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Updates from April, 2012

  • Dallas, Tex. • The Dodge Ram — or just Ram, as it’s now called — is being displayed at the New York Auto Show, not as a new truck but as a mid-cycle refreshening. The body changes for 2013 are minor — new grille work and some changes to the sheetmetal. However, it’s what’s under the skin that has the truck world buzzing.

    Whether Chrysler says so or not, every improvement made to the Ram is on account of one word — EcoBoost.

    This V6 engine in rival Ford’s F-150 has been a huge sales success, one that has necessitated a radical upgrade to the Ram, a truck that has long built its reputation on the Hemi V8 engine. So, mechanically, this 2013 Ram is anything but mid-cycle eye candy.

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    At a very small and exclusive technical background briefing here, in advance of the New York Auto Show, I spent hours with the Ram engineers, They revealed a pickup that has more than a dozen changes to it, all aimed at reducing fuel consumption while preserving its “soul.” While there are copious changes and improvements, the one major result is that Ram claims it will beat Ford’s EcoBoost fuel economy. With gas prices spiralling upward, that’s a big one.

    The new Ram now features Chrysler’s 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 coupled to a new eight-speed transmission developed by ZF of Germany. And, while the power and fuel savings implications of this combination are obvious, it’s the sum total of all the technical changes that Ram president and CEO Fred Diaz says will beat Ford.

    The eight-speed automatic is a first for pickups. Couple it to the 305-horsepower V6 and Ram claims a 20% fuel savings over the Hemi powertrain. The engine also weighs 35 kilograms less than the V8. But the Hemi is not going away, says Ram. It continues to be available and, about six months after the Pentastar/eight-speed arrives late this year, the Hemi will also get hooked up to the ZF.

    Stop/Start technology has also been added to the truck. A proven system that has been used sparingly by various automakers, this system stops the engine at lights and restarts it as soon as the foot is lifted off the brake. This addition increases fuel efficiency by up to 3.3%, says Ram.

    Active air shutters are another first on a pickup. These vents open and close as needed for cooling. However, they also increase aerodynamics and fuel efficiency by around 0.5%, while shortening engine warm-up time.

    A new electric power steering system adds five hp to the Pentastar’s output total while reducing fuel consumption by 1.8%, says Ram. This proven system eliminates the constant power draw of a hydraulic pump as well as offering revised steering effort calibrations matched to speed and road conditions, which in turn reduce driver fatigue.

    Alternators produce way more power than is needed by most trucks’ electrically run components, so Chrysler has developed a pulse-width modulation system that reduces parasitic electrical draw by the fuel system and cooling fan. This in turn reduces fuel consumption by 0.4% and increases component durability.

    Even though the Ram is a mid-cycle upgrade, the engineering team couldn’t help redesigning parts of the frame. By using high-strength steel, the truck’s weight was reduced by 14 kg. The 2013 Ram also comes with new low-rolling resistance tires. Plus, the front air dam, made from a rubberized polymer, has been lengthened to improve air flow, adding a 0.6% improvement to the Ram fuel economy.

    Adding a new wheel-to-wheel side step was found to be aerodynamically more efficient, delivering an added 0.5% fuel consumption improvement. Another bonus is that the longer step now provides a foothold for reaching into the front of the box.
    Beyond improvements to maximize fuel economy, the 2013 Ram has added an air spring suspension option.  This system will automatically adjust to speed and load, while manually operated settings will be available for off-road operation and even a low-profile “park” mode. The truck will be able to rise and lower as much as 100 millimetres with the press of a button.

    The new transmission comes with a new gear shifter — a rotary dial on the dashboard. Also new is the availability of the Crew Cab with a longer 6-foot-4 box.

    The 2013 Ram with all these upgrades will arrive in dealer showrooms in the last quarter of this year.


    8:00 am on April 6, 2012
     

  • BMW has unveiled its i8 Concept Spyder as a representation of  “the future where intelligent thinking, advanced materials and innovative construction techniques fuse together to create a high-performance roadster that is outstandingly efficient and environmentally aware.”

    In effect, what BMW is trying to say it that the i8 Concept Spyder possesses the performance of a sports car with the fuel consumption of a subcompact.

    Although closely related to the original i8 Concept, BMW says the Concept Spyder is strictly a two-seater, with a shorter wheelbase and upward swivelling, windowless doors. It also features a fresher interior design with additional on-board equipment, including a pair of electric scooters housed under a transparent tailgate.

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    The Concept Spyder’s occupants sit in a very light but strong carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic cell. The car’s lithium ion batteries are housed in an “energy tunnel” that joins the front and rear axles, thereby maintaining a low centre of gravity and ensuring 50/50 weight distribution.

    The upward-opening doors pivot forward around the axis of the A-pillar, giving the Spyder a distinctive appearance with them open. BMW says a two-section roof is planned for when the weather is less favourable.

    A plug-in hybrid, the Concept Spyder is powered by an eDrive drivetrain combining a high-performance electric motor with a turbocharged, three-cylinder gas engine. The lithium ion batteries can be charged quickly from a domestic power socket. The car uses a 131-horsepower electric motor to power the front axle, and a 223-hp turbocharged three-cylinder engine to power the rear axle. Both have been developed in-house by BMW. With its lightweight construction, BMW says the combined power output of 354 hp propels the Spyder to 100 kilometres an hour in five seconds, yet delivers an outstanding combined fuel consumption of three litres per 100 km.

    The electric motor gets its energy from the car’s lithium ion batteries and can be fully charged via a home plug socket in under two hours. BMW says the Spyder has a range of 30 km running on electric power alone, while a high-voltage generator hooked up to the gas engine can generate additional power if needed and store it in the battery. The Spyder can run in front-wheel, rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, the vehicle’s electronics deciding on the optimum drive depending on the situation.

    BMW says this third vehicle gives the clearest indication yet of how the company’s fourth brand will appear when it is revealed in 2013.


    1:00 pm on April 3, 2012
     

  • By Kyoko Hasegawa

    TOKYO • Three decades after sidelining Datsun, Japan’s Nissan is dusting off the brand to tap emerging markets, a move sure to stir up nostalgia among fans of the low-cost, fuel-efficient cars.

    Analysts say the plan to sell Datsuns in Indonesia, Russia and India will help the auto giant take on fierce competition in those markets without hurting its existing brands or spending time and money on creating a new one.

    “Reviving the Datsun brand is better than creating a new brand as the old Datsun cars are still there and recognizable by some people,” says Kota Yuzawa, an auto analyst at Goldman Sachs in Tokyo.

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    Datsun — the first set of wheels for many adolescents — was a big seller especially in Canada and the United States where its sporty, two-door hatchbacks became synonymous with fuel efficiency during the 1970s oil crisis.

    But Nissan phased it out from 1981 as the company pushed its own name onto its fleet of cars.

    Last week, chief executive Carlos Ghosn said Datsun would be a “global brand” alongside Nissan-branded cars and its luxury line Infiniti, although there are no immediate plans to sell it in Japan or other mature markets.

    “Datsun is part of our history. It was synonymous with affordable and reliable cars,” Ghosn said in Jakarta on Tuesday. “With the return of Datsun, we want to add modernity to it, with a new level of quality, like a high fuel economy.”

    Company spokesman Mitsuru Yonekawa says owners of the old Datsun brand were “optimistic about their future, had upward mobility, a strong yearning for possessing cars and yet were somewhat demanding about the quality of cars.”

    The updated models will attract “quite similar” customers, he adds.

    Automakers have released models targeting specific markets before, but Nissan’s revival of a shelved brand for emerging economies is unprecedented among Japanese automakers, analysts say.

    Nissan would not reveal prices or details of the models it will sell from 2014, but the new Datsun may cost as little as 500,000 yen ($6,000), with most parts sourced locally, the Nikkei business daily reports.

    Nissan says it is aiming to make Datsun eventually account for about half of its total sales in each market, the company spokesman says.

    Russia was among Nissan’s top foreign markets last year, though still far below China and the United States. Asia — excluding Japan — accounted for nearly one-quarter of sales, including Indonesia and India.

    Nissan’s move underscores the growing importance of emerging economies, a key battlefield among global auto makers amid stagnating growth in developed markets.

    “It reflects the importance of emerging markets not only for Japanese automakers but for all kinds of industries,” says Yusuke Ichikara, economist at Mizuho Research Institute.

    The push is also part of a wider trend among Japanese companies that have taken advantage of the yen’s strength in recent years to diversify their business and expand global operations.

    “What’s important in doing business successfully in emerging markets is to localize products,” Ichikara says.
    “Creating a different brand for affordable cars is a wise move to avoid hurting the image of existing brands.”

    Toshiyuki Kanayama, senior market analyst at Monex Securities, says Japanese automakers cannot ignore India, Indonesia and Russia, where the size of the middle class is expected to balloon.

    “But there is no way they can beat India’s Tata Motors in terms of prices,” Kanayama says, referring to the ultra-cheap Nano model, which can be had for less than $3,000.

    Nissan has said it will invest $400-million in a plant in Indonesia to more than double production capacity from 100,000 to 250,000 vehicles a year by 2014.

    The move will mean Nissan, which formed an alliance with Renault in 1999, will be able to make more cars in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy than its main rival Toyota.


    1:00 pm on March 26, 2012
     

  • OTTAWA •  Natural Resources Canada has named the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in the country. The 2012 ecoEnergy for Vehicles Awards recognizes the most fuel-efficient new vehicles sold in Canada in 10 different classes, says the federal department.

    The award winners are as follows:

    Two-seater car Honda CR-Z and Smart fortwo (co-winners)
    Subcompact car Mitsubishi i-MiEV
    Compact car Chevrolet Volt
    Mid-size car Nissan Leaf
    Full-size car Hyundai Sonata
    Station wagon Toyota Prius v
    Pickup truck Toyota Tacoma
    Special purpose vehicle Ford Escape Hybrid
    Minivan Mazda5
    Large van Ford Transit Connect Van

    “These manufacturers are developing the latest vehicle technologies to help Canadians reduce their greenhouse gas emissions,” says Minister Joe Oliver. “The fuel consumption ratings for vehicles provide Canadians with the right tools to help make informed decisions to lower their fuel costs while reducing their environmental impact.”

    Fuel consumption ratings for all 2012 model year vehicles are now available on Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan’s) website at vehicles.nrcan.gc.ca.


    2:00 pm on January 17, 2012