EoW March 2012

Transatlantic cable

Innovative forming and welding techniques were employed to create a structure which the company claims sets a benchmark for torsional rigidity in roadsters; † Transatlantic sharing. With Fiat in control of Chrysler, the two companies increasingly function as one. The partnership has yielded dividends in the form of the Dodge Dart compact, which is built on a longer, wider version of Fiat’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform – underpinnings that will be used as a starting point for other Chrysler compacts; † Plugging in. Ford’s Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid, using a 2-litre 4-cylinder engine, is expected to deliver 100mpge (electric-equivalent fuel economy). According to Ford, this goes the Chevrolet Volt some 8mpge better. Ford also introduced a plug-in hybrid version of its C-Max compact crossover. Honda, Volvo and other auto makers will follow the path of the Toyota Prius plug-in to showrooms; † Unlikely pairing. The E300 BlueTec Hybrid sedan from Mercedes-Benz upends standard practice by combining a 201-horsepower 4-cylinder diesel engine with a 27-horsepower electric motor. Fuel economy is estimated at 56mpg on the European test cycle. For now, the car will be available only in Europe; † Turbos and batteries. The Volkswagen Jetta hybrid couples a turbocharged 1.4-litre 4-cylinder engine of 150 horsepower with a 27-horsepower electric motor. Volkswagen estimates combined fuel economy at 45mpg and 0-to-60mph acceleration time at less than nine seconds;

noted by Lawrence Ulrich of the New York Times . He wrote that the venerable show, which for years “served as a stage for the gas-guzzling truck-based pro t centres of hometown brands like General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford, now ts more snugly in the rmament of international auto shows, where smaller but high-content models have traditionally been the stars.” He cited as evidence the debut of the 2012 Dodge Dart, based on a platform taken from Alfa Romeo; and that of the Acura ILX, an entry-level luxury sedan based on the Honda Civic. Another Times reporter, Phil Patton, surveyed the designs unveiled at the show and found a movement toward a style that could be called American Global. He noted the ‘decidedly globalist approach’ of the Chevrolet Code 130R Concept, whose designer mentioned multiple inspirations: “not just bits of the Corvette, Corvair, and Camaro, but also the BMW 1 Series; the 1960s Ford Anglia, from Europe; and Japanese subcompacts with gold wheels.” It fell to yet another Times man, Paul Stenquist, to write about the many technical innovations on display at the big show, now in its 24 th year. Here, much abridged and lightly edited, are some of the emergent engineering trends identi ed by Mr Stenquist (“A Bu et of Canny Tweaks in Hot Pursuit of Mileage,” 13 th January): † Lightweight luxury. Like Mercedes-Benz SL sports cars of the past, the 2013 SL550 showcases the German auto maker’s technical prowess. Among its features is a body made almost entirely of aluminium and 308 pounds lighter than that of the previous model.

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EuroWire – March 2012