Archive for Cars

Contrary to what other industry leaders are saying regarding the world economic situation, the worst is not over yet. That is the opinion of Takanobu Ito, the new President and CEO of Honda Motor Co, shared with the Malaysian media during an interview earlier today at the 2009 Tokyo Motorshow. It was quite an interesting interview as he had just taken over Takeo Fukui who has been the big boss for 6 years.

According to Ito-san, so far the situation has subsided enough to the point that financial institutions can begin getting back onto their feet again and start issuing credit, but this optimism does not follow through down to the grassroots where the actual customers are.

Ito says Honda is in the business of selling cars and when you look at actual customers, the economy is not yet at a point where customers have regained their appetites for making purchases. This is because they do not feel secure or rather are not confident enough that they have the disposable income to make a big purchase like a car, yet. This applies not only with the US market but to other markets such as Europe as well.

But Ito expects certain markets to continue to show growth such as the Asian market and that includes us in the ASEAN region. For now, Ito’s biggest challenge is to ensure that Honda continues to remain relevant in the global automotive scene. Ito is from an engineering background, specializing in chassis design. He was the Large Project Leader (LPL) for the Honda NSX.

Ito says Honda has to continue to develop enticing products and new technology to keep the Honda brand in people’s minds. In fact, it has to be so to keep people interested in cars altogether – apparently in Japan the young Japanese are starting to lose interest in cars thanks to their extremely efficient and usable public transportation system.A select but alarmingly growing few feel cars are no cool to own – they prefer the latest handphones or gadgets.

But new products are just one part of the picture. Ito has to revamp the company’s very financial foundation to ensure that even in times of reduces sales volume, the company can still make a bit of profit – not just breaking even or dipping down into the red.

Ito stressed that this has to be done as soon as possible, and it has to be done without compromising things like its Fundamental Technology Research Centre (held under Honda R&D Co Ltd) which employs 700 people who work on random pieces of advanced technology such as the ASIMO robot, the Honda Jet, and even things like nanotechnology and brain-machine interface systems. But of course as consumers I think we’d appreciate things like R&D to develop a 7-speed automatic that can be equipped at the cost of a 4-speed!

The first thing that was chopped is their F1 program (which has since evolved into the successful Brawn GP) and Ito regrets that the move was inevitable. Encouraging its engineers to have out-of-the-box thinking and develop breakthrough ideas are more important than racing a really fast single seater around racetracks.

Honda’s Tokyo 2009 exhibits also included a mix of alternative fuel vehicles. We have the hybrids of course and the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell car which has started to become familiar to us, but Honda also exhibited a few new zero emissions electric (battery-powered) products such as the Honda EV-N Concept, a retro-styled compact city car that looks like a tribute to the Honda N360.

Does this mean Honda has shifted its focus to EVs instead of FCVs? Ito says no – Honda’s product strategy does not assume the fact that EV is the set way of future automobile propulsion. Ito says EVs are not the solution to everything, and will remain far from so in the future if battery technology does not improve.

In fact, these alternative fuel vehicles are currently so costly that they may really never make their way full-scale in poorer third world countries such as most of the ASEAN region, with the exception of perhaps Singapore. A cheaper way to make a difference would be to make more fuel efficient engines and reduce vehicle weight so that power to weight ratio improves, and when power needs reduce, fuel consumption will reduce.

Finally we asked Ito-san: What kind of company is Honda right now? With it quitting F1 and scrapping its new NSX program, the company seems to be distant from its past identity that consisted of cars such as the Honda NSX, the Honda Integra, and etc. With the cancellation of the NSX, Honda is pretty much left without a flagship model, and I think the closest that Honda has to something like a flagship now is the FCX Clarity which is a very large fuel cell hatchback. Yes, see what I mean?

Having been heavily involved in the old NSX, Ito says he of course would be very happy to have another car like the NSX like the flagship but Honda has to find a way to do it while remaining relevant to current environmental and economic issues first.

But if he were to dream up what a new Honda flagship would be like – it would be much like the old NSX with a very lightweight body, but powered by powerful motors fed energy by hydrogen fuel cells instead of the NSX’s petrol-powered VTEC V6. But that’s not going to happen for the moment – it looks like funds are being used quite conservatively. Honda expects to post a US$111 million operating loss for its first half earnings this fiscal year, which is already better than expected as the effect of the weak dollar versus strong yen (91 yen to a dollar) was cushioned by the China market which is doing well, as well as sales in Japan.

BMW is currently working on new technologies to better manage heat released from its vehicles. By improving heat management, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions can be reduced. Even a very fuel efficient engine can only convert about one-third of the energy contained in fuel to actually propel a car.

The rest is lost as waste heat via the car’s exhaust and radiator. To be more specific the auto maker is working on three systems including technologies to eliminate cold starts, convert heat from a car’s exhaust into electricity and use waste heat for interior heating.

To eliminate cold starts, BMW is working on improving heat insulation of engines (pictured below) that can help prevent them from cooling down quickly and retain as much residual heat as possible for the next start. With the technology that is being developed, the engine will take longer to cool down and even after 12 hours, engine temperature can still be figured at about 40 degrees Celsius.

BMW claims that each degree Celsius above the ambient temperature can help reduce fuel consumption by 0.2%. To help achieve better heating, a vehicle will be surrounded by fully clad walls and panels using materials that are normally used in the car’s underfloor for insulation.

Heat can also be converted into electric power. The automaker says that between 3 and 8% of the total fuel consumed by modern cars is due to the rising number of electricity-dependent features. BMW is testing a component called a thermoelectric generator (pictured below).

This generator uses the effect of the temperature gradient in thermoelectric semi-conductor elements generating electrical voltage (the Seebeck Effect). The bigger the difference in temperature, the higher the voltage generated. Exhaust gas temperatures, which are usually between 300 and 900 degrees Celsius, are on the hot side of the generator, and engine coolant is used for the cold side.

Basically up to 250 W of energy can be produced by integrating the component with the exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 250 W equals to about half the on-board electricity consumption in a BMW 5 Series. This can help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 2%.

The final technology of the heat management idea is an exhaust gas heat exchanger. This system can be placed close to the catalytic converter and it can convey heat to other components or areas like the interior. It can replace the need for electrical heating modules which consume additional fuel (by about 1 liter per 100 kilometers).

Furthermore, the feature can also be used to help warm up components like the transmission (example, oil in the automatic transmission). The above mentioned technologies are in testing stages hence it can take years before we can actually see them in production cars.

Here’s a few shots of the Lexus LFA supercar live from the Tokyo Motorshow 2009 this morning, which was pretty much the most exciting exhibit at the Toyota and Lexus displays as the rest of the cars had already been unveiled in press release and product image form before the motorshow. Only a certain ‘2 seater supercar’ had been withheld until the motorshow press day itself.

The LFA really sounded great in real life thanks to its high-revving V10 with individual throttle bodies. Can’t say the same about its looks though. The individual design elements don’t really seem to gel together that well.

Anyway, words can only say so much. After the jump you’ll find a few things – live shots of the LFA, two product shots of the LFA, and a video of the Lexus LFA unveiling at the motorshow this morning.

Click here to read the rest of Lexus LFA: live motorshow shots and 2 videos

Subaru has revealed a limited edition Exiga 2.0GT that has been prepped by the auto maker’s STI division. The 7-seater station wagon has a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine under its hood. The 4-cylinder boxer unit that is linked to a 5-speed automatic transmission is able to churn out 221hp.

The exterior of the new Exiga variant is treated to features including 17-inch alloy wheels, a sports exhaust as well as a front lip spoiler and side skirts. Inside, you would be surrounded by sport seats finished with leather, alcantara and red stitching, carbon fiber trim, aluminium pedals and STI gauges in the instrument panel. STI-badging on the steering wheel, gear knob, seats covers and on the engine start-stop button make up the rest of the interior upgrades.

Apart from the upgrades above, STI also worked its magic on the chassis with tuning performed on areas like the suspension and steering systems. Unfortunately the Exiga 2.0GT STI is only planned for the Japanese market and only 300 units will be rolled out. Each costs 3,591,000 yen (about RM 133,000). Look for more images after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Subaru’s STI-tuned Exiga 2.0GT revealed in Tokyo

Honda has confirmed that the production version of the CR-Z will be introduced in February 2010. Japan will receive the CR-Z first followed by the North American and European markets. The production version will also be shown at next year’s Detroit Motor Show in the United States.

The CR-Z Concept 2009 features a 1.5 liter i-VTEC engine that is part of the auto maker’s IMA hybrid system. The system also includes a 6-speed manual transmission which is the world’s first for a hybrid vehicle. Since the 2009 version of the concept looks very much production ready, expect only minor changes for the actual production model.

Click here to read the rest of Production version of the Honda CR-Z hybrid to be released in February 2010

Infiniti will have its own all-electric, zero emissions vehicle. That is what CEO of Nissan Carlos Ghosn announced at the Tokyo Motor Show. According to the short statement, the brand which is under Nissan is developing a “stylish, compact, high performance, four-seat luxury Infiniti with zero emissions” concept. Unfortunately no other information was released but there is a possibility that Ghosn is talking about the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle that may be given a more luxurious treatment and sold with the Infiniti badge. Same old formula that Lexus used with turning the Auris into the LF-Ch.

Nissan has refreshed the GT-R yet again. It was first unveiled back in 2007 and was revised at the end 2008. This new version is offered with a new HDD CARWINGS navigation system with enhanced entertainment features and USB port with iPod connectivity. The auto maker also did some work underneath the car with changes made to suspension.

The car’s front shock absorbers and springs have been tuned with increased accuracy while the rear suspension has been stiffened up as well. Furthermore the GT-R now comes with a rear diffuser fitted with cooling ducts. This system was previously offered only with the SpecV variant. The 485 PS GT-R also comes with new hexagonal meshed catalyst cells that can reduce ventilation or airflow resistance resulting in improved engine response at low and mid-range.

Speaking about the SpecV, the range topping version now features revised rear shock absorber settings and Dunlop-sourced tires that replace Bridgestone ones. However buyers can still opt for the Bridgestone rubber. Continue reading to view more images.

Click here to read the rest of Nissan GT-R refreshed for 2011 model year

We all know that this year’s Tokyo Motor Show will mostly feature Japanese models apart from cars by just three European manufacturers. Nevertheless, the show that kicks off this week will have at least two major highlights including the Toyota FT-86 Concept and an all new supercar by Lexus. Yes as the title suggests we are talking about the V10 LFA.

The 2-seater LFA is motivated by a mid-front mounted 1LR-GSE 4.8 liter DOHC V10 that cranks out 552hp at 8,700 rpm and 480Nm of torque that is achieved at 6,800 rpm (90% of which is available from 3,700 rpm).

The engine that screams at a red line of 9,000 revs features Dual VVT-i technology, equal length exhaust manifolds and high-volume, a total of 40 valves, 12-hole fuel injectors, 12:1 compression ratio and is Euro 5 compliant. The powerplant was co-developed with Yamaha and features a total of ten individual throttle bodies – one for each cylinder! Titanium valves, ultra–light weight rocker arms with a diamond–like coating and a fully integrated lower crankcase reduces pumping losses at high RPMs.

Mated to a rear-mounted 6-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (operated by steering-mounted paddle shifters) that drives the rear wheels via a limited slip differential, the engine enables the supercar to hit 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 325 km/h. The drivetrain has four driving modes that is made up by Auto, Sport, Normal and Wet modes. Each mode has a specific gearshift program as well as engine and brake control logic systems to let the driver tailor the car’s performance to suit different driving conditions.

Stopping power is provided by carbon ceramic 390 mm front discs and 306 mm rear discs. The front setup has 6-piston aluminium calipers while the rear features 4 pistons. The LFA has a track-tuned suspension that according to Lexus, gives “the best possible balance between control and comfort”. It has a bespoke front wishbone and rear multilink design configuration that is mostly made of aluminium alloy. It also has aluminium monotube dampers that were also featured in the LFA race car that took part in the Nurburgring 24-hour event. The rack and pinion setup in the LFA features an Electric Power Steering System.

The 1,480kg car sits on 20-inch aluminium BBS wheels that are shod with Bridgestone-sourced 265/35ZR20 tires for the front and 305/20ZR20 tires for the rear. Along with a drag coefficient of 0.31, it has a carbon fibre rear diffuser and flat underbody that help generate significant downforce. There is also an active rear wing.

The hand-built interior is treated to seats upholstered in fine leather and Alcantara. The trim details are finished in brushed metal while the floor-hinged brake and throttle pedals are made of forged aluminium. The hooded instrument panel combines an LCD display panel with a colour Thin Film Transistor (TFT) and a motor-drive movable ring. It features a single circular dial with a central tachometer with an LCD needle.

When engine speed exceeds 9,000 rpm, the display area turns red to prime the driver for an up-shift. It can also be programmed to turn yellow or green when the revs reach a user-selected range. The dial also houses a digital speedometer and gear indicator, transmission mode, vehicle control data and trip information displays.

At 4,505mm by 1,895mm by 1,220mm with a 2,605mm wheelbase, the car is slightly smaller than a Ferrari 458 Italia. Production will be limited to 500 units and pricing in the US starts from approximately US$375,000. Lexus revealed that the LFA will be hand-assembled at the Motomachi plant in Toyota City and each V10 engine will be assembled by a single engineer. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

Click here to read the rest of 552hp Lexus LFA launched: full details!

UK-based Caterham Cars will be present at the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan with three of its latest models. The Superlight R300 EU4 will make its Japanese premier while the CSR 175 EU4 will make its world premier. The sports car maker will also showcase the Roadsport EU4.

Caterham which has been selling its cars in the Land of the Rising Sun since the 1970’s recently confirmed Premium Cars Import (PCI) as the company’s exclusive importer in the country in January. Managing director Ansar Ali who used to hold a position in Lotus as general manager said, “Japan has always been one of our biggest export markets. During the early 1990s, Caterham was selling over 100 cars a year in Japan and now, with our new importer doing great work to highlight the company from their Tokyo base, we are looking forward to pushing sales up again.”

“I have no doubt we will achieve this objective as we now have a retail network of over 15 dealers in Japan who are committed to making Caterham another British success in this exciting and dynamic market,” he added. Caterham will be one of just three European manufacturers exhibiting at the motor show.

Volkswagen has announced that it will take a 49.9% stake in sports car maker Porsche in a first step towards merging with the company. Volkswagen’s initial plan was to acquire 42% of Porsche and with the increase in stake, Volkswagen’s position in the equation will be stronger sooner than expected. The German auto giant also assured that the merger between both companies is still scheduled to take place in 2011.

Currently both companies are working together in certain areas such as manufacturing the Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg in the same plant as well as the utilization of Volkswagen’s 3.6 liter V6 by Porsche. The above mentioned 49.9% stake will cost $5.8 billion and the company also assured that it is committed in “preserving the independence and the interests of Porsche” – which is a good move.

Porsche will join other brands like Bugatti, Audi, Lamborghini as well as Bentley to become the company’s 10th brand. Volkswagen also announced that it plans to increase its preferred share capital by the first half of 2010 in order to refinance the participation and maintain Volkswagen’s good credit rating.