Abstract: A modular engine assembly includes a cylinder bore block, a cylinder head disposed above the cylinder bore block, and a crankcase assembly disposed below the cylinder bore block. The crankcase assembly includes an upper carrier and a lower carrier each having a plurality of bearing portions therein being integral, unitary, and one-piece.

Abstract: A hybrid powertrain has a suitable heat engine having rotational output, a multi-speed transmission and a motor/generator (MG). The transmission input or cluster shaft is continuously connected with the MG. One set of ratio gears in the transmission is continuously drivingly connected to an accessory drive. The cluster shaft and a main shaft are selectively interconnected through a plurality of sets of ratio gears that are activated through the selective engagement of synchronizers associated with the ratio gears on the main shaft. The engine is selectively drivingly connected with the cluster shaft through a launch device such as a friction clutch. The output of the transmission, a differential, can be driven by the engine only, by the MG only or by a combination of the engine and the MG.