BorgWarner United Transmission Systems Co Ltd (BWUTS), a joint venture between the US auto component maker and China Automobile Development United Investment Co Ltd (CDUI), yesterday kicked off the construction of its manufacturing base in Dalian, a coastal city in northeastern China.

The $200 million venture, 66 percent held by BorgWarner, would produce dual clutch transmission (DCT) modules for gearboxes, "the heart and soul of the power system", Bernd Matthes, president and general manager of BorgWarner Transmission Systems, said.

Matthes said the venture could "help the Chinese automobile industry to close a major gap in its production portfolio and leapfrog international competition with the latest and most advanced transmission technology".