Aston Martin has developed a new luxury commuter concept; the 'Cygnet' which will offer customers a distinctive, intelligent and exclusive solution for urban travel in style and luxury.
The concept will offer Aston Martin trademark design in a commuter car package based on the critically acclaimed Toyota iQ with a Euro NCAP 5-star safety package. The 'Cygnet' concept represents a creative, environmentally conscious solution, being small, yet with presence - and highly fuel efficient, now combined with the prestige of Aston Martin's luxury brand ownership. Aston Martin, the world leader in exclusive niche engineering is collaborating on this concept with Toyota the world leader in volume, quality and reliability. Although vastly different in size, Toyota and Aston Martin share the philosophy of engineering excellence and innovation underlined by a strong passion for cars. Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez said: "Now is the right time for Aston Martin to take this first bold step to embark on this special project - made possible with the support of an organisation of Toyota's stature and capability and the intelligent design and perfect city car package of the iQ." "Much work is still required, but I am confident that this project could become reality in the not too distant future. This concept - akin to an exclusive tender to a luxury yacht - will allow us to apply Aston Martin design language, craftsmanship and brand values to a completely new segment of the market." "The offering of a 'Cygnet' with a DBS, DB9 or Vantage is a unique combination of opposites and a novel transport solution allowing intelligent and sensitive mobility on an exclusive and innovative level."
               
The style has changed, but not the content: "Many German motorists see motoring not just as a comfortable and fast means of Auto transport, but also as a sporting activity. These are people who, once they see an aerodynamic car body with a long and sleek engine compartment, as well as a speedometer extending all the way to 150 km/h, feel that strong yearning for wide open roads simply perfect for driving fast, for Alpine passes just begging to be conquered, and for competitors so easy to overtake. The rear end tapered out in an elegant sweep to the back of the car, adding a particular aerodynamic touch with excellent streamlining. The radiator grille on this two-seater was inclined much further to the rear than on the Saloon, with mighty, sweeping front wheel arches extending on beneath the doors into the rear wheel arches. To reduce air drag to a minimum, the rear wheels were fully covered, while the body of the car itself rested on an electrically welded steel-pipe double frame with three crosswise box elements. Front suspension was made up of the upper track spring, wishbones further down and hydraulic lever-type dampers. The rear wheels, in turn, were mounted on a live axle incorporating semi-elliptic springs and hydraulic lever-type dampers. Small but hot: six-cylinder power unit displacing 1.2 litres.
Both the saloon and the sports car were powered by the same outstanding engine: a 1.5-litre straight-six developed out of the 1.2-litre originally featured in the former BMW 303. The crankcase and cylinder block of this outstanding engine were made of one single piece, the engine featured one camshaft beneath the block, with tappets operating the vertical hanging valves aligned in series via rocker arms. The intake and exhaust pipes, finally, were on the same side. A feature quite unusual today is the different distances between the individual cylinders, with the second and third and, respectively, the fourth and fifth cylinders being further apart, the space in between being used for the crankshaft and camshaft bearings. The crankshaft without any counterweights therefore ran in four bearings, just like the camshaft. This was however not the reason for this particular design and configuration, which was rather attributable to the assembly process at the time, with the crankshaft being completely pre-assembled together with the connecting rods and pistons. And since the pistons, as a result, had to be inserted from beneath, the main bearings for the crankshaft had to remain outside of the cylinders, not extending into their contour lines. As a result, the main bearings had to be accommodated between cylinders spaced out at a large distance. While this power unit delivered maximum output of 34 hp on the saloon with its two carburettors, maximum output of the six-cylinder in the BMW 315/1 sports model was 40 hp. And the standard of efficiency offered was quite exceptional, BMW’s engineers proudly stating that "this beautiful and fast sports car consumes only 10-2 litres of fuel on 100 km, with oil consumption between 0.1 and 0.2 kg. So in terms of running costs, it is no more expensive than a small car far lower down in the market”. With the public simply falling in love with the BMW 315/1, BMW decided to build the car in a small series – also because the Company wanted to make a more powerful entry into the prestigious world of motorsport. Starting in summer 1934, therefore, the very attractive BMW 315/1 was retailed at a substantial 5,200.– reichsmarks. The production model differed from the prototype primarily through the modified arrangement of the headlights and side ventilation grids taking the place of the bent openings originally featured on the first model. Outstanding success in motorsport.
Reaching a top speed of 120 km/h or 75 mph, the BMW 315/1 Roadster was one of the really serious contenders in the sports car market at its time. Indeed, BMW’s story of success on the race track quickly took on even greater significance with this new model, the BMW 315/1 achieving its first significant success in the International 1934 Alpine Rally. The starter grid for this rally in Nice was made up of 127 truly outstanding cars looking at daily race sections of 500–600 kilometres to be covered at a minimum speed. On the fourth day there was an additional speed test at Stilfser Joch. After covering precisely 2,867 kilometres or 1,778 miles, 96 of the 127 cars which had originally entered the race reached the finish line in Munich – 66 thereof without having lost one point. The five cars entered by the BMW Works Team were the only cars in their class to complete the International Alpine Trophy without one single penalty point, the BMW 315/1 Team Richard Brenner/Albert Kandl/Ernst v. Delius finishing first in their category. Only 230 units of the BMW 315/1 were completed by mid-1935, many of them going to private drivers. One of them was Ralph Roese, a BMW works driver for many years, who built himself a BMW 315/1 Special. This was a complete re-build of the 315/1, the highly modified engine ultimately developing no less than 136 hp in a brand-new race car body weighing just 380 kg or 838 lb. Given qualities of this kind, it is no surprise that this racing car finished first in its very first race at Nürburgring in 1936, a staggering 17 kilometres ahead of the competition.
Understandably, this special model remained a great success over the years until finally winning the German Road Racing Championship in 1939. Achieving this kind of success, both the drivers and the Company soon started looking for more: a car in the prestigious category up to two litres. And so it is no surprise that another, even more powerful version of the BMW Roadster – the 319/1 – entered the market in late 1934. Identical in its looks to the BMW 315/1 with the exception of the air vent on the engine compartment, the BMW 319/1 was powered by a 1.9-litre tuned to 55 hp and benefiting both from larger displacement and three larger downdraught carburettors. Obviously, an engine like this was easily able to cope with a two-seater weighing just 780 kg, accelerating the roadster in standard trim to a top speed of approximately 135 km/h or 84 mph. At the same time this was of course a truly exclusive car due to its retail price of 5,800 reichsmarks. Production from 1934–1936 therefore amounted to just 178 units, with the BMW 319/1 again bringing home outstanding success in motorsport. The climax of the pre-war era: the BMW 328 Roadster. In the mid-30s, production roadsters and competition cars were still very similar in technical terms – and motorsport was still the ideal place to prove the performance and reliability of a production car.
But to keep up with the competition, BMW soon had to build cars with more power and muscle. So BMW’s engineers looked for ways and means to significantly increase engine output without increasing engine size. And they found the solution – the M328, the engine powering the legendary BMW 328 sports car in 1936.
Style and performance: the new BMW Z4
The modern interpretation of the classic roadster launched in spring 2009, the new BMW Z4, combines more power with more style than ever before. Indeed, this is the only car in its segment to combine classic roadster proportions with the seating position moved far back close to the rear axle, rear-wheel drive and a fully automatic retractable hardtop. The new BMW Z4 offers all the driving pleasure of a BMW roadster in particularly refined style. Driving with the roof down, this outstanding two-seater provides a refreshing experience of the sun shining in and the wind rushing by, with the hardtop closed it ensures the same level of all-round comfort as a sporting coupé in the premium segment. So through its wide range of diverse qualities alone, the new BMW Z4 is indeed the re-birth of the roadster. Here again, it is certainly appropriate to quote the "BMW Blätter", the original BMW Leaflets in their description of the BMW 315/1 back in 1934: "In a nutshell you can describe BMW's new sports car as the fast, beautiful and reliable car bound to give the ambitious sports driver one exhilarating experience after the other, at the same time combining all the advantages of an economical touring car."
Labels: 75 years of the BMW Roadster: The BMW 315/1 and its Successors
Wandering the halls of the SAE 2009 World Congress, I came upon the Scuderi Group booth. I immediately stopped because I had lingered in their display back in 2007 to study their split-cycle engine concept. At that point, all the company had were the mathematical formulas on thermodynamics that seemed to prove the potential for their innovative combustion cycle. An animated video showed how the engine might work.
At SAE 2009, the company had a full-size cutaway version of the engine, and a working prototype will be tested early this summer. Some seven years in the making, progress continues and the company projects that the Scuderi Cycle offers the potential to be 30-percent more efficient than current internal combustion engines.
Generally, the concept of the Scuderi Cycle is easy to understand. It splits the four cycles of a typical Otto-cycle engine between two cylinders. Intake and compression strokes are handled in one cylinder while power and exhaust strokes happen in a second cylinder. Most of the gains in efficiency come from the extreme compression of the intake charge (upwards of 200 bar or 2900 psi).
In an interview with Stephen Scuderi, the son of the inventor, future tests will benchmark the feasibility of the new combustion cycle. "Once we prove that it works, we plan on licensing the technology to engine manufacturers to develop for their specific applications," Scuderi said. According to company sources, the Scuderi group is discussing their technology with 14 different engine manufacturers. The engine should work well for any typical engine application, including all aspects of the transportation sector as well as fixed-location uses for applications like generators.
According to Scuderi, production versions could run on gasoline, diesel, and other fuels. The company also sees great promise for turbocharging the design. According to the company, the projected torque characteristics of the engine will be similar to a diesel engine, with excellent low-speed power.
SOURCE : http://www.automobilemag.com/green/news/0905_new_combustion_cycles_scuderi_group_engine/index.html
Labels: Auto Mhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System
If you think that companies like General Motors only think about fuel economy when new CAFE standards are making news, you'd be wrong. GM and other manufacturers are always looking for new technologies to more efficiently power the next generation of transportation.
Need proof? You could look to the 1978 Eldorado GM built in the 1980s that ran on coal dust. The engine was a turbine. Engineers labeled that technology "disruptive" and they couldn't get the NOx under control, but it goes to show the imagination and vision of automotive engineers.
A less disruptive and more promising technology is one that been around for a few years, Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI). Several manufacturers have produced working prototypes, including Mercedes-Benz. The technology promises fuel-saving and emissions-reductions.
According to GM, an HCCI engine, when combined with other advanced technologies, provides up to 15 percent greater fuel economy than a comparable, non-HCCI engine by radically altering the combustion process.
In general terms, the heat and pressure within an HCCI engine's cylinders are used to ignite the air/fuel mixture without the aid of a traditional spark-generated flame - roughly analogous to the combustion process of a diesel engine. Heat is a necessary enabler for the HCCI process, so traditional spark ignition is used when the engine is cold to generate heat within the cylinders and instigate "auto-ignition" of the mixture.
More than a laboratory experiment, HCCI has been successfully demonstrated in prototype models in North America and Europe. Last spring, GM took the technology on the road, putting journalists and others in an HCCI-equipped Saturn Aura for real-world drives in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York. The vehicle featured the breakthrough of auto-ignition (HCCI) from idle to 60 mph, which significantly advances the benefits of HCCI and the viability for production.
"HCCI delivers enhanced fuel savings without sacrificing the performance consumers have come to expect," said Prof. Dr. Uwe Grebe, executive director for GM Powertrain Advanced Engineering. "It is a great example of how GM is developing advanced engine technology for consumers that squeezes more miles per gallon of gas and reduces emissions."
HCCI's efficiency comes from reduced pumping losses, burning fuel faster at lower temperatures and reducing the heat energy lost during the combustion process. Consequently, less carbon dioxide is released because the engine's operation in HCCI mode is more efficient.
During HCCI mode, the engine approaches the efficiency of a diesel, but unlike a diesel, it requires only a conventional exhaust system. Diesel engines require more elaborate and more expensive exhaust "aftertreatment" to reduce emissions.
SOURCE : http://www.automobilemag.com/green/news/0905_general_motors_to_bring_hcci_engines_to_mass_market_vehicles/index.html
Labels: Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System
Even though the U.S. government is working very closely with both Chrysler and General Motors as it tries to help build profitable companies from the two struggling American automakers, the government will not tell the companies what to build.
There have been fears of the government mandating exactly what type of vehicles to build ever since GM received its first loan from the Bush administration. Admittedly, the rumors seem like they could be true, as the government may end up with approximately a 50 percent share of GM's equity. But it turns out they have little basis in reality.
"The government is not going to prevent GM from making every type of vehicle it can sell profitably. The goal is to put the company in a position to succeed," a source close to the task force told the Detroit Free Press on the condition of anonymity. "The government is not going to be in the business of telling GM what products they can build."
GM's future product lineup will contain more cars and fewer trucks, but that's partly a response to the changing automotive market and not because of government demands, insists the source. "Car companies across the industry are making a play for the small-car market because of rising fuel prices and fuel-economy standards," said the source.
"The government wants to get its money back," said Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics. "To do that, GM has to build vehicles that sell profitably," which have typically been SUVs, trucks, and performance vehicles. To that end, GM says it is working on fuel-efficient technology for use across its lineup – from vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt and Cruze to SUVs like the Escalade Platinum Hybrid – as the company intends to still be a full-line vehicle manufacturer after its restructuring is over.
"The goal is to get the government out of this as quickly as possible," said the government source. "The task force was told to behave as investors - to build the company's value. Then it's up to management to make decisions that are in the best interest of their stakeholders."
SOURCE : http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6516286/news/government-will-not-tell-general-motors-what-to-build/index.html
Labels: Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifAuto Mobile Engine System
Last Tuesday, President Obama unveiled the administration's new restrictions for fuel economy. A 35% increase rose the overall average miles per gallon required by car manufacturers to 35.5 mpg from the current 27.5 mpg. Following his unveiling of the new plan the President gave his support to Ford by mentioning he owns a Ford Hybrid back in Chicago and that it runs great. This support is well received by the loyal customers of the Preston Automotive Group in Maryland. With the release of the new Ford Fusion Hybrid, the Preston Auto Group has noticed the ongoing trend of the hybrid fuel-saving phenomenon. The Ford Motor Company has also planned the comeback of the Ford Taurus, scheduled for release during this summer, insuring that buyers from the Maryland and Delaware area will rely on the customer support and the vast inventory that Preston Ford has to offer. The sales representatives at Preston Automotive Group know that people expect the most value for their dollar, which is why Preston Ford has received The Ford Motor Company President's Award four years in a row. Their award winning service combined with Ford Motor Company's collection of fuel saving cars and trucks is why President Barack Obama supports Maryland and Delaware Ford dealers like Preston Automotive Group. Some skeptics believe that in the U.S. automotive industry there will be no demand for small cars in America however the Preston Automotive Group is confident that there is a great market for small cars, as foreign manufactures have already proven. Also with gas prices likely to climb higher during the summer months, Maryland and Delaware shoppers will have higher interest in fuel saving hybrids and small cars for summer travel. SOURCE : http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=95863 Labels: Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System
The National Biodiesel Board has announced the vote of the ASTM International D02 Main Committee to approve a trio of long-awaited ASTM specifications for biodiesel blends. After more than five years of extensive research and subsequent balloting by the ASTM fuel experts in the blended fuel process, ASTM has approved three key sets of biodiesel specifications that are predicted to bolster automaker support and consumer demand for biodiesel. The three new specifications include:
* Changes to the existing B100 biodiesel blend stock specification (ASTM D6751)
* Finished specifications to include up to 5% biodiesel (B5) in the conventional petrodiesel specifications (ASTM D975)
* Approved a new specification for blends of between 6% (B6) and 20% (B20) biodiesel for on- and off-road diesel.
After ASTM internal reviews, these specifications are expected to be officially published and take effect in the fall of 2008.
Steve Howell, chairman of the ASTM Biodiesel Task Force, said, "The new ASTM specifications for B6-B20 blends will aid engine manufacturers in their engine design and testing processes to optimize the performance of vehicles running on biodiesel. The new specifications will also help ensure that only the highest quality biodiesel blends are made available to consumers at the retail pump."
ASTM International is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world-a trusted source for technical standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Known for their high technical quality and market relevancy, ASTM International standards have an important role.
The South African automotive industry would only be able to create and sustain more jobs if it could achieve a vision of producing one-million cars a year, the National Association of Automobile and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) reported on Monday.
This was one of the main reasons that Naacam was supporting the second South African Automotive Week (Saaw), an industry showcase and think-tank that was being held in Port Elizabeth during October this year.
Naacam executive director Roger Pitot said that it would not be possible to meet an industry target of 70% local content without much higher production volumes. Hitting the one-million vehicle-a-year mark, would increase employment levels in the auto industry by between 50% and 60%, he added.
Saaw chairperson Alfred da Costa, who has interests in component manufacturing, said Saaw 2009 would be a mix of a four-day industry expo, a "Navigating the Storm: A roadmap to Vision 2020" conference and networking opportunities.
International interest from manufacturers in China, India, Taiwan and Holland showed that the African market was seen as being a potential growth area by the world’s automotive industry, he said. Da Costa urged local component manufacturers to turn this to their advantage by entering into licence agreements with foreign suppliers wanting to enter the African and local South African markets.
Over the next two years, the component industry would be characterised by mergers, takeovers and a consolidation of suppliers by original equipment manufacturers, the Saaw said in a statement on Monday.
The local companies already had the skills, facilities and infrastructure in place, and would benefit from technology.
"Original equipment manufacturers demand that local suppliers have international licensing agreements in place. Therefore, having international links in place is not a choice but a necessity," said Da Costa.
Saaw is the only industry event supported by both Naacam and the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, together with the Automotive Industry Development Centre.
SOURCE : http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/million-cars-target-key-to-automotive-job-creation-naacam-2009-05-25 Labels: Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System
Bosch Automotive Electronics India, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Bosch Group, inaugurated its manufacturing plant here on Tuesday. The plant will manufacture electronic control units (ECUs) for diesel and petrol fuel injection systems.
Bosch had already invested Rs. 60 crore in this facility and plans an additional investment of Rs. 68 crore and increase employee strength to 300 persons.
Automotive Group Chairman of Bosch Bernd Bohr told reporters that the company was already planning to supply electronic components for Tata Nano and the low-cost car technology developed in India might be used later in Europe. The two R&D centres in Bangalore would be part of developing such technology. "Some of the production in the Indian units is for export to countries like Korea," he said.
Member of the board, Robert Bosch, Germany, Volkmar Denner, said market studies indicated an early revival from the slowdown in India, which was a significant automobile market, expected to grow 7 per cent by next year. "Last year, the Latin American and Asian markets did better than North America and Europe," he said.
Managing Director of Bosch, V. K. Viswanathan, said Bosch in India had a turnover of Rs. 6,500 crore last year with the units in Bangalore contributing Rs. 5,477 crore.
The automotive electronics segment had grown at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 20 per cent since 2002.
SOURCE : http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/27/stories/2009052755761400.htm Labels: Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile, Automobile Brake System
Auto dealership chain Sonic Automotive Inc (SAH.N) expects to see the highest sale of used cars in May since it went public in 1997, helped by demand for luxury cars with extended warranties, its chief financial officer told Bloomberg in an interview.
Sonic's May sales are expected to exceed 7,000, CFO David Cosper told the news agency, adding that new car sales were down for the month.
SOURCE : http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSBNG15371820090527 Labels: Auto Mobile, Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System
Ray Ciccolo, president of Village Automotive Group, said the company has acquired South Shore Volvo in Norwell for $4 million.
The dealership will be called Volvo Village of Norwell, Ciccolo said in a press release.
The company also owns Boston Volvo Village, which it describes as the largest and oldest Volvo dealership in New England; the Norwell dealership will be the company's second Volvo dealership.
"We have had a lot of success with the Volvo brand, and we are excited to bring the level of service that our dealerships provide as well as our enthusiasm for the Volvo brand to the South Shore community," Ciccolo said in a statement.
SOURCE : http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2009/05/village_automot.html
Labels: Auto Mobile, Auto Mobile Carburetor, Auto Mobile Engine System, Auto Transport Fuel System, Automobile Brake System
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