Ricardo forms driveline and transmission division

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 9, 2001

To meet changing client and motor industry demands and sustain its double digit growth Ricardo has announced the formation of a new division, Ricardo Driveline and Transmission Systems (RDTS).

To meet changing client and motor industry demands and sustain its double digit growth Ricardo has announced the formation of a new division, Ricardo Driveline and Transmission Systems (RDTS).

The new division will have a dedicated management team focussed on developing its well-established and world leading driveline and transmission resources.

The division has the mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical and electronic disciplines required to engineer complete drivelines for the widest possible range of vehicles extending from powered two wheelers, through passenger cars and commercial vehicles to agricultural and off-highway construction machinery.

As an integral part of its operations, RDTS will also embrace the company's motorsport activities and ultra-specialist prototype and low volume manufacturing facilities.

While centred at Ricardo Midlands Technical Centre at Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, England, RDTS will have global capability with the resources to deliver multi-disciplined, complex driveline projects locally in key markets such as Europe and USA.

Commenting on RDTS's ability to engineer complete driveline programmes and manage increasingly larger outsourced projects Gerald Andrews managing director RDTS said: "This new division within Ricardo will utilise its highly skilled people and world-class onsite facilities to offer vehicle manufacturers and first tier suppliers a total driveline and transmission service ranging from initial design concept and engineering development right the way through to production validation as well as niche volume manufacture.

No other independent automotive consultancy has our breadth and depth of driveline expertise." Ricardo's proactive approach in completing a total service offering is the investment in brand new 2-wheel drive and all-wheel drive test facilities, which can assist in the development of complete driveline systems.

The investment represents the first phase of an advanced driveline and transmission research and test facility.

Commenting on the new division and investment in new facilities at the Midlands Technical Centre, Rodney Westhead, chief executive of Ricardo plc, said: "This state-of-the-art facility - the only one of its kind in Europe within an independent engineering consultancy - represents an investment in excess of ?2m.

It is just one of the tools RDTS will be able to employ in order to respond to the increased outsourcing trend and further underlines Ricardo's commitment to meet the challenges facing the industry.

These challenges include bringing new products to market sooner, whilst further reducing emissions and fuel consumption as well as fundamentally improving vehicle refinement." Ricardo officially opened its Midlands Technical Centre just over two years ago (November 1998), since when it has doubled in size.