The Spun Bearing: 500cc Combustion Chamber, Wave Disc Generator, and Leather vs Cloth The 500cc Combustion Chamber BMW is migrating towards a common combustion chamber for its upcoming 3, 4, and 6 cylinder engines. BMWBLOG covered Innovation Day last year and reported on this engine architecture in April of 2011. One of the prime benefits of going to a common combustion chamber (and valvetrain) is that the physical properties of the fuel burn are the same from engine to engine (for gas and again for diesel). With the advent of direct injection, variable valve timing, and Valvetronic –variable valve lift, the control of the combustion process is more complicated (and the combustion process itself is much more efficient) than a few decades ago. Unfortunately the whole process of burning fuel in an engine currently is controlled by lines and lines of code in the Engine Control Unit (ECU). And squeezing every last gram of efficiency out of a quantity of fuel by tweaking code requires a lot more engineering effort than fiddling with carburetor jets. And it’s the promise of reducing engineering effort across a line of engines that is a big benefit of going to a common combustion chamber. One of the most precious commodities at BMW is engineering. This isn’t a huge car company that can devout engineers to small projects with minimal return on investment. So going to a common combustion chamber makes sense for them. Of course if the code is wrong and sneaks into production, it will affect a lot of engines. But counter-balancing that is the fact that there is only one chamber that has to be developed, and any gains in one are gains in all. Left out of the equation at the Innovation Day discussion was whether the V8 and V12 engines would go to the common combustion chamber. That would mean a new generation of V8s and V12s would be developed. BMW did say, when asked, that the V8 and V12 would still be built, but there was no mention as to whether or not new versions would be developed. Left unsaid about optimizing the engineering effort is what are they freeing up engineering resources to do. I think we know that a lot of engineering effort is being made on providing e-mobility. And that may be the biggest benefit, from BMW’s perspective, of...

Today, BMW announced the pricing for the 2013 BMW X5 M and X6 M models. Even though not officially announced, we expect the X5 M to receive a minor styling upgrade just as the X6 M. The two M-SAVs will go on sale this spring for $88,850 (X5 M) and $91,900 (X6 M). This represents an increase of $1,600 for both models over the 2012 production year. The 2013 X5 M and X6 M now come with the blue painted M brake calipers, as seen on the M5 sedan, as well as with standard M multifunction seats. Inside, the Mugello Red Full Merino Leather (X3MR) replaces Sakhir Orange Full Merino Leather (X3DA) on both models. The X6 M benefits additionally from the X6 LCI with a new, wider kidney grille and redesigned tail lights featuring glowing LED light bars. Additionally, the updated X6 M features an aluminum powerdome hood similar to the one seen on the M3 and ActiveHybrid X6. Both models may be equipped with the new, optional LED headlights (552) to complete the front-end update. Optional equipment: Active Ventilated Seat Package (ZAV) – Active Ventilated Seat package no longer includes SA456 and has been re-priced to $900. Full LED Headlights (552) now available as a stand-alone option for $1,900 Now, either M light alloy wheel style may be ordered on the either model at no charge (2NT remains standard on X5 M, 2NU remains standard on X6 M). The BMW X6 M will debut in April at the New York Auto Show. Go here to read the rest:  U.S. Pricing announced for 2013 BMW X5 M and 2013 BMW X6 M

Honda has priced the new four-cylinder version of the humpbacked Accord-based Crosstour —note that it’s no longer called the Accord Crosstour—from $28,465. That figure applies to the entry EX model; the EX-L adds leather and costs $31,515, while the top-shelf EX-L with navigation rings in at $33,615. Pricing for the V-6 Crosstour starts at $31,150 for an EX and rises to $37,350 for an all-wheel-drive EX-L with navigation. The front-wheel-drive-only four-cylinder variant was added to the previously V-6–only Crosstour range for 2012. Its 192-hp four is down 79 hp from the available 3.5-liter V-6, but should return better fuel economy. (You can read a more detailed comparison of the four- and six-cylinder Crosstours and their fuel economy here .) All Crosstours received additional equipment for 2012 , perhaps most importantly a backup camera to mitigate awful rear visibility, and are available now. Excerpt from: Honda Prices 2012 Four-Cylinder Crosstour EX, Starts at $28,465 Read more: Honda Prices 2012 Four-Cylinder Crosstour EX, Starts at $28,465

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its annual report of traffic fatalities from 2010, and it listed an additional 13 rear-end collisions with 1993-2004 Grand Cherokees that killed another 14 people, according to the Center for Auto Safety (CAS). CAS says the fuel tank on these Grand Cherokees is mounted behind the rear axle, making it prone to catch fire in rear-end collisions. In a defect petition filed with the NHTSA, CAS says 284 people have been killed in 198 such fires since the SUVs went on sale in 1993. That’s over 200 more people than were killed before Ford recalled its infamous Pinto with a similar design in the 1970s. (Read the latest letter from CAS to Chrysler , pdf.) Chrysler contends the number is not that high. In an email, the company responds that: …rear impacts resulting in a fire are extremely rare. Rear impacts resulting in a fire occur no more often in 1993 – 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles than in peer vehicles, and the 1993 – 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles are at no greater risk of exposure to fire in rear-end collisions than peer vehicles. Accordingly, Chrysler Group has concluded that 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles are neither defective nor do their fuel systems pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in rear impact collisions. NHTSA has launched a preliminary investigation into the Grand Cherokee fuel-tank fires , which remains open. Excerpt from: Fire deaths in Jeep Grand Cherokees continue to mount, safety group reaches out to Chrysler

Toyota's Le Man's race hybrid car Using pop culture to sell fuel efficiency As I was web-surfing earlier today I was stopped dead in my tracks by a few images on the AutoWeek home page regarding NASCAR and Le Mans. Emblazoned upon the 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car, in big and bold letters, was EcoBoost. The other image was one of Toyota’s Le Mans race cars, a hybrid. When auto race fans become a good consumer segment to sell fuel efficiency technology to, then it’s safe to say cupholders will never again be more important than fuel economy to car buyers. While I’m not certain the Fusion NASCAR car is an EcoBoost vehicle, there is no doubt that’s the brand of the Fusion Ford is trying to sell to NASCAR fans. Sure, I’m a bit disappointed that Ford isn’t trying harder to mainstream the Fusion hybrid, but that’s still a little aggressive for most NASCAR fans. Besides, EcoBoost is a worthy second place effort, as making the EcoBoost Fusion the top selling Fusion is a nice fuel efficient step towards the future. Similarly, hybrid king Toyota is demonstrating that hybrid technology — not just the Prius — is a mainstream technology. If hybrids work well for Le Mans, they can certainly handle the average daily commute, even though this is a super-capacitor-based hybrid, rather than a battery-powered one. I can see the day already, when NASCAR fans don’t just brag about the speed they reached in their copy of the Sprint Cup car, but their fuel economy as well. Read the rest here:  Mainstreaming fuel economy tech through auto race fans

Mazda has announced official fuel economy figures for their new CX-5 small SUV will reach 35 mpg on the highway, which the company says makes it the most fuel efficient non-hybrid SUV available. Mazda attributes the accomplishment to its new SkyActiv technology. Official EPA estimates for front-wheel drive models with standard SkyActiv and manual transmission are 26 mpg city/35 highway/29 combined. Front-wheel drive models equipped with the optional automatic transmission are expected to achieve 26/32/29 mpg, respectively. All-wheel-drive models will return 25/31/28 mpg. Based on Consumer Reports fuel economy ratings, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid tops our list of the most fuel efficient SUVs with 23 city/29 highway/27 overall mpg. We look forward to testing out the fuel economy claims in the new CX-5 when it hits dealerships this spring. Read the original post:  EPA rates 2013 Mazda CX-5 fuel economy top in class

We knew it was coming , but that doesn’t mean we fully understand the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta hybrid, which was unveiled at the 2012 Detroit auto show . See, there’s that other fuel-efficient Jetta —the one that runs on diesel, supposedly the brand’s preferred alternative to hybrid power. You might think Volkswagen is trying to compete with itself, but this is all likely part of the company’s master plan for world domination —and there’s no underestimating the power of a hybrid badge. Keep Reading: 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid – Official Photos and Info Go here to read the rest: 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: Another Fuel-Efficient Jetta Read the rest here: 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid: Another Fuel-Efficient Jetta

The 5th generation that this new 3 Series replaces was a fine car in every respect. It drove well, proved reliable, and wasn’t too thirsty at the pumps. In fact – even several years after its initial launch, the “E90″ 3 series (internal code name) was still winning comparison tests with the best the competition had to offer. So what could BMW have possibly improved upon to render the all-new 3 Series a better car? 5-WAY DRIVE MODE SELECTOR Many things, apparently, as we learned from the 3 Series’ global launch in Barcelona, Spain. To start off, BMW has implemented a new vehicle behavior switch that allows the driver to chose between five unique drive modes. The ‘game changer’ among these modes is called “Eco Pro” mode, and it introduces a slew of features that result in better economy. To start off, the gas pedal becomes stiffer and harder to press – which ultimately results in you pressing it less. A new gauge on the instrument display shows a blue bar that grows longer as you depress the gas pedal. The challenge is to keep the blue bar as short as possible – and if do you so, the car rewards you with ‘bonus’ miles you’ve gained from the current tank of gas, shown in blue under the efficiency bar. This may seem rudimentary, but it works – in fact BMW claims up to a 20% improvement in efficiency based on the system’s ability to improve driver habits. FAST FACTS 1. 328i models trade a straight-six for a turbocharged 4-cylinder with 240-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 10 hp and 60 lb-ft.   2. The 335i model retains its turbocharged straight-six with 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, enabling a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds. 3. Pricing for the all-new model starts at $35,795 for the 328i and $43,295 for the 335i including a $895 destination fee. Eco Pro mode also introduces mechanical changes to the car when selected. The smooth and fast-shifting 8-speed automatic (optional, a 6-speed manual comes standard) is programmed to shift early and move onto the next gear as soon as possible. The transmission logic is hesitant to downshift and generally keeps the engine below 2000 rpm, thus saving fuel. The engine management is also altered for efficiency. For example,...

One of the hidden gems within the BMW world is the fantastic European Delivery Program. The BMW European Delivery Program has for many years been my preferred choice to purchase a new bimmer. As someone who has now picked-up three BMWs in Munich, I personally swear by the program and the lifetime experience that comes with it. For years, I have been a huge advocate of the program and in my opinion, it’s the best way to be introduced to the brand. But many of you might not know that BMW is not the only European brand offering the delivery program. Mercedes, Audi and Porsche are the other three German automakers that lure attract their customers with similar programs. Now after the sad bankruptcy of SAAB, Volvo is the only Scandinavian automaker that still offers an European Delivery program. BMW fans have been spoiled with a series of great websites and forums that not only educate on the advantages and disadvantages (not many) of the program, but also provide insightful advice on how to best prepare for the trip of your life. Here are some resources: www.edbmw.com , www.bimmerfest.com and now, a comprehensive guide put together by FrequentBusinessTraveler . And now, let’s have a look at a quick history of the European Delivery Programs: HOW EUROPEAN DELIVERY WORKS While European Delivery, also known as Overseas Delivery, Tourist Delivery, or Factory Delivery, is relatively unknown, it is available at every dealership in the U.S. from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volvo. A buyer simply goes to the dealership and orders a car for European Delivery, typically three months in advance of the desired delivery date. The savings vary by manufacturer (see the chart at the end of this article) but they are far from inconsequential as a buyer will save a minimum of several thousand dollars on a purchase, with the exception of cars from Porsche, which does not provide any discounts and, in fact, charges an additional fee for the service. European Delivery is not only free (except from Porsche) but you get a variety of additional benefits and amenities above what most traditional car buyers would get. One night in a luxury hotel is standard except for BMW. All automakers provide you with admission to their respective museums, and they feed you while you are...

Filed under: Road Tests There is an old saying in acting, ‘If it looks like you are working, you are not working hard enough.’ The same could be applied to much of the Ford Focus – you don’t notice many of the features because the designers worked so hard to make them unobtrusive. When you come back to the Focus after driving a different car, you realise how easy it is to live with. For example, its Bluetooth phone connection never fails. That may sound simple, but we are continually amazed by Bluetooth systems in other cars that have the attention span of a fruit fly. A recent £50K Discovery HSE test car would never hold the connection for more than an hour before deciding the phone was an audio device, rather than, you know, a phone. Similarly, after you have got used to the Focus’s DAB radio switching off when the driver’s door opens, not when the engine is cut, you wonder why every car cannot do that. Or the handle on the inside of the boot to close it, which is an actual handle, not just an awkward cut-out in the plastic liner of the bootlid. Finally, the Focus Ecoboost has the smoothest stop-start system we have yet encountered – there really is no reason ever to switch it off. Anyway, enough of the convenience features – what of the driving experience? One of our trips was to drive the new BMW 116d in the Sussex lanes around Goodwood. Despite the rear-drive configuration and the BMW badge, the Focus was actually more fun to hustle along winding roads. We thought the BMW had nicer steering, and no doubt, the more sporting set up of the larger 1 Series cars would have turned the tables, but we were nevertheless surprised that the super-refined Focus could out-handle the base 1 Series. Of course, the key feature of our particular Focus is the Ecoboost engine. The idea is the 150 bhp turbocharged engine, with its advanced double variable valve timing, makes petrol engines competitive once again against diesels. Now, we are not usually short of opinions about cars in this office, but this question of Ecoboost v. Diesel is not an easy one to settle. On the plus side, the Ecoboost really is a step forward for petrol engines. It is very smooth, sounds mildly sporty at high revs and gives no hint of its turbocharging...

Or at least, this is the crappy image of the Lexus LF-Lc we have to show you thanks to Road & Track being incapable of keeping the concept car in their pants until the embargo officially breaks ahead of its reveal at next month’s Detroit Auto Show . More » The rest is here:  Lexus LF-Lc Concept: This is it [Video] Original post:  Lexus LF-Lc Concept: This is it [Video]

The new Mercedes-Benz SL is lighter, with a 89% aluminum body, it is a first for Mercedes-Benz and probably for the whole car industry as well, which is why it is much talked about. After the brochure scans and the “leaked” official photos , the SL also got an official price tag now. Aside from the aluminum shell, the car also gives out power because of its new BlueDIRECT engines that produces 435HP for the SL 500 and 306HP for SL 350. It is also more cost-efficient, as fuel consumption is reduced by 22 percent all the while increasing the torque to 700Nm. A proof that the fuel economy is not lowering its performance, the SL 350 is reported to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and the SL 500 just for 4.6 seconds. Meanwhile, the design of the car cannot be taken for granted as well. The flowing contour and the bumper with LED technology also makes it look amazing. The headlamps also comes with the Intelligent Light System (ILS) which has five different functions and are customized to run in different weather conditions, which means safety for the driver too. Another new for this car is the MAGIC VISION CONTROL which is an intelligent wipe or wash system. What this does is it avoids water to splash in the windshield by having the fluid in the wiper blade instead. It is also full heated so that the blade won’t frost during winter. The “Hands- Free Access” feature is also in the SL, which only needs the driver to put his foot on the area of the bumper for the boot lid to close or open. More than the high-tech features, safety is of paramount importance in this vehicle. The PRE-SAFE brake, NECK-PRO head restraints are working together to make the SL the world’s safest roadster on the market. The Mercedes-Benz SL also comes with the COMAND infotainment system for driver and passenger enjoyment. “There are around 900 million cars in the world and thousands of models. But there are only a handful of automotive icons. Our SL is one of them: it has class, it has style, it is the ultimate in comfort and luxury. But it combines all that with incredible sportiness and dynamism. You would struggle to find a car that embodies Gottlieb Daimler’s aspiration more perfectly than our new SL: the best or nothing,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche....

The Prius is driving Toyota's future, despite the skeptics Trying to take hybrids — and not just the Prius — into the mainstream When it comes to hybrid sale’s forecasts, Toyota has thus far defied the doubters — which has pretty much been the rest of the entire auto industry. But, now that fuel economy is becoming more important, automakers are taking notice. However, as other automakers move to supposedly cheaper new transmissions, turbo-charging, cylinder deactivation, etc, rather than hybrids, Toyota continues to push its hybrid sale’s projections into unrealistic new ground. According to the naysayers, it’s simply impossible for Toyota to achieve large enough profit margins on hybrid cars to keep Toyota’s business as robust as it needs to be. Of course, that’s what the Big 3 claimed regarding small cars and sedans just a few decades ago. Yet, companies like Toyota and Honda used such unprofitable vehicles to turn the automotive world order upside down. Likewise, while other automakers tout their 40 mpg non-hybrids with “hybrid-like fuel economy without the hybrid premium” consumers are quickly learning that these 40 mpg cars are more like 30 mpg cars, or even 20 mpg cars for heavy urban drivers. This fuel-efficiency focused spin and hope can only last so long. Eventually, the real world will rule. True, but hybrids are still too dependent upon gas prices, right? Well, last month was a great month for Toyota Prius sales, and I doubt gasoline prices are really going much lower from here. While some price pullback is possible, the future is more likely higher energy prices, not cheaper ones. So, maybe Toyota’s hybrid plans make sense. By 2015 Toyota wants to double US hybrid sales along the way to making the Prius family its best selling vehicle, largely propelled by the smaller and cheaper Prius C . If Toyota can double US sales, that would make hybrids about 20 percent of Toyota’s business. By 2020, consequently, 30 percent penetration should be a cakewalk, with even 40 or 50 percent completely within the realm of penetrating possibility. Can such scale really make the smaller hybrid profit margin that enticing, that business-worthy for Toyota? Ultimately, it seems something has to...

Following the lead of Chevy, Buick, and Ford—among others—Nissan tells us it is developing active aerodynamics and will employ the technology “on a car next year.” The company spokesman we spoke with gave no further details, but we can confidently guess that the fuel-saving tech will debut on the next Altima hybrid , and quite possibly on the regular 2013 Altima sedan . The 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist , upcoming 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco , and 2012 Ford Edge EcoBoost all have flaps in the grille that open to provide cooling air to the engine when it’s needed and close to reduce drag and boost fuel economy when it’s not. “Active aerodynamics” can mean other things—the Ferrari 458, for example, has winglets in the nose that deflect at high speed to channel air under the car, generating more downforce—but we figure Nissan is probably going to be using grille shutters, too. After Nissan’s setup debuts next year, watch for it to appear in the company’s other future products as fuel-economy regulations demand manufacturers pull out all the stops. Read more from the original source: Nissan to Debut Active Aerodynamics on 2013 Altima View original here:  Nissan to Debut Active Aerodynamics on 2013 Altima

The word “Hemi” has become synonymous with horsepower and muscle cars. It’s a point of pride to Mopar aficionados who gladly pop their cars’ hoods to show off those four letters atop the engine. But what, exactly, makes a Hemi a Hemi? We decided to slice into Chrysler’s 21st-century Hemi head and poke around. Click to download the illustration as it appeared in the magazine. Chamber of Secrets “Hemi” is short for “hemispherical,” which describes the shape of the combustion chamber—imagine a tennis ball sliced in two. But from the beginning, Chrysler’s automotive Hemis have been just shy of half a tennis ball, with a section taken closer to the top than the middle. The result is a shallower bowl shape that allows for lighter pistons; a “full” Hemi would require massively domed pistons to fill the larger chamber. Chrysler has never been secretive about this new Hemi’s inspiration: It’s less a riff on the old 426-cubic-inch V-8 and more closely based on the two-valve Porsche 911 head from the 1995–98 model, a.k.a. the 993. Twin Plugs The new Hemi has two spark plugs instead of one because the valvesare too large to accommodate a single plug positioned near the chamber’s center. Two remote plugs met Chrysler’s combustion, efficiency, and emissions goals. Size Matters Exhaust valves are smaller than the intake valves because forcing out spent gasses is easier than drawing in fuel and air. Filled in Unlike the classic Hemi, the new Hemi has part of the bowl shape filled in near the spark plugs. According to Chrysler, these filled areas aid the flow of gasses into and out of the head. And these areas make the new Hemi’s shape much less hemispherical than the original’s. Heavy Breather As in the original, the new Hemi has its two valves arranged on opposite sides of the head. The hemispherical shape of the combustion chamber allows for larger valves than are possible with other designs. And bigger valves permit maximum flow into and out of the combustion chamber. The shallower head of the new Hemi has a 34.5-degree angle between the intake- and exhaust-valve stems. Compared with the new design, both the second-gen (right) and original Hemi have a larger, 58.5-degree angle between the valves, resulting in a deeper combustion chamber....