American Axle & Manufacturing and Drexler Automotive will expand their relationship and bring high-performance electronic differentials and differential technologies from the premium market to the general market of passenger cars, light trucks, CUVs and SUVs.
The agreement integrates electro-mechanical limited-slip differentials (eLSDs) into the AAM TracRite portfolio of differential products. These systems greatly improve vehicle handling and traction for all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive vehicles, AAM says in a news release. The system, used extensively in premium OEMs’ high-performance vehicles, provides active torque control of the wheels by translating vehicle torque requests into accurate axle torque response.
The system’s power-dense, four-pinion differential design supports axle modularity with open and eLSD differentials in the smallest packaging space. Additionally, the technology’s scalable clutch, actuation and differential design drive a wide range of applications and vehicle segments.
TracRite Electro-Mechanical eLSD goes into production later this year.
“AAM and Drexler are partnering to offer the market-mature differential technology that will allow the general driver new levels of excitement by taking handling and traction to new levels of performance,” says Alberto Satine, president-AAM Driveline. “Combining AAM and Drexler’s design, engineering and manufacturing expertise will provide our customers with the highest-quality, most-advanced driveline systems.”
AAM is a global leader in the design, engineering, validation and manufacturing of driveline, metal forming, powertrain and casting technologies for automotive, commercial and industrial markets.
Drexler has more than 40 years of motorsports experience and two decades as a Tier 1 supplier to premium European-based automakers. It develops and manufactures high-performance limited-slip differentials, racing transmissions, driveshafts and wheel-hub systems.
