18 June 2008, 12:18 PM
New surface finish solves heat management for Reventón supercar
Leading automotive coating specialist Zircotec has been selected by Automobili Lamborghini to supply a new thermal barrier for its one million Euro Reventón car. Zircotec’s plasma-sprayed Diamond Black coating is applied to the exhaust and inhibits heat transfer from the tailpipe protecting heat sensitive components from damage.
“Lamborghini needed a durable solution that protect
16 June 2008, 09:32 AM
Seven gears that shift at lightning speed without interrupting traction – Audi presents a new phase in the evolution of transmission systems. The seven-speed S tronic has an extremely dynamic, high-efficiency action. This new dual-clutch transmission is designed for use with a longitudinally installed engine and quattro all-wheel drive. It is suitable for a wide range of sporty models and will go into production in the second half of 2008. In addition to the new seven-speed S tronic, Audi offers
11 June 2008, 03:38 PM
Ford Motor Company announced today that it is working with researchers, academia, and public and private companies to develop long-term strategies to confront growing transportation and personal mobility challenges in large and increasingly congested metropolitan areas.
This announcement coincides with the release of the ninth annual Ford Sustainability Report and the 2008 Sustainable Mobility Summit hosted by University of Michigan (U-M) in A
11 June 2008, 01:42 PM
Transmission technology specialist Xtrac says the flywheel kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) currently being developed for Formula One could be applied to road vehicles in a number of ways.
“By providing an additional boost of power, the F1 technology is particularly relevant to the trend to fit cars with smaller engines in pursuit of better fuel efficiency and lower CO2 output,” says Xtrac technical director Adrian Moore.
“The technic
04 June 2008, 09:59 AM
Munich. BMW Group Forschung und Technik, the company's research and technology arm, has been working with other car manufacturers to achieve an important step forward in hydrogen storage. Teaming up with partners, including some from the European aerospace industry, the engineers have developed a novel type of tank made of composite material for storing liquid hydrogen.
Thanks to its innovative concept, the weight of the entire tank system can be reduced to a third compared with conventional cylindrical steel ta
02 June 2008, 10:27 AM
Lincoln MKS, the new full-size sedan, makes its production debut, continuing the momentum for Lincoln and offering customers dynamic, modern design and some of the most sophisticated safety, convenience and comfort technologies available on any car.
"The Lincoln MKS ensures a high level of comfort for all passengers, thanks to a class-leading interior package," said Brett Wheatley, Lincoln Mercury general marketing manager. "Abundant space, co
30 May 2008, 12:59 PM
Gentex Corporation, the leading supplier of automatic-dimming rearview mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry, has announced that its SmartBeam® High-Beam Headlamp Assist system - called "Fernlichtassistent" (FLA) by Audi - will be offered this spring on the Audi A4, A5 and Q7. The FLA feature will be available on Audi models in the UK and continental Europe as an option in conjunction with Bi-Xenon headlamps.
SmartBeam uses a miniature camera-on-a-chip combined with algorithmic decision making to automat
28 May 2008, 07:42 AM
Dynamic partnership between the Volkswagen Group and Sanyo
Agreement has been reached on a co-operation which sees Volkswagen joining forces with Sanyo, one of the world’s leading developers of rechargeable batteries, to work on new and extremely efficient high-performance storage systems based on lithium-ion te
20 May 2008, 08:58 PM
Antonov, the automotive technology company, is returning to first principles in order to develop the radical low cost transmission systems required for ultra low cost cars.
“We have unique experience of mechanical automatic shifting and alternative launch systems gained over almost 20 years,” says John Moore.
“Su
17 May 2008, 10:58 AM
The amount of traffic on our roads is increasing constantly, as is the amount of information that needs to be processed – meaning that the task of driving is becoming ever more demanding. Audi has developed a technology which promises more relaxed, safer motoring: the Audi braking guard brake assist system is designed
13 May 2008, 03:15 PM
The two-litre turbodiesel version of the Volvo C30, S40 and V50 is now also available with a fully-automatic transmission.
This new Powershift transmission is a six-speed unit and it significantly cuts fuel consumption compared with a conventional automatic transmission.
"According to our calculations, Powershift contributes to a fuel consumption saving of about eight percent compared with a conventional automatic transmission," says Magnus
14 April 2008, 02:16 PM
ELECTRO-SOLAR HYBRID
With 3.6 sqm of photovoltaic cells giving an exceptional yield of 21%, and covered by a film composed of nano-prisms enabling denser concentration of solar energy, Astrolab is the first high-performance solar vehicle to be commercialized in the world.
Capable of working with very little energy (16 kWc engine) and of recharging even when in motion, this vehicle of another era does not need to be permanently exposed to the sun in order to move. Its last-generation NiMH V
