Daimler and Bosch to build electric motors under partnership

Daimler AG recently announced its move towards partnering with another German company, Robert Bosch GmbH, for a joint project in designing electric motors for the car manufacturer’s planned line of all-electric vehicles. Both companies have signed respective letters of intent for a joint partnership and are now in the midst of discussions aiming to create 50:50 sharing of all products and services that shall result from the project.

The companies are planning to start the project next year, and are aiming to incorporate the results into their fleet the same year. If successful, Mercedes-Benz fans can expect to see a whole new line of all-electric vehicles under design process before the end of 2012.

Daimler issued a press statement revealing that “both companies aim, by bundling their competencies, to accelerate development advances in electric motors as well as to make accordant synergies accessible.

According to their letter of intent, joint production should start in 2012.”

Meanwhile, Bosch shall be handling subsequent sales of the joint-project electric motors to other car manufacturers. The motors shall be designed, produced and tested in plants located in the greater Stuttgart and Hildesheim areas.

The statement says further that “the Bosch Group is a leading supplier of technology and services to the automotive sector. It has a high level of competence in developing and producing electric motors, which it is already manufacturing in series in Hildesheim.”

Source: Auto Evolution

More about → Daimler and Bosch to build electric motors under partnership

GM, Ford See U.S. Sales Recovery Undeterred by Japan Quake

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. said the recovery in their home market may continue in the face of Japan's disasters.

The March 11 earthquake that has shut factories of manufacturers and their suppliers may not have a "significant" impact on industry sales, Don Johnson, vice president of U.S. sales at GM, said Friday.

Ford said in a regulatory filing that while Japan could have an adverse effect on its financial condition and has led to a parts shortage, the impact on the U.S. economy will be "limited." Global automakers may have lost production of 585,000 light vehicles in March including 550,000 in Japan, according to IHS Automotive in Lexington, Mass.

The disruptions may result in a 1 million unit reduction in the industry's U.S. sales rate during the summer months, according to Rod Lache, an analyst at Deutsche Bank AG who predicted a 13 million rate for March.

"The issues in Japan should be temporary," Paul Ballew, chief economist for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. in Columbus, Ohio, said in a telephone interview. "The production issues are slowly but surely going to get worked out and facilities are coming back online. There's enough slack capacity out there to make up for lost units."

GM reiterates forecast

GM continues to see industrywide U.S. auto sales rising to 13 million to 13.5 million in 2011, including medium-and heavy- duty vehicles, Johnson said. Light-vehicle sales in 2010 rose to 11.6 million from a 27-year low in 2009. Annual U.S. deliveries were 16.8 million on average from 2000 to 2007, according to New Jersey-based Autodata.

"Based on everything I see now, I just don't see a significant slowdown happening," Johnson said on the Friday conference call with analysts and reporters. "All of that's going to depend on what we learn tomorrow, the next day and what we see from our competitors next week."

Ford's truck plant in Louisville, Ky., will be closed this week, starting Monday, due to a Japan-related parts shortage, Ford sales analyst George Pipas said on a separate conference call with analysts and reporters. The factory makes F-Series pickups and the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition SUVs.

The shortage of parts, which Ford didn't identify, also will lead Ford to shut its plant in Genk, Belgium, next week, Pipas said. The factory makes the S-Max and Galaxy vans and Mondeo sedans.

'Limited' effect

The Japan crisis "should not derail the recovery in the U.S.," Jenny Lin, Ford's senior U.S. economist, said on the conference call. "The effect on the U.S. economy will be limited."

GM has also reported interruptions in output the week of March 21 at its Shreveport, La., pickup plant and factories in Zaragoza, Spain, and Eisenach, Germany.

Nissan Motor Co. and its Infiniti luxury brand both have about a 50-day supply of vehicles at the start of April, said Al Castignetti, vice president of U.S. sales for Nissan, and Ben Poore, head of North American sales of Infiniti.

"Our pipeline looks pretty good, at least where they are through May," Castignetti said in a Friday telephone interview. "Will the disruptions in Japan affect our retail ambitions? I think it will to some extent. I think the investigations that are going on are: anything we lose today, what can we get back tomorrow?"

Most vehicle production in Japan stopped after the earthquake and tsunami, which left more than 27,000 people dead or missing. Nissan said Thursday that it plans to resume all auto assembly in its home market by April 11 as suppliers restart parts deliveries.

"Production disruptions generally work themselves out because you're not fundamentally altering underlying demand," said Ballew, a former General Motors economist. "You're temporarily throwing a curve ball into availability of inventory."

GM ended March with inventory of about 574,000 vehicles, 57,000 more than a month earlier, according to a GM statement. The automaker's increased sales of the Chevrolet Cruze helped double GM's share in the compact-car segment to more than 11 percent in the first quarter, from 5.4 percent in the same period a year earlier.

Small-car 'headwind'

GM has a 73-day supply of the Cruze, said Alan Batey, vice president of Chevrolet sales, on the conference call.

Higher demand for small cars such as Ford's Fiesta and Focus "pinched" inventories, Pipas said. The Fiesta has about a 40-day supply, from 60 days at the beginning of March, and Focus inventory also declined, he said.

"Most likely, lean small car inventories will be a headwind on the industry's sales rates as we began this month," Pipas said.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110403/RETAIL01/304039985/1448#ixzz1IUcuYw4m

More about → GM, Ford See U.S. Sales Recovery Undeterred by Japan Quake

Citroen Boss Banzet Says DS Line is a Big Success

Citroen says its new DS3 sporty subcompact car is selling better than expected and is winning new customers for the French brand.

Frederic Banzet, Citroen managing director, said DS3 sales account for about a quarter of the volume for the C3 range. "This is twice as much as what we aimed for. The DS line is a huge success," he said.

Since its launch 12 months ago, the DS3, which is a sporty version of the C3 hatchback, has sold 80,000 units, compared with 300,000 for the whole C3 range, Banzet told Automotive News Europe.

He said the DS3 has a very high conquest rate and 56 percent of its buyers were new customers to the brand.

The DS line is also bringing wealthy buyers to the brand. As an example, Banzet cited the sale of a DS3 to a French couple where the husband drives a Maserati Quattroporte and his wife a Porsche. "They planned to buy a Mini, but they first tried out the DS3 and bought it instead. We would have never had appealed to these customers without the DS brand," he said.

The DS3 is the first model in Citroen's DS "distinctive series" upscale line. Citroen plans to launch the DS4, based on the C4 compact in May, followed by the DS5, based on the C5, early next year.

Banzet said the DS line "is aimed at less conventional drivers who want more emotion, more power, better quality. The DS4 and DS5 will further increase that trend," he said.

Possible softtop DS3

The DS3 will probably have new body variations such as a softtop version and special editions launched in cooperation with high-profile fashion brands to further increase the line's appeal, Banzet said.

He denied rumors that Citroen is considering launching a DS sports car that would have styling cues from the Survolt concept, which debuted at the 2010 Geneva auto show. "The DS line already has a performance car, the DS3 Racing," he said.

Citroen also may also launch a flagship DS, called the DS9, to compete with German luxury brands. The car would be a production version of the Metropolis concept unveiled at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

Read more: http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110401/ANE/110339976/1193#ixzz1IUD3leTR

More about → Citroen Boss Banzet Says DS Line is a Big Success

BMW Names New Boss For Mini

MUNICH -- BMW AG today said veteran company executive Kay Segler will take over management of its Mini brand.

Segler, 56, previously managed Mini between 2004 and 2008. He replaces Wolfgang Armbrecht, 53, who took over Mini from Segler in 2008.

Segler has been with BMW since 1988, mainly in sales and marketing management functions. Currently, he is head of BMW's in-house M tuning division.

Armbrecht will have other as-yet unspecified duties within BMW group, German media outlets reported.

BMW said Friedrich Nitschke, 56 will take over as managing director of BMW M, effective May 1.

Nitschke is responsible for the Mini series within BMW's development division and has held various management positions in the controlling and development divisions since joining the company in 1978.

Mini's expansion

Mini is adding new models as it seeks to boost annual sales in the medium term to 300,000 from about 234,000 last year.

After launching the brand's first four-door model, the Countryman, late September, the brand plans to add a Mini roadster and coupe and the two-door, four-seat Paceman, a model that BMW calls a "sports activity coupe."

You can reach Paul McVeigh at pmcveigh@crain.com.

Read more: http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110401/ANE/110409999/1247#ixzz1IUZHMb1D

More about → BMW Names New Boss For Mini

Bugatti Wins Approval For Four-door Supercar

BERLIN -- Bugatti, the maker of the world's fastest production car, has won backing from parent Volkswagen AG to build the 16C Galibier sedan, adding a four-door model to its lineup, two people familiar with the matter said.

The Galibier, which premiered as a concept vehicle at the 2010 Geneva auto show, has a 1,000-hp engine and may cost about 1 million euros ($1.4 million), said the people, who declined to be named as the plans are still private.

"Four-door vehicles open up a whole new market for exotic-car makers," said Kevin Tynan, an automotive analyst for Bloomberg Industries. "It makes good sense for Bugatti to get in there. Those cars are loyal to design language and brand heritage."

Ultra-luxury nameplates are expanding their lineups to larger vehicles as the recovery from the financial crisis fuels demand.

Ferrari S.p.A. introduced the four-seat FF, the first Ferrari with four-wheel drive, in March. The first year's production of the 260,000 euro model is already sold out.

Lamborghini S.p.A., another Volkswagen unit, is considering adding a third model to its portfolio of two-seater vehicles and plans to make a decision by the end of the year, CEO Stephan Winkelmann said at the Geneva show last month. The CEO has called a four-door car "a very feasible approach."

Wolfgang Duerheimer, the former development chief at Porsche AG who took over as head of Bugatti and Bentley in February, has been pushing VW managers to approve production of the Galibier since taking charge, the two people said.

16-cylinder engine

Wolfsburg-based Volkswagen agreed to build the model, which relies on a 16-cylinder engine that can run on biofuel as well as gasoline, they said. Production will require facilities in Molsheim, France, to be refitted, which may push back deliveries until 2013 or 2014, the people said.

Volkswagen purchased the Bugatti brand in 1998 along with Lamborghini and Bentley Motors Ltd. to create a stable of high-end carmakers. Under VW's reign, the super-luxury brand, which traces its roots back to Italian-born car designer Ettore Bugatti, started production of the two-door Veyron 16.4 in 2005, limiting output to no more than 300 vehicles.

Bugatti, which makes about 50 cars a year, has introduced two derivatives of the Veyron since 2008, the Grand Sport and Super Sport models.

The Super Sport is the world's fastest production car, with a top speed of 268 mph (about 430kph). The name Galibier stems from one of France's most difficult Alpine passes featured in the Tour de France bicycle race and also served as name for an earlier four-door variant called Type 57.

Source: Bloomberg

Read more: http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110401/ANE/304019919/1193#ixzz1IUXgI3n6

More about → Bugatti Wins Approval For Four-door Supercar

Report: Ford Fiesta ST hot hatch coming in 2012

When Leftlane first posted pictures of an intercooled, body kit-equipped three-door Fiesta testing on Michigan public roads in March 2010, Ford was quick to dismiss the car as a one-off aftermarket specialty car.

But Leftlane knew better than to buy that story, and even brought more photos of a similar car across the pond testing in Germany, making the odds of it being a “one-off specialty car” close to nil. Fast-forward a few months without any news on a possible Fiesta ST, and now Autocar is reporting that a hopped-up ST Fiesta is indeed confirmed for 2012.

As Leftlane had suggested all along based on inside sources privy to such matters, the Fiesta ST is expected to use a turbocharged – or EcoBoosted as Ford would prefer we say – version of the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder than churns out 120 horsepower when it isn’t being force-fed air. Autocar believes that the Fiesta ST will boast about 180 horsepower, but don’t rule out power figures as high as 200.
Although not confirmed, expect a six-speed manual to finally make its way onto the Fiesta for this application, while the six-speed dual-clutch automatic Ford offers in the standard car may or may not be available.
This hot little hatchback was sporting a revised front fascia, and an all-new split dual-exhaust design poking out from the rear bumper. Up front, an intercooler appears to be visible through the mesh grille work of the Fiesta’s air dam.
In Europe, this Fiesta ST will be set to do battle with the Renault Clio 200 and Seat Ibizia Cupra, but thanks to Ford’s new “One Ford” global development program, U.S. customers should benefit from Europe’s small hot-hatch wars.
What we’ve seen in testing

The Fiesta prototype we have previously spied has a handful of tasteful black-out bits and a subtle body kit that appeared at the time to have been lifted from the options list of European Fiesta’s, as well as elements of Europe’s titanium trim. But with Ford’s recent announcement of new sport packages, it appears that the testing prototype was sporting a few tidbits that will also be available on the naturally aspirated unit.
The prototype’s new rear diffuser is also similar to one of the Euro add-ons, but it has been tweaked to integrate the new dual exhaust tips for a nicely finished and certainly sporty look. Fetching carbon-grey Speedline wheels complete the package.
Custom interior to match the exterior
Although the door panels and dash appear to be stock in both prototypes we have spied, our latest images confirm racing-style Recaro seats with bright yellow stitching. We expect minor interior changes, possibly in the form of additional boost and diagnostic gauges, as well as unique ST badging to arrive in time for the production model.
More than one EcoBoost Fiesta in the future?
Although far from confirmed, Leftlane has also learned that Ford is hard at work testing a smaller, 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder EcoBoost offering for the Fiesta. This engine, according to inside sources, will yield a fuel economy bump into the low to mid-40s, while yielding power essentially identical to the larger, naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder.
Depending on packaging, a second, smaller and eco-minded EcoBoost Fiesta could prove to be a great alternative to a hybrid with a faster return on investment, along with the fun that boosted vehicles are known for.

Source : http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-fiesta-st.html

More about → Report: Ford Fiesta ST hot hatch coming in 2012

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

While the standard, V6-powered Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon might be the most expensive variant of Cadillac’s three-prong CTS lineup, selecting its fire-breathing supercharged V8 CTS-V Sport Wagon won’t cost you any more than any other CTS-V variant.

Priced from $62,990 including a mandatory destination charge, the CTS-V Sport Wagon’s base price matches the Cadillac CTS-V Sedan and Cadillac CTS-V Coupe.
Standard equipment will also essentially mirror the sedan and coupe, which include leather, heated seats, navigation, HID headlamps, Magnetic Ride Control and Brembo brakes.
Several options will be available, namely a $3,400 Recaro heated and ventilated front seats package, $800 polished 19-inch alloy wheels, $600 “midnight Sapele wood” and a $300 suede steering wheel/shift lever package.
Mechanically identical to the CTS-V sedan and coupe, the Sport Wagon offers a little extra utility to go with its Eaton Twin-Series supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Pumping out the same 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft. of torque as other CTS-Vs, the Sport Wagon will offer both a six-speed Tremec manual transmission and a six-speed automatic. Currently, Cadillac does not offer a manual transmission in the standard CTS Sport Wagon.
Both transmissions channel the power to the rear wheels, which take advantage of a limited-slip rear differential with a cast iron housing.
The CTS-V Sport Wagon will also include Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control, which uses magneto-rheologically controlled shock absorbers to respond quickly and precisely to changing road conditions. Brembo brakes – six-piston calipers in front, four-piston calipers out back – help bring things to a stop.
Inside, the CTS-V Sport Wagon is mostly a standard CTS-V affair, meaning it gets Obsidian Black accents on the dashboard and doors and optional Alcantara covering for the gear lever and steering wheel. Recaro sport seats with pneumatic bolster controls will be standard.
Naturally, the CTS-V wagon looks the part on the outside. Sharing the same basic body kit theme seen on the coupe and sedan, the Sport Wagon rides on 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michellin Pilot Sport PS2 tires.

More about → 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

Kia Unveils All-electric Naimo Concept

Kia has pulled the sheet on its Naimo concept car at the Seoul Motor Show. The Naimo (pronounced ‘Neh-mo’, meaning ‘square shape’) is Kia’s vision of an all-electric B-segment car.
Stretching 3.9 meters in length, the Naimo adopts some of the boxy styling used on the larger Soul. The Naimo’s exterior design is highlighted by a wrap-around windshield, asymmetrical sunroof and front and rear dot-style LED lights. Rear hinged doors and a three-way split hatch allow for maximum cabin access.
The Naimo also features some trick technologies for styling purposes, such as side cameras in lieu of door mirrors and a high-intensity air jet that takes the place of conventional windshield wipers.

The Naimo’s interior was “designed to evoke a strong sense of tranquility”, featuring Korean oak for door panels and the entire floor and Korean “Han-ji” paper for the head lining.


“Naimo is a perfect balance of innovation, high-tech and Korean tradition. It was heavily inspired by the purity and grace of traditional Korean arts and crafts, but combines this with cutting edge technologies to deliver a truly premium experience,” said Kia Motors’ Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
Power for the Naimo is provided by a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor generating about 110 horsepower. The Naimo has a top speed of 93mph.
The Naimo’s floor and trunk-mounted Lithium Ion Polymer batteries can be recharged to 80 percent of capacity in just 25 minutes, while a full charge requires five and a half hours. Once charged, the Naimo can travel 124 miles.
Kia hasn’t revealed if the Naimo will make production, but the concept is joining the automaker’s test fleet, indicating the electric hatch could eventually make it to Kia showrooms.

More about → Kia Unveils All-electric Naimo Concept

Shanghai preview: Buick Envision Concept

Buick has announced it will unveil a new SUV concept, dubbed the Envision, at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show. The announcement was accompanied by a lone teaser image.
Buick didn’t release much in the way of details but says the Envision is powered by a plug-in hybrid system. General Motors was working on a plug-in hybrid version of the Saturn Vue before the brand was shuttered, so it’s possible that system resides underneath the hood of the SUV concept.

Buick describes the concept’s exterior design as “elegant and smooth”, adhering to Buick’s “dynamic, fluid, quiet and comfortable” design essence.


No interior information was given, but Buick says the Envision is packed with new technologies that projects “the future of Buick products.”

It remains to be seen just how large the concept is, but it’s possible the SUV previews Buick’s long-rumored sub-Enclave model.

More about → Shanghai preview: Buick Envision Concept

German High-Tech Triangle

Mohammed Omar looks out of the window and allows his eyes to wander, but there’s nothing to see – far and wide, only scorched fields, an empty road and a few lonely electricity poles. There’s lots of space here in the former cotton state of South Carolina. Then Omar turns round, looks at his com­puter screen – and can see the future. “This will be the auto industry’s Silicon Valley,” enthuses the Jordanian-born engineer. “We’re now planning for coming decades.” A high-tech center of the automobile industry? Here, “in the middle of nowhere”? But Omar is serious. Together with his colleagues, the mechanical engineering specialist from Clemson University near the small town of Greenville is seeking new solutions for a traditional industry. His research is largely funded from Germany – by BMW.


While the tradition-rich US car industry in Detroit fights for its life, the Southeast is preparing for a breakthrough when the crisis is over. From Alabama to South Carolina, from Georgia to Tennessee, large and small companies from all over the world are creating a new network. At the head of this group are the German manufacturers Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen. Almost simultaneously, Daimler and BMW built their first American plants here 15 years ago: Daimler in Alabama and BMW in South Carolina. Several years later, Volkswagen is now constructing a state-of-the-art plant a little further north, in Tennessee. They are building a closely knit network of suppliers, researchers and developers – with their plants marking the corners of the “German triangle”. Familiar suppliers such as ZF, Continental, Pierburg, Hella and Dräxlmaier are settling in the tri­angle along with French tire manufacturer Michelin. ThyssenKrupp is also in the process of building a new steel plant in Alabama.

A few years ago, their ideas were still greeted with sneers from the established carmakers in Detroit. The critics even claimed that BMW stood for “Big Money Wasted”. Meanwhile, however, production is running smoothly and a large proportion of the cars are exported to Europe. BMW made 170,000 vehicles in Spartenburg in 2008 and this total is set to rise to 240,000 by 2012. “The region will continue to grow after the crisis,” says Dave Lucas of the Autodata market research company. “There’s a spirit of optimism; they’re looking to the future.” However, the great breakthrough has not yet occurred. The latest fall in demand has also seriously affected German manufacturers. They are all significantly reducing production. Some suppliers that also produce parts for General Motors or Chrysler have their backs to the wall – and are relying on help from the carmakers in the Southeast.

Although the German automakers are competitors on their domestic market, here, away from home, things are rather different. Even rivals like Daimler, BMW and VW cooperate closely. Suppliers and researchers are shared, political and legal conflicts fought together. “People know each other and help each other,” says an engineer who has moved here from southern Germany. Traditionally, German firms enjoy a good reputation in the South. Fifty years ago, the first engineering firms came from Germany to supply the then important textiles industry.

The new carmaking cluster now represents a big and perhaps the only chance for Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. As a result, the states are fighting hard for every new business. “Policymakers then did everything to attract BMW to Spartanburg,” remembers Douglas Woodward of the University of South Carolina. The economist has now been documenting the development of the auto in­dustry in the region for 15 years. The state investment has paid off, explains Woodward: “If BMW had to close its plant, a total of 23,000 jobs would be lost.”

Far from planning to close down, BMW actually aims to expand. In addition to the X5 SUV and the new X6 Sports Activity Coupé, the smaller X3 will be rolling off the line in the near future. The carmaker has already invested a total of five billion euros in Spartanburg and another 750 million is on the way. At the beginning of 2011 the first Volkswagens will also begin rolling off the assembly line in Tennessee. By then, at the latest, hope the carmakers, demand will be picking up again. In 2018, Volkswagen plans to be selling 800,000 vehicles a year, four times more than at present.

“German engineers and American workers – the perfect combination” is the slogan the companies are using to promote their products. The fact that the cars are made in America is crucially important on the US market. German producers together still have a market share of less than 10%. When it comes to the premium segment, however, their market share has already reached 40%.

More about → German High-Tech Triangle

60 Years of Innovation

1952 – Béla Barényi, a Hungarian-Austrian engineer, develops the concept of the crumple zone for Daimler-Benz. He recognizes that deformable zones at the front and rear of a vehicle can reduce the impact on the passenger compartment during a collision. The crumple zone was patented in 1952 making Barényi a pioneer in passive safety.

1958 – The rotary piston engine DKM54 becomes the very first Wankel engine. The invention of the self-taught mechanical engineer Felix Wankel is the epitome of the smooth-running engine and guarantees high speed to this day.

1950 – The Stihl company launches the first petrol powered chainsaw operable by a single person. Although its weight of 16 kilos still makes it tough to handle, the Stihl BL saw lays the foundation stone for the Swabian company’s leading world market position today.

1950 – Alfred Kärcher succeeds in developing the first European high-pressure hot water blaster, the pioneering DS 350 steam blaster.

1955 – The pharmaceuticals company Merck introduces the first medication for geriatric diseases, Gerobion. This marks Merck’s early involvement in an area that is now seen as one of the most urgent in medicine.

1958 – The Bayer subsidiary, Drugofa, launches the mosquito and tick repellent AUTAN on the market, at first as a lotion. In time the range is expanded to include sprays and sticks. Today the World Health Organization still recommends the AUTAN agent. Nowadays, the world-famous repellent is marketed by the American company SC Johnson.

1955 – The world’s first computer was developed by the Berlin inventor Konrad Zuse in 1941, the legendary Z3. 14 years later Zuse is able to present the Z11, a model that is ready to go into serial production.

1958 – The principle of the cavity wall plug invented by Artur Fischer is both simple and ingenious: tightening a screw in the plug causes the plug’s small wings to fan out for tight fixing. They cling firmly to the wall, thus preventing the plug from turning with the screw.

1960

1967 – Wilhelm Prölss believed that even the largest freighters can travel up to 20 knots and sail up to 50 degrees against the wind. In 1967 he presented the Dyna Rigg concept at the University of Hamburg – without success. But forty years later the developers of the luxury yacht "Maltese Falcon" put his ecological Dyna Rigg concept into practice.

1967 – Reduced harmful emissions, reduced fuel consumption: the D-Jetronic developed by Bosch lays the foundations for modern petrol engines. It is the world's first electronic fuel injection system to be applied in a serially produced car – a VW.

1965 – The GDR printing press producer Planeta builds the world’s first sheet-fed offset press based on the unit construction principle. The construction of the Variant 4 becomes the model for modern sheet-fed offset printing machines. Meanwhile, Planeta has become part of the Koenig & Bauer Group, one of the biggest printing press producers in the world.

1969 – The entrepreneur Eugen Lägler revolutionizes floor sanding techniques with his inventions. The famous HUMMEL of 1969 (called the bumblebee because of its humming sound) is still the most widely sold floor sander in the world.

1960 – Karl Storz's invention of the cold-light source enables the transmission of astonishingly clear images from inside the human body by conveying light through fibreglass filaments. The ongoing development of cold light source endoscopy also smoothed the way to today’s minimal invasion techniques in surgery.

1963 – The chemist Helmut Zahn from Aachen makes a progressive stride in the treatment of diabetes by pioneering the synthetic production of insulin.

1962 – Walter Bruch develops the PAL technique and paves the way to the introduction of colour television in the Federal Republic of Germany. PAL’s exceptional colour fidelity also helps to assert the technique in a lot of countries worldwide.

1969 – When Jürgen Dethloff and Helmut Göttrup patent their invention as the "identification switch", it marks the beginning of an international career. Now known as the chip card, life in the modern world is hard to imagine without it.

1970

1973 – Scientists at the Technical University in Aachen are ahead of the times. Long before hybrid engines became a trend in the automobile industry, they develop the first combination of a petrol engine and an electric motor.

1979 – In Hamburg, a number of German companies present the world’s first maglev passenger train, a forerunner of the modern Transrapid.

1976 – The Böhler & Weber Machine Factory (now Böwe Systec AG) is a trailblazer. In 1976 the company sets a record in the field of office equipment with the world’s fastest en­veloping system which can fill 12,500 envelopes per hour.

1976 – The Bauer company develops its first rotary drilling rig, the BG 7. Rotary drilling rigs are the key machinery in specialized underground engineering, for instance when creating the foundations for a wind turbine beneath the seabed. Today Bauer Maschinen GmbH is the world-market leader in the production of specialist foundation engineering machinery.

1976 – The Max Planck scientists Erwin Neher and Bert Sakmann provide the solution to numerous riddles in cellular communication with the patch clamp technique. To this day it benefits areas of medicine, for instance neurobiology.

1978 – Together with her American colleague Eric Wieschaus, Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard begins developing the gradient theory based on investigations of the fruit fly Drosophila. Their insights also play a significant role in human genetics.

1974 – The somewhat cumbersome term “long-distance printing transmitter” conceals a wealth of German top-quality technology introduced by the company Infotec. The new appliance was Europe’s first digital fax machine.

1976 – As early as 1904, Merck in Darmstadt was offering liquid crystal on the market. Finally, in 1976, the breakthrough for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) came thanks to substances with better chemical and optical properties.

1980

1980 – The automobile manufacturer Audi celebrates a world premiere at the 50th Geneva International Motor Show. The Quattro is the first large scale production coupé with permanent all-wheel drive.

1981 – In 1971 Mercedes-Benz successfully completes an airbag test, but the idea is difficult to launch on the market. The breakthrough comes in 1981 when the Mercedes-Benz S-Class includes the airbag as a special accessory. Today this safety device is standard equipment.

1984 – Chipboard enables reasonably priced and ecologically friendly furniture production, because it is made from the by-products from sawmills. The ContiRoll chipboard press produced by Siempelkamp since 1984 is so efficient that it is now the world market leader.

1987 – Siemens decisively improves submarine propulsion with its Permasyn motor. It is significantly quieter, more compact and lighter than its predecessor.

1980 – The company Dornier first introduces its groundbreaking kidney stone lithotripter. For the first time it becomes possible to break up the kidney stones with the help of shock waves, thus avoiding the use of invasive surgery.

1985 – Magnetic resonance tomography provides precise images of spinal discs, the brain, the heart and other organs. The detection method evolved thanks to the FLASH rapid imaging technique invented by Jens Frahm in 1985.

1987 – How can music files be easily compressed without losing their acoustic quality? MP3-style audio data compression makes it all possible. The innovative procedure is first presented by a development team surrounding Karlheinz Brandenburg at the Fraunhofer Institute in Erlangen.

1988 – Independent of one another and almost at the same time, Albert Fert from France and Peter Grünberg from Germany discover the giant magnetoresistance effect and make the breakthrough in gigabyte hard disks.

1990

1994 – Daimler presents the NECAR 1 as the first vehicle with fuel-cell drive. Since then the company from Stuttgart has invested more than a billion euros in the environmentally friendly technology and now owns one of the world’s largest fuel-cell fleets with more than 100 test vehicles.

1995 – Three letters that stand for ideal vehicle safety: Bosch develops its landmark electronic stability programme, ESP. If a car gets out of control, the now widespread system quickly brings it back on track with individual wheel deceleration.

1995 – The model 926 marks the beginning of the Vario series 900 by Fendt, today’s most successful large tractor series in Europe. The outstanding feature of Vario 926 with 260 hp is its continuously variable transmission, then revolutionary in heavy-duty tractor technology. The subsequent model, the Vario 936, becomes the fastest and most powerful tractor.

1996 – The Kuka Robot Group of Augsburg develops the first marketable PC piloting system for industrial robots. It marks a decisive step in the high-precision interplay between software, steering and mechanical processes.

1997 – Otto Bock HealthCare presents the C-Leg, the first fully microprocessor controlled artificial knee joint. The invention is combined with precision design and convincingly enables well-nigh natural movements of the limb.

1999 – Stefan Hell experimentally produces his STED

which awakens new hope in medicine. Later, in 2008 his advanced microscope actually enables him to film a cellular life process with resolution at the nanometre scale.

1993 – Once scientists have recognized how dangerous chlorfluorcarbons (CFCs) are to the ozone layer, the feverish search for solutions begins. An early breakthrough is achieved by the company Foron in Saxony together with Greenpeace who are able to present the first CFC-free refrigerator: the environmentally friendly Greenfreeze.

1998 – Theodor Hänsch, who later won the Nobel Prize, invents the optical frequency comb technique enabling high-precision measuring procedures. Its spectacular applications range from atom analysis to space research.

2000

2005 – A juggernaut of the skies makes its maiden voyage on April 27, 2005. The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest jetliner and a joint European project that benefits strongly from German technological expertise.

2010 –Volkswagen wins the World Green Car Award at the New York International Auto Show for its BlueMotion Technologies umbrella brand created in 2009. The award honours achievements in low-emissions fuel consumption.

2007 – Liebherr’s LTM 11200-9.1 is a juggernaut of the highways. The strongest telescopic crane on the world market can reach a top speed of 75 km/h and operates with a total counterweight of 202 tons. Its telescopic boom can be extended to a record length of 100 metres. In addition, the boom is fully automated for extension to the required length.

2003 – Under the abbreviation SARS, the so-called bird flu leads to deaths and anxiety throughout the world. But a major step towards combating the disease is achieved by scientists at the Bernhard Nocht Institute in Hamburg, when they manage to identify the SARS virus.

2004 – Siemens presents the world’s fastest computer tomography (CT) scanner, the SOMATOM Sensation 64. The detection device sets new standards not only in speed but also in image quality and detail accuracy.

2002 – The ThyssenKrupp TWIN elevator system enables two separate cabins to operate simultaneously within one shaft and independently access the individual floors. This means that 40 per cent more people can reach their destination in a shorter time.

2009 – The European space telescopes Herschel and Planck are launched into orbit on May 14 2009. German technology is included on board the spacecraft and helps to deliver excellent images of the universe.

More about → 60 Years of Innovation

Ferrari explains unique all-wheel drive system in the new FF [Video]

Ferrari’s all-new shooting brake FF has garnered a fair bit of attention for its unconventional styling and its addition of all-wheel drive to the prancing horse brand, but now we have a video explaining the details of the later.
Although void of audible commentary, Ferrari’s video does use captions to fairly clearly explain how the AWD system found in the FF is unique, and beneficial compared to traditional systems. One of the main highlights is the reduction in weight of 50 percent compared to a traditional AWD setup, along with faster reaction times.

The Ferrari FF
Ferrari has long built its reputation on delivering extreme performance in two-door, rear-wheel drive sports coupes and cabriolets. But with the introduction of the FF, Ferrari appears to be taking an entirely new direction, likely forced by the addition of the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide, except Ferrari decided to tackle the four-seater (with actual room for four) question a bit differently.

For starters, the FF still retains the two-door layout, unlike the Rapide and Panamera which adopted four full doors and a more generous rear seating area than the shooting brake FF. But, the Ferrari seems to have been developed with an entirely new approach in mind – on and off road style driving in snow and rain, thanks to the first-ever application of all-wheel drive in a production Ferrari.
When watching the official video by Ferrari, it is very clear that the Italian automaker is aiming to strongly emphasize the addition of AWD, showing the FF crashing through snow entirely off of paved roads, and then through intense downpour on the streets, followed then by rally-like sprinting over a dirt trail.

In many ways, the FF looks like one of the mega-buck one-off designs commissioned by extravagantly wealthy sheiks, but this new model is set to be a volume offering – at least by Ferrari standards. The FF nomenclature derives from “Ferrari Four-seater,” meaning that this shooting brake has plenty of room for extra passengers and their cargo. Its long roofline hides a nearly 16 cubic foot cargo area that can be extended to more than 28 cubic feet with the second row of seats tumbled away.
All-wheel-drive arrives
The FF debuts Ferrari’s new 4RM all-wheel-drive system, which weighs in at about half that of a conventional all-wheel-drive system used in rivals bearing the Lamborghini and Porsche badges. Ferrari says that the FF tips the scales at under 4,000 lbs., meaning that even though it puts power to all four wheels and features an elongated roofline, it weighs around 100 lbs. less than the 612.
The light weight system helps keep weight distribution at 47/53 between the front and rear axles.
Ferrari says that the FF is powered by a 6.3-liter V12 that cranks out 651 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 504 lb-ft. of torque at 6,000 rpm. Top speed is 208 mph and the automaker says that the FF sprints to 62 mph in just 3.7 seconds, representing a roughly 0.3 second increase over the outgoing 612.
Helping to keep things green, the automaker’s HELE start/stop system makes an appearance. Fuel consumption is down to around 15.5 mpg combined and emissions are curbed at 360 g/km – impressive figures for a Ferrari.
The FF will begin deliveries later this year, but all models for the first year have already been spoken for.

More about → Ferrari explains unique all-wheel drive system in the new FF [Video]

Alfa Romeo green lights Dodge Viper-based TZ3 Zagato?

With the exception of the 8C, Alfa Romeo’s lineup over the last decade or so has hardly focused on high-end performance cars, but that could change soon if new reports out of Europe are to be believed.
A one-off shooting brake designed by design firm Zagato at the request of a wealthy German owner could make production – but not over the Italian running gear one might expect. Instead, according to AutoBild, a production version of the TZ3 might actually use the running gear and platform from the recently-discontinued Dodge Viper, including its 600 horsepower, 8.4-liter V10 engine.
It might sound like blasphemy, but Dodge is hard at work on a next-generation Viper, which is being co-engineered by teams from within Fiat’s portfolio – Maserati, Alfa Romeo and, of course, Ferrari. For Chrysler part-owner Fiat to green light a platform, CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to see global appeal under at least one other marque.
The original TZ3 debuted last year at the Villa d’Este Concours, where it was presented as a descendant of the racing-oriented TZ and TZ2 models from the 1960s.
The TZ3 Stradale, as German media reports it could be called, will be larger and heavier – by as much as 1,200 lbs. – than the current Viper. Reports also suggest that it might forgo the Alfa Romeo badge for a Zagato logo.
According to AutoBild, the TZ3 Stradale will debut in production-ready form later this year at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance before entering very limited production in 2012.

More about → Alfa Romeo green lights Dodge Viper-based TZ3 Zagato?

CBO report supports the viability of per-mile taxing

The notion of taxing drivers based on miles driven isn’t a totally new concept, but such a measure has never been put into place. However, that could soon change as the Congressional Budget Office released a report this week stating that a tax based on miles driven could be a viable way to increase revenues.

Although not a full-on recommendation by the CBO, the report concluded that a tax based on miles driven could be a way to offset slumping revenues. The federal government is looking for new sources of tax revenues as it fears a shift to more fuel efficient vehicles could hurt highway funding.
The report states that the new form of taxing could be made possible by new technologies that can track total vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
“In the past, the efficiency costs of implementing a system of VMT charges — particularly the costs of users’ time for slowing and queuing at tollbooths — would clearly have outweighed the potential benefits from more efficient use of highway capacity,” CBO wrote. “Now, electronic metering and billing are making per-mile charges a practical option.”
However, the CBO did address cost and privacy concerned associated with VMT devices.
“Having the devices installed as original equipment under a mandate to vehicle manufacturers would be relatively inexpensive but could lead to a long transition; requiring vehicles to be retrofitted with the devices could be faster but much more costly, and the equipment could be more susceptible to tampering than factory-installed equipment might be,” CBO said.
The CBO acknowledge privacy concerns associated with the tax system, but didn’t offer any real solutions. The CBO only suggested limiting information that would be transmitted to the government.
The report isn’t yet scheduled to be brought in front of Capitol Hill, but Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, the man that requested the report, is pushing for portions of the report to be heard by year’s end.

More about → CBO report supports the viability of per-mile taxing

What Makes a Luxury Sedan?

The answer is not as obvious as it sounds. Of course, premium sedan equipped with luxury finishes, exceptional build quality accessories and sophisticated. Less tangibly, these cars have an excellent after-sales service, reliability and efficient operation. The choice of a premium sedan should be an investment in quality and value.
What are the advantages of driving a luxury sedan? luxury saloon offers space and comfort with great handling and performance. They are also excellent for passenger cars, spacious and practical with a constant ride comfort.
Premium sedans are built with superior materials and accessories. In addition, high-end sedans are equipped with a large number of options, allowing drivers to customize their vehicle, according to specifications

Executive Sedan equipment
Executive rooms have progressive technology to enhance the driving experience and improve ride quality. Technologies such as adaptive cruise control, driver assistance and electronic parking assistance are operating a luxury sedan simpler and safer.

quality sound and entertainment systems make travel a pleasure, while satellite navigation systems, driver information and a multifunction steering wheel allows for quick and easy access to essential information.
The technology also has a direct impact on yield and quality, with progress in the provision of transport and food and electronics tuned suspension.
Premium car design
A luxury sedan can be a practical choice for demanding professionals, but should not be bland. A luxury sedan with elegance and refinement, as well as other practical advantages. The best contemporary sedans using progressive technology to produce a car that uses space efficiently and is also the vision of its designer.

Premium sedans should have a style that reflects its quality and excellent performance. With smooth keys, clean and modern, these vehicles are making their presence felt on the road.
fashion design has not always been so. Choosing a brand of luxury car with a pedigree established will ensure that the vehicle will be the state of the art today – and keep their good looks maintained over time. Choosing a car with a history of their future.
Performance and Efficiency
The economy is a significant advantage of premium contemporary sedans. Unlike less sophisticated vehicles on the market, these cars use the most advanced engines – many tests in race conditions – offering superior performance with unprecedented efficiency. This makes the operation relatively inexpensive and maintenance.
Premium vehicle brands offer a range of high performance engines, which can include diesel and petrol versions turbocharged high performance, comfort and reliability, some of which are designed to yield particularly high.
All vehicles need servicing and routine maintenance. A premium car brand is defined in part by the quality of service. When you choose a sedan, make sure you have access to a friendly and efficient service, dedicated to the sale after care and access to parts and accessories.
So what makes a luxury sedan? There are many distinctive features of these luxury cars that distinguish them from the mundane sedans. However, the only true way to appreciate a sedan sedan is to test a higher premium.

More about → What Makes a Luxury Sedan?

The Journey of Classic Jaguar Cars

It hit the top spot at Le Mans, has flirted with many an F1 driver, was alongside the rich and famous, and even had an affair with Steve McQueen – not bad for a girl to hit the big 50. If you did not work I speak of the famous Jaguar, who lost a slice of automotive history monumentous.
The Telegraph site refers to the Jaguar as the “coolest cat of all”, which is understandable when one considers the very flashy vintage cars who arrived from the British luxury car manufacturer. Two of the most beautiful moments of Jaguar’s long history to date have been recipients of the Le Mans 24 hours in 1951 and 1953.

In 1961, we were impressed by his unparalleled beauty, performance and exceptional value, but nothing prepared us for the fantasies that the Jaguar E-Type caused. For most of the British in 1961, owning a car was very ambitious, so it is hard to exaggerate what was a glamorous setting of this classic beauty.
If it’s good enough for Steve McQueen is certainly good enough for us. The love story between Steve McQueen and denied the Jaguar was not a secret, with a movie star thrills at the wheel of a classic creation, the couple was a match made in heaven.
Another chapter of the autobiography is the story of Jaguar XJ220, which is inspiring and sad. It was a car of your dreams in your day with a V-12 engine and 4 wheel drive, which saw her become the road car ever. The XJ220 was built at a cost of £ 400 000, which was where the problems started. In a report on PistonHeads.com, it was reported that the occurrence of exotic car market, buyers refused to pay these high prices, meaning these valuable cars are sold below list price – with a little more “Two hundred to expand the plant gate.”
Every girl needs her friends around from time to time, so it is not surprising that the launch party of the Jaguar XJ, the most popular Jaguar, was with other models like Elle Macpherson and Delevigne Poppy , discuss design, shape and style of the car with a glass of Veuve Clicquot.

More about → The Journey of Classic Jaguar Cars

The Chevrolet Corvette American Sports Car

The Chevrolet Corvette is often known as “The American sports car” due to the fact that it is the first American sports car built by American Motors manufacturing business generally. The Corvette has maintained its reputation as a powerful and affordable car for more than 50 years. The first car came in 1953 and was manufactured in a GM assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. What sets the Corvette apart from its European counterparts is its emphasis on simplicity. Most competing brands depend on smaller displacement and a complex engine. The Corvette, by contrast, uses a larger displacement and a single valve generals often resulted in an engine lighter, cheaper and smaller. This same philosophy is also reflected in the type of suspension used by the Corvette where GM opted to use the transverse leaf springs.

The Chevrolet sports car in 1953 entry-level from a warship very handy class frigate of the same name. The person responsible for choosing the name of GM’s sports car Myron E. Scott, who happens to be the creator of the Soap Box Derby. Corvette principles have fiberglass for their outer body, because of steel quotas left by the war. The engine used at the time was the “Blue Flame” engine truck line 6-cylinder two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission and drum brakes are similar to any Chevrolet car line of the day. Compared to their European counterparts, the Corvette has been a vehicle of low power. It was not until 1954 that a compressor Paxton became available as a dealer-installed option. This has greatly improved the performance of the Corvette, but still lag behind their counterparts.

The Corvette underwent major changes in 1963 and marked the beginning of the second generation Corvette was also known by the acronym C2. There were several body designs made by Larry Shinoda, which were published from 1963 to 1968. The development of the Corvette Stingray sporting broken rear windows and false start of the campaign was also launched in 1968. A 6.5 L engine option available and also the large block has become a bigger engine block came 7L 1966.The Third generation (C3) design of the Corvette made by Larry Shinoda was inspired by a Mako Shark . The C3 lasted until 1982 and every year that passes, several improvements were added to the Corvette especially on its engine. In 1973, the urethane bumpers replaced the chrome bumpers of the Corvette.

There are several notable variants of the model C4 Corvette namely the B2K Callaway Twin Turbo (1987), ZR-1 also known as the King of the Hill (1990) and the Corvette Grand Sport (1996). They opened the way for the development of the C5, C5 Z06, C5-R (1997-2004) Corvettes. The main changes to these models are part of the box hydrofoam, transmission has been placed at the rear of the car and the LS1 small-block engine with an output of 345 hp. The Z06 is the successor of the ZR-1 and inherited most of its good features. The Z06 comes with the LS6 engine and a lighter frame that makes it faster than the ZR-1, but has less power than the head cam engines of two ZR-1, which makes it slower than its predecessor.

More about → The Chevrolet Corvette American Sports Car

Brabus Creates ECO PowerXtra D6S Performance Kit for Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec

Brabus is known to be luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz’s tuning company and has enjoyed a great deal of renowned works. Today, it has added another badge to its belt with the ECO PowerXtra D6S, a performance kit that is made specifically for the Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec model. With this, the tuning company has claimed that it has tuned the very first diesel automobile that successfully meets the emission requirements of the new Euro 6 regulations. These regulations are expected to go in effect by year 2014.
The ECO PowerXtra D6S is compatible with the 4MATIC all-wheels drive and rear-end drive models. The performance kit adds 55 horsepower and 52 lb-ft. of torque to your machinery. It powers the Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec with up to 313 horsepower and an amazing 509 lb-ft of torque.
The ECO PowerXtra D6Shas been designed to work with no fuss. The installation of the performance kit is expected to work easily like a plug-and-play hardware system while it adds power to the 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine through the 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox. When you’re in “Eco Mode”, the torque is raised but the engine still has 258 horsepower. But when you’re in “Sport Mode” or “Manual Mode”, the engine’s maximum power level is raised. Therefore, the S350 model covers 62mph in 6.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 155 mph.
The ECO PowerXtra D6S can also be attached to both Mercedes-Benz’s lines of E350 CDI BlueEfficiency and the CLS 350 CDI BlueEfficiency with the same results.

Source : http://automotiveupdate.net/news/brabus-creates-eco-powerxtra-d6s-performance-kit-for-mercedes-benz-s350-bluetec/

More about → Brabus Creates ECO PowerXtra D6S Performance Kit for Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec