It can be revealed that Ricardo is assisting Ford Otosan as heavy-duty transmission family development partner for future commercial vehicle platforms. A public company in which Ford Motor Company and Turkey’s largest industrial conglomerate Koç Holding, have equal stakes, Ford Otosan is a leading company within the Turkish automotive industry in terms of both production volumes and exports. It is also the largest R&D organization of the Turkish automotive industry, with a particular focus on heavy commercial vehicles and related powertrain technologies.
Ricardo is working with Ford Otosan on the design and development of a state-of-the-art family of transmissions, to be manufactured in-house by Ford Otosan for use in future versions of Ford Trucks. Both companies’ engineers are working in close collaboration, with Ricardo providing technical consultancy service.
“Ricardo is honoured to have been selected by Ford Otosan as Heavy Duty transmission family development partner on these state-of-the-art transmissions,” commented Ian Penny, Ricardo director of commercial and off-highway vehicles. “This work underscores the impressive driveline and transmission track record of Ricardo, which ranges from motorsport to the largest of off-highway equipment and heavy commercial vehicles. We look forward to seeing the results of this work in the continued success of Ford Trucks in the coming years, and also to a continuing and mutually beneficial engineering partnership with Ford Otosan.”