A sliding door drive assembly for a motor vehicle having a sliding door includes a transmission operatively connected to a motor for transmitting a rotating force to an output shaft. A cable drum is fixedly secured to the output shaft and rotates therewith. First and second cables are wound about the cable drum in opposite directions. The first cable extends from the cable drum forward along the sliding door. The second cable extends from the cable drum rearward along the sliding door. Support guides extend tangentially out from the cable drum to guide the first and second cables outwardly and away from the cable drum along a path minimizing frictional forces. Front and rear pulley assemblies are mounted to the motor vehicle and are operatively coupled to the first and second cables between the sliding door drive assembly and the sliding door for tensioning the first and second cables.