Ford Motor Company to Auction 'Knight Rider' Ford Shelby Mustangs at Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach  
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.-- Ford Motor Company will auction a piece of TV history when it sells two of the actual KITT Ford Shelby Mustangs used in NBCs Knight Rider pilot at the 6th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event on March 29, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. The cars, which will be sold to benefit Salute to Education, appeared as Ford Shelby GT500KRs that had been transformed into a Knight Industries 3000 (KITT) for the show. SPEED will broadcast the sale of the KITT Mustangs live during its auction coverage in the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

The Barrett-Jackson Automotive lifestyle event in Palm Beach always attracts many celebrities, and this year someone will take home two genuine TV stars, said Steve Davis, president of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. This is a once in a lifetime chance to own a pair of celebrity cars with extraordinary star power, while also supporting a worthy charity. Imagine going to the office or dropping your kid off at school in KITT. Ford and Barrett-Jackson are offering a chance to live the Knight Rider experience every day.

Ford partnered with NBC to create a new KITT supercar, inspired by the new Shelby GT500KR, to star in the "Knight Rider" TV series which premiered on NBC on February 17, 2008. Super KITT and "Attack Mode KITT" will be sold as a pair (Lot #665 and #665.1) with all proceeds to benefit Salute to Education.

Ford Motor Company, participating Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers and Ford Motor Credit fund Salute to Education. Through programs such as Salute to Education, more than $7 million has been given to high school students over the last 16 years to jumpstart their education with scholarships for college.

Super KITT was built using a black Mustang GT with 4.6 Liter V8 that was upfitted with a Ford Racing Whipple Super-charger to make 500 horsepower. Additional performance elements include 6-piston Brembo Brakes, FRC500 Suspension Pak, High Flow Ford Racing X-Pipe and Ford Racing mufflers with stainless tips. The exterior sports a GT500KR fiberglass hood with a KITT heartbeat light, GT500 front and rear bumper covers, matte black LeMans stripes, matte finish rocker panels, GT500KR rear spoilers and 20" forged aluminum wheels.

Attack Mode KITT began as a black Mustang GT with 4.6 Liter V8, auto transmission, custom front valance/grille based on the GT500KR, carbon graphite chin spoiler, custom rear bumper cover, custom side faux air scoops, custom side skirt/rocker panel, two-tiered rear spoiler, custom rear window insert, custom turn signal trim, custom headlight trim brow and 20" forged black aluminum wheels. Performance features include Brembo Brakes, a FRC Suspension Pak and Ford Racing mufflers with stainless tips.

Were pleased to offer these cars, which have already become cultural icons, at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Palm Beach, added Robert Parker, car marketing manager for Ford Motor Company. Knight Rider gave the public an opportunity to see some of the capabilities of the new 540 horsepower Ford Shelby GT500KR, though the standard production model does not include all the enhancements made to KITT. The new owner of these cars will have a piece of Hollywood and also help thousands of students realize their dream for a college or university education.

The two KITT cars were created to look like the new Ford Shelby GT500KR pony cars created by Ford Motor Company and Shelby Automobiles. The 5.4 Liter 540-horsepower Ford Shelby GT500KR is the most powerful factory-built Mustang ever produced. Approximately 1,000 total 2008 coupes will be built at Shelbys facility in Las Vegas and arrive in dealerships this summer.

With all proceeds benefiting Salute to Education, the two KITT cars will join a long list of cars in Palm Beach that will be auctioned for charity including several from the hit HBO series The Sopranos. On March 26, Barrett-Jackson will host their annual Opening Night Gala to raise money for The Darrell Gwynn Foundation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the 2007 Palm Beach event, Barrett-Jackson raised over $500,000 for various charities.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Ashok Leyland plans Rs 60 bn expansion  
Hinduja group company, Ashok Leyland, (Q, N,C,F)* intends to pump in Rs 60 billion in the next few years in its commercial vehicle (CV) business, reports Economic Times.

Out the total, Rs 20 billion would be invested in the Nissan-Ashok Leyland JV. This would help to enhance their capacities and strengthen the company`s position in the commercial vehicle segment including medium and heavy vehicles.

Ashok Leyland plans to increase capacity in a phased manner to 100,000 units from the current 83,000 vehicles. The volumes in the Ashok Leyland-Nissan JV will go up in a phased manner to a lakh units annually.


Source : myiris.com (3/14/2008)

Hyundai becomes associate sponsor for IPL  
NEW DELHI: Car maker Hyundai has become one of the six associate sponsors of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) by buying air time rights from the official broadcaster Sony Set Max.

"Hyundai has bought air time rights for this season of IPL, which will have 59 matches beginning April 18," HMIL Senior Vice-President Sales and Marketing Arvind Saxena told to media

He said Hyundai had bought air time of 200 seconds per match and will have the exclusivity of being the only four-wheeler maker which will advertise on the TV Channel during the matches.

The company was also evaluating the options for the on-ground sponsorship of the matches, Saxena added.

Asked about the deal value, Saxena declined to comment. However, according to industry sources, the advertisement rates for the league are very close to what they were during the Twenty20 World Cup.

During the Twenty20 World Cup, advertisers had paid around Rs two lakh for a ten-second slot. Based on the calculation, any advertiser would end up paying around Rs 23 crore for the IPL matches.

Besides Hyundai, Sony has signed on telecom service provider Vodafone as the presenting sponsor for DLF Indian Premier League (IPL)


Source : Economic Times (3/14/2008)

China's Dongfeng says Feb vehicle sales up 23 pct  
SHANGHAI, - Dongfeng Motor Group Co's (0489.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) vehicle sales rose more than one-fifth in February from a year earlier, beating 19.21 percent overall growth in the world's second-largest auto market.

Dongfeng, China's third-largest automaker, sold 66,360 vehicles in February, up 22.96 percent from a year earlier, it said in a statement late on Tuesday.

Sales of passenger cars grew 22.32 percent to 43,929 units last month, while sales of commercial vehicles were up 38.15 percent at 22,431 units, it said.

However, Dongfeng's venture with PSA Peugeot-Citroen (PEUP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) moved just 12,391 cars, down 8.32 percent from a year earlier, its second consecutive monthly fall.

The French car maker's China spokesman attributed the weak sales largely to a snow storm that hit much of the country's eastern and southern regions, blocking supplies of auto parts.

The spokesman said the sales uptrend would resume in March and that the firm had rolled out a hatchback version of its hot-selling Peugeot 307 sedan late last month to help spur sales.

At Dongfeng's venture with Nissan Motor (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research), car sales grew 33.08 percent to 21,358 units in February, while sales of commercial vehicles rose 22.24 percent to 21,779 units, Dongfeng said.


Source : http://www.reuters.com (3/14/2008)

It's official - Alfa's supermini named  
It's official - Alfa's supermini named

Mi.To name is confirmed

First official pictures

On sale in UK in early 2009

Alfa Romeo's new supermini finally has a name - the Mi.To.

The car, which will go on sale in the UK in early 2009, has endured a protracted naming process, beginning life with the codename Junior, then being branded Furiosa following a public competition, before finally being christened the Mi.To.

The name Mi.To is derived from the car's origins in Alfa Romeo's Milan-based design studios and Turin's construction plant.

Alfa Romeo says the Mi.To takes some of its styling cues from the £108,000 8C Competizione supercar. These include frameless side windows, the shape of the front end, and the headlights and LED tail lights.

The three-door Mi.To is based on stablemate Fiat's Grande Punto platform, although the suspension will be more sophisticated to improve its ride and handling. Stability control will be fitted as standard.

It will be launched with a choice of four turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, ranging from 90bhp to 155bhp. A hot version should come early in 2009 with a higher-powered engine.

Drivers will be able to select one of three driving modes, which will change the way the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox operate. These are Dynamic for sports driving, Normal for town driving and All-Weather for when road conditions are tricky.

The car will go on sale in Europe in July, so there's a chance it could be displayed at the British motor show that month. It's thought that the Mi.To will cost from around £12,500.


Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Piaggio launches new three-wheeler variants in Kerala  
KOCHI: Piaggio Vehicles on Friday launched its two new cargo segment three-wheelers "Ape Xtra LD" and "Ape Xtra", priced at Rs 1.31 lakh and Rs 1.27 lakh respectively, in the Kerala market.

Speaking to reporters here, Director,sales and marketing, Piaggio Vehicles, Ashutosh Khosla said the launch has been timed to synchronise with the burgeoning economic activity and these two products would offer exceptional value to the country's light transportation sector.

PVPL is the market leader in the three-wheeler diesel category in India with a market share of 55 per cent. In the three-seater passenger vehicles, PVPL has 36 per cent market share nationally and 30 per cent in Kerala, he said.

In the cargo segment PVPL has 44 per cent market share nationally and 58 per cent market share in Kerala, he said.

PVPL began its Indian operations in 1999 with the introduction to Ape brand of diesel light transportation vehicles and it pioneered the three-wheeler goods transportation in the country, he said.

Khosla said the company's product range includes half tonner cargo vehicles pick up and deliver van and three-seater passenger vehicles in various fuel variants like diesel, CNG and LPG.

Piaggio's Ape already has more than six lakh customers in the country at present and the company achieved sales of over 1.55 lakh vehicles in 2007, he said.


Source : Economic Times (3/14/2008)

SoCal Automobile Club Settles Consumer Lawsuits For $22.5M  
LOS ANGELES -- The Automobile Club of Southern California agreed to issue $22.5 million in refunds to 120,000 policyholders to resolve consumer lawsuits brought in their behalf, a consumer rights group announced Friday.

The Proposition 103 Enforcement Project, an arm of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, filed the suits in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2002 under the state's Unfair Competition law.

The suits alleged the insurance arm of the Auto Club improperly levied surcharges against previously uninsured drivers and others who could not demonstrate proof of coverage when they applied for new policies.

Each policyholder will receive a refund averaging $187, according to the foundation.

"We are pleased that the (Auto Club) has agreed to settle this lawsuit by providing refunds for these surcharges," said Harvey Rosenfield, a consumer advocate, president of the Santa Monica-based FTCR and the author of Proposition 103.

Proposition 103 was passed by the voters in November 1988 and required property and casualty rate approval from the insurance commissioner.


Source : http://www.knbc.com (3/14/2008)

Nissan Navara safety score raised  
Nissan Navara safety score raised

Now gets three stars for adult protection

Improvements follow airbag software changes

More safety revisions to come

The Nissan Navara's adult protection rating has been upgraded from one star to three by safety organisation Euro NCAP.

The move follows changes to the pick-up's airbag deployment and seatbelt pre-tension systems, which were retested shortly after the original results were announced last month.

The new software that controls the airbag and seatbelt pre-tension systems is available on all new Navaras. Current Navara owners are being invited to take their cars for a safety check-up at a Nissan dealer, where software changes will be made as necessary.

The child protection rating has also been improved from three to four stars, as a result of Nissan making more information on the car's safety systems available.

Dr Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP, said: 'Nissan has acted responsibly and promptly in response to our findings.'

Nissan has also pledged to make further safety strides with the Navara, after Euro NCAP's original tests highlighted a chassis weakness.

A Nissan spokesman said: 'You can't change chassis design overnight, but our engineers are already poring over the Euro NCAP data to see what they can learn.'

Asked whether Nissan felt aggrieved that it had endured so much bad publicity for the one-star score, when it had already supplied Euro NCAP with a revised car for testing, the spokesman said: 'We were open about the car being retested, and we had pulled out all the stops to put a fix in place.

'We feel it would have been of more benefit to consumers if Euro NCAP had released the results of the retested car, or at least made it clear that the studies of the retested car were already underway.'


Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Conservative mayoral candidate expects new VED bands to raise London congestion charge  
The Budget announcement concerning motoring taxes included the re-classification of all cars registered in the UK after 2001, which will lead to hundreds of thousands more Londoners being forced to pay £25 a day under Mayor Livingstone's proposed emissions-related congestion charge, according to the Tory mayoral candidate Boris Johnson.

Johnson said, "This is further evidence of a Labour Government and a Labour Mayor who are increasingly out of touch with the lives of real Londoners. Under the former classification, family cars such as the Renault Espace, Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Golf were caught by the charge, supposedly due to apply only to 'gas guzzlers'

"Now, with the Labour Government moving the goalposts, even more family cars will be caught such as a Ford Ka and a Citroën C2. I continue to oppose this absurd charge that will do a negligible amount for CO2 emissions and concentrate on getting traffic moving to really tackle congestion. The Mayor needs to urgently clarify his position on which cars will be subject to his planned tax."

In another Budget response, the Association of British Drivers detected a policy division between Alistair Darling's budget confirmation of new funding to develop the technology that could underpin national road pricing, inviting tenders to test this with the results expected next year, with indications a week earlier from the Secretary of State for Transport that national road pricing schemes had been abandoned.

"Why is Darling wasting money on a scheme that the DfT are supposed to have abandoned?" questioned ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries.

The Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association welcomed the delay to October of the fuel duty escalator, but this move was condemned by the Campaign for Better Transport, whose release covered motorists but made no mention of commercial vehicle operators.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

GE Transportation Endorses New Tier 3 and 4 Emission Regulations  
ERIE, Pa.--GE Transportation, a global technology innovator and supplier to the railroad, marine, mining and wind industries, welcomed the new Tier 3 and 4 emission regulations issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today. The new rules govern the emissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) generated by new diesel engines in rail and marine applications starting in 2012.

Tier 3 emission standards will take effect in 2012 followed by Tier 4 in 2015. Tier 4 locomotive emission standards will start two years earlier than outlined in previous proposals and thereby lead to significant environmental benefits sooner.

GE - Transportation welcomes the new and well-conceived Tier 3 and 4 emissions standards, said John M. Dineen, President and CEO of GE- Transportation, a leading manufacturer of diesel locomotives and marine engines. The EPA set ambitious targets to lower emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. We value the EPAs comprehensive and balanced approach which represents wins for all stakeholders involved.

Added Dineen: The EPAs new and tough emission standards will drive technological innovation in our industry to significantly lower emissions.

GEs transportation business joined an inclusive stakeholder group consisting of government and industry, as well as environmental and community organizations to assist in the development of the new Tier 3 and 4 emission standards.

GE Transportation expects that the EPAs new emission standards will spawn innovation and benefit its railroad customers and communities worldwide as much as past regulatory efforts have. In response to the EPAs Tier 0 through Tier 2 regulations, GEs transportation business invested approximately $400 million to develop the EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotive over an eight-year period. Entering the market in 2005, the EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotive is now the most technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and eco-friendly diesel-electric locomotive in history. It delivers up to 5% higher fuel efficiency and a 40% reduction in emissions over its predecessor. If every freight locomotive in North America were as clean as GEs EvolutionÂ(r), the annual reduction of emissions would compare to removing 48 million cars from the road each year.

Today, the EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotive is one of GE - Transportations best-selling products in markets worldwide. More than 2,400 EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotives are in use today proving that fuel efficient, low emissions, eco-friendly transportation solutions and global business growth go hand in hand. The EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotive serves as one of GEs first products to be certified as part of its Ecomagination initiative. Ecomagination is a company wide commitment to developing technology designed to help customers satisfy environmental challenges, to maximize performance and reduce cost.

GE Transportations commitment to green technologies did not end with the EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotive. The company developed a diesel-electric hybrid prototype. Bearing road number 2010, the 4,400 horsepower EvolutionÂ(r) Hybrid locomotive will feature a series of innovative batteries which will capture and store energy dissipated during dynamic braking. The energy generated by braking a 207-ton locomotive during the course of one year is enough to power 160 households for that year. Battery technology will reduce fuel consumption upwards of 30,000 gallons per year per locomotive and emissions by up to 10 percent when compared to the existing EvolutionÂ(r) Series locomotive.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Automotive Career Month Kicks Off in April  
MCLEAN, Va., -- At a time when the U.S. economy is sputtering and automakers are downsizing, the nation's new-car and truck dealers have a positive story to tell about the thousands of well-paying jobs currently available at dealerships across the country. And the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) is helping to get the word out.

"New car and truck dealers have more than 100,000 jobs to fill nationwide," says Annette Sykora, NADA chairman, who knows firsthand about dealership careers. As a teenager growing up in Slaton, Texas, Sykora began working as a title clerk at the family's dealership in 1982. Over a 26-year career she has risen through the ranks -- from financial services manager to general manager and then owner.

NADA has created a national community outreach campaign, called "Automotive Career Month," which kicks off in April. Students, parents and teachers are being invited to tour dealerships, so that they get an up close, firsthand look at the inner workings of one of today's high-tech and fast-paced industries.

"We are encouraging students to schedule a visit to their hometown dealership and ask about internships or summer jobs, which can often lead to a full-time career a few years down the road," Sykora said.

Many new dealership careers are available in Internet-related fields, finance and insurance services, automotive repair and new car sales, the U.S. Department of Labor reports. According to NADA, the high demand for dealership employees is caused by the addition of more customer services, workforce retirement and historically strong vehicle sales.

"Students who are thinking about careers should definitely visit a dealership, where there are often six or seven businesses rolled into one," says Carter Myers, chairman of Automotive Retailing Today, the coalition that commissioned the career survey. "These are good paying jobs that can't be outsourced overseas."

Auto dealers are major employers, as well as significant contributors to their communities' economies, tax bases and civic and charitable organizations. America's new car dealers employ more than 1.1 million people, more than all the auto manufacturers combined.

While sales consultants and automotive technicians are in greatest demand, other positions with high-income potential can be found in dealership fields, such as:

-- New Vehicle Sales

-- Certified Pre-Owned/Used Vehicle Sales

-- Automotive Service

-- Parts

-- Body Shop

-- Finance

-- Marketing

-- Management

-- Administration

-- Graphic Design

-- Internet Services

-- Communications

NADA, founded in 1917 and based in McLean, Va., represents about 20,000 new-car and truck dealers with nearly 43,000 separate franchises, both domestic and import.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Kleinubing Goes Flag-To-Flag to Take Sebring SPEED Touring Car Win  
Pierre Kleinubing, of Coconut Creek, Fla., led the entire way to capture his 27th-career SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge Touring Car win, his third at Sebring International Raceway, to start the 2008 season at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida weekend. Teammates Kuno Wittmer, of Montreal, Quebec, and Peter Cunningham, of Milwaukee, Wis., completed the podium.

Starting from his record 31st pole, Kleinubing led the field away from the standing start under sunny skies in his No. 43 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX. While his gap to second place never eclipsed two seconds, Kleinubing was never seriously challenged for the lead in the 18-lap, 66.6-mile race that went caution free. He averaged 92.963 mph in beating Wittmer to the checkered flag by 0.645-second.

It feels awesome, Kleinubing said. Im so glad to be here with a RealTime sweep.

I think I had the same pace as these guys [Cunningham and Wittmer], but they were fighting a little bit. They actually caught up to me for a little bit, but then I think Kuno made a mistake in Turn 17 and then on the same lap into Turn One, so I opened up that gap again and maintained it. The new tires [Toyo R888] stayed consistent throughout the race. I was able to run the last lap and the first lap at the same pace.

After recording his the first winless season of his career in 2007, Kleinubing is high hopes for the new season.

Im very optimistic. This team is really tight. We know that until we get to Road Atlanta, nothings been decided and well just keep doing our jobs, one race at a time.

Wittmer started second in his No. 44 Acura/RealTime/Eibach/Red Line Acura TSX and withstood attempts by teammate Peter Cunninghams No. 42 Acura to hold onto secondâ€"equaling his career-best finish.

The start was great, Wittmer said. I was concerned about the BMW in fourth place [Nick Esayian]. The first thing I did on the start was look in the mirror and he didnt get a very good start, so that cleared my mind right away.

Pierre set a really good pace and I tried following him. Peter was definitely putting the pressure on me, but hes my teammate, so I knew he wouldnt do anything stupid. After halfway, he did initiate a really good pass on me. I saw he had a better line out of 16 and he went to the inside and I went to the outside and I was able to stick it, but he definitely kept the pressure on. The last lap was a concern, but when I saw him drop two wheels I was able to breathe.

Cunningham completed the second-straight RealTime Racing podium sweep (dating back to the 2007 finale), but had to fend off challenges from Charles Espenlaubs No. 73 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6, while putting the pressure on teammate Wittmer for the runner-up spot.

Id been trying to really ramp it up there in the last couple of laps, Cunningham said. Id had better opportunities and actually passed him [Wittmer] under braking into Turn 17, but then he had a better run coming out. On the last lap, I thought Id get a good run coming out of 16 like I had before, but I got two wheels off and that didnt give me the run I was looking for, so I wasnt going to just stick it in and take both of us out. I just wanted him to know I was there.

Espenlaub, of Lutz, Fla., was the highest finishing Mazda in fourth after starting sixth. Defending Series Champion Jeff Altenburg completed the top five after starting eighth in his No. 1 Mazdaspeed/Stoptech/Racinghart MAZDA6.

Seth Thomas started from the back of the pack after his No. 38 BimmerWorld BMW 325i failed post-qualifying inspection, but battled back to a sixth-place finish despite a couple of trips off course. He also set the races fast lap with a 2:22.018 (93.791 mph). Jason Martinelli (BMW 325Ci), Dino Crescentini (Acura TSX), rookie Jason Saini (MAZDA6) and James Clay (BMW 325i) completed the top 10.

Clay, who started 15th, captured two awards for his runâ€"the Racing Electronics Holeshot Award for advancing six positions on the opening lap in his No. 36 BimmerWorld BMW 325i and the Sunoco Hard Charger Award for advancing five positions throughout the race.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Testing, Testing -- The Motor Trend Way: The whats, whys, whens, and hows of Motor Trend testing  
One of the evergreen questions we get in over the e- and snail-mail transoms concerns our testing regimen. Beyond the basics, many ask why numbers so often vary from one magazine to another. Let's take a swing at all the above and then throw the forum open for further questions in the comments section.

The Basics

Where: Flat, level, surface with consistent pavement. For straight-line testing it needs to be at least 1/2-mile long. For handling tests, the ideal minimum "black lake" size is 300 x 800 feet. We try to use the same venue whenever possible for ultimate repeatability. Today, California Speedway is used for most tests, with manufacturer and supplier Proving Ground facilities filling in for special tests and testing outside California. In a pinch, we'll use local dragstrips, but we usually don't use the burnout boxes or the launch areas, which are coated in non-representative traction aids.

When: In dry, temperate, still weather for the most part. Our Southern California home usually cooperates on the first two fronts, and when winds kick up, they're generally in the direction of our dragstrip area, so running in two directions and averaging the results mostly cancels the wind effect. Some testing takes place in extremely cold, hot, or humid weather, and the effects of these parameters are compensated for with our weather correction protocol (more about which follows).

Who: Only select Motor Trend Technical Department personnel are trained in the rigors of test driving. There's a definite skill to launching a car on street tires and to shifting quickly, not to mention operating and troubleshooting our complex test equipment.

How:

Acceleration Testing We typically switch off traction-control systems and experiment with launch-control systems when offered, but we do not pull fuses to deactivate any such systems. We run from zero to the maximum practical speed increment above the quarter mile. We subtract a one-foot rollout from the launch to simulate dragstrip performance (dragstrip runs started the whole quarter-mile acceleration craze and remain the only practical way for most owners to test their own cars, so we want our numbers to match those acquired in this way). We experiment with launch techniques (brake-torquing automatics, varying amounts of wheelspin on manuals, etc.), then shift as quickly as possible, while depressing the clutch and lifting off the throttle in three-pedal manuals. We use either a Stalker radar device that measures speed based on the Doppler shift of reflected radio waves or a Racepak unit that relies on the Doppler-shift in radio signals arriving from four to eight GPS satellites. The two systems return incredibly similar performance results.


Source : http://www.motortrend.com (3/14/2008)

Bajaj Holdings & Investment plunges over 60%  
Bajaj Holdings & Investment, erstwhile Bajaj Auto, got listed at Rs 1,100 at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

The scrip touched a high of Rs 1,143.80. However, within minutes of trading the scrip plummeted 64.47% to trade at Rs 739 on volumes of 54,277. The scrip has touched a low of Rs 720. (10.05 a.m.)

Following the scheme of demerger of Bajaj Auto, three new companies are formed instead of single earlier.

Under the scheme of demerger, Bajaj Holdings & Investment (the new name of Bajaj Auto) will function as an investment company and focus on new business opportunities.

Two more companies - the new Bajaj Auto and Bajaj Finserv are expected to get listed by April end.


Source : myiris.com (3/14/2008)

Siemens PLM Software Sponsored Race Teams Dominate NASCAR Race; Give Toyota First...  
PLANO, Texas, -- Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced that Siemens PLM Software-sponsored Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports - whose cars are developed with the help of Siemens PLM Software technology - dominated the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tool 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch, the current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader, and teammate Tony Stewart, the 2005 and 2002 NASCAR Cup Champion, finished first and second. At 22, Busch became the youngest driver to win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The win also gave Toyota its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race win and made it the first foreign car to win since 1954.

Hendrick Motorsports' Dale Earnhardt Jr., the newest Hendrick Motorsports driver, and teammate Jeff Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Cup Champion, finished third and fifth respectively.

"Siemens PLM Software congratulates the race teams for their dominant performance and Toyota for its historic first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race win," said Dave Shirk, executive vice president of Global Marketing for Siemens PLM Software. "Siemens PLM Software is proud of our relationship with the racing teams and is pleased to know that our seamless, open solutions help the teams effectively work with their automotive original equipment manufacturers to put the best cars out on the race track to finish in the winners circle."

A Tradition of Technology and Tracks

Siemens PLM Software has a long tradition of providing NX(R) software, Siemens' comprehensive digital product development solution, and Teamcenter(R) software, Siemens' digital lifecycle management solution and the world's most widely used PLM portfolio, through racing sponsorships. Hendrick Motorsports, winner of the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2006 and 2007 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship; Joe Gibbs Racing, winner of the 2000, 2002 and 2005 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship; Roush Fenway Racing, winner of the 2003 and 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship; and Andretti Green Racing, winner of the 2004, 2005 and 2007 Indy Racing League(R) (IRL) IndyCar(R) Series Championship; have been using Siemens PLM Software for many years to help develop their cars and improve their performance on the race track. KB Racing, winner of the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock Championship, began using Siemens PLM Software technology in 2005, and the Renault F1 Team, winner of the 2005 Formula One Drivers and Constructors Championships, established a partnership in 2004 using Tecnomatix(R) software, Siemens PLM Software's best-in-class digital manufacturing solution.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

New Skip Barber Mazdaspeed Challenge Race Series Debuts April 5  
Amid the excitement of the 56th running of the Mobil1 12 Hours of Sebring and the 10th season opener of the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda, the Skip Barber Racing School today announced final details on its all-new closed-wheel race series: The Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Challenge.

The newest offering from the first name in equal-car racing features Mazda MX-5 Miata Cup cars with specifications closely matched to the Miatas used in the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup Series. The MAZDASPEED Challenge will be modeled on the long-running Skip Barber open-wheel regional race series.

The inaugural 10-race season begins April 5 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, company officials said. Skip Barbers long history of producing regional and national race series events means the remainder of the new championships inaugural season will take place on similarly prestigious road courses, including Virginia International Raceway (May 3-4); Road Atlanta ( July 11-12); and Road America (September 27-28).

The Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Challenge is an important new rung on the Mazda-built motorsports ladder, said Skip Barber President George Ayres. Drivers can now move from our MAZDASPEED Racing School to the new MAZDASPEED Challenge and from there into the SCCA Pro Racing Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup, Grand-Am, ALMS, SCCA and other sedan and sports car championships. Throughout, drivers will experience a highly professional environment that emphasizes skill development and great racing at competitive prices.

The MAZDASPEED Challenge is appealing mix of both an arrive-and-drive format and equally prepared race cars. Skip Barber will provide everything, from the cars to the racing suits. Drivers have flexibility to do just one race weekend, or as many as they like. Qualified drivers may register for the Skip Barber MAZDASPEED Challenge race series by calling 800-221-1131 and asking for a School and Series Advisor. Information is also available at www.skipbarber.com. Skip Barber is the worlds largest racing and driving school, available at more than 20 race tracks across the U.S. and Canada.

In addition to the Skip Barber Racing School, the company also runs the Skip Barber Driving School and the High Performance Driving School. The company also operates five separate open-wheel racing championships. In December, 2006, Skip Barber signed a long term agreement with Mazda North American Operations; Mazda sports cars are used in the Driving School programs and beginning in 2008, Mazda engines will power the Skip Barber fleet of more than 100 formula race cars.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Electric Motorcycle Makes History at Infineon Raceway  
SONOMA, Calif. - Santa Rosa's Mike Swallow made history at Infineon Raceway, powering his electric motorcycle to victory during the track's weekly Wednesday Night Drags program.

The win marked the first time in the 20 years of Wednesday Night Drags that an electric-powered machine took the victory. Swallow piloted his 2008 custom 102 volt AC motorcycle to the win in the Motorcycle Class.

Swallow, who works for ThunderStruck Motorsports in Santa Rosa, was testing the company's latest battery-powered dragbike down the Sonoma Valley drag strip. They use the quarter-mile to find the right parameters around which the batteries run most efficiently. He defeated Petaluma's Ron Love in the final round.

"I get to come out to races because I'm the lightest guy at the shop, so it was great to get a win," said Swallow, 28, who has competed in both Wednesday Night Drags events so far this year. "I went up to the press box after the race, and the guy told me I'm a part of history at the track. This is the biggest trophy we have at the shop so far."

Other winners from the Wednesday Night Drags included Hayward's Steve Romans (Street), Santa Rosa's Nick Eagan (Sport Street), who has garnered back-to-back wins, and Novato's John Victorino (Jackpot).

The Wednesday Night Drags return to the Infineon Raceway drag strip, March 19. Gates open at 3 p.m.; competition begins at 5 p.m. Cost is $25 for competitors, $15 for students with their high school identification card and $10 for spectators. For more information, call 800-870-RACE ext. 209.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Renewable Fuels Agency welcomes DfT terms of reference for review  
The Renewable Fuels Agency yesterday welcomed the terms of reference from the Department of Transport for a review on the indirect impacts of biofuels, announced last month by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly.

The study will include an assessment of the available evidence on the indirect effects of biofuels on land use change, both within the EU and internationally, and the consequences for greenhouse gas savings. It will also examine the effects of an increasing market for fuel crops on international food prices and food security. The study will be led by the RFA Chairman, Professor Ed Gallagher, and will consult scientists and experts from around the world.

Yesterday Mariann Fischer Boel, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development gave a speech at the 2008 World Biofuels Markets Congress in Brussels, entitled Biofuels: not a magic wand, but a valuable policy tool. She said of the increasing controversy over first-generation biofuels economic and environmental impacts:

I know that various objections have been raised, and the Commission takes them seriously. But we believe we can answer them. The first objection is that using first-generation biofuels in many cases supposedly does not cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Its true that some biofuels dont show clear benefits. So let's simply not use them!

On the other hand, most biofuels do actually offer benefits compared to fossil alternatives. Typically, biodiesel made from European-grown rapeseed makes a greenhouse gas saving of 44 per cent compared to fossil fuels. The typical figure for ethanol made from sugar beet is 48 per cent. I could cite other very positive values.

Under the rules proposed by the Commission, a given biofuel would count towards a Member State's target only if it made a greenhouse gas saving of at least 35% compared to fossil fuels. That's a very healthy difference. And the standard applies both to domestic production and to imports.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

INCAT forms alliance with Tata AutoComp  
INCAT, an Indian engineering services outsourcing and IT services firm, has entered into a strategic alliance with Tata AutoComp, Tata Groups automotive components subsidiary, which has already secured a project for the complete design and development of a new vehicle platform for an unnamed Chinese OEM.

INCAT was recently ranked by Dataquest magazine as the second-largest provider of engineering services outsourcing in India. The Dataquest article quoted a 2006 NASSCOM-Booz Allen Hamilton report on ESO that projects the potential for India in engineering services is between $12 billion and $16 billion by 2010, and ranked INCAT as the number one provider of automotive engineering services outsourcing in India.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Cooper-Standard Automotive Announces Date for Teleconference to Discuss 2007 4th...  
NOVI, Mich., -- Cooper-Standard Automotive will hold a conference call with investors on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. EDT to discuss its 2007 fourth quarter and full year results, provide a general business update, and respond to investor questions.

The company's results will be posted to the Cooper-Standard Web site: (www.cooperstandard.com) on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 before the market opens. Cooper-Standard Automotive CEO Jim McElya, President and COO Ed Hasler, and CFO Allen Campbell will host the call. A copy of the presentation will be available on the Web site 30 minutes prior to the call.

To participate, North American callers should dial toll-free: 800-940-6895 (international callers dial 001-212-231-2903). Callers should dial in at least five minutes prior to the start of the call. Financial and automotive analysts are invited to ask questions after the presentations are made.

Callers unable to participate during the live teleconference may visit the Investor Relations portion of the Cooper-Standard Web site (www.cooperstandard.com) after 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 for detailed instructions on accessing an audio replay of the call. North American callers dial 800-633-8284 (international callers dial 001-402-977-9140). At the prompt, enter the following reservation code: 21378720.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

Call to axe diesel tax surcharge  
Call to axe diesel tax surcharge

Budget raises company car tax

We see figures for 2010/11

Government policy inconsistent

Pressure is growing on the Government to axe the 3% company car tax penalty for diesels after this week's budget raised the cost of running a fleet car.

For the fifth time in seven years, company car tax bandings were increased in the Budget, adding a further 1% to each of the 20 carbon dioxide bandings between 135 and 230g/km.

'Continuing to change the tax brackets like this is all part of the Government's long-term strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions,' says the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), the company car trade body.

Forward planning: we see 2010/11 figures

The figures published exclusively here are not contained in any official Budget documentation and this is the first time company car drivers have seen official benefit-in-kind bandings for the 2010/11 tax year.

Until this week's budget, company car drivers planning for the future only had figures for the forthcoming financial year 2008/09 and the following year 2009/10.

To look at the figures click here.

This means that, for example, a petrol car such as a Ford Mondeo 1.6 rated in the 170 to 175g/km banding will be liable for a benefit-in-kind rate of 24% in 2010/11. In 2008/9 and 2009/10 the figure will be 23%.

This means that for the first time in 2008, a company car buyer making a decision this year can now predict the full cost of the vehicle over a typical three-year lease between 2008 and 2010.

Tax to go up again

Although figures for 2011/12 won't be released until the Budget in 2009, it seems certain that they will be raised again.

'In meetings with the Treasury, it's been made clear that they need to make the bandings tougher each year to keep up with environmental gains being made by car-makers,' says the BVRLA.

In other words, although the Government says it wants to encourage drivers to switch to lower CO2 cars, once they do and the tax take goes down, so the government has to raise the bar again.

Inconsistent thinking

However, there is a huge inconsistency in the Government's thinking, because the highest-rated C02 banding for cars of 255g/km and above remains unchanged.

Cars such as luxury saloons with V8 and V12 petrol engines continue to attract a 35% tax rate, just as they did in 2003 when the new system was introduced.

Another huge inconsistency in company car tax policy is the way that diesels continue to be penalised with a 3% higher tax banding.

Diesels are typically 10% more fuel-efficient than a petrol engine, but are penalised because historically they produce more particulate pollutants.

But the pollutants gap between diesels and petrols has narrowed, thanks to better engine controls and exhaust particulate traps.

Diesels unfairly penalised

Both the BVRLA and Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the car makers' trade body, have unsuccessfully lobbied the Government to drop the 3% diesel penalty in the past few years, largely because the latest EU emissions rules, called EU4, have cleaned up diesels so much.

The Government will find it harder to resist such calls in future budgets, without appearing to snub car makers achievements in cleaning up diesels even more.

In 2009 a new standard called EU5 will mean that the mass of particulates emitted by diesels and petrols will be exactly the same. 'Certainly from the introduction of EU5, there is no reason for the 3% diesel penalty to stay,' says the SMMT.

Unless the Government revises the company car tax percentages from 2009, it will be unfairly penalising diesel owners who will automatically be buying new cars to the much cleaner new EU5 standard.

When super-clean EU6 engines go on sale in 2014, the inequality in the tax regime will be even greater.


Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Risi-Krohn Ferrari Team Notes and Quotes  
TRACY KROHN, Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430 GT Qualifying Driver:

Regarding qualifying: The thing about qualifying, although we didnt qualify quite as high as we wanted to (11th in class), is weve got a car we can race without changing anything. This is a race set-up and I think the team will be very pleased with it. I know all the drivers will be pleased with it, so Im looking forward to that. Weve tried several things all week long and it looks like weve finally got it ironed out here. The car is going to be very manageable and very drivable.

Regarding teammates JÃnsson and van de Poele: The good thing is I get to drive with two very seasoned professionals that have a lot of input for me and that really helps a lot. The other side of it that is real positive is that nothing upsets them. They know what happens and they know what to do. Weve got a car that is very competitive. We expect to be very consistent till the end of the race. Thats how we expect to finish on the podium is with consistency and good times. The weather is just perfect. You cant get any better than this. We expect that race conditions will be very similar to what they are right now, which is warm but not overly hot.The car is very good in these conditions. It will be better as it cools just a little bit. This should be great for the fans and the drivers. Everybody should be happy with these conditions.

NIC JONSSON, Driver, No. 61 Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430 GT: This event is a very long event. We started out practicing on Monday and weve been trying out a lot of different things. Unfortunately, we have not had enough of the tires which we prefer to run on the car. Weve had to do some other things on the car to get a feel for it. I think we are getting very close. Tracy did an awesome job Thursday in qualifying and we basically have been working on our race set-up since the very beginning. We did not really work on a qualifying set-up because to us, that doesnt really make sense. We have just worked on getting ready for the race and make sure we get in to a steady, safe pace and stay out of trouble. Hopefully well have some help with attrition and be able to have a very good race and have a good result.

ERIC VAN DE POELE, Driver, No. 61 Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430 GT: "The team has done perfect preparation. The car is perfect. Everything is really good and we concentrated the set-up the car for the race. There is so much testing here for in preparation for the Sebring race so we have not done every session because it is not necessary. Everything feels ready so it is nice. The more difficult point for me is that I have always driven a prototype here. Braking points and stuff like that are different between the classes. I still have a point to brake late in the corner so I have to try to get disciplined about that and be smoother and it will be okay.

Regarding GT-2 competition: The lap times are unbelievably close. It is going to be very close for the whole race. You are going to see competition next door all the time. Thats fun. It is difficult because we have to plan that the prototypes will be coming around us all the time, so it is quite a new experience. Tracy did a very good lap time for qualifying, the best he ever did here. Everything looks good. Everybody feels comfortable in the car and its very good for the race.

MARK SCHOMANN, Team Engineer, No. 61 Risi-Krohn Ferrari 430 GT: Leading up to the race it was difficult because the 2008 bodywork, the updates for this chassis, came to us quite late that it was really a struggle getting this car prepared in time. The guys on the team did just a great job. It ran flawlessly when we first got here. We had some issues with the drivers being comfortable with the set-up of the car we came here with and we actually flat-spotted quite a few sets of tires. In retrospect, it is kind of interesting because it made us work harder. We did all our set-up on the tires we arent going to race on so we would not waste whats left of our race allotment. I now think that is was good for us. It made the drivers work and think more. It made me think more. And now as the car is getting ready for the race and getting on to our allotment of tires to race, the car is better and they are happier with it. It almost worked in our favor, which is funny to say at this point because I was pretty discouraged on Tuesday. The drivers have done a great job. Theyve kept it on the track and havent scratched the paint. Now our allotment of tires will work for the race and theyre very happy with the car so they have really done a good job.

Regarding competition: Everybody is facing harder competition this year. We were optimistic after our spring test. Then after the winter test here at Sebring we were very optimistic because we had made gains, especially over the bumps. We didnt think the Porsche was going to bring as much as it brought. They are very fast -- and all of them are, not just a selected few. So the level of competition this year is going to be even higher than last year, which was aggressive already. There are more cars and some of the new cars that have come in, I think will eventually find their way and make more competitive cars. Were going to have to do our homework all year. Everybody who ran up front last year that thought they were going to come back and still be up front, its not a given anymore. I think everybody is going to have to really do their homework. Even in this race, though it is early on in the year, a lot of the cars that showed up new seem to have accomplished a lot here this week. They might be very competitive for the race, which we didnt expect. So, I think it is going to be a tough race and the Porsches are definitely going to be right there. And now Tafel Racing (Ferrari team) will make us do our homework even more because we are racing against other Ferraris, not just the Porsches. I look forward to it. I think our team does in general. Heavy competition is really what were looking for here and I think what our drivers are looking for. Thats why were here!


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Hydrogen Minibus From Wales Featured at GLOBE 2008  
VANCOUVER, Canada -- The Hydrogen Bus, a new triple hybrid vehicle developed at Glamorgan University in Wales, was featured at the Auto FutureTech 2008 Summit at the GLOBE 2008 conference, an international conference on the latest issues in business, technology and the environment, taking place here this week.

The technology behind the vehicle, which is powered by hydrogen, electric batteries and capacitors, was presented by Kevin Hammett, Accelerate Clusters Manager, Welsh Assembly Government. His presentation was part of the The Hydrogen Powered Vehicles: Dreams & Reality conference session which took place this morning.

The Hydrogen Bus, which produces zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, is a tribrid vehicle powered by hydrogen fuel cells, electrical batteries and ultra-capacitors. The 16-passenger bus has a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour and a range of 150 miles. It will go into service as an inter-campus shuttle at the University Glamorgan in Wales this spring.

This vehicle will put Wales on the map as a leader in the field of development of non CO2 technologies, said Hydrogen Bus developer Jonathan Williams, a PhD candidate at the University of Glamorgan. We have ambitious plans for this technology and hope that our work can pave the way for further advances in the development of hydrogen powered fuel cell technology.

The vehicle is the result of collaboration among several Welsh and international enterprises. Dragon Coachworks, a joint venture of two Welsh automotive companies, supplied the body of the vehicle. Hydrogenics of Mississauga, Canada, provided the fuel cell technology and assistance in developing the system. The Maxwell High Voltage Capacitors were developed by General Atomics Energy Products of San Diego, California. Yuasa Battery (UK) Ltd. of Ebbw Vale, Wales, a subsidiary of Japanese company GS-Yuasa, Corp., provided the lead acid batteries for the vehicle.

Dragon Coachworks will develop a commercial version of the bus for sale in Europe and the U.S., at the expected cost of approximately 90,000 GBP ($190,000).


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

New Scholarship Program for Female Race Car Drivers - Project Podium  
Young women who test their mettle each week on race tracks may be able to enhance their competitive performance through an innovative new scholarship program exclusively for race car drivers. Project Podium, founded by entrepreneur and former Indy 500 driver Lyn St. James, is the newest program of Women in the Winners Circle Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, and is designed to empower active young female race car drivers to help further their early professional careers.

Up to $50,000 in scholarships are available to young women drivers who compete in all forms of motorsports: karting, quarter midgets, drag racing, sports car and oval track racing. Project Podium is unique in that an applicant will only be considered eligible if there is proof that funds equal to the scholarship amount requested have been raised from sponsorship for her racing. This approach exposes drivers to the business aspect of the racing industry.

Drivers can apply for a scholarship by submitting their biography, racing resume, driver/team sponsorship information and a written request in 250 words or less. Applications can be downloaded from www.lynstjames.com. The deadline to submit applications is March 31.

"The scholarship program is designed to increase the support for women in racing to help them win races and championships as they work towards the top level of professional racing,² explains St. James. "In today¹s competitive environment, it takes more than natural driving skills to climb the motorsports ladder, it takes a special understanding of all aspects of motor racing, including how to obtain and manage sponsorships. We¹re here to help these drivers fast-track their racing dreams."

Applicants will be reviewed by a volunteer panel of motorsports and business professionals. In addition to Lyn St. James, the reviewing committee consists of: Vicki O¹Connor, managing director of the Atlantic Championship; Linda Conti, financial advisor at Wachovia Securities; Amy Rosewater, sports writer; Angelique Chengelis, The Detroit News motorsports writer; and Erin Crocker, WWC driver development graduate.

Project Podium joins the Women in the Winners Circle Foundation¹s highly successful Driver Development Program. It is the most comprehensive educational and training program of its kind, covering such areas as fitness and mental preparation, business and media training, and on-track and technical courses. The Driver Development Program has graduated more than 200 drivers since its inception in 1994, including Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher and Melanie Troxel.

Project Podium is actively supported by a number of partners, including Newman¹s Own, IndyCar/Indy Car Pro Series, Grand Am, NHRA, Rolex, Toyota Motorsports, Mazda USA, VW Motorsports, Mike Helton and the NASCAR Foundation.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

EU Research Directorate promotes MY-CAR flexible vehicle assembly project  
Todays CORDIS Express, the EUs research and innovation newsletter, showcases the MY-CAR flexible vehicle assembly processes research project funded under the EUs 6th Framework programme, which started in 2006 and ends in 2011.

The projects approach to build-to-order mass customisation is intended to increase European manufacturers global market share of the automotive industry by 10%, reduce assembly costs and time-to-market by 15% and cut investment costs by 20%.

MY-Car seeks to develop and integrate technologies to facilitate the vehicle assembly process into becoming self-adaptive to any kind of market variation and capable of producing cars with extended degrees of personalization.

The consortium involved in the MY-CAR project includes a Core Users Group, a group of production system suppliers, a group of ICT providers, a group of SMEs and R&D specialists including academic and research institutes. Volvo Technology AB is acting as its Co-ordinator the contact being Mr. Bert Hill, Tel. +46-313227483.

The 6th Framework funding is contributing â‚6m of a total project budget of â‚9.6m.

Participants included Daimler, Ford Werke, C..R.F. SpA, Comau, Harms & Wende, Consulting and Software Products SA, University of Patras, Chalmers Technical University, Hoegskolani Skoevde, Karlsruhe Technische Hochschule, Saarland University, Siemens, EDAG Engineering & Design, Tunkers Machinenbau GmbH, Emphasis. D. Venizelos Kai Sia OE, CENIT AG, and Prima Industrie SpA.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Automotive X PRIZE sponsor to be announced on 20th March  
The Automotive X PRIZE, an international, multimillion dollar competition designed to inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles, will announce its much anticipated title sponsor and multimillion dollar prize purse at the New York International Auto Show on 20th March, signalling the official beginning of the Automotive X PRIZE competition.

The independent and technology-neutral Automotive X PRIZE competition is open to teams from around the world that can design, build and bring to market 100 mpg or equivalent (MPGe) vehicles that people want to buy and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

New Technology to Reduce Diesel Emissions  
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, -- Officials from the Government of Canada, EnCana Corporation (TSX, NYSE: ECA) and Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) announced today they are committing $5.5 million in financing to a NxtGen Emission Controls project which demonstrates an innovative diesel emission reduction system. NxtGen's syngas technology will assist diesel trucks in complying with stringent global emission reduction regulations and has the potential to enable manufacturers to increase fuel economy. When retrofitted onto existing trucks, NxtGen's system is expected to reduce particulate emissions by 85 percent and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 65 percent. This new technology for diesel trucks is similar to catalytic converters for gasoline vehicles.

"This technology is an example of the kind of forward thinking that will help ensure Canada remains at the forefront of clean technologies, that will reduce air pollution and our greenhouse gas emissions," said the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources. "The partnership we see here is a great example of how our Government is encouraging innovation, making sure Canadians have the opportunity to enjoy the full environmental and economic benefits of these technologies."

The project supported by EnCana and SDTC involves field trials of NxtGen's diesel emission reduction technology on medium and heavy duty trucks. The systems are being retrofitted onto 12 trucks in three fleets across Canada, including three heavy duty trucks owned by Mullen Trucking LP, one of EnCana's key transportation providers in Alberta.

"NxtGen looks forward to working with EnCana and SDTC as we put our diesel emission control technology to the test in real world operations," says Jeremy Holt, NxtGen Emission Controls President and CEO. "The support provided by EnCana and SDTC comes at a pivotal time for NxtGen. The field trials will enable us to demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of NxtGen's syngas emission reduction system for diesel trucks."

The system is being developed during a two-year, $12.4 million program. EnCana is contributing to the project through its Environmental Innovation Fund. The fund supports the development, demonstration and, ultimately, the commercialization of innovative, clean-energy technologies that relate to the energy sector.

"EnCana is pleased to support NxtGen in its mission to bring to market this new technology which has the potential to improve fuel economy while helping diesel trucks meet stricter global emission requirements," says Gerry Protti, EnCana Executive Vice-President of Corporate Relations. "Our Environmental Innovation Fund is available for projects which benefit the environment, the energy sector and consumers."

Sustainable Development Technology Canada is contributing $2.5 million to the project through its SD Tech Fund. The $550 million fund supports the development and demonstration of innovative technological solutions that address climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil.

"Emissions from the transportation sector are major contributors to climate change and poor air quality," says Vicky J. Sharpe, President and CEO of SDTC. "The technology NxtGen is demonstrating has the potential to reduce emissions while also increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Should the NxtGen project be successful, it will be an important step forward for the transportation sector in Canada and around the world."

NxtGen Emission Controls

NxtGen Emission Controls, Inc. is an emerging supplier of syngas emission control systems to the diesel engine industry for both retrofit and original equipment applications. NxtGen's syngas systems reduce particulate, NOx and CO2 emissions from diesel engines and are expected to enable engine manufacturers to increase fuel economy. The company was founded in 2004 and is privately held by its employees, management and institutional investors. NxtGen's head office is in Burnaby, B.C.

EnCana Corporation

With an enterprise value of approximately US$65 billion, EnCana is a leading North American unconventional natural gas and integrated oil company. By partnering with employees, community organizations and other businesses, EnCana contributes to the strength and sustainability of the communities where it operates. EnCana common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ECA.

Sustainable Development Technology Canada

SDTC is an arm's-length foundation which has received $1.05 billion from the Government of Canada as part of its commitment to create a healthy environment and a high quality of life for all Canadians. SDTC operates two funds aimed at the development and demonstration of innovative technological solutions. The $550 million SD Tech Fund(TM) supports projects that address climate change, air quality, clean water, and clean soil. The $500 million NextGen Biofuels Fund(TM) supports the establishment of first-of-kind large demonstration-scale facilities for the production of next-generation renewable fuels. SDTC operates as a not-for-profit corporation and has been working with the public and private sector including industry, academia, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the financial community and all levels of government to achieve this mandate.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

India: INCAT forms alliance with Tata AutoComp  
INCAT, an Indian engineering services outsourcing and IT services firm, has entered into a strategic alliance with Tata AutoComp, Tata Groups automotive components subsidiary, which has already secured a project for the complete design and development of a new vehicle platform for an unnamed Chinese OEM.

INCAT was recently ranked by Dataquest magazine as the second-largest provider of engineering services outsourcing in India. The Dataquest article quoted a 2006 NASSCOM-Booz Allen Hamilton report on ESO that projects the potential for India in engineering services is between $12 billion and $16 billion by 2010, and ranked INCAT as the number one provider of automotive engineering services outsourcing in India.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Plexus Systems, Inc. Announces Participation at AM EXPO  
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., -- Plexus Systems, Inc., provider of Plexus Online on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, announced it will participate at AM EXPO, the Advanced Manufacturing Exposition and Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 19-20.

This respected conference presents an opportunity to educate the world's leading suppliers and manufacturers about the virtues of Plexus Online SaaS modules and the benefits they bring to all facets of the enterprise. Plexus Online modules are specifically designed to improve production in precision manufacturing industries, such as medical devices, aerospace, food processing and automotive.

"We're eager to participate at AM EXPO and educate world class manufacturers about Plexus Online," said Mark Symonds, Chief Executive Officer for Plexus Systems, Inc. "Customers are constantly seeking an edge to help enhance manufacturing efficiency and profitability -- areas where we consistently bring superior results on behalf of our clients."

Plexus Online offers over 350 functional modules, providing manufacturers instant access to vital information and management functions using a simple Web browser. The on-demand solution features enterprise resource planning (ERP) functions such as accounting and finance modules, customer relationship management (CRM) features such as order entry and tracking, manufacturing execution systems (MES) functions such as production scheduling and machine integration and supply chain management (SCM) functions such as supplier quality and traceability.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

New-generation M-Class  
Mercedes-Benz has revamped the M-Class.

The new generation of the M-Class SUV has been revamped with a range of styling and specification changes.

The front end is now defined by a redesigned bumper, recontoured headlamps and a larger, even more dominant radiator. The rear view also sports a new-look bumper with integrated reflector strips, emphasising the vehicle's width, as well as tails lights with a smoked-glass look.

Stylistic fine-tuning and new high-grade materials combine with a new two-tone colour scheme for the interior, which is topped off with a new four-spoke multifunction steering wheel.

The M-Class standard specification has also been upgraded. It retains the occupant protection system PRE-SAFEÂ(r) and NECK-PRO head restraints whilst adding an all-new telematics system developed by Mercedes-Benz.

The Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG is also set to become even more distinctive and striking, courtesy of new front and rear aprons with a chromed underguard, and a larger AMG radiator grille.

Since the second-generation M-Class was launched in April 2005 (October 2005 in the UK), 300,000 units have been delivered to customers around the world - some 13,000 of which were in the UK.

UK models will arrive late autumn 2008.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Rwanda: Police Unveil Automobile Inspection Centre  
The National Police Force on Wednesday officially inaugurated the Rwanda Automobile Inspection Centre in Remera, Kigali City.

The Director of the centre, CIP Nicholas Kalisa, said that it has capacity to check the mechanical conditions of between 80 and 100 cars per day. He said it also has the capacity to conduct technical inspection of all the country's 57, 000 vehicles.

This multi-million centre which started its operations in January was constructed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and later handed over to the National Police Force.

The centre inspects the roadworthiness of vehicles. The Director of Traffic Police, Robert Niyonshuti, said the development will help reduce the number of road accidents caused by mechanical defects.

The centre is the first of its kind with its capacity in the country although another one existed before in Nyamirambo, a city suburb, at the offices of Onatracom, a public transport company.


Source : http://allafrica.com (3/14/2008)

Mercedes revises M-Class - slightly  
Mercedes revises M-Class - slightly

Exterior looks tweaked

Interior gets more man-made leather

Fuel consumption improved

This is the revised Mercedes M-Class, which will go on sale this autumn.

The most significant changes are with the car's safety systems. Pre-Safe, which primes the brakes and airbags, and pre-tensions the seatbelts if an imminent accident is sensed, will be fitted as standard, as will Neck-Pro, which moves the headrests to minimise whiplash injuries.

Styling changes are minimal, with the most obvious being the new bumpers, headlights and front grille. Inside, the changes are similarly moderate, and include revised sports seats and the increased use of man-made leather.

The engine range will remain the same, with 3.5- and 5.5-litre petrol units and 3.0-, 3.2- and 4.2-litre diesels ranging from 186bhp to 380bhp. However, Mercedes says engineers have reduced fuel consumption across the range by an average of 1.1mpg.

The 500bhp ML63 AMG performance version of the car will also be revised, with more chrome detailing, new 20-inch alloy wheels and a new sports steering wheel.

Prices for the revised M-Class have not been revealed, but are expected to begin at around £37,000.


Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Tuner Special: Hartge BMW 1 Series  
BECKINGEN, Germany BMW tuner Hartge has developed a handful of parts for the 1 Series convertible and coupe arriving in America this year, but the company has left the engine untouched.

Hartge spent most of its efforts on the interior, where everything from the pedals to the navigation screen have been tweaked. The Hartge steering wheel comes covered in leather, carbon fiber or both, while the gear selector and emergency brake are wrapped in leather and trimmed with aluminum. Aluminum sport pedals invite drivers to mash the throttle and watch the needle swing across the Hartge speedometer marked up to 300 km/h, or 200 mph. Hartge also offers an accessory that allows the navigation screen to continue operating as a TV screen while the car is in motion.

Performance improvements come in the form of suspension changes. An adjustable sport suspension adds new springs and dampers. Hartge Classic wheels come in 18- or 19-inch sizes wrapped in either Continental or Pirelli tires. Carbon-fiber mirror housings are the only exterior enhancement.


Source : http://www.edmunds.com (3/14/2008)

Johnson Controls and Its Intertec Systems Joint Venture Recognized by Toyota With...  
PLYMOUTH, Mich., -- Last week, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) recognized automotive supplier Johnson Controls -- and one of its U.S. joint-venture operations -- for outstanding performance during the past year.

Toyota honored its top suppliers in North America for their 2007 achievements during its Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony in Covington, Kentucky on March 3. The awards acknowledge those suppliers who exceeded Toyota's expectations in launch performance, technology, supplier diversity, value improvement and quality. Approximately 500 North American suppliers met to hear Toyota's objectives for the coming year, for recognition of outstanding performance among the firm's supply base, and to enhance relationships.

Johnson Controls and its Intertec Systems joint venture gained three awards from Toyota for outstanding performance during 2007. Troy, Michigan-based Intertec Systems is a joint venture between Johnson Controls and Inoac Corporation of Nagoya, Japan. The company, which was founded in 1996, is a leading provider of vehicle instrument panels, instrument panel trim components and floor consoles to major automakers in North America.

At the event, Johnson Controls gained a Superior Award in the Supplier Diversity category. It was the fourth consecutive year the company has received this recognition. Toyota's presentation of awards in the area of Supplier Diversity recognized supply companies' initiatives and outstanding efforts that helped the automaker meet its minority procurement targets. Johnson Controls supplies a variety of products for Toyota vehicles, including seats, interior trim, electronics and batteries.

In addition, Johnson Controls' Livermore, California seat-manufacturing plant was recognized by Toyota with an Excellent Award in the Quality category. The facility supplies seats, and overhead consoles to the automaker.

Toyota also honored the Intertec Systems interior parts-manufacturing plant in San Leandro, California with an Excellent Award in the Quality category. Intertec manufactures floor consoles and instrument panel trim for Toyota models.

Beda Bolzenius, president of the Automotive Experience business for Johnson Controls, said that the company and its Intertec Systems joint venture exceeded Toyota's expectations while continuing to provide world-class products and services.

"This is important recognition from Toyota, and it truly is an outstanding tribute to the dedicated people working at our facilities, as well as those of our suppliers," he said. "We look forward to continued success with Toyota in the future."

Among the performance measures that enabled Johnson Controls and its affiliate to receive recognition from Toyota was meeting the automaker's highest standards for quality; supplier diversity; and overall excellence for work done during 2007, in supplying various automotive seating and interior products.

"TEMA works closely with our North American suppliers in order to build our top quality vehicles; therefore, we take this opportunity to recognize outstanding performance of our top suppliers," stated Atsushi "Art" Kume, senior vice president of TEMA. "Suppliers' commitment to continuous improvement is key to achieving Toyota's long term focus on quality and value."

Johnson Controls is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

3 stars for Nissan Navara  
Nissan Navara crash test scores improved

Nissan's Navara was awarded an improved score of three stars in adult occupant protection in a reassessment test conducted by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).

The reassessment test followed a modification to the pickup truck's airbag control unit software.

The Navara achieved a maximum score in the side impact test. It also scored maximum points for its protection of a three-year-old. In pedestrian protection, the vehicle scored two out of four stars.

I n the previous test conducted by Euro NCAP whose results were released on Feb. 26, the Navara's rating in adult occupant protection was affected by the delayed deployment of the front airbags.

Following the first test, Nissan immediately developed a modification to the software that controls the airbags to correct the problem which was limited to model year 2008 Navaras built between May and December 2007. In December 2007, the countermeasure was put into production of the Navara to ensure the airbags performed exactly according to design specifications.

That same month, Nissan also launched a service campaign inviting affected Navara owners to go to their dealers to have the updated software applied to their vehicles. The campaign was later extended to cover Navaras produced since launch in 2005 in order to offer maximum reassurance to all Navara customers.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Pagani Branches Out Into High-End Audio  
MODENA, Italy You know Pagani from its anything-but-normal-looking supercars, rocket ships in both style and performance. Founder Horacio Pagani, an Argentina-born Italian who previously worked for Lamborghini, has decided to expand into another market (no, thankfully not SUVs) with the release of a high-end audio system.

Why wouldn't you want your high-priced home audio system from the same company that makes your high-priced driving machine? That's what Pagani thinks.

Pagani is known for being completely over the top as evidenced by its Zonda, and the hi-fi system doesn't disappoint. The casing is made from carbon fiber and brushed aluminum, and the sound quality is purported to be exquisite. The amp has 150 watts of continuous power, maxes out at 2,000 watts of peak power and is supported by two 350-watt speaker towers.

An added bonus is a pair of old-school record turntables one for 33s and one for 45s plus a CD changer with 30,000 hours of working life which really should last you the rest of your life. Don't miss the Zonda-like central controls and the even more Zonda-like exhaust ports in the speaker towers.

No price released yet, but chances are you don't even want to know.


Source : http://www.edmunds.com (3/14/2008)

Ford Makes Senior Leadership Changes; Also Moves to Streamline Executive Ranks  
DEARBORN, Mich., -- Ford Motor Company today announced several executive moves and title changes that will further strengthen the company's senior leadership team and streamline its officer-level organizational structure.

Stephen Odell is named chief operating officer, Ford of Europe. Odell, 53, will report to John Fleming, president and CEO, Ford of Europe, and assume responsibility for Ford of Europe's Product Development, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Marketing, Sales and Service operations. Odell joined Ford in 1980 and has held key positions at Ford of Europe, Mazda and Jaguar. In his new role, Odell will accelerate the drive to reduce complexity and lead Ford of Europe's growing role in developing global vehicle programs.

"Stephen has done an excellent job of reinvigorating our Marketing, Sales and Service functions since he returned to Ford of Europe," Fleming said. "As we move into a more intensive phase of our global transformation, now is the right time to make more of Stephen's extensive operational experience around the world. Giving him operational responsibility for Ford of Europe will help us raise our game as we take a prominent role in developing new vehicles globally."

Ingvar Sviggum, 62, also has been elected a corporate officer and will replace Odell as vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.

"I'm delighted that Ingvar will be stepping up to lead Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford of Europe. There is nobody better experienced," Odell said. "He has shown great leadership in driving our recent, strong volume growth across Europe."

Both appointments are effective on April 1.

In addition, Ford is announcing changes in the titles of certain corporate officer positions in an effort to streamline and clarify its senior-level organizational structure going forward. Under the new structure, corporate officers with global responsibilities who report directly to Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally will carry the title of group vice president. The move does not affect Ford's executive vice presidents.

Effective April 1, five corporate officers will become group vice president. They are:

-- Tony Brown, 52, previously senior vice president, Global Purchasing;

-- Sue Cischke, 54, previously senior vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering;

-- Bennie Fowler, 51, previously vice president, Quality;

-- David Leitch, 47, previously senior vice president and General Counsel; and

-- Nick Smither, 49, previously vice president and Chief Information Officer.

"The changes announced today will bolster an already top-notch leadership team at Ford Motor Company," Mulally said. "At the same time that Ford of Europe is strengthening its operating leadership, we're reducing management layers among our senior leaders with global responsibilities. This is a continuing part of our effort to reduce complexity and streamline our internal processes."

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 245,000 employees and about 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

New Technology to Reduce Diesel Emissions  
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, -- Officials from the Government of Canada, EnCana Corporation and Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) announced today they are committing $5.5 million in financing to a NxtGen Emission Controls project which demonstrates an innovative diesel emission reduction system. NxtGen's syngas technology will assist diesel trucks in complying with stringent global emission reduction regulations and has the potential to enable manufacturers to increase fuel economy. When retrofitted onto existing trucks, NxtGen's system is expected to reduce particulate emissions by 85 percent and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 65 percent. This new technology for diesel trucks is similar to catalytic converters for gasoline vehicles.

"This technology is an example of the kind of forward thinking that will help ensure Canada remains at the forefront of clean technologies, that will reduce air pollution and our greenhouse gas emissions," said the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources. "The partnership we see here is a great example of how our Government is encouraging innovation, making sure Canadians have the opportunity to enjoy the full environmental and economic benefits of these technologies."

The project supported by EnCana and SDTC involves field trials of NxtGen's diesel emission reduction technology on medium and heavy duty trucks. The systems are being retrofitted onto 12 trucks in three fleets across Canada, including three heavy duty trucks owned by Mullen Trucking LP, one of EnCana's key transportation providers in Alberta.

"NxtGen looks forward to working with EnCana and SDTC as we put our diesel emission control technology to the test in real world operations," says Jeremy Holt, NxtGen Emission Controls President and CEO. "The support provided by EnCana and SDTC comes at a pivotal time for NxtGen. The field trials will enable us to demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of NxtGen's syngas emission reduction system for diesel trucks."

The system is being developed during a two-year, $12.4 million program. EnCana is contributing to the project through its Environmental Innovation Fund. The fund supports the development, demonstration and, ultimately, the commercialization of innovative, clean-energy technologies that relate to the energy sector.

"EnCana is pleased to support NxtGen in its mission to bring to market this new technology which has the potential to improve fuel economy while helping diesel trucks meet stricter global emission requirements," says Gerry Protti, EnCana Executive Vice-President of Corporate Relations. "Our Environmental Innovation Fund is available for projects which benefit the environment, the energy sector and consumers."

Sustainable Development Technology Canada is contributing $2.5 million to the project through its SD Tech Fund. The $550 million fund supports the development and demonstration of innovative technological solutions that address climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil.

"Emissions from the transportation sector are major contributors to climate change and poor air quality," says Vicky J. Sharpe, President and CEO of SDTC. "The technology NxtGen is demonstrating has the potential to reduce emissions while also increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Should the NxtGen project be successful, it will be an important step forward for the transportation sector in Canada and around the world."


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

Stretching the point  
That's gratitude for you. You spent £200,000 modifying a 360 Modena (plus the 130-odd grand it cost to buy the car in the first place), turning it into a 23-foot long, eight-seater stretch limo, and what thanks does Ferrari give you for your hard work?

By threatening you with legal action, that's what. Ferrari has ordered Dan Cawley of Cheadle, Manchester, to remove every prancing horse badge from his 166mph Ferrarisine in the next 14 days, or else... well, we don't exactly know what, but we've got horrible visions of that horse's head scene from the Godfather.

Ferrari argues that the Mr Cawley's modifications means that the car is no longer a Ferrari. Mr Cawley isn't happy. "What kind of precedent does it set when you can't do what you like with your own property?" he says.

TG finds itself in a moral quandary. On the one hand, the Ferrarisine is obviously a Bad and Wrong Thing. On the other, we can't help thinking Ferrari's legal team is being a bit, well, touchy.

Maybe they'd feel differently if Mr Cawley offered them a nice ride around Cheadle town centre with all the Asti Spumante they can quaff.


Source : http://www.topgear.com (3/14/2008)

The whats, whys, whens, and hows of Motor Trend testing  
One of the evergreen questions we get in over the e- and snail-mail transoms concerns our testing regimen. Beyond the basics, many ask why numbers so often vary from one magazine to another. Let's take a swing at all the above and then throw the forum open for further questions in the comments section.

The Basics

Where: Flat, level, surface with consistent pavement. For straight-line testing it needs to be at least 1/2-mile long. For handling tests, the ideal minimum "black lake" size is 300 x 800 feet. We try to use the same venue whenever possible for ultimate repeatability. Today, California Speedway is used for most tests, with manufacturer and supplier Proving Ground facilities filling in for special tests and testing outside California. In a pinch, we'll use local dragstrips, but we usually don't use the burnout boxes or the launch areas, which are coated in non-representative traction aids.

When: In dry, temperate, still weather for the most part. Our Southern California home usually cooperates on the first two fronts, and when winds kick up, they're generally in the direction of our dragstrip area, so running in two directions and averaging the results mostly cancels the wind effect. Some testing takes place in extremely cold, hot, or humid weather, and the effects of these parameters are compensated for with our weather correction protocol (more about which follows).

Who: Only select Motor Trend Technical Department personnel are trained in the rigors of test driving. There's a definite skill to launching a car on street tires and to shifting quickly, not to mention operating and troubleshooting our complex test equipment.

How:

Acceleration Testing We typically switch off traction-control systems and experiment with launch-control systems when offered, but we do not pull fuses to deactivate any such systems. We run from zero to the maximum practical speed increment above the quarter mile. We subtract a one-foot rollout from the launch to simulate dragstrip performance (dragstrip runs started the whole quarter-mile acceleration craze and remain the only practical way for most owners to test their own cars, so we want our numbers to match those acquired in this way). We experiment with launch techniques (brake-torquing automatics, varying amounts of wheelspin on manuals, etc.), then shift as quickly as possible, while depressing the clutch and lifting off the throttle in three-pedal manuals. We use either a Stalker radar device that measures speed based on the Doppler shift of reflected radio waves or a Racepak unit that relies on the Doppler-shift in radio signals arriving from four to eight GPS satellites. The two systems return incredibly similar performance results.


Source : http://www.motortrend.com (3/14/2008)

Prodrive seeks production partner for new Active Toe Control system  
The motor sport and performance engineering firm Prodrive is developing a vehicle dynamics system that actively adjusts toe angle to improve vehicle handling. Known as Active Toe Control, it works on the rear axle of front wheel drive cars to optimise the toe angle, depending on the speed of the vehicle. This helps overcome the static toe compromise of either giving a vehicle agile handling at lower speeds or making it more stable and predictable at high speed.

Advances in tyre technology and suspension, mean that the dynamic capability of modern cars is now so good, that it is rare for drivers to ever reach a vehicles limits. Typically most drivers stay well within 60-70% of their cars capabilities, said Matt Taylor, Prodrive chief dynamics specialist. This means vehicle manufacturers are increasingly focusing on making their cars feel more sporty in this region, without necessarily increasing their outright performance.

Once the chassis and suspension designs have been completed on a new model, the final adjustment to refine the dynamic characteristics is typically to set the static toe angles. To give a vehicle additional low speed agility, the wheels usually have up to a degree of toe out at the rear axle, while to make a car more stable at higher speeds, for emergency manoeuvres like a lane change, then toe-in is preferred.

This makes any fixed toe setting a compromise and one that has contributed to the increasing use of complex multi-link rear suspensions in mid-size hatchbacks; a design previously reserved for high end vehicles. Ford set the trend with the Focus and others have since followed suit. However, while they work extremely well, such rear axles are far more expensive than the traditional twist beams they replace.

Taylor says, Active Toe Control fitted to an existing twist beam axle can give many of the dynamic benefits of a multi-link system, but at less than half the cost. With Active Toe Control you have the added benefit of refining the handling simply by changing the control algorithms on the production line or at the dealer, to give the characteristics favoured by whichever market the car is to be sold.

Prodrive has identified a preferred mechanism design to adjust the toe angle, and is looking for a hardware partner to take the project to a working prototype.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Excel Polymers and Rubber and Plastics News Sponsor Inaugural Automotive Rubber...  
SOLON, Ohio, -- Excel Polymers LLC and Rubber and Plastics News are sponsoring the inaugural Automotive Rubber Executive Conference May 6 - 7 at the Inn at St. John's in Plymouth, Michigan.

The Automotive Rubber Executive Conference is designed to provide insight for executives working at all levels within the automotive elastomer supply chain, including the automobile manufacturers. The two-day event will feature interactive panel discussions, as well as keynote speakers that will present on topics such as sustainability, supply chain and supplier expectations, globalization and acquisitions, and a variety of other topics.

Robert Russell, market development manager for the Transportation division at Excel Polymers will chair the event. "The presentations selected for this conference are highly relevant to the issues we face as suppliers to the global automotive industry," said Russell. "The speakers will provide valuable insight with regard to the way we will have to conduct business today and into the future."

Key presenters include Tetsunori Haraguchi, project general manager of Toyota Motor Corporation, Robert J. Dellinger, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Delphi Corporation, Jonathan R. Stegner, general director of Delphi Global Supply Management and Craig F. Fitzgerald, Partner in the Strategic Planning and Global Services practice of Plante & Moran, PLLC, Certified Public Accountants and Management Consultants.

To register for the Automotive Rubber Executive Conference, or for additional information, please visit: www.excel-polymers.com or www.rubbernews.com

Excel Polymers is the world's leading provider of customized, high- performance compounded elastomer materials, roll compounds and efficiency- improving additives. End-use markets include transportation, consumer goods, industrial, construction, oil and gas, and roller markets. Excel Polymers is headquartered in Solon, Ohio, and operates eight plants in the United States, Mexico, Europe and China. Excel Polymers is also part of a compounding Joint Venture with Mitsui in the Guangdong Province of Southern China. For more information, please visit www.excel-polymers.com.

Founded in 1971, Rubber & Plastics News serves rubber product manufacturers primarily engaged in the production of tires and inner tubes, rubber and plastic footwear, reclaimed rubber, rubber and plastic hose and belting, fabricated rubber products, rubber adhesives and wire and cable products. RPN readers include executives, managers, engineers and chemists involved in research and development, quality control, operations and production, engineering testing and analysis, purchasing and sales and marketing. Also served are suppliers, consultants and independent laboratories and manufacturers that are not specified as primary rubber product producers as well as OEM users of rubber components and universities.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

Renault to issue second Clio warning - Bonnet controversy continues  
The bonnet on Carl Elliot's car opened spontaneously. Now Renault is writing again to all owners

Renault is to write to all MkII Clio and Clio Campus owners again, urging them to take their cars to a dealership for checks to the bonnet catch mechanism - but it still insists there is no design or construction fault with the part.

The controversy has been running since April 2006, when the BBC's Watchdog programme became aware of a problem with bonnets spontaneously opening while Clio drivers were on the road.

Watchdog publicised the issue in March last year, and says more than 1000 Clio owners have since contacted the show regarding the issue.

It was alleged that the bonnets were opening due to a design fault with the bonnet catch mechanism, but Renault has always insisted that any problem is related to incorrect maintenance.

Renault's position has been backed by the Government's Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, which has inspected the mechanism.

As a result, Renault refused to issue an official recall of the estimated 565,000 cars fitted with the part, but instead wrote to all registered owners of the car offering them a free check-up and a replacement catch if poor maintenance was detected.

It has maintained this position despite subsequent evidence from a former employee, who claims the company was aware that the catch was poorly designed.

Issue in the news again

This month, the issue was highlighted again by Watchdog, following claims that 78% of customers hadn't received the letter from Renault urging them to have the part checked, and that the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) had refused to let driving test students use MkII Clios.

Renault says that the statistic relating to unreceived letters was taken by a poll on a website set up by disgruntled Clio owners, which has less than 50 members.

It also says that the DSA is only treating MkII Clio the same way it would treat any car that had been recalled, by asking anyone wishing to take a test in one to provide evidence that the bonnet catch has been properly maintained.

However, following these continued concerns, Renault has now undertaken to write again to MkII Clio and Clio Campus owners, this time sending letters by recorded delivery.

'Sending letters to registered owners of the cars allows us to make them aware of the issues,' said a Renault spokesman. 'We cannot issue a recall because there isn't a fault: it is a maintenance issue. We are writing again because we are a responsible manufacturer with a reputation for safety.'

Asked why Renault was repeating its policy of sending out a letter, rather than trying to draw more widespread awareness of the issue through press adverts, the spokesman said: 'Because we are using the DVLA's data, we know the registered keeper of every one of our cars. We believe contacting them directly is the most effective way of making them aware of the situation.'


Source : http://www.whatcar.co.uk (3/14/2008)

McNISH, Audi To Start From Sebring Pole Position  
Allan McNish and Audi will start on the inside front row for the 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida.

Allan McNish gave Audi pole position for Saturday's 56th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida after the grid for the season-opening race for the American Le Mans Series was set by practice times. Because the prototype field had less than 10 minutes of green-flag qualifying time, the results from the session were disallowed.

As a result, McNish's Audi R10 TDI will start on the inside front row based on his time of 1:43.195 (129.076 mph) in Thursday morning's official practice session. He will start alongside the Peugeot 908 of Pedro Lamy, Nic Minassian and Stephane Sarrazin, which posted the second quickest time of the week at 1:44.27 (127.744 mph). Like the Audi, the Peugeot set its best time Thursday morning.

The qualifying session stoppage occurred when Ben Devlin went hard into the outside tire wall at Turn 1. The Englishman was checked out and OK but the car and the debris were another matter. With not enough time in the 25-minute session to clear the track and resume qualifying, officials cancelled qualifying and set the grid by practice times in accordance with Series Standing Supplemental Regulations.

"We were hoping to see qualifying. We didn't really get a fair opportunity to see what the cars could do," McNish said. "That would be the first time any of us could see the improvements in the Peugeot and new Acura. As we came into today we made some changes which made the car feel much better. This is such a hard circuit that you don't want a bucking bronco for 12 hours."

Third on the grid will be the second Audi of Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner.

Audi will go for its ninth straight win at Sebring, a string that started in 2000 with its R8 prototype. The diesel-powered R10 TDI has won the last two seasons but the German marque faces a serious challenge from the factory Peugeot. Both are diesel-powered cars and will face off Saturday for the first time since the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007. Peugeot sat on pole position. Audi won the race.

Saturday also will be the first time Peugeot has raced in North America. It comes in a race where starting position rarely means anything at all. The 3.7-mile, 17-turn circuit is notorious for finding weaknesses in cars, especially on the bumpy parts of the track.

"You expect the unexpected here. In that respect, we go into the race knowing we will be competitive and they will be competitive," McNish said. "We have a general gameplan but in reality no one knows how it is going to shake out."

The No. 7 Penske Racing Porsche RS Spyder will start first in LMP2 and fourth overall at Sebring.

Penske Racing's No. 7 Porsche RS Spyder will start fourth overall and first in LMP2. Timo Bernhard's time of 1:45.220 (126.592 mph) was good enough to take the top spot in class by 0.79 seconds over the No. 6 sister car.

Bernhard will team with Romain Dumas, the duo returning to defend their 2007 Series class championship. They will join Emmanuel Collard behind the wheel this weekend.

"I am very happy to be back in the Series with the same team and teammate, the same number and car," Bernhard said. "This gives me a lot of trust to go into 2008. "We have the same tools to have the same success we had last year. It will be very hard to copy that because it was such a special season. Sebring is one of the toughest races but I have full trust in the people. We finished third and last year and it was a good way to start the season."

Bernhard and Dumas won eight times in LMP2 for Penske in 2007 with six of those overall victories. But the Penske team has come up short at Sebring since its first start here with the Porsche RS Spyder in 2006.

"This is the race we haven't won in the RS Spyder," Bernhard said. "But we have to also get points. That is the first goal. This track is quite rough; not only on the drivers but the car as well. If you can do consistent lap times throughout your stint, that is an advantage. I think we are in a good position where we can push if we need to. But in a 12-hour race you don't want to do that all the time."

The Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01b led the Acura contingent in the manufacturer's quest for a second straight P2 win at Sebring. Adrian Fernandez set the time of 1:46.029 (125.626 mph) in the entry he will share with Luis Diaz. The pairing finished third overall and second in their very first P2 race in 2007, trailing the Andretti Green Racing Acura for the class victory.

For the second straight year, Corvette Racing's No. 3 Corvette C6.R will start from the GT1 pole.

Corvette Racing's No. 3 Corvette C6.R will start from the GT1 pole for the second straight season thanks to Jan Magnussen's fast lap of 1:56.547 (114.562 mph) Thursday morning. The Dane beat out teammate Oliver Gavin by 0.389 seconds to claim the top spot in class.

Magnussen will team with Johnny O'Connell and Ron Fellows. Gavin will join Olivier Beretta and Max Papis, the defending class winners in the event.

"For us the week so far has been working on the race setup," said Magnussen, who qualified on the class pole for the 2007 race. "It has been very hard with the temperature. It doesn't look like it has been close to what it will be for the race. The qualifying setup was probably the closest we could have gotten. We tested sometime ago here with similar conditions and we used that to our advantage."

Antonio Garcia qualified Bell Motorsports' Aston Martin DBR9 third in class at 2:00.385. The team has suffered from lack of track time after having to repair the chassis on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Like Magnussen, Risi Competizione's Jaime Melo posted the fastest class lap for the second year in a row, his coming in GT2. The defending class winner and season champion was at 2:01.184 (109.916 mph) in the first of Risi's two Ferrari F430 GTs. Melo will team with Mika Salo, with whom he won at Sebring and captured the class championship, and Gianmaria Bruni.

Like Porsche in P2, Ferrari held the top two spots in class. Tafel Racing's Ferrari of Dirk Mueller, Dominik Farnbacher and Rob Bell was second at 2:01.800 (109.360 mph).

As close as the 0.6161-second gap seemed, it was bigger than Risi's winning margin in last year's race. Melo beat Flying Lizard JÃrg Bergmeister by 0.202 seconds in the closest finish in race history.

"We have always said we race against the best competition in the world in the GT2 class, and now the rest of the world knows exactly how close it is," Melo said. "This year I want to repeat the victory but with more margin."

Bergmeister was the first of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs in the No. 45 Flying Lizard Motorsports entry at 2:01.831 (109.332 mph). This is the first race for the revised Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

If trends count for anything, Melo and his mates are in a good spot. Melo has won six times starting from pole position including four times last year: Sebring, Road America, Mosport and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

"Everybody knows how different the track is with the temperature, so it's been very hard to set the car up," Melo said. "But the conditions have been very similar today so we did not change much. My best lap time, I missed the last turn so I could have been two or three tenths better. The car is just really good, and the race is the most important part."


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Toyotas President sets out challenges for 2008  
During 2008, Toyotas president has pledged to improve product quality and to continue expanding sales volumes. At a press conference organised by the Japan National Press Club, Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe yesterday acknowledged that the company is facing some tough challenges over the coming year.

Reporting his speech, Global Insights analyst Michael Wynn-Williams says for the company to expand further it may have to move more resources to overseas locations.After decades of steady growth, Toyota is now poised to take over from General Motors (GM) as the leading automotive manufacturer in the industry.

Last year, Toyota declared a global output of 9.498 million vehicles, up 5.3% from the previous year, while GM produced 9.284 million units. However, the inevitable delay between production and sales, especially relevant to Toyota, which exports much of its inventory over long distances, meant that Toyota was behind GM in terms of sales volumes. It sold 9,366,000 vehicles against GM's 9,369,524 vehicles. Although this meant that GM could claim to have been the world's top seller for 77 years, it seems almost certain that Toyota will dethrone GM in 2008.

However, as conceded by Watanabe, Toyotas global expansion has led to an erosion of the companys customary high standard of product quality. As reported by Associated Press, there has been no single cause for the decline, sources of defects ranging from product design to final assembly. In general, though, as the company has grown in size, its resources have come under increasing pressure, with more restrictive time constraints and a shortage of experts. For the time being, the company has maintained its recruitment rates, but this will become more difficult with the shrinking of the Japanese population.

Watanabe went on to warn against the rise of the so-called big company disease, an incipient sense of arrogance among the firms personnel. The resultant complacency has contributed to the fall in product quality, most conspicuously since 2006. The company has been forced to delay some product launches by as much as six months as problems are identified and resolved.

Watanabe also acknowledged that the worldwide economic difficulties present another challenge, but he is confident that there is no impending crisis. He stated that the U.S. market as a whole is founded on strong fundamentals, and that sales will remain at the same level as last year, at around 16.15 million vehicles. Indeed, he feels that Toyota has a broad enough product range to be able to exploit growing opportunities as the market shifts towards more fuel-efficient vehicles.

However, Toyota Motor Corp. has since confirmed to Automotive News that it will reduce output of its Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs in the U.S. in response to slow sales, albeit without laying off workers at either assembly plant.

Toyota is expecting its U.S. sales to grow by 1% during the year to about 2.64 million units. Taking a global view, Watanabe forecast that worldwide sales will rise by 10 million units over the next three years to 82 million vehicles. He expects 80% to 90% of the growth to come from emerging countries such as China.

Confidence in global automotive sales growth has been shaken by the economic setbacks centred on the US, with subsequent ramifications for vehicle sales. In the first two months of 2008 this has been borne out by U.S. sales volumes, which fell by 5.4% during the two-month period compared with the same period last year. Toyota has been part of the decline, losing 2.5% of its sales during the period, but since this is below the trend decline the company is encouraged enough to consider that its sales for the year will recover.

The recovery may be hampered, however, by the high value of the yen. Most of the companys expectations have been based on an exchange rate of ¥105:US$1, but this is becoming increasingly out of date, the latest figures showing that the yen has risen to within a short distance of ¥100:US$1. It has been estimated that for every ¥1 appreciation of the Japanese currency, Toyota loses ¥35 billion in operating profit.

This, notes Global Insight, will have a particular impact on sales of hybrid vehicles, since Toyota continues to retain the technology in Japan for export. It will also have an unfortunate effect on the recent decision to increase production of the Lexus range in Japan just as demand in the home market is falling, thus making the brand more dependent on overseas sales. In the long term, Toyota may have to consider moving more of its resources to overseas locations, says Mr Wynn-Williams.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

1-800-Radiator Announces Second Purchase in a Week of Automotive Radiator Business...  
BENICIA, Calif., -- 1-800-Radiator, an auto-parts distribution franchise and the largest independent auto parts distributor in the nation, today announced its second purchase in a week of an automotive cooling parts business with the acquisition of AAA Radiator Warehouse, in San Diego, CA. Earlier this week 1-800-Radiator announced the purchase of New York's two Tri-US Radiator locations.

"Our business is in growth mode," said Mike Rippey CEO of 1-800-Radiator. "We are expanding rapidly throughout the U.S. With the purchase of AAA Radiator and the Tri-US locations in New York, we strengthen our presence on both the east and west coasts."

For the past 29 years, AAA Radiator Warehouse was a family-owned and operated company with both retail and wholesale divisions. The retail side, Radiator Stores, Inc., and the wholesale side, AAA Radiator Warehouse had several locations throughout Southern California. At the time of sale, the company had 22 employees, many of which are being retained by 1-800-Radiator.

"1-800-Radiator franchises are a new way of doing business and are a departure from the big box large distribution service. By having owner-operators servicing targeted geographical areas, customers get a high level of personalized service," said AAA Radiator Warehouse's owner, Blair Laframboise.

Entrepreneur magazine recently named 1-800-Radiator as the 37th fastest-growing franchise in the nation in their Annual Franchise 500(R) rankings for 2008.

1-800-Radiator sells radiators, condensers, fan assemblies, gas tanks, heating cores, and other new automotive parts. In preparation for the summer months, many of 1-800-Radiator's franchise locations have started selling air conditioning parts. In almost all cases, the company provides same day delivery to customers at their businesses or homes within a few hours.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

Chancellor shuns biofuels, says Saab  
Jonathan Nash - MD of SAAB GB In response to the Chancellor's announcement that the fuel duty rebate for biofuels will expire from 2010 Jonathan Nash, Managing Director of Saab Great Britain, 'fears that the government has turned its back on biofuels.'

'I am deeply disappointed that the Chancellor has announced the removal of the fuel duty rebate for biofuels from 2010.' says Nash.'The lack of long term consumer incentives for the use of high blend biofuels is a clear indication of the Government turning its back on this technology.

'Although the Chancellor has stated he will encourage the development of sustainable biofuels by increasing the buy-out price for suppliers under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, we are fearful that this will do nothing to encourage the use of E85 and could drive up the cost of eco-friendly bioethanol E85 at the pump for the consumer.

'The UK continues to fall behind other European countries where a more generous package of incentives is encouraging consumers and fuel providers to embrace this exciting technology right now, and reduce the environmental impact of their new car purchase.'


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

Alfa Romeo Reveals New Entry-Level Mi.To  
MILAN, Italy After several months of heavy buildup, Alfa Romeo has finally unveiled its all-new Mini-fighting entry-level car. Called Mi.To, the stylish three-door hatchback is planned to make its public debut in June. It will hit European showrooms the following month at prices that are expected to start at around â‚16,000, or the current U.S. equivalent of just under $25,000. It will be sold exclusively in three-door hatchback form.

There is no word yet on whether the new model will form part of Alfa Romeo's return to the North American market in 2009, although officials say the Mi.To has been engineered with NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) crash-test procedures in mind.

The Mi.To is based on modified underpinnings from the front-wheel-drive Fiat Punto Abarth that appeared at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show earlier this month.

Much speculation had surrounded the name of the new car. Alfa ran a competition last year and came up with the name Furiosa. However, it was ultimately rejected on the grounds that consumers did not respond to it at all well in some key markets, leading to a last-minute decision to call it Mi.To. The name combines the first two letters of the Italian cities Milan and Turin (Torino), to mark the fact that Alfa Romeo was originally headquartered in the former and is now based in the latter, under the auspices of parent company Fiat.

The styling of the Mi.To draws heavily on that of the highly lauded 8C Competizione. Sources suggest the generously rounded look, credited to Frank Stephenson who was also responsible for the styling of the reincarnated Mini sets the tone for a whole new generation of Alfa Romeo models set to appear in the not-too-distant future, including next year's replacement for the 147.

Sitting on a 98.8-inch wheelbase, the new car stretches to around 159.8 inches in length, making it a good 14.2 inches longer than its main rival, the Mini. At the same time, it is 6.3 inches shorter than Alfa Romeo's current entry-level model, the 147.

Key design elements include a reinterpretation of the traditional Alfa Romeo shield grille, heavily contoured hood and prominent round headlamps at the front end. They are complemented by flared wheel arches, sheer unadorned doors and a distinctive upswept pillar treatment along the sides.

The rear, meanwhile, is characterized by an angled tailgate whose design clearly places greater emphasis on style than load-carrying concerns, distinctive round taillamps set within large chrome rings and a deep valance panel housing twin chromed tailpipes.

Alfa Romeo is planning to launch the Mi.To, known internally under the code name 955, with the choice of four turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines ranging in output from 90 to 155 horsepower. The Italian carmaker isn't prepared to go into great detail prior to the car's launch later this year, but insiders suggest the base engine is a 1.3-liter multijet diesel with a 1.4-liter gasoline engine topping the initial lineup.

Other more powerful engines are expected later including a heavily rumored 180-hp engine in a sporting GTA model, aimed directly at the highly successful Mini Cooper S.

Among the Mi.To's features will be a program that allows the driver to alter the characteristics of the engine, gearbox, steering and damping in three different steps: Dynamic, Normal and All Weather. Alfa Romeo also confirms that stability control will be standard on all models as part of a comprehensive safety package that it says will get the Mi.To top billing in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Alfa Romeo is remaining tight-lipped on production plans for the Mi.To. However, supplier sources tell Inside Line that annual estimates of 75,000 during the first full year of sales are "not too far wide of the mark." Still, it is no secret that the struggling Italian carmaker is seeking more in the longer term, as part of a broad-based recovery program that aims to provide it with annual volumes as high as 500,000 by the end of the decade.


Source : http://www.edmunds.com (3/14/2008)

Mercedes-Benz B-Class: Sports Tourer in better shape than ever  
STUTTGART, GERMANY - After three successful years, Mercedes-Benz has overhauled the design and engineering of the B-Class. The facelift programme focused on environmental compatibility, economic efficiency and comfort, with further advances being made in each of these areas. Thanks to a series of detailed improvements, the four-cylinder engines now burn up to seven percent less fuel than previously, and distinguish themselves with remarkably low exhaust emissions that undercut the current EU limits by as much as 90 percent. Mercedes-Benz has developed a new ECO start/stop function for the high-volume B 150 and B 170 models. This switches off the engine when stopped at traffic lights, for example, producing a fuel saving of up to nine percent in practical use. Additional new developments include the bi-fuel petrol/natural-gas drive in the B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY, along with active parking assist which helps drivers to both find a suitable parking spot, and then manoeuvre into it.

Since its market premiere in summer 2005, the B-Class has evolved into the blueprint for a new species of car which harmonises the benefits of various vehicle concepts: the four-door model boasts the dynamic design of a sporty saloon, the exterior dimensions of a compact car, the spaciousness of an estate, the versatility of a mini MPV and, of course, the trademark safety of a Mercedes-Benz.

The sales figures for the B-Class to date provide clear evidence that the Mercedes-Benz product planners hit the mark with a concept that caters to the motoring needs of today's sophisticated society: since mid-2005, over 325,000 motorists around the world have been won over by the Sports Tourer.

The restyled front end injects the B-Class with even more poise and assurance than before. This is primarily down to the radiator grille with its three chromed cross fins painted in metallic grey and the Mercedes star integrated into its centre. However, the more imposing appearance of the B-Class also stems from the new-look bumper whose design emphasises the large air intake at the bottom as well as the modified bonnet.

Design: restyled front end creates a powerful presence

This new design idiom makes the front look broad and, as a consequence, especially powerful, symbolising the sporty attributes of the B-Class even more clearly than before. Aside from power and performance potential, these qualities include the car's agility and its forwards thrust, something which is further underlined by the more pronounced arrow shape of the bonnet, radiator grille and bumper. This has the effect of making the entire front section appear to be surging dynamically forwards a highly expressive styling element of the current Mercedes design idiom, which can be appreciated better than ever before in the 2008 model year version of the B-Class. The front end's arrow shape is continued rearwards in the form of an understated but effective line running up the centre of the bonnet.

Typical distinguishing features of the current Mercedes style are also very much in evidence in the side profile of the B-Class, which presents a thrilling interplay between taut forms and crisp lines. Of particular note is the character line, which rises progressively from the front wing to the rear tail light, thereby marking an intriguing divide between the concave and convex-formed surfaces along the body's flanks. This line furthermore underscores the body's wedge-shaped form, and thereby gives added impact to the Sports Tourer's athletic, powerful nature.

In the 2008 model year B-Class, the design at the sides seems even more harmonious and elegant than before because the exterior mirror housings, door handles and skirt panels are now painted to match the body colour on all model variants. The restyled hubcaps and light-alloy wheels add further touches of class to the exterior looks.

The rear styling picks up on the dynamic flow of lines at the front and along the sides. A direct visual link is created by the tail light assemblies, whose upper edges merge seamlessly with the character line along the vehicle's sides. The tail lights sport a new high-brilliance look and draw the gaze to the large tailgate, which now comes with en ergonomically enhanced chrome handle strip. The rear bumper has been remodelled too, and includes a black-grained plastic insert on its upper face as standard which serves as a load sill guard. If the B-Class is specified with either the chrome or the sports package, this insert is made of polished stainless steel instead to add yet another gleaming highlight to the tail's design.

Interior: high-grade appointments with new upholsteries and trims

High-class appeal, attention to detail and a sense of ample spaciousness these qualities have always been intrinsic to the B-Class. The winning blend of forms, colours and materials teams up with the interior's roominess, the pleasant feel of all its surface materials and the expansive window areas to produce a most inviting ambience. This is helped by the high seating position which, incidentally, improves the driver's view of the vehicle too while the relatively high waistline fosters a sense of security without making the occupants feel confined in any way.

The Mercedes design team has further upgraded the interior with a new upholstery fabric, plus a new fabric pattern for the seat cushions. If the B-Class is ordered with the sports package, the side seat bolsters are trimmed in ARTICO man-made leather and the centre panels in fabric. The interior door linings likewise feature a new fabric trim.

The centre console continues to be bordered by trim strips on both sides, but they are now made from diagonally brushed aluminium in a smoke grey finish. The same, meticulously integrated trim is found again in the vicinity of the gearshift and in the door panelling, giving the interior an added sense of refinement. Such fine touches demonstrate just how much attention to detail has been invested in even the basic version of the B-Class, as well as the high standards to which it has been specified.

Diesel engines: fuel consumption reduced by a further seven percent

The B-Class continues to be available with a choice of six engines two direct-injection diesel units (80 kW/109 hp and 103 kW/140 hp) delivering up to 300 Newton metres of torque, as well as four petrol engines with a peak power output of up to 142 kW/193 hp and a maximum torque of 280 Newton metres. The four-cylinder power units have undergone a series of detailed improvements in order to further reduce fuel consumption. For the diesel models, this means that the combined NEDC fuel consumption of the B 180 CDI and B 200 CDI has dropped by as much as seven percent depending on tyre size to 5.2 - 5.4 and 5.4 - 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres, respectively. The two turbodiesel models will therefore be an even less seldom sight at the filling station from now on; the B 180 CDI can clock up over 1000 kilometres on a single tank of fuel (54 litres).

Petrol models: new fuel-saving ECO start/stop function

Depending on the model and engine output, the four petrol variants of the BClass return fuel consumption figures of between 6.6 and 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres on the NEDC driving cycle. From autumn 2008, motoring is set to become even more economical with the arrival of the B 150 and B 170 BlueEFFICIENCY models featuring the ECO start/stop function (optional). This newly developed function automatically switches the engine off when the driver shifts to neutral at low speed whilst depressing the brake pedal. If the criteria for stopping the engine are fulfilled, a special display appears in the instrument cluster to inform the driver.

The moment the clutch is pressed or the brake pedal released, the engine springs back to life almost noiselessly and in a fraction of a second. This ability to restart the engine swiftly yet smoothly gives the ECO start/stop function a key edge over other systems of this type. To achieve this, Mercedes-Benz fits a starter-generator which is connected to the crankshaft via the belt drive. This allows the engine to start much faster and far more quietly than with the conventional starter. During the journey, the starter-generator feeds the electrical system on board the B-Class with energy.

In practical operation, substantial fuel savings of up to nine percent can be achieved with the ECO start/stop function, particularly when driving in city traffic with frequent stops at traffic lights or in tailbacks.

Natural-gas drive: a clean and economical alternative

A further new addition to the B-Class range bears the initials "NGT" on the right-hand side of its tailgate. They stand for "Natural Gas Technology" and identify a model variant which is as economical as it is environmentally compatible, courtesy of its bi-fuel drive: the B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY is able to run on both natural gas and premium grade petrol while delivering an identical maximum output of 85 kW/116 hp.

In addition to the petrol tank, there are five natural gas reservoirs whose total capacity of 16 kilograms equates to a range of over 300 kilometres. With overall NEDC consumption figures of 7.3 litres of premium petrol and 4.9 kilograms of natural gas per 100 kilometres, the new B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY is therefore able to attain a total range in excess of 1000 kilometres. The driver determines which power source the engine is run on at the touch of a button using the multifunction steering wheel; an electronic control unit carries out the switch instantaneously without any jolts even while on the move.

The four-cylinder engine has been modified by Mercedes-Benz to include additional gas injectors on the underside of the intake manifold. A close-coupled pressure governor with electromagnetic shut-off valve regulates the supply of natural gas and keeps the pressure within the system constant.

The installation of the gas reservoirs, which are located in the rear and underneath the front passenger footwell, reduces the boot capacity of the B Class by 128 to 422 litres (as per the VDA measurement method), but there is still sufficient space for carrying a family's luggage.

The lower carbon dioxide emissions and cheaper fuel costs make natural gas an attractive alternative to petrol and diesel, both ecologically and economically speaking. On the NEDC cycle, the CO2 emissions are 17 percent lower than in the petrol-powered B 170 at 135 grams per kilometre. If the 4.9 kilograms (7.5 m³) of natural gas consumed per 100 kilometres by the new B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY is converted into the equivalent quantity of petrol energy, the fuel cost per kilometre is around 50 percent less than when running on petrol.

Environmental Certificate: first ever lifecycle assessment for NGT drive too

Mercedes engineers have, for the first time, compiled an eco balance sheet for the natural-gas drive. It forms one element of the Environmental Certificate awarded to the B-Class by Germany's TÃœV Technical Inspection Authority. Mercedes-Benz is the only automotive brand in the world to have been granted this certificate, which is based on the stringent international standard ISO 14062 "Design For Environment". It is a confirmation of the Stuttgart-based brand's total commitment to all aspects of environmental protection. In contrast to just the standardised measurement of exhaust emissions and fuel consumption on the roller dynamometer, Mercedes engineers analyse the environmental compatibility of vehicles over their entire lifecycle starting with their manufacture, continuing with their many years of use and finishing with their end-of-life disposal.

In all, over 40,000 individual processes come under scrutiny, whose analysis, computation and evaluation ultimately produce a comprehensive eco profile. This in turn forms the basis for the environmental certificate of the B-Class. The results of this integrated analysis over a total distance travelled of 150,000 kilometres highlight, for example, a number of clear advantages for the natural-gas drive. The overall CO2 emissions are some 20 percent below the figure for the comparable petrol-engined model. Nitrogen oxide emissions are eleven percent lower, while the experts have calculated a 54 percent difference in carbon monoxide emissions over the entire lifecycle in favour of the natural-gas drive. The greater ecological cost of the manufacturing process for the new B 170 NGT is therefore balanced out after a distance of 17,300 kilometres.

The environmentally driven concept of the B-Class is clearly evident from its use of high-quality recycled plastics, for instance, or its components made from natural materials, including flax, cotton, coconut fibre, wood veneer and fibres from the abaca banana.

Occupant protection: extensive safety features enhanced yet further

When it comes to safety, the B-Class sets an example for all other models of these dimensions to follow: in the European NCAP test programme, the Sports Tourer was awarded the highest rating of five stars.

The comprehensive safety specification, comprising two-stage front airbags, belt tensioners for the front and outer rear seats, belt force limiters plus active head restraints in the front, ISOFIX child seat attachment points and head/thorax sidebags, has now been complemented by the addition of crash-responsive emergency lighting in the passenger compartment. Following an accident of a predetermined severity, the lighting comes on automatically to allow the occupants to get their bearings more easily in the dark and expedite the work of the rescue services.

Active safety: flashing brake lights as warning to other motorists

Accident prevention is the overriding priority of the Mercedes safety concept a concept that is geared towards motoring reality. To help them bring critical situations under control safely and with ease, drivers of the B-Class can count on highly effective, standard-fit technology in the form of systems such as ABS, Brake Assist and ESPÂ(r). The Mercedes engineers have gone that little bit further though by seeking to devise a way of offering other motorists added safety too. The result is a simple but highly effective method of avoiding rear-end collisions: flashing brake lights. This safety technology is included as standard on the 2008 model year B-Class.

During testing, Mercedes engineers were able to ascertain that the braking reaction time of motorists is quickened by an average of 0.2 seconds if they see a flashing red warning signal instead of conventional brake lights in an emergency braking situation. This shortens the stopping distance by around 4.40 metres if they are travelling at a speed of 80 km/h, and by a whole 5.50 metres or so when braking from 100 km/h. Brake lights flashing at a high frequency therefore prove to be an effective means of alerting drivers behind to the risk of a rear-end collision.

The flashing brake lights are triggered automatically if the driver initiates emergency braking when travelling at a speed of 50 km/h or more. And if the BClass is braked to a stop from a speed of over 70 km/h, the hazard warning lights will come on too.

Assistance systems: automatic parking with ultrasound and electric steering

The Electronic Stability Program has been expanded to include a new, standard function: the automatic hill-start assist. This prevents the B-Class from rolling backwards as the driver switches from the brake to the accelerator pedal when starting off uphill. In such situations, the ESPÂ(r) briefly maintains the brake pressure to make pulling away easy. Reverse parking will also pose less of a challenge for motorists in future. The new active parking assist (optional) searches for an appropriate spot at the side of the road as the B-Class drives by, than takes care of all the steering manoeuvres as the driver reverses into it. How it works: at speeds below 35 km/h, ultrasonic sensors at the sides of the car scan the zones to the immediate left and right of the B-Class, and measure the length and depth of any potential parking spaces. Once a suitable spot has been found, the system flashes up a message in the display to inform the driver. When the driver engages reverse, confirms the display and presses the accelerator, the active parking assist takes over the steering and automatically manoeuvres the BClass into the space. All the driver has to do is operate the accelerator and brake; the PARKTRONIC system's ultrasonic sensors provide further assistance by indicating how much room there is in front of and behind the B-Class.

To be able to use the automatic parking feature, the parking spot only has to be 1.30 metres longer than the B-Class an indication of the technology's tremendous precision. The newly developed assistance system comprises a total of ten ultrasonic sensors in the front and rear bumper, as well as an electronic control unit that processes the sensor signals and calculates the best path to take into the parking space. This information is supplied to the electromechanical power steering in the BClass, enabling its electric motor to perform the necessary steering movements.

Infotainment: new systems for digital listening pleasure and Europe-wide navigation

It is not just the spacious interior, the high-grade materials and the standard automatic climate control that make the B-Class such a pleasure to travel in: the new generation of infotainment systems has an important role to play too. There are four different options to choose from: Audio 5, Audio 20, Audio 50 APS and the COMAND APS. All units from the Audio 20 upwards incorporate a radio with dual tuner, colour display, Bluetooth interface for mobile phones, CD player, automatic volume adjustment, plus a connection for external audio devices in the glove compartment.

The Audio 50 APS additionally features a Europe-wide DVD-based navigation system and DVD player, while the top-of-the-range COMAND APS offers even more functions, including the even faster HDD navigation system, the Music Register, a slot for SD memory cards as well as voice control.

To cater for motorists who have their personal music compilations stored on an MP3 player, a USB stick or any other external audio device, Mercedes-Benz has developed an interactive media interface. It can be specified as an option and allows iPod & Co. to be linked up to the Sports Tourer's infotainment system. This has the advantage of allowing the external audio devices to be operated by simply using the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel, while the track titles are shown in both the instrument cluster and the centre console's colour display.

The sophisticated infotainment systems may be optionally combined with the "Logic 7" surround sound system , which transforms the passenger compartment of the B-Class into a concert hall on wheels.


Source : http://www.theautochannel.com (3/14/2008)

Cray joins Stuttgart Automotive Simulation Centre  
The supercomputer manufacturer Cray Inc.s German subsidiary has joined the Automotive Simulation Centre Stuttgart (ASCS), a public-private partnership aimed at advancing the automotive industry through high-performance computing.

Comprising software designers, scientists and researchers and OEMs, ASCS will combine the expertise of scientists and industry representatives with supercomputing technologies to conduct research aimed at developing new safer, lower-emitting cars with greater efficiency and shorter time to market.

ASCS members include the High Performance Computing Centre Stuttgart at the University of Stuttgart in Germany, Porsche, Daimler and Opel and software vendors ABAQUS, Altair Engineering, DYNAmore, Engineous Software and INTES, among others.


Source : http://www.autoindustry.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Can't Pinch Me ... I'm in a Zipcar!  
CHICAGO, -- This St. Patrick's Day, Zipcar goes "greener" by participating in the 2008 Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 15, both with its own entry and a sponsorship of the Illinois Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Through its sponsorship, Zipcar will be transporting a leukemia/lymphoma survivor down the parade route as part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's parade entry. Zipcar's entry will feature a Toyota Prius hybrid and a Mini Cooper convertible, along with five, fun street team members offering information about how easy it is to join Zipcar.

Every Chicagoan wants to be a little green on St. Patrick's Day. Zipcar, the world's largest car sharing service, wants to help them be green on the 364 other days too. With all of the significant, positive environmental impacts of car sharing, Zipcar makes it easy to be un-pinchably green every day of the year.

"Each Zipcar put on the road replaces 15 personally owned vehicles. Members give up their private cars, drive less, and walk, bike and use public transit more often. It doesn't get much greener than that," said Steve Bishop, General Manager of Zipcar Chicago. "This year we have also partnered with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to celebrate their important work and to support their cause."

There are currently more than 250 Zipcars in 100 Chicago locations. Vehicles are available in a range of sizes -- wee enough for a leprechaun and big enough for Brian Boru. Cars start at $9.25 per hour (or as low as $7.75 per hour with Zipcar's Extra Value Plan), and all reservations include 180 free miles, plus gas and insurance.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

The Work Truck Show(R) 2008 Draws Thousands with New Products, Hybrid Trucks and...  
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., -- Thousands of professionals gathered at The Work Truck Show 2008 in Atlanta, GA, Feb. 26-28, to take advantage of the unparalleled opportunity to examine and compare the latest developments in vocational trucks and equipment, explore new hybrid and alternative fuel technology and learn from industry experts.

The Work Truck Show is North America's largest vocational truck event. It is produced annually by the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA). The Work Truck Show 2008 was held in conjunction with the 44th Annual NTEA Convention at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Convention and educational sessions opened Feb. 25.

More than 7,200 professionals attended the business-focused event. Attendees included representatives of some of North America's largest work truck fleets, truck equipment distributors/upfitters, manufacturers and truck dealers.

A record 538 exhibitors covered more than 450,000 square feet of display space at the show with trucks, components and accessories. New and updated products could be found in every aisle, as more than 100 were highlighted at the event.

Show attendees voted Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products the winner of The Work Truck Show 2008 New Product Innovation Award for its mobile workspace shelving, storage areas, rugged docking stations and vehicle mounts featuring eCoupled(TM) technology. Leggett's use of eCoupled technology transforms ordinary vehicle work and storage surfaces into wireless charging centers, eliminating the need for portable charging devices and electrical outlets.

"The Work Truck Show 2008 was a great success," says Jim Carney, NTEA executive director. "The size and scope of the show floor, cutting-edge educational sessions and new product and technology launches were unmatched. It is a testament to the effectiveness of the event that demand for exhibit space at the Work Truck Show 2009 is incredibly high."

Hundreds of attendees kicked off the event by participating in the Hybrid Truck and Alternative Fuels Summit on Feb. 25. The Honorable Clarence H. "Bud" Albright, Jr., under secretary, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), gave an informative keynote address, followed by presentations from a number of industry leaders, manufacturers and customers.

Over the next two days, attendees drove 14 of the latest hybrid and alternative fuel commercial vehicles as part of the Hybrid Truck and Alternative Fuels Ride-and-Drive. Additional hybrid and alternative fuel technologies and products were displayed in the Advanced Truck Technology Pavilion.

The new Modec electric truck was selected by trade media editors as the most innovative product to debut at the show. The truck, which generates zero emissions, has a 4,400 lb. load capacity and a range in excess of 100 miles on a single charge, won The Work Truck Show 2008 Editors' Choice Award for New Product Innovation.

Many exhibitors have already reserved their booth space for next year's show, and remaining space is selling quickly. The Work Truck Show 2009 will occupy the new West Building at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, March 4-6, 2009 (45th Annual NTEA Convention starts March 3).

Online registration opens in September. For more information, call 1-800-441-NTEA (6832), or visit www.ntea.com.


Source : http://www.automotive.com (3/14/2008)

Ibiza Ecomotive still road tax-free  
The SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive

SEAT's 'green' champion, the new Ibiza Ecomotive, is one of the few winners in Alistair Darling's first Budget as, despite significant increases in Vehicle Excise Duty, it remains road tax-free from 27 October.

The ultra-low emission supermini, which produces just 99 g/km of CO2 and is capable of 88.3 mpg, is one of a handful of conventional-engined cars to entirely escape the Chancellor's grasp.

While Band G cars now face a withering £400 annual road tax fee, the Ibiza Ecomotive's ongoing position in the lowest Band A category sees it continue to duck the taxman.

Based on the Ibiza Reference Sport 1.4 TDI, the Ecomotive uses a variety of developments to make small but important incremental improvements in economy and emissions which, together, add up to a road tax-busting car.

New software is added to the characterful three cylinder powerplant's ECU, while particulate emissions are further reduced thanks to the addition of a state-of-the-art Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).Ratios in the Ecomotive's slick five-speed manual gearbox are lengthened, too, making for both more relaxed cruising and improved economy.

This Ibiza is also more slippery through the air, with a Cd (coefficient of drag) figure of 0.30, compared with Cd 0.315 for the standard 1.4 TDI model while special low rolling resistance 14" tyres from Dunlop help reduce road friction.


Source : http://www.newcarnet.co.uk (3/14/2008)

Fiat unveils Palio Stile  
Mumbai, Fiat India launched the latest Palio Stile with multi-jet diesel engine at Mumbai. The Palio Stile is the latest car from Fiat’s stable in India which is currently available in two petrol versions — 1.1L and 1.6L Sport. The company, a joint venture between Fiat and Tata Motors, is simultaneously strengthening the Tata-Fiat network of dealers. The three variants of Palio Stile are priced between Rs 4,37,960 and Rs 4,77, 968 (ex-showroom Delhi). The car will be a vailable in Tata-Fiat showrooms by mid-March, said a company release here.


Source : Business Line (Online Edition) (3/14/2008)