Came across this interesting article in the Mini blog about a modified Mini - the Mini Trac at Wilkes Antarctic Base in 1965 .
Appearance Improvements for Your Vehicle
Every driver has a vested interest in keeping his or her vehicle in the best-looking shape possible. Whether it’s for keeping up appearances or prepping the vehicle for resale to a potential buyer or a used car dealer, the way a car looks matters. If you are unsatisfied with the current condition of your car’s exterior, consider pursuing several of the following upgrade ideas, many of which may help enhance the aesthetics of your vehicle. After all, if you’re going to be caught driving something on the road, you want it to be something that makes a positive impression at first glance.
Lighting
Poor lighting may be dangerous when driving, but it can also be disastrous to a car’s appearance. Cars with dim headlights and broken tail lights don’t inspire much confidence for potential buyers, and they can make a car appear prematurely older than it actually is. From yellowing headlight casings to malfunctioning tail light bulbs, you’ll want to replace any car lighting components that can cause a dent to your vehicle’s reputation. For easy headlight upgrades, try HID headlights, which can be customized by color and which also shine much brighter than a typical halogen headlight array. For tail light modifications, go with bold and modern LEDs.
Grille
The front grille on a car may be a rather small component in comparison to much larger pieces on the car’s exterior, but the grille is the focus of many people’s attention as they pass by your car. That’s because the grille sits front and center on your car, making it a pristine visual centerpiece when properly cared for. If your car’s front grille has been damaged in an accident, or simply just hasn’t aged well, you can replace it with plastic, billet or stainless steel grilles.
Windows
Windows that are scratched up, cracked, or just really dirty (dirty to the point where taking the car through a car wash isn’t enough to clean them) aren’t going to help you sell your car, and certainly won’t make a positive impression as you continue to drive it. For easily impressive windows, try using a window tint kit. Dark windows increase the privacy of your car’s inside space while also making your car look more upscale on the outside, so there are benefits abound from this single upgrade. Just don’t forget to apply each tint evenly before going forward. Also do not forget to check the legal requirements in your area.
Lighting
Poor lighting may be dangerous when driving, but it can also be disastrous to a car’s appearance. Cars with dim headlights and broken tail lights don’t inspire much confidence for potential buyers, and they can make a car appear prematurely older than it actually is. From yellowing headlight casings to malfunctioning tail light bulbs, you’ll want to replace any car lighting components that can cause a dent to your vehicle’s reputation. For easy headlight upgrades, try HID headlights, which can be customized by color and which also shine much brighter than a typical halogen headlight array. For tail light modifications, go with bold and modern LEDs.
Grille
The front grille on a car may be a rather small component in comparison to much larger pieces on the car’s exterior, but the grille is the focus of many people’s attention as they pass by your car. That’s because the grille sits front and center on your car, making it a pristine visual centerpiece when properly cared for. If your car’s front grille has been damaged in an accident, or simply just hasn’t aged well, you can replace it with plastic, billet or stainless steel grilles.
Windows
Windows that are scratched up, cracked, or just really dirty (dirty to the point where taking the car through a car wash isn’t enough to clean them) aren’t going to help you sell your car, and certainly won’t make a positive impression as you continue to drive it. For easily impressive windows, try using a window tint kit. Dark windows increase the privacy of your car’s inside space while also making your car look more upscale on the outside, so there are benefits abound from this single upgrade. Just don’t forget to apply each tint evenly before going forward. Also do not forget to check the legal requirements in your area.
Structures and functions
The cylinder block is the basic framework of a car engine. It supports and holds all the other engine components. Figure 2.1 shows a typical cylinder block without an integrated crankcase. Figure 2.2 shows the block with the upper part of the crankcase included. Figure 2.31 schematically illustrates the relative positions of the cylinder, piston and piston ring. The cylinder is a large hole machined in the cylinder block, surrounded by the cylinder wall.
The piston rapidly travels back and forth in the cylinder under combustion pressure. The cylinder wall guides the moving piston, receives the combustion pressure, and conveys combustion heat outside the engine. Figure 2.4 gives an analysis of the materials needed for a cylinder with high output power and summarizes the reasons why a specific material or technology is chosen to fulfil a required function. A more detailed description is given in Appendix B.
The black portions in Fig. 2.3 indicate the areas that are most exposed to friction. These parts need to be carefully designed not only from the viewpoint of lubrication but also tribology, as this has a significant influence on engine performance. Tribology can be defined as the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion, and includes the study of friction, wear and lubrication. Combustion heat discharges at a very high rate and, if not diffused, the raised temperature can lead to tribological problems.
The science and technology of materials in automotive engines
Hiroshi Yamagata
Woodhead Publishing and Maney Publishing
on behalf of
The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining
CRC Press
Boca Raton Boston New York Washington, DC
WOODHEAD PUBLISHING LIMITED
Cambridge England
for more details and updates about automotive-technology-guide please visit.........
www.automotive-technology-guide.com
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The VW up! family
The up! is the new city car from Volkswagen and had it's World premiere at the 64th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. VW also showed off 6 concept cars in the up! family of cars. This includes the buggy up! and up! azzurra: specially designed for the world’s beaches as well as the cross up!, GT up!, eco up! and e-up!
The up! will be launched in the UK in Spring next year 2012. However, they are opening up for orders from October 2011.
For more information about the up! concept cars, click here.
The up! will be launched in the UK in Spring next year 2012. However, they are opening up for orders from October 2011.
For more information about the up! concept cars, click here.
Battery Technologies
The battery is the critical technology for electric vehicles, providing both energy and power storage. Unfortunately, the weak link of batteries has been their low energy storage capacity-on a weight basis, lower than gasoline by a factor of 100 to 400. Power capacity may also be a problem, especially for some of the higher temperature and higher energy batteries. In fact, power capacity is the more crucial factor for hybrid vehicles, where the battery’s major function is to be a load leveler for the engine, not to store energy.1 Aside from increasing energy and power storage, other key goals of battery R&D are increasing longevity and efficiency and reducing costs.
Numerous battery types are in various stages of development. Although there are multiple claims for the efficacy of each type, there is a large difference between the performance of small modules or even full battery packs under nondemanding laboratory tests, and performance in the challenging environment of actual vehicle service or tests designed to duplicate this situation. Although the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium is sponsoring such tests, the key results are confidential, and much of the publicly available information comes from the battery manufacturers themselves, and may be unreliable. Nevertheless, it is quite clear that a number of the batteries in development will prove superior to the dominant conventional lead acid battery,2 though at a higher purchase price. Promising candidates include advanced lead acid (e.g., woven-grid semi-bipolar and bipolar) with specific energy of 35 to 50 Wh/kg, specific power of 200 to 900 W/kg,3 and claimed lifetimes of five years and longer; nickel metal hydride with 80 Wh/kg and 200 W/kg specific energy and power, and claimed very long lifetimes; lithium polymer, considered potentially to be an especially “EV friendly” battery (they are spillage proof and maintenance free), that claims specific energy and power of 200 or more Wh/kg and 100 or more W/kg; lithium-ion, which has demonstrated specific energy of 100 to 110 Wh/kg; and many others. The claimed values of battery lifetime in vehicle applications should be considered extremely uncertain. With the possible exception of some of the very near-term advanced lead acid batteries, each of the battery types has significant remaining challenges to commercialization—high costs, corrosion and thermal management problems, gas buildup during charging, and so forth. Further, the history of battery commercialization demonstrates that bringing a battery to market demands an extensive probationary period: once a battery has moved beyond the single cell stage, it will require a testing time of nearly a decade or more before it can be considered a proven production model.
Advanced Automotive Technology: Visions
of a Super-Efficient Family Car
OTA-ETI-638
GPO stock #052-003-01440-8
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Spark Ignition and Diesel Engines
Spark Ignition Engines
Although spark ignition (SI) engines have been the dominant passenger car and light truck powerplant in the
United States for many decades, there are several ways to achieve additional improvements in efficiency---either through wider use of some existing technologies or by introduction of advanced technologies and engine concepts.
Some key examples of improved technology, most having some current application, are:
-Advanced electronic controls; improved understanding of combustion processes. Improved thermodynamic
efficiency through improved spark timing, increased compression ratios, and faster combustion.
-Use of lightweight materials in valves, valve springs, and pistons, advanced coatings on pistons and ring
surfaces, improved lubricants. Reduced mechanical friction.
-Increased number of valves per cylinder (up to five), variable timing for valve opening, deactivating cylinders at light loads, variable tuning of intakes to increase intake pressure. Reduce “pumping losses” caused by throttling the flow of intake air to reduce power output.
Combining the full range of improvements in a conventional engine can yield fuel economy improvements of up to 15 percent from a baseline four-valve engine.
Besides improvements in engine components, new engine concepts promise additional benefits. The highest
level of technology refinement for SI engines is the direct injection stratified charge (DISC) engine. DISC engines inject fuel directly into the cylinder rather than premixing fuel and air, as conventional engines do; the term “stratified charge” comes from the need to aim the injected fuel at the spark plug, so the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder is highly nonuniform. DISC engines are almost unthrottled; power is reduced by reducing the amount of fuel injected, not the amount of air. As a result, these engines have virtually no throttling loss and can operate at high compression ratios (because not premixing the fuel and air avoids premature ignition). DISC engines have been researched for decades without successful commercialization, but substantial improvements in fuel injection technology and in the understanding and control of combustion, and a more optimistic outlook for nitrogen oxide (NOX) catalysts that can operate in an oxygen-rich environment make the outlook for such engines promising. The estimated fuel economy benefit of a DISC engine coupled with available friction-reduction technology and variable valve timing ranges from 20 to 33 percent, compared to a baseline four-valve engine.
Diesel Engines
Automakers can achieve a substantial improvement in fuel economy by shifting to compression ignition (diesel)
engines. Diesels are more efficient than gasoline engines for two reasons. First, they use compression ratios of
16:1 to 24:1 versus the gasoline engine’s 10:1 or so, which allows a higher thermodynamic efficiency. Second,
diesels do not experience the pumping loss characteristic of gasoline engines because they do not throttle their
intake air; instead, power is controlled by regulating fuel flow alone. Diesels have much higher internal friction than gasoline engines, however, and they are heavier for the same output.
Diesels are not popular in the U.S. market because they generally have been noisier, more prone to vibration,
more polluting, and costlier than comparable gasoline engines. Although they have low hydrocarbon (HC) and
carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, they have relatively high NOX and particulate emissions.
The latest designs of diesel engines recently unveiled in Europe are far superior to previous designs. Oxidation
catalysts and better fuel control have substantially improved particulate emission performance. Four-valve per
cylinder design and direct injection2 have separately led to better fuel economy, higher output per unit weight, and lower emissions—though NOX emissions are still too high. Compared with a current gasoline engine, the fourvalve indirect injection design will yield about a 25 percent mpg gain (about 12 percent gain on a fuel
energy basis), while the direct injection (Dl) design may yield as much as a 40 percent gain (30 percent fuel
energy gain).
The new diesels are likely to meet California’s LEV standards for HC, CO, and particulate, but will continue to require a NOX waiver to comply with emission requirements. Although the four-valve design and other innovations (e.g., improved exhaust gas recirculation and improved fuel injection) will improve emissions performance and may allow compliance with federal Tier 1 standards, LEV standards cannot be met without a NOX reduction catalyst.
Although manufacturers are optimistic about such catalysts for gasoline engines, they consider a diesel catalyst to be a much more difficult challenge
Advanced Automotive Technology: Visions
of a Super-Efficient Family Car
OTA-ETI-638
GPO stock #052-003-01440-8
for more details and updates about automotive-technology-guide please visit.........
www.automotive-technology-guide.com
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Fisker unveils the Surf
Fisker Automotive recently unveiled the "Surf" at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The car is styled by former Aston Martin and BMW chief designer Henrik Fisker.
The car is a finished production model rather than a concept car and it's also Fisker's second model to go on sale. The company's first car, the Karma, which was launched earlier this year has generated more than 4,000 orders.
Fisker Automotive has been producing electric vehicles with extended range since 2007. BMW has signed an agreement with the company whereby the German car company will supply Fisker with engines and other components for future Fisker models.
Fisker was formed in 2007 and has raised 1.5 billion dollars worth of investment, with 1500 people employed worldwide.
The car is a finished production model rather than a concept car and it's also Fisker's second model to go on sale. The company's first car, the Karma, which was launched earlier this year has generated more than 4,000 orders.
Fisker Automotive has been producing electric vehicles with extended range since 2007. BMW has signed an agreement with the company whereby the German car company will supply Fisker with engines and other components for future Fisker models.
Fisker was formed in 2007 and has raised 1.5 billion dollars worth of investment, with 1500 people employed worldwide.
Finding dependable car shippers in the US
Choosing a reputable and reliable company the United States can be a formidable task as there are literally thousands of companies out there, each claiming to deliver the best service at an affordable price.
You do not have to worry. Just check out Cartransportquotes.com which links you to the most trusted and Dependable Car Movers in .
Qualified professionals who are licensed and properly insured will give you fast and reliable quotes/ rates with reported savings exceeding 20%.
The site offers the best Car Shipping and auto transport quotes for free. All you have to do is fill up their quick form and generate up to eight car shipping estimates. You can then use this information to compare national car shipping rates from automotive shipping carriers at one time. This way, you can select the best quote.
I would suggest anyone who has never shipped a car to first check out the Car Shipping Glossary so that you are familiar with the industry jargon and go through the Frequently Asked Questions as well. Teh site also has a Auto Mover Blog with loads of interesting information.
You do not have to worry. Just check out Cartransportquotes.com which links you to the most trusted and Dependable Car Movers in .
Qualified professionals who are licensed and properly insured will give you fast and reliable quotes/ rates with reported savings exceeding 20%.
The site offers the best Car Shipping and auto transport quotes for free. All you have to do is fill up their quick form and generate up to eight car shipping estimates. You can then use this information to compare national car shipping rates from automotive shipping carriers at one time. This way, you can select the best quote.
I would suggest anyone who has never shipped a car to first check out the Car Shipping Glossary so that you are familiar with the industry jargon and go through the Frequently Asked Questions as well. Teh site also has a Auto Mover Blog with loads of interesting information.
Video of the new Jaguar Land Rover Defenders concepts
Here is a video of the new Jaguar Land Rover DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts. Also inculdes interviews with the designers of the Defender and Jaguar C-X16 concept cars.
Bad behaviour while driving is learnt from parents
According to a research by AXA car insurance, it was found that found that many young drivers will emulate the way their parents drive.
The study has found that young drivers who demonstrate bad behaviour while driving, such as hand gestures and swearing, and more dangerous cases including speeding and drink driving, have may actually have learnt these from their parents.
The study has found that young drivers who demonstrate bad behaviour while driving, such as hand gestures and swearing, and more dangerous cases including speeding and drink driving, have may actually have learnt these from their parents.
- 28% of those with parents who drink drive do so themselves.
- Young drivers with parents who drive aggressively are 50% more likely to swear, flash or beep aggressively at other drivers.
- Drivers whose parents have points on their licence or a ban are three times as likely to face the same penalties themselves.
Operating systems
Figure 2.2 shows an OHV drive in which the valves are driven by the camshaft via cam followers, push rods, and rocker arms. Since the drive to the camshaft is simple (either belt or chain) and the only machining is in the cylinder block, this is a cost-effective arrangement.In the OHC drive shown in Fig. 2.3 the camshaft is mounted directly over the valve stems. Alternatively it could be offset and the valves operated using rockers. The valve clearance could then be adjusted by altering the pivot height. Once again, the drive to the camshaft is by toothed belt or chain.
In the system shown in Fig. 2.3 the camshaft operates on a follower or bucket. The clearance between the valve tip and the follower is adjusted by a shim. This is more difficult to adjust than in systems using rockers, but is less likely to change. The spring retainer is attached to the valve using a tapered split collet. The valve guides are usually press-fitted into the cylinder head, so that they can be replaced when worn. Valve seat
inserts are used to ensure minimal wear. The valves rotate in order to ensure even wear and to maintain good seating. This rotation is promoted by having the cam offset from the valve stem axis. This also helps to avoid localized wear on the cam follower
E N G I N E E R I N G R E S E A R C H S E R I E S
Automotive Engine Valve Recession
R Lewis and R S Dwyer-Joyce
Series Editor
Duncan Dowson
Professional Engineering Publishing Limited,
London and Bury St Edmunds, UK
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Jaguar Reveals the C-X16
Today Jaguar revealed the production concept of their new sports car - the new C-X16 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The car's unveiling also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the iconic E-Type.
The C-X16 concept aims to set benchmarks in design, vehicle dynamics and technology for future Jaguar sports cars. The car represents a step forward from the 2010 Jaguar C-X75 supercar concept and works towards enhancing the driving experience as well as the car’s environmental credentials. It is also built and designed to a beautifully high spec, with the cabin trimmed in dramatic red leather.
The car is powered by an innovative supercharged 3.0-litre V6 producing 380PS (280kW) and 332lb ft (450Nm) of torque with an impressive 126PS specific power per litre. Mated to the engine is a eight-speed ZF gearbox with Quickshift changes. The high-performance hybrid system boosts output by 70kW and 235Nm with a top speed of 186mph, 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds and 50-75mph acceleration in 2.1 seconds. The electric-only top speed of 50mph.
The two-seater model is environmentally conscious with CO2 emissions of 165g/km. It also features a steering wheel-mounted ‘Push to Pass’ button controls the hybrid boost function. Intelligent Start/Stop for improved fuel economy.
The C-X16 concept aims to set benchmarks in design, vehicle dynamics and technology for future Jaguar sports cars. The car represents a step forward from the 2010 Jaguar C-X75 supercar concept and works towards enhancing the driving experience as well as the car’s environmental credentials. It is also built and designed to a beautifully high spec, with the cabin trimmed in dramatic red leather.
The car is powered by an innovative supercharged 3.0-litre V6 producing 380PS (280kW) and 332lb ft (450Nm) of torque with an impressive 126PS specific power per litre. Mated to the engine is a eight-speed ZF gearbox with Quickshift changes. The high-performance hybrid system boosts output by 70kW and 235Nm with a top speed of 186mph, 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds and 50-75mph acceleration in 2.1 seconds. The electric-only top speed of 50mph.
The two-seater model is environmentally conscious with CO2 emissions of 165g/km. It also features a steering wheel-mounted ‘Push to Pass’ button controls the hybrid boost function. Intelligent Start/Stop for improved fuel economy.
New Land Rover Defender Concept
After more than 60 years of production, theLand Rover Defender is finally getting a makeover. Land Rover today unveiled the new Land Rover DC100 and DC100 Sport concept cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This indicates a new future direction for the Land Rover Defender which is one of Land Rover’s oldest and most iconic models and has been used by UN aid workers, Red Cross medic’s, police and military forces worldwide.
The new concepts have been designed by the Land Rover Advanced Design team whose remit was to create a vehicle that would resonate with the commercial customer as well as the retail customer. Their aim was to create a model that is relevant to the 21st century.
Both the Land Rover DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts are buit on a Lightweight, mixed-alloy platform using sutting-edge, sustainable, hi-tech materials taken from aerospace industries.
They are loaded with high tech features including
Both cars are permanent four-wheel drive with an eight-speed transmission, Intelligent Stop/Start and a transfer case. They are powered by 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with hybrid and plug-in capabilities.
The new Defender models are planned for production in 2015.
The new concepts have been designed by the Land Rover Advanced Design team whose remit was to create a vehicle that would resonate with the commercial customer as well as the retail customer. Their aim was to create a model that is relevant to the 21st century.
Both the Land Rover DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts are buit on a Lightweight, mixed-alloy platform using sutting-edge, sustainable, hi-tech materials taken from aerospace industries.
They are loaded with high tech features including
- The Terrain-i scanning device which warns the driver of obstacles when off-roading and can suggest alternative routes.
- Wade Aid which uses sonar technology to assess water depth and advise the driver of optimum speed
- Intelligent, next-generation, Land Rover Terrain Response system automatically optimises the car for any environment.
- Driver-activated spiked tyre system can be deployed at the touch of a button.
Both cars are permanent four-wheel drive with an eight-speed transmission, Intelligent Stop/Start and a transfer case. They are powered by 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with hybrid and plug-in capabilities.
Zara Phillips is the first owner of the Range Rover Evoque
Land Rover ambassador Zara Phillips recently became the first owner of a 5-door Orkney Grey Evoque. The car has a 2.2 litre Diesel engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, panoramic sunroof and features including park assist, blind spot monitoring and a surround camera system.
Zara said: "I've grown up around Land Rovers and have been an ambassador for the brand for several years – I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of my new Evoque. It looks absolutely fantastic and I am delighted to be the first person in the UK to take delivery of one."
Land Rover has received over 20,000 pre-orders for the Range Rover Evoque worldwide with 6,000 of these in the UK.
Zara is one of the UK's leading equestrian figures and has been a Land Rover brand ambassador since 2006.
Zara said: "I've grown up around Land Rovers and have been an ambassador for the brand for several years – I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of my new Evoque. It looks absolutely fantastic and I am delighted to be the first person in the UK to take delivery of one."
Land Rover has received over 20,000 pre-orders for the Range Rover Evoque worldwide with 6,000 of these in the UK.
Zara is one of the UK's leading equestrian figures and has been a Land Rover brand ambassador since 2006.
The new BMW 1 Series Sports Hatch
The new BMW 1 Series Sports Hatch will be launched on 17 September. The car is the only rear-wheeldrive car in its class. Available in a variety of different trim levels with different specifications, namely, ES, SE, Sport and Urban models.
Prices will range from £19,375 OTR for the ES model to £24,720 OTR for the diesel engine Sport and Urban models.
Prices will range from £19,375 OTR for the ES model to £24,720 OTR for the diesel engine Sport and Urban models.
Advantages and disadvantages of reciprocating engines
An engine with a piston-cylinder mechanism has the following advantages:
1. It is possible to seal the gap between the piston and the cylinder, resulting in high compression ratio, high heat efficiency and low fuel consumption.
2. The piston ring faces the cylinder bore wall, separated by an oil film. The resulting hydrodynamic lubrication generates low friction and high durability.
3. The piston loses speed at the dead-center points where the travelling direction reverses, which gives enough time for combustion and intake as well as for exhaust.
However, the reciprocating engine also has disadvantages:
1. The unbalanced inertial force and resulting piston ‘slap’ can cause noise
and vibration.
2. It is difficult to reuse the exhaust heat. The rotary engine (Wankel engine) is one of the few alternatives that have been mass produced and installed in production vehicles. However, none of
them has been as popular as the piston-cylinder mechanism to date.
The science and technology of materials in automotive engines
Hiroshi Yamagata
Woodhead Publishing and Maney Publishing
on behalf of
The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining
CRC Press
Boca Raton Boston New York Washington, DC
WOODHEAD PUBLISHING LIMITED
Cambridge England
for more details and updates about automotive-technology-guide please visit.........
www.automotive-technology-guide.com
---or---
The BMW i3 and BMW i8 Concepts.
BMW just unveiled two concepts - the fully electric BMW i3 was formerly known as the MegaCity Vehicle, and the BMW i8, a plug-in hybrid vehicle. One of the major problems with electric vehicles are the huge and heavy batteries. Well both cars use the innovative architecture and CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic) to cancel out all of the extra weight added by the batteries.
Both cars will be manufactured at the BMW plant in Leipzig.
Both cars will be manufactured at the BMW plant in Leipzig.
