Originally Posted by Planet_Ark

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - A research alliance consisting of General Motors Corp., BMW AG and DaimlerChrysler AG plans to invest over US$1 billion in the development of a new hybrid transmission and related systems that backers say will leapfrog the market-leading technology now offered by Toyota Motor Corp. The three automakers have about 500 engineers who have been working for the past 18 months on the joint development of the next-generation hybrid engine technology, which combines a battery-powered electric motor with a conventional gasoline combustion engine, company representatives said on Friday on the sidelines of an industry trade meeting.

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The hybrid engine will be made available in two rear-wheel drive configurations or a front-wheel drive system, said representatives of the joint development project based in the Detroit suburb of Troy, Michigan.

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"We believe that our two-mode hybrid is the best of the hybrid systems," Truckenbrodt said. "I think all three of us can say it's truly amazing what you can get out of if you bring wild, dedicated engineers together." . . ."

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

[b]Ahem, I've been an engineer for a long, long time and this reminds me of how you make a baby in one month . . . get nine women pregnant.