Borg-Warner 35 Transmission - Users

Users

Initially produced in the U.S. in the 1950s specifically for engines of less than 200 cubic inches engine displacement and less than 140 hp (100 kW) (American Motors Rambler and Studebaker mainly). Prior and contemporary automatic transmissions were very inefficient and would work best with larger, more powerful engines, and even when used in those applications, the engines would often have higher compression ratios and more power than the manual transmission versions. Prior automatic transmissions were used with the small sixes in the USA in the late 50s and early 60s, but the heavy internal components of the early automatics were detrimental to economy, the main reason a lighter automatic transmission was developed.

In addition, lower differential ratios differentials were usually used in other automatic transmission applications to improve gas mileage (again due to the inefficiency of the earlier automatics, especially when used with small engines). The BW 35 was a more efficient transmission and was quite successful in the USA with the smaller engined cars. This also made it a natural for European cars that usually had much smaller engines than American cars of that era. Production was transferred in 1960 to the Borg-Warner plant at Letchworth in Great Britain. The BW-35 was offered to European automobile producers where it was widely used.