Automotive News - January 21, 2008 - (Page 28D)

28D • JANUARY 21, 2008 Eliminate the cams and count the savings Tony Lewin autonews@crain.com Formula One drivers have used camless valve actuation for years because it enables very high engine revolutions. But the concept promises different benefits for ordinary cars. Valeo’s camless engine uses electromagnetic solenoids rather than mechanically driven camshafts to open and close the valves for every cylinder. This allows almost unlimited control of valve events, enabling leanburn operation and individual cylinder shutdown for fuel saving. 4. Consumption and emissions can be reduced by up to 20 percent, says Martin Haub, Valeo’s r&d vice president. Several automakers have been evaluating Valeo’s system, but as of September, Valeo did not have a production contract, Haub told Automotive News Europe. The approach eliminates the weight, bulk and frictional losses of rotating camshafts and cams. But early electrically actuated valve systems were bulky, so finding space for them was difficult, especially in engines with three or four valves per cylinder. One of the first mainstream cars to reach the market with this type of valve actuation could be the twocylinder 900cc Fiat 500, due in early 2009 with the automaker’s Multiair system controlling its inlet valves. This spring, though, the more specialized Alfa Romeo Junior is expected to have a four-cylinder turbocharged engine using similar principles. Industry sources say Fiat also plans to extend Multiair to diesel engines. “Fiat is going all out for these technologies,” says Global Insight’s Andrew Close. “This is a way of getting diesels to meet Euro 6 without going to selective catalyst reduction. It’s probably cheaper than SCR or NOx traps.” In addition to Valeo, at least two other suppliers are developing camless technology. Lotus Engineering, of Hethel, England, has an electrohydraulic valve actuation program. Lotus’ marketing manager, Peter Morgan, says it is a spinoff of the company’s advanced Active Valvetrain research tool and is likely to be used first in heavy commercial diesel engines. In the United States, Jacobs Vehicle Systems of Bloomfield, Conn., is developing systems for heavy-duty trucks. c Valeo’s e-valve system eliminates need for camshafts. ZF expects surge in new orders April Wortham awortham@crain.com VIRGINIA FORBES.COM CNBC P O L L IN A #1 STATE FOR BUSINESS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND IMPARTIAL STUDIES PUT V I R G I N I A F I R S T. P E R H A P S YOU SHOULD DO THE SAME. Business-friendly tax environment. Technology and innovation. Regulatory and economic climates. Education and workforce—just some of the many factors that led Forbes.com, CNBC and Pollina Corporate Real Estate to award Virginia as the best pro-business state in the nation. While all favorable eyes are on Virginia, what it really represents is a huge opportunity for decisionmakers looking for a site where their business will ﬂourish. For a prime location, contact the Virginia Economic Development Partnership at 804-545-5700 or e-mail to info@YesVirginia.org. W W W.Y E S V I R G I N I A . O R G DETROIT — ZF Friedrichshafen AG is gearing up for a surge in North American orders. The German supplier expects to help automakers meet stricter fuel economy standards while offering vehicles with high performance. “We see that the trend and the challenges for reducing fuel consumption in North America are dramatically growing like we haven’t seen in the past. We hope that very efficient drivetrain components and suspension components are getting more attractive in this country as well,” Julio Caspari, president of ZF Group NAO of suburban Detroit, said last week. “This could be a chance for our products.” Among them is ZF’s second-generation six-speed automatic transmission. The transmission, which was introduced in 2006 in the BMW 335i and X5 4.8i, reduces fuel consumption by 3 percent for gasoline engines and 6 percent for diesels compared with the company’s first-generation 6-speed transmission. Hyundai Motor Co. is the latest automaker to sign on for the new gearbox. It will be paired with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine in the Genesis luxury sedan. The car goes on sale in the United States this spring. A new eight-speed transmission added to ZF’s lineup last year is designed to reduce fuel consumption by another 6 percent for both gasoline and diesel engines while still boasting shifting and response times on par with the second-generation six-speed transmission. ZF says it has a customer for the eight-speed transmission, but declined to identify the automaker. Production has not begun. “The market is requiring higher horsepower, or more power density. Our task is how can we deliver this reduced fuel consumption, less emissions, weight reduction to offset this additional requirement from the market for power and vehicle size,” said Michael Paul, executive vice president of ZF Friedrichshafen in charge of car driveline technology. The supplier is looking at expanding its North American manufacturing operations. ZF has 19 chassis and suspension factories in North America, including three in Mexico and one in Canada. The rest are scattered across the Midwest and Southeast. c http://FORBES.COM http://WWW.YESVIRGINIA.ORG http://WWW.YESVIRGINIA.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - January 21, 2008

Campi will move fast to buy global Ford rolls out new F series — but will it stay No. 1? GM will push metro megastores BMW: We may need a 'green' brand Competition claims traditions German summit Toyota: We have enough plants for now Chinese pitch innovation, not just price Mercedes in, Cadillac out as sponsor of Masters golf tournament Auto show walkaround: Chasing the YIPS around Detroit New Acura TSX will get a diesel Toyota: We'll crack 35-mpg CAFE before 2020 Audi predicts 1 million global sales in 2008 Toyota crosses over into tricky segment LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Digital edition is a 'quantum leap' KEITH CRAIN: Here they come, ready or not EDITORIAL: Incentives war isn't the answer to sales downturn LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Toyota over Chevy? Don’t be too sure DIGITAL EDITION: You did your homework Chrysler concepts show brand tweaks Chrysler: 'Hemi is not powertrain of the future' Some of what we heard at the Detroit auto show Corvette has a future — but maybe a lighter, greener one Nissan exec: Cube is coming to America Subaru relies on new Forester Farley: Ford must groom the market Ford still funds Jag, Land Rover product development Ford will probably develop its new rwd cars in the U.S. Volvo considers North American production Good design: Solving problems, making a statement Horbury wants a more aerodynamic F-150 Hyundai upgrades next Sonata's interior M-B could build C class in U.S. VW hints at vehicles for new N.A. plant Customer demand for CTS sedans strains production capabilities at Cadillac GM to test ZR1 carbon fiber weight savings Honda Pilot has more room, power Indiana plant will boost Honda's flexibility Zetsche sees 20% diesel mix for Mercedes-Benz GM hopes to have E-Flex test vehicles ready by June GM to increase Enclave output Cadillac aims high with Provoq Pontiac to launch G8 marketing in March Big-truck sales fall 43.5% in Dec. Personnel Buckle up for a rocky '08, economists warn Canada sales up 2.4% in '07 Gioia: Ford hybrids will be profitable by year end American Honda opens workplace diversity office Dealers From CDs to Sync: Auto industry races to adapt in-car IT trends Microsoft exec sees a car as 'another room in the house' China's Geely plans plant in Mexico Chrysler exec: China exporters need time Murtaugh: Nissan deal won't affect Chrysler-Chery venture Strike by writers makes TV iffy for auto marketers Super Bowl auto advertisers get pre-game jitters Final Say GM bumps buyout total to 46,000 GM considers U.S.-made Astra Good Karma: Mean, green, fighting machine Purves confirms it: The end is near Rehab for designers: A change can do you good Tata's achievement: Redefining 'cheap' Fans remember auto commercials with sports themes Which brand is stronger — Scion or Prius? Engine advances bring cleaner emissions a step closer Suppliers to the 2008 Ford Focus Varable compression ratio makes a comeback Change the engine's stroke Integrate components to boost efficiency Reduce the size of the engine Eliminate the cams and count the savings ZF expects surge in new orders American Axle's rising son may be another Dauch Honda taps Web for workers Trelleborg unit adds tech center Kia restricts hiring at Ga. plant to Web applicants Magna pursues Ogihara Supplier personnel Age of intelligent transportation is getting closer Plastic spoiler saves weight Automotive News' cartoonist looks at 2007 8 will enter European Automotive Hall of Fame Pininfarina lifted family business to new heights Merciless cost cutter Calvet rescued PSA Opel boys turned bicycle venture into automaker Giacosa fathered the Fiat 500 JCI to supply batteries to Chinese automakers Automakers will spend more on digital ads Ford snares star role in return of 'Knight Rider' GM Certified markets online to Hispanics Writers' strike could benefit auto marketers

Automotive News - January 21, 2008

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