Automotive News - June 23, 2008 - (Page 37)

JUNE 23, 2008 • 37 Japan’s best-kept secret As if this nation’s automakers needed another advantage: They are using minicar expertise to craft high-mileage cars for $4-a-gallon gasoline. BY HANS GREIMEL • TOKYO — They are as distinctly Japanese as sushi and sumo. Sporting pug-nosed, boxy bodies and roller skate wheels, the country’s iconic minicars are nearly as comic as they are compact. Avant-garde styling and tiny 660cc engines long confined the runty runabouts to home. Yet in Japan, the ultra-fuel-efficient minicar is king — accounting for one-third of all new sales. Japan’s most popular car isn’t the Toyota Camry or even the Corolla or Yaris. Downsize it a notch. The title goes to the Wagon R, a minicar from Suzuki Motor Corp. Nameplates such as the Wagon R — just one of five minis on Japan’s top 10 sales list — draw a blank overseas. But, increasingly, this pint-sized lineup is giving local automakers a big edge in the global race to develop smaller, lighter rides. For instance, Honda Motor Co. used minicar lessons to craft the next-generation Fit, due in U.S. showrooms this fall. The current generation already is a hot seller in America. Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko plans a world car based on a mini platform for 2010. “Minicars are a weakness in one way, because unique area strategy cars are no longer valid,” he said. “We can make that a strength if we can use it as a base for a worldwide model.” The timing couldn’t be better, with U.S. gasoline prices exceeding $4 a gallon. Japanese minicars average 42.3 mpg. hgreimel@crain.com Japanese minicar makers create space in many ways. Daihatsu, for example, adds roominess to the Tanto by omitting the B-pillar on the passenger side. What is a Japanese minicar? Minicars, introduced after World War II for poverty-stricken Japan, were limited by law to tiny dimensions but received government tax breaks. Today’s minis are much bigger than their predecessors but still are petite by global standards. Engine: Limited to 660cc Length: Less than 133.8 in. (11.15 ft.) Width: Less than 58.3 in. (4.86 ft.) sions of the vehicle’s size without compromising the vehicle’s performance.” For starters, the two-door car has a new compact differential that frees up 3.9 inches of legroom and lets the front wheels be pushed forward for a shortened overhang. A flat fuel tank under the driver’s seat also saves space, as do smaller heating and air-conditioning units and a pushed-forward passengerside instrument panel. Toyota says the shoulder-to-shoulder distance between the driver and passenger is comparable to that in the Corolla. High-tensile steel frames permit slimmer seats that add 1.6 inches of passenger room. The iQ targets Europe and Japan. But Nakajima says Toyota is seriously studying a U.S. launch because of the sudden surge in fuel prices. The trend toward downsizing is buttressing Japanese suppliers, especially companies such as Denso Corp., which recently took the title as the world’s biggest supplier (see story, Page 1). Making smaller, lighter parts has been key to Denso’s success in supplying its biggest customer, Toyota. And Denso has long provided everything from air-conditioning units and radiators to engine parts and wipers for minicars made by all the major Japanese players. A peek at the future Here’s a look at some downsizing techniques used by Japanese automakers. Daihatsu Tanto: No B-pillar on the passenger side adds roominess. Honda Fit: Minicar structure in the nose shortens front overhang. Mitsubishi i: Flat fuel tank under the driver’s seat saves space. Suzuki Wagon R: Seat cushions lift off to reveal storage compartments. Toyota iQ: Innovative steering column permits a bigger engine compartment. Source: Japan Mini Vehicles Association Reality check was devising a structure for the nose of the car that was light but still strong enough to absorb a crash. The first-generation Fit couldn’t cut it. So Hitomi borrowed the frontend structure from the latest version of Honda’s Life minicar. Honda’s minicar designers already had solved the problem. “We learned a lot from the minicars and applied that,” Hitomi said. “The technology started with the Life and now has been transplanted to Fit and is being used in other models as well.” Don’t expect Japanese minicars to arrive on U.S. shores anytime soon. Even Japanese engineers concede that their 660cc engines are too wimpy for most overseas drivers. At home, one reason minicars are so popular is that they cost around $10,000 and get tax breaks from the Japanese government. Minicar margins are so low, few analysts believe they could be exported profitably. One possibility is selling mini-sized cars with bigger engines overseas. Mitsubishi’s upcoming world car will use a mini platform but can get a roomier feel from larger overhangs. Mitsubishi’s egg-shaped i minicar was designed with an oversized rearmidship engine compartment so it could accommodate more horsepower for foreign customers. The Japanese i is saddled with its 660cc powerplant. But even here, Mitsubishi innovates to squeeze out extra power and fuel efficiency. The threecylinder engine block is forged from aluminum to cut down on weight, and a tiny turbocharger made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries helps soup it up to 64 hp. Denso supplies Mitsubishi’s i with a front-end module that is 30 percent smaller in size, 20 percent lighter and less expensive than conventional components. The module contains the radiator, air-conditioning condenser, washer tank, electric fan and motor. The i is also the basis for Mitsubishi’s all-electric-powered i MiEV, which will be sold worldwide in the next few years, including in the United States. If that catches on, chalk it up as another minicar milestone. c Thinking small Legal constraints on what constitutes a minicar force engineers to innovate. In Japanese, minis are known as kei, or light, cars. By law, they are limited to an engine size of up to 660cc, or 0.66 liters. They also have to be less than 133.8 inches long and 58.3 inches wide. For comparison, the Smart ForTwo, with a 1.0-liter I3 engine that generates 70 hp, is 106.1 inches long and 61.4 inches wide. Neither the ForTwo nor the Mini Cooper qualifies as a mini under Japanese law. Mitsubishi, Honda, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Fuji Heavy Industries have taken small-scale engineering to new heights by cramming their minivehicles with everything from turbochargers to four-wheel drive. They also have pushed the envelope in creating airy cabin space. Some of their downsizing tricks include: Flat, underseat fuel tanks to free up space. Electric power steering to save space and energy. Short overhangs that still can absorb crash energy. High-tensile steel paneling and aluminum engine blocks to save weight. Undercushion storage compartments and fold-down seats. Turbochargers to increase engine output. Kohei Hitomi, chief engineer for the Honda Fit: “We learned a lot from the minicars and applied that.” other tricks to eke out space. Seat cushions lift off to reveal plastic storage bins. High-tensile steel sheeting allows for thinner body panels and more room. Mastering the mini Honda also sees a big future in adapting minis to cars that could sell outside Japan. The company is spending nearly $500 million on an assembly plant for minicars in southwestern Japan. It also is studying global subcompact cars based on mini platforms. “Assuming we’re successful with our minicars, that can be utilized without doubt in our Accord, Civic and other models,” said Honda CEO Takeo Fukui. “We believe taking on reform in the area of minivehicles and becoming more cost competitive in this market will help us gain a significant advantage in the competition that is expected to intensify globally.” The redesigned Fit is one example of how minicar technology is trickling up into higher offerings. Fit Chief Engineer Kohei Hitomi wanted a car that had more cabin space. But extending the wheelbase to free up legroom also created a shorter front overhang. The problem Toyota downsizes Nissan Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. are the only Japanese automakers not making their own minicars. Nissan rebadges minis made for it by Mitsubishi and Suzuki, while Mazda sells a mini model manufactured by Suzuki. Toyota arguably doesn’t need its own minis because its Daihatsu subsidiary is the country’s No. 1 minicar maker. Daihatsu already employs its small-car expertise in making numerous models under the Toyota brand for Japan, including the Toyota bB. But Toyota is nevertheless venturing in the realm. Its new iQ subcompact rivals the Smart in size and performance and goes on sale in November in Japan and in January in Europe. The iQ is too wide to be a legal minicar in Japan. Chief Engineer Hiroki Nakajima said the iQ is an exercise in repackaging an automobile. “Downsizing itself is easy,” Nakajima said. “We changed the structure itself so we can change the dimen- Suzuki Wagon R Suzuki sets the pace, packing the modest space with sophisticated technology. The automaker pioneered the use of electric power steering because it was lighter and more compact. The switch did away with the bulky hydraulic pump and also delivered better mileage. Today, electric power steering is used in bigger models of other makes. Suzuki also was the first to miniaturize front-engine front-wheel drive for minicars. Open the doors, and Suzuki uses

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - June 23, 2008

TRW exec: We're in the 'sweet spot' for growth 'Like house of cards,' used trucks fall Detroit 3 a big drag in global supplier race Ford rethinks big-block V-8 plan Looters and broken levees Plastech's Brown stands to get $9.25 million Lawmakers: Redo roof rule Hunt takes job at Gallup Lawmakers urge roof rule rewrite Webinar offers tips on going green Lawmakers: Redo roof rule Webasto sees more demand for retractable hard tops Why small isn't always big To move metal, hire an Ironman Chevy limits ZR1 Corvette to top dealers Lithium ion battery is key to hybrid growth With Russia hot, Ford will boost Europe production BMW exec: We can grow in U.S. The man who put the wind in GM's sales GM's parts ordering comes down to Earth More Fits for U.S. in fall GM: Volt buyers deserve tax credit Mercedes exec seeks more exclusive technology from suppliers Bosch, Mahle execs to lead turbo venture Supplier personnel ZF moves steering operations in Ky. Slowing Volvo, Saab add to Sweden's industry woes Feds: Drivers don't have to hang up phones Magna eyes new growth strategy: Powertrain-driveline modules Alleged sales scam snares Ohio dealers GM center troubleshoots IT in plants around the world Senator: Plants have capacity for plug-ins Lots of talk but little to show Going green pays off The Detroit 3 are smart to cut sales to fleets Drop Mercury? No; Ford needs it Awareness isn't GM's problem Leno was off base in bashing U.S. cars Roofs, rollovers and reckless driving Big-truck sales fall 15.2% in May Serra deal reflects GM channel strategy No. 2 vehicle hauler to go out of business Chinese company's car looks a lot like a Mini Honda taps star power for fuel cell car Dealer wanted media attention — and got it Dealers European sales dip 7.8% in May Merger gives Hughes Telematics a cash boost Mexico sales bounce back in April Suzuki dealers test system to turn Web leads into sales Bosch-Samsung venture to make lithium batteries Hyundai plans Elantra hybrid for Korea in '09 RV sales drop 8.5% in April Japan’s best-kept secret Utilities join automakers for plug-in r&d Ford likely to build '11 Focus at 2 plants Glut of '08 Ford F-150s delays launch of '09s '09 Porsche SUV prices rise Ford calls off Ohio plant sale Ford idles Mich. truck plant CarMax net earnings decline Dodge Journeys recalled 2009 Chrysler hybrid SUVs start at $45,340 GOP: Climate bills would make $4 gas look cheap EVs on eBay: It's all the rage In terms of market value, the General is a buck private Sign of the times: Hummer store to be used-car lot Bob Stempel's legacy is the future Flying 1 series? It's BMW's joke Dealer hurt in sky-dive navigates the road to recovery Opel car recognizes signs; BMW plans similar system JCI, Magna unit buy main parts of Plastech The little engines that could Suppliers to the 2008 Dodge Viper

Automotive News - June 23, 2008

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