Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. Next week, the inner circle of the powertrain engineering world convenes at the Vienna Engine Symposium. I expect this year's meeting will again be exciting, as further advances in the internal combustion engine could render the complex and expensive efforts at electrification futile. Professor Hans-Peter Lenz from Vienna, who leads the Symposium, takes delight in the fact that "the EV hype is over and has been replaced by fact-based reporting." He states that "every new engine generation achieves gains of about 20 percent in terms of efficiency, emissions, and power. This means that the efficiency of conventional powertrains grows at a higher rate than the progress of electric powertrains." Moreover, the argument that fossil-fuel supplies will run out within our lifetimes seems to be solidly demolished by the advent of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technology. (And oil is still going to be around as well.) At a recent BMW event, a German engineer roundly dismissed the hydraulic tech: "Fracking is not the way." But this seems to be a specifically German perspective. It is the same country that's shutting down perfectly good nuclear power stations without consulting its neighbors—because of a tsunami in Japan. Speakers in Vienna will include Daimler's R&D chief Thomas Weber, his BMW counterpart Herbert Diess, and Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn. Their appearance promises to provide rare insight in technological and corporate strategies. I am looking forward to this as an absolute highlight of the automotive year. A New Unimog Daimler is launching a face-lifted version of its Unimog truck, a commercial vehicle with both a cult-like following and unsurpassed off-road capabilities. (The former partly due to the latter.) The next Unimog will meet Euro-6 emissions regulations, it receives an upgraded electronics architecture, and revised styling inside and out. We will even see a huge, Mercedes-Benz SL–inspired grill grace the 'Mog's front end; testing is underway in Scandinavia. Sporty Volvo Chinese-owned Volvo is serious about launching its Polestar high-performance line, and the S60 Polestar is the first full-on Polestar model to make it into dealerships. It is powered by a version of Volvo's ubiquitous turbocharged straight-six, tweaked to produce 350 horsepower at 5700 rpm. That is 50 horsepower more than the regular S60 T6 and 25 more than the S60 T6 R-Design. Maximum torque is rated at "over 368″ lb-ft from 2800 to 4750 rpm. To squeeze out the extra power, Volvo has replaced the S60′s turbocharger and intercooler with bigger units and installed a free-flow exhaust system. The sedan's Aisin-supplied six-speed automatic is unchanged. But Volvo has upgraded the chassis and brakes, as well as the aerodynamics. Despite its merits, I deplore that fact that the production S60 Polestar's 350 horsepower are a far cry from the 508 ponies galloping under the hood of last year's S60 Polestar concept. Unfortunately, the S60 Polestar is being limitied to the Australian market as a "pilot project." I think that a sporty Volvo is almost a no-brainer for any market, given the brand's rich racing heritage that reached a high point with the PV544 and the Amazon, but continued throughout the 1970s and '80s with high-powered versions of the 240. It would be great to have the Polestar models in Europe and America (and China, of course). A Cheap Convertible Fiat is practically giving away the roofless 500C cabrio in Europe. The special-edition 500 Sole costs the same with the panoramic roof as it does with the sliding fabric top. (Typically, convertibles cost more than their hardtop counterparts.) Based on the previous-generation Panda, the 500 has been on the market in Europe for almost six years—it still looks cheerful and has aged well, but it's no longer the new kid on the block. Perhaps that is the reason for the price parity between the topless and hardtop 500s.
Schaeffler's Hub Motor German supplier Schaeffler is introducing a new generation of electric wheel hub motors, which could bring about revolutionary changes in vehicle architecture. That is, if E-mobility prevails against the general headwinds I mentioned above. Showcased in an engine-less Ford Fiesta, Schaeffler fitted the little Ford with two 45-horsepower rear wheel hub motors. For brief sprints, up to 55 horsepower per wheel can be summoned. Each wheel weighs a whopping 117 lbs—that means more than 117 pounds of unsprung weight at each rear corner—which makes a compelling case against low-section tires. In one compact package, the wheel hub motor houses the stator, the rotor, the power electronics, the brakes, and the wheel bearings. One of the potential advantages is if the hub motors are on a steerable wheel, theoretically the wheels can be turned 90 degrees to facilitate extremely tight parking, since there are no half shafts in the way. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com | |||
| |||
| |||
|
Friday, April 19, 2013
The Continental: Professor Lenz on EVs, Schaeffler’s Hub Motor, and Product News
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Archive
-
▼
2013
(7180)
-
▼
April
(593)
- Crapcan Central: We Drive Seven of the Worst Cars ...
- 100th Anniversary of Ford’s Assembly Line: How It ...
- Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 182
- Robert Brockway: Car Jousting—It’s Not Just For Gl...
- Engine Downsizing, For Reals: The 6.09-Cubic-Inch,...
- Dissected: In-Depth with the Updated 2014 Bentley ...
- 2012 Fiat 500 Sport Long-Term Wrap: America Is an ...
- 'Couldn't See the Sign' Is Top Excuse for Cops
- 2014 Acura RLX “Luxury, Luxury” Commercial: They W...
- Price Cuts in the Sports-Sedan Aisle: 2014 Lexus I...
- Infiniti Looks at Platform-Sharing GT Coupe and Fl...
- 2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: First Drive
- 2013 Toyota RAV4 Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick Status
- First Official 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class Photo Ap...
- GM Expands Safety Alert Seat to 2014 Sierra Lineup
- Next 911 Turbo Abandons The Manual
- 2013 Toyota Sienna Video
- Piston Slap: Fix my Bro-Ham, Sanjeev!
- Ex-Ford CEO Says Australian Car Industry Is Dead
- GM Prepares A Barrage Of New Cars, Hopes To Right ...
- Review: 2012 Nissan Sentra
- Fathers, Sons, Apples and Trees
- Junkyard-Found Chevy Tribal Sticker Leads To New M...
- Residual Value Miracle Aston Martin To Fetch Millions
- Even Back Home In Korea, Lying About Gas Mileage C...
- Analysts Predict Very Strong April Sales
- Winterkorn Not Worried About Billion Euro Porsche ...
- 2014 Mazda6: Second Take
- Airbags, Tailgates Are Targets Du Jour for Thieves
- Latest Harebrained LeMons Scheme: It’s A K Car, Pa...
- America’s Next Top Bubble: Delinquencies Down, Dea...
- Best Selling Cars Around The Globe: How Chinese br...
- New or Used? : The Blasphemy Of Accountancy Edition
- Hyundai’s Offensive “Pipe Job” Commercial Was Pull...
- 2014 Toyota 4Runner: Kickin’ It Body-On-Frame Style
- Kia Style: 2014 Kia Forte Sedan 2.0L Automatic Tested
- Name That Shifter, No. 126
- Media Reporting Tesla Model S As Plug-In Sales Cha...
- Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Jeep Wrangler and Unlimited
- Lexus Prices 2014 IS
- Really, Infotainment Isn’t So Bad
- “Skipping the Ignition Spark to Fire the Points” –...
- Monday Longevity Champion: Long Live The Leylands!
- 2014 Toyota 4Runner: First Look
- Recall Alert: 2013 Nissan Altima
- Recall Alert: 2012-2013 Honda Fit
- 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe: First Drive
- Review: 2013 Chrysler 300 SRT8 (Video)
- Boston Marathon Bomber’s Deadly Mistake: He Took A...
- Open Mouth, Insert Jackboot: Daimler Insults Its C...
- ATS Coupe, New Escalade On The Way
- Mercedes-Benz Confirms Diesel For C-Class – In 2 Y...
- China Cracks Down On Military Plate Abuse
- How to Remove A Sticker From Your Car
- Why Luxury Sales Could Thrive in 2013
- America’s Top Suzuki Dealer Switches To Subaru
- Opel Abandons Bochum Completely
- Piston Slap: Just Bought It, Now Gotta Sell It!
- 34th Aannual Association Of Handcrafted Automobile...
- Sunday At The Drive-In
- What Makes An Enthusiast These Days
- Most-Read Car Reviews of the Week
- The Other Jim Russell
- Cop Drives Classic Cop Car: 1972 Ford Galaxie 500
- Building The Right Car At The Right Time
- Most-Watched Videos of the Week
- Topless Hedonism: BMW M6, Porsche 911, Mercedes SL...
- Alfa Romeo Weighing Options for Next MiTo, Wants t...
- Volkswagen Golf MkVII Gets R Line Treatment—At Lea...
- Despite Warning Signs, Fed Kept Money Flowing to F...
- Car Redux
- The Continental: Greetings from Vienna with BMW, H...
- 2014 Chevrolet Stingray Coupe and Convertible Pric...
- 2013 Honda Civic Video
- C7 ‘Vette Just $2,000 More Than Outgoing Model
- Akerson Gets Millions More In Cash To Grease His Exit
- 2014 Corvette Gets Modest Price Bump
- Fiat 500XL Forgot Its Epi-Pen
- Volkswagen Announces 10-Speed Dual-Clutch Automati...
- Recall Alert: 2014 Subaru Forester
- QOTD: What Is The Most Misunderstood Vehicle On Th...
- Where Is Currency Manipulation When We Need It: Ja...
- Hyundai Creates Killer Ad, Does Not Want You To Se...
- Cars.com Family Reviews the 2013 Lexus RX 450h
- Junkyard Find: 1992 Dodge Shadow America
- Review: 2013 Dodge Avenger SE
- Nissan Micra Solves Renault’s Labor Problems
- Fisker Edges Closer to Bankruptcy as New Details E...
- Geely & Detroit Electric Announce Strategic Partne...
- Spring Showers Bring Summer Tires Back to Our Suba...
- Formula Golf Cart: The Twizy Renault Sport F1 Conc...
- NHTSA’s Distracted Driving Guidelines Actually Mat...
- 2014 Cadillac ATS Coupe Spy Photos: Fewer Doors, t...
- What Price Mediocrity? Well, the 2014 Nissan Versa...
- Fiat Group Developing V-8 Turbo-Diesel for Global ...
- Convertible Comparo: 2013 VW Beetle Turbo vs. 2013...
- Spark Ranger: 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV EPA Range, E...
- In Bid for More Global Appeal, Lexus Emphasizing D...
- Cars.com Reviews the 2013 Lexus LS 600h
- Fitch, Moody’s, Stand Alone As Subprime ABS Skeptics
-
▼
April
(593)
No comments:
Post a Comment