Chrysler Group LLC Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne addresses employees and invited guests during a celebration event at Chrysler Group’s Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana on Feb. 28, 2013. Photo courtesy Chrysler.


Chrysler Group LLC Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne addresses employees and invited guests during a celebration event at Chrysler Group’s Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana on Feb. 28, 2013. Photo courtesy Chrysler.

Chrysler is investing invest nearly $374 million to increase production of transmissions at a number of plants, including production of nine-speed transmissions. Chrysler stated it's investing more than $1.6 billion in its Kokomo Transmission plant for the production of eight- and nine-speed transmissions and other improvements at its plants in the area. This latest investment of $374 million will add 1,250 jobs.

Plants receiving this investment include Kokomo Transmission, Kokomo Casting and Indiana Transmission I, which will receive $212 million, and the new Tipton Transmission Plant, which will receive $162 million. The new Tipton Transmission Plant will begin producing nine-speed transmissions in the first quarter of 2014, according to Chrysler. 

Vehicles using these new transmissions include the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, where an eight-speed transmission drives its new EcoDiesel engine option, the 3.6L Pentastar V-6, and the 5.7-liter V-8. Chrysler noted that when equipped with the V-6, the vehicle can achieve up to 25 mpg highway and when equipped with the V-8, it can achieve 22 highway mpg. On the Dodge Charger with the 3.6L V-6, the vehicle can get up to 31 mpg highway and up to 27 mpg highway on the all-wheel-drive models, according to the company.

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