Indianapolis, Indiana - Allison Transmission has unveiled a new and unique fully automatic transmission for prime movers at the 2011 Mid-America Truck Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

The highly innovative gearbox, set to debut in North America in late 2012, has been designed specifically to maximise productivity and fuel efficiency during both cruising and stop-start operation.

As the first powershifting, twin countershaft design for commercial vehicles, the transmission incorporates Allison's proven torque converter technology to deliver uninterrupted power to the wheels.

This functionality delivers productivity and fuel efficiency to stop-and-go portions of a route, while the 10-speed countershaft architecture offers superior fuel economy during cruising on highways.

Coupled with the smooth shifting and ease of operation benefits offered by a fully-automatic, this new technology provides OEMs and operators with a competitive and fuel efficient alternative to automated manual gearboxes.

"Initial in-vehicle tests have shown worthwhile gains in fuel economy, and we achieved increases in vehicle miles-per-workday," says Lou Gilbert, Allison Transmission's Director of North American Market Development.

"Our rigorous testing has also shown this new transmission offers better fuel economy than an automated manual in the targeted duty cycle markets for which it was developed."

Continuing Allison's commitment to offer excellent fuel efficiency, the new transmission will also incorporate a range of intelligent features including Load Based Shift Schedules (LBSS), Reduced Engine Load at Stop (RELS) and more. Tuned to the vehicle powertrain, these features deliver an optimum blend of performance and economy specific to application, customer need and duty cycle.

The new development also draws on Allison's extensive experience to build durable transmissions that minimise whole of life costs, including the torque converter that cushions and protects the entire drivetrain, as well as service features such as prognostics that allow operators to quickly monitor oil and filter life.

At the Mid-America Truck Show, Allison demonstrated a Peterbilt prime mover incorporating the new transmission for potential customers to drive and evaluate.

"Once you combine exceptional fuel economy and miles-per-day with Allison quality, reliability and durability, you've got a transmission that will redefine tractor performance and operating efficiencies," concludes Lou Gilbert.

About Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission is the world's largest manufacturer of fully-automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, medium- and heavy-tactical U.S. military vehicles and hybrid-propulsion systems for transit buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including on-highway trucks (distribution, refuse, construction, fire and emergency), buses (primarily school and transit), motor homes, off-highway vehicles and equipment (primarily energy and mining) and military vehicles (wheeled and tracked). Founded in 1915, the Allison business is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A. and employs approximately 2,750 people. Regional headquarters with dedicated support staff are located in China, The Netherlands, Brazil, India and Japan. With a global presence in 80 countries, Allison has over 1,550 distributor and dealer locations. More information about Allison is available at www.allisontransmission.com.

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