BorgWarner has won a contract to supply its Mlock torque-on-demand transfer case for a newly developed full-size SUV from an unnamed Chinese automaker. Production is set to start in the fourth quarter of 2026, leaving the supplier a matter of months to reach volume.

The unit pairs torque-on-demand four-wheel drive (4WD) with mechanical lock modes, so torque is split automatically rather than by the driver picking a mode. Part-time 4WD has long required that manual input, which is the gap BorgWarner is selling into. The firm says the setup also aids handling and safety.

That matters in China’s full-size SUV segment, where off-road ability has become a marketing must for buyers who rarely leave tarmac. A transfer case also implies a combustion or hybrid driveline, and large body-on-frame SUVs in China are still built that way. The customer has not been named, which is normal for awards of this kind.

BorgWarner points to local engineering and manufacturing in China as part of its pitch. That counts for more each year as Chinese automakers compress development times and push suppliers to work on the ground rather than ship in finished designs.

The supplier says it has served this customer for 20 years. In a statement, Henk Vanthournout, President and General Manager of Drivetrain and Morse Systems at BorgWarner, said: “We have built a 20-year relationship with this customer and we’re proud to continue supplying our AWD technology for their newest SUV.”

Source: BorgWarner