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Investment in Joint Ventures | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Investment in Joint Venture [Abstract] |
Investment in Joint Ventures [Text Block] |
| INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURES
In 2009, we formed a joint venture with Hefei Automobile Axle Co, Ltd.(HAAC), a subsidiary of Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Co, Ltd. (JV). In the fourth quarter of 2011, we made an additional investment of $16.5 million in this JV to expand into HAAC's light commercial axle business. Each party continues to own 50 percent of the JV, which we account for under the equity method of accounting. We recorded both our initial investment of $10.2 million in 2009, as well as our additional investment in the JV in 2011 at cost, and adjusted the carrying amount of the investment to recognize our proportionate share of the earnings of the JV. Our investment is classified as other assets and deferred charges on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. In 2010, we formed a joint venture with Saab. The new company, e-AAM Driveline Systems AB (e-AAM), engineers and develops electric all-wheel-drive (eAWD) hybrid driveline systems to be commercialized for passenger cars and crossover vehicles. We consolidated e-AAM as we are the majority owner, owning 67% of the shares in this joint venture while Saab owns the remaining 33%. In the fourth quarter of 2011, Saab filed for bankruptcy and has entered into liquidation status. We are currently in the process of negotiating the purchase of Saab's shares in this JV. In connection with the formation of e-AAM, we agreed to contribute ongoing funding to cover e-AAM's business operations through 2012 in the amount of approximately $26 million, based on exchange rates at that time, of which we paid approximately $16 million in 2011 and $5 million in 2010. In exchange for its ownership interest in e-AAM, Saab contributed its existing business related to the eAWD technology, consisting of a workforce of skilled engineers and intangible assets which include a GM license agreement for the Saab developed eAWD technology while it was owned by GM, a long-term supply agreement with Saab, under which e-AAM will supply the eAWD technology for certain future Saab product platforms, and existing technology in the form of in-process R&D. We recorded intangible assets of $8.7 million as of December 31, 2010 in connection with the acquisition of this business from Saab. See Note 1 - Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for more detail on subsequent changes to these intangible assets. We also recorded $8.0 million of goodwill associated with the formation of e-AAM and the acquisition of the business from Saab in 2010.

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