in the middle of the decade, utilizing the term "third-generation automatics." the new concept would combine World transmission and a Wt Electronic Control System to further improve transmission shift quality. Allison's transmission output approached 75,000 units annually.
On the military side, the Allison X-1100 transmission made its appearance in 1980. this mechanical beast transmitted power for the M1, the Army's latest battle tank. Upgraded to a four-speed unit for the Abrams M1A1 tank, the improved version transmitted the torque from the 1,500hp turbine to accelerate the massive 65-ton armored platform from 0-20 mph in 7 seconds flat.
If that weren't enough, the transmission's integrated braking capability helped stop the M1A1 tank from 40-0 mph in 4 seconds.
Allison 1000 Debuts
Allison officially launched its World transmission program in 1991. Production of the 1000 (found in '01-and-later GM 3.4- and 1-ton trucks) and 2000 Series transmissions began in 1999 for commercial-truck platforms. the company also celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Advanced product development included a new generation of transmission units dubbed Allison Electric Drive. the series included a hybrid powertrain, which is currently being fieldtested for transit bus use.
In February 2003, Allison was realigned with GM Powertrain in the design, manufacturing, and sales of commercial automatics, hybrid propulsion systems, and support parts and services. the company continued to supply the on-highway truck and bus market along with off-highway and military products. Allison continued to dominate in the medium- and heavy-duty commercial automatic transmission market with an 80-percent market share.
With the continued decline of car and light-truck sales, General Motors announced plans to concentrate on its automotive core markets. Over the last couple of decades, the General sold off its Euclid division, Electromotive, and Detroit Diesel operations. Outsiders felt the General would hold on to its Allison division, due to its powertrain- specific component operation. After spending a couple of years analyzing and determining Allison's true net worth, the company was sold to two capital investment firms, the Carlyle Group and Onex Corporation. the $5.6 billion price tag wasn't a surprise because of the profitable nature of the component business. In a sense, Allison has come full circle in its almost 100 years of existence. Independent and versatile in its engineering, it's hoped a broader market presence will develop. the military contract business isn't bad either.