Freightliner debuts RunSmart Predictive Cruise Control originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For ALPINA, simply substituting a larger engine for added performance is considered alien. Instead, the German automaker prefers to "maximize the sporting potential of existing units." With that in mind, ALPINA has tweaked the twin-turbo diesel powerplant from the BMW 123d and dropped it under the hood of the BMW ALPINA D3 Bi-Turbo Coupe. With a new output of 214 hp, and 330 lb.-ft. of torque, the coupe will hit 62 mph in 6.9 seconds as it accelerates towards its top speed of 152 mph. Best of all, and the modus operandi behind the eco-friendly sports car, the ALPINA D3 squeezes out a combined EU fuel economy rating of 52.3 mpg with a stick shift (50.4 mpg with an automatic). Before you go running down to your neighborhood BMW dealer, we'll remind you that the ALPINA D3 will only be sold overseas with a base price starting at £32,950 (about $64,500)

[Source: Alpina]

Continue reading Alpina reveals new D3 Bi-Turbo Coupe

Alpina reveals new D3 Bi-Turbo Coupe originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In an effort to expose the underreported truth behind the government's corporate average fuel economy ratings (CAFE) and to define more accurate fuel economy estimates, the team over at Cars.com has created their own True Mileage Index. The consumer website points out the flaw behind CAFE is that the adjusted calculations misrepresent the numbers posted on new car windows, and the actual fuel economy consumers will realize on the road (e.g., although Honda earned a 2007 CAFE rating of 33.5 mpg, no Honda has a combined mileage of better than 31 mpg). Like the CAFE calculation, the True Mileage Index analyzes a number of factors. However, Cars.com places more weight on actual sales volume, and less on alternative fuels (like E85). Their math places Honda's True Mileage Index at a more realistic 24.9 mpg. In a nutshell, don't get overly excited when you hear that the 2020 CAFE number is going to be 35 mpg -- it's likely to only increase your future vehicle's actual fuel economy by a few mpg.

[Source: Cars.com]

Cars.com creates True Mileage Index to debunk CAFE originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hyundai aiming to lose weight, increase efficiency by 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 May 2008 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mercedes mulling blown four-cylinder for C-Class in the States originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nanotech research stumbles on homemade hydrogen originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading MIT helps Ford apply pressure

MIT helps Ford apply pressure originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Let's get cracking! Cerberus green-lights a slew of Pentastar projects originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BMW 5-series gets regenerative braking, but not why you think originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Jan 2007 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Are these things really worth it? - What if you made a regular car with all the tricks of a Prius?

Are these things really worth it? - What if you made a regular car with all the tricks of a Prius? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Dec 2006 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just a decade ago, engine management was a relatively simple affair. Spark advance and fuel injection quantities were the key parameters, and the determination of both was a relatively simple matter of determining engine speed and load and using those values to index a lookup table. Nowadays, however, technology to improve power, drivability, and fuel consumption - such as variable valve timing and lift, intake tuning, and variable displacement - have greatly complicated the task of calibrating an engine control unit (ECU).

Steve Magner from Ford was at the 2006 SAE Convergence electronics show to speak on this topic and discuss what steps might be taken in the future to improve engine performance and decrease time-to-market. He used the term "high degree of freedom" (HDOF) to describe the typical modern powerplant, and explained that the table-based method ("full factorial mapping") of calibrating ECUs has basically reached its limit. Where as it's desirable to complete the calibration of a new engine in about four months, a HDOF engine currently requires up to 15 months to fully define in the laboratory. In one example, developing just the timing maps for the EPA' s fuel economy test cycle involved 630 states of operation and three months of time on the dyno. Design-of-experiment techniques can be developed to simplify the mapping process, but at the cost of effectiveness - over 25% of a new technology's potential benefit can be lost via incomplete mapping efforts.

Ultimately, the solution proposed by Magner is the direct monitoring of combustion quality, with closed-loop feedback constantly working to optimize the various operation parameters. The two technologies currently being explored are pressure measurement and ion detection schemes, with the former being easier to implement but the latter perhaps being more cost-effective (indeed, Saab has used such a technique for quite some time, albeit with significantly reduced functionality than what is being discussed here). Variations between each cylinder will require that each carry its own sensor, and the required resolution (with data collected for each degree of crankshaft rotation) requiring computational horespower beyond that provided by modern ECUs. Systems based on digital signal processors (DSPs) may be of some use to make sense of all this data and react quickly enough during transients.

[Source: Ford]

SAE Convergence 2006: The difficulty in implementing effective engine management systems originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• a new welding system that dramatically cuts the cost of jigs and tooling
• a "set parts system" that delivers a kit of parts for each vehicle so line workers don't have to sort through parts bins for the right part
• new stamping presses that use servo-motors to replace hydraulics, combined with high-speed delivery robots
• a new paint process that eliminates the need to dry the base coat, plus faster electro-static rust-coating.

Toyota raising the bar in manufacturing efficiency originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.