Autoblog

Click on the image above for more shots of the 2WD BMW concept bike

A rider needs to be just a bit off their rocker to have any chance of winning a European hill climbing event, but some really effective machinery can make the task slightly easier. With that in mind, BMW, long considered to be a rather staid and proper bike manufacturer, has gone off the deep end by creating a two-wheel drive off-road hill climbing machine. Powered by slightly modified version of the parallel twin engine used in the German marque's F800 and new GS machines, the liquid cooled mill should offer nearly one-hundred horsepower to both wheels. Getting that power to the ground in front is what appears to be a hydraulic pump and motor system mounted to the beefy front forks. Spinning forces originate from a dual sprocket with chains leading to the rear axle and up into the bodywork.

With dedicated racing machinery like this and the new 450cc four-stroke dirt bike project, BMW is most definitely leaving its mild roots behind. Unfortunately, no production plans are currently in the works for the impressive hill climbing bike, though we look forward to seeing what else comes from the fertile minds at BMW Motorrad.


[Source: The Biker Gene]

"The poor man's Audi S4." That's what Motor Trend is tentatively dubbing the Ford Fusion GT, an EcoBoost-powered, SVT-massaged version of the automaker's staid sedan. According to the buff book, Ford will equip the Fusion GT with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, producing around 340 hp, still short of the engines 415 hp capabilities. Instead of trying to shovel that much grunt through the front wheels, Ford will tap Haldex to supply a part-time all-wheel-drive system to aid grip and limit torque steer, and it's possible that a paddle-shifted six-speed auto 'box could be part of the package.

The Fusion GT would be the fourth model to benefit from Ford's line of EcoBoost engines, which currently power the Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex and forthcoming Lincoln MKR. Four-cylinder versions are in the pipeline and are expected to power the entry-level Fusion in 2010, along with a high-performance version of the Focus and another version of the Edge crossover. EcoBoosted sixes are also rumored to be motivating Ford's downsized F100 pickup, but according to MT, a blown V6 for the next Mustang is on hold.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi metroproject quattro Concept.

Buyers of the next generation of Volkswagen-developed small cars will have one more option box to tick when placing their order: all-wheel-drive. The new platform, dubbed PQ25, will find its way underneath a handful of new models, spanning the range from the low-end (SEAT), mid-grade (VW) and luxury (Audi). All-wheel-drive won't be an option for the new SEAT Ibiza, but consumers of the next VW Polo (specifically the CrossPolo) might be able to outfit their tiny runabout with AWD, while the Audi A1, due out in late 2009, will continue the automaker's love affair with quattro.


[Source: Automotive News – sub. req'd]

The Swedish engineers at Haldex can finally add an Asian automaker to the ever-expanding list of companies using the firm's all-wheel-drive systems. Haldex currently supplies systems to the entire Volkswagen consortium (from Audi to Bugatti), as well as Land Rover and Volvo. Additionally, the Haldex XWD system that's finding its way into Saabs will likely spread across much of the GM range in the future. That same AWD setup is the basis for a system that will be employed on some Hyundai models in the coming years.

Haldex announced the partnership late last week when it received a prototype order from Hyundai, which includes the development and installation of the fourth generation "Limited Slip Coupling" and electronic LSD. The XWD system has the ability to sense a loss of traction and then distribute power to either the front or rear axle and on to an individual wheel.

There's no word on what vehicle will be used as a drivetrain guinea pig during testing, but the smart money is on some form of SUV or large sedan.

[Source: Trading Markets]

The F-16 is inherently unstable and cannot fly without computerized nannies to keep it aloft. As AWD systems in cars get more complex and can do more things more quickly, one wonders if there will come a time when we'll be absolutely unable to drive without gizmos to make sure rubber stays on road. Torque vectoring is the next step in AWD, its contribution being that it can get power to any wheel nearly instantly without having to use the brakes or cut power.

Most current AWD control wheelspin by braking a spinning wheel or cutting the power from the engine. Torque vectoring is achieved by using redesigned differentials that can distribute power to the wheel or wheels that have traction. That means that wheels don't need to be stopped, and even better, you won't suffer from a sudden loss of power as you're negotiating an unexpected loss in traction. The systems in use now or being developed work on FWD, RWD, and AWD cars, and can get power to any wheel or combination of wheels. Ricardo's system can do so in a tenth of a second.

We drove Acuras with SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) earlier this year on an ice track in Montreal, and the difference is remarkable. Where other SUV's stopped in the middle of an icy corner either due to braking or power loss, the Acuras maintained their lines almost at speed. Mitsubishi has used the technology for almost a decade now on its Lancer Evolutions, and Audi and BMW will be joining the party later this year with new systems from Ricardo and ZF.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

Official word has yet to come down from on high, but it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Infiniti G37 will eventually get AWD hardware. Potential buyers are asking dealers, who are in turn asking Infiniti about channeling the VQ's urge through all four wheels. The M45 and G35S will both be gaining AWD in the near future, so it does bode well for the possibility of a G37x. Official statements are vague about any actual developments, other than to say "it's reasonable to expect it may happen." It's also reasonable to assume that Infiniti's watching the competition like BMW and Audi proliferating AWD euro-luxers, and they'd be remiss to neglect offering the same capabilities.

[Source: Inside Line]

Click on the photo for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Saab 9-3 convertible

The crew at AutoCar in jolly old England recently had a first crack at the updated 2008 Saab 9-3 and they've published their initial impressions. They mainly got to play with the flex-fuel 2.0L turbo four, which will probably be the base engine when the new Saab arrives on our shores. In Europe, the 9-3 will also be available with the 2.8L turbo V-6 and a twin turbo 1.8L diesel. Unfortunately, we probably won't get the diesel here.

The Brits were also impressed by the new XWD all-wheel-drive system that uses a combination of the latest Haldex center differential and an electronic limited slip differential in the rear axle to instantly distribute the drive torque away from slipping wheels to the ones that have grip in a smooth, seamless transition. Check out the rest of AutoCars driving impressions here.

[Source: AutoCar]

Our friends over at the Authority of all things Motored came across an interesting interview with Soichiro Okudaira, a Toyota technician, who maintains that the next Corolla may have a large enough engine bay to fit a 3.5-liter V6. The idea is being batted around ToMoCo's executive washroom, along with the possibility of offering an all-wheel-drive variant of Toyota's compact sedan.

AWD-equipped Corollas (named the Auris in other parts of the world) are nothing new, as they've been offered in Japan before, but aside from the Corolla 4Trac of yesteryear, we haven't had an AWD option for some time (Matrix excluded). Okudaira says that more R-and-D is necessary, as the rear wheel setup still has to be augmented to accept the new drivetrain components.

European buyers will surely get a diesel version when the new Corolla is released, while those of us in the U.S. are destined to get a petrol-powerplant. If the V6 gets the green light, Motor Authority expects the new Corolla to be launched in the States later this year.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf.nl via Motor Authority]

Following on the heels of the successful AWD adaptation of the Chrysler Pacifica, Borg Warner has been tapped once again to outfit the Sebring and Avenger models with all-wheel motiviation. The Borg will supply the hardware as well as the electronic controls and support for integrating the system with the rest of the platform. BW has a line of products specifically aimed at adapting AWD to front-drive platforms. Known as iTrac, the suite of products is designed to interface with stability and traction control systems. With everything working in concert, the Interactive Torque Management (ITM 3e©) system is designed to offer the sure-footed dynamics of an AWD chassis with no fuel economy penalty. At highway speeds, power transfer to the rear wheels is reduced, lowering friction and allowing for better fuel economy.

Whether or not AWD is entirely necessary (a full suite of four snow tires and a prudent driver are often nearly as effective) remains to be seen, but it is popular. With the buying public being sold on AWD as a safety feature, it benefits manufacturers when they can offer it on more of their models, and it's a further benefit when the platform doesn't need much re-engineering for the extra hardware.

UPDATE: PRNewswire has issued a correction stating that the release should not have specified the Chrysler Sebring at all. The news applies only to the Dodge Avenger.

[Source: Borg Warner via prnewswire - Sub Req'd]