Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Noutati auto, Pentru cei care pot sa citeasca si in alte limbi

LiquidPiston unveils 40-bhp X2 rotary engine with 75 percent thermal efficiency liquidpiston.jpg The internal combustion engine (ICE) has had a remarkably successful century and a half. Unfortunately, it’s notoriously inefficient, wasting anywhere from 30 to 99 percent of the energy it produces and spewing unburned fuel into the air. Last week, Gizmag interviewed Dr. Alexander Shkolnik, President and CEO of LiquidPiston, Inc. about the company's LiquidPiston X2 – a 40-bhp rotary engine that burns a variety of fuels and requires no valves, cooling systems, radiators or mufflers, yet promises a thermodynamic efficiency of 75 percent. Co-founder of LiquidPiston with his father Nikolay, Dr. Shkolnik believes that the internal combustion engine is at the end of its development cycle. According to Shkolnik, after 150 years the ICE has made as many incremental improvements as it can. Many varieties of ICE, such as the Otto cycle used by petrol engines and the Diesel cycle, have had their successful points, but all fall short of being as efficient at they could be. Even what seem like very efficient engines, like the diesel, aren’t as good as they might appear. liquidpiston-2.jpg “Everyone would say at first glance that the diesel engine is more efficient (than the petrol engine). The truth is that if you had both engines at the same compression ratio, the spark-ignited engine has a faster combustion process and a more efficient process. In practice, it’s limited to a lower compression ratio otherwise you get spontaneous ignition.” LiquidPiston’s approach to the problem was to go back to the basics of thermodynamics and work forward to develop what Shkolnik calls the “High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle” (HEHC), which combines the features of the Otto, Diesel, Rankine, and Atkinson cycles. liquidpiston-5.png The idea is to compress the air in the LiquidPiston X2 engine to a very high ratio as in the diesel cycle and then isolating it in a constant volume chamber. When fuel is injected, it’s allowed to mix with the air and it auto-ignites as in a diesel engine, but the fuel/air mixture isn’t allowed to expand. Instead, it’s kept compressed in a constant volume so it can burn over an extended period, as in the Otto cycle. When the burning fuel/air mix is allowed to expand, it’s then overexpanded to near-atmospheric pressure. In this way, all the fuel is burned and almost all of the energy released is captured as work. Shkolnik calls this use of constant volume combustion “the holy grail of automotive engineering.” Constant volume combustion and overexpansion provide an HEHC engine like the X2 with a number of benefits. Shkolnik points out that the X2 engine is exceptionally quiet because it burns all of its fuel. In current ICE engines, an alarming amount of fuel goes out the tailpipe. This not only cuts down on fuel efficiency and pollutes the air, it also makes the engine noisy. Since the X2 engine burns its fuel completely, there’s no need for complicated silencing apparatus. liquidpiston-6.png The overexpansion used in the cycle also means that there is very little waste heat. An ICE only converts only 30 percent of its heat into work while the X2 engine has a thermal efficiency of 75 percent, so a water cooling system isn’t necessary. Water may be injected into an HEHC engine during compression or expansion for cooling, but doing so also helps to lubricate and seal the chamber and as the water cools the engine it converts into superheated steam, which boosts engine efficiency. Shkolnik says that the X2 engine is a rotary because piston engines aren’t suitable for the HEHC and a rotary engine provides much more flexibility. Also, the use of a rotary design greatly simplifies the engine with only three moving parts and 13 major components required. That allows the X2 to be one-tenth the size of a comparable diesel engine. liquidpiston-0.png When asked whether the X2 engine isn’t just an updated Wankel, Shkolnik pointed out that though both are rotary engines, the Wankel is very different. For one thing, it uses a straightforward Otto cycle like a piston engine and operates at a much lower compression rate than the X2. In comparison, the X2 engine is almost the opposite of a Wankel. “It’s almost like the Wankel engine flipped inside-out,” said Shkolnik. Not only does the X2 engine work on a different principle from the Wankel, but it doesn’t suffer from the same limitations. The X2 engine has a better surface to volume ratio, it doesn’t have the thermodynamic limitations of the Otto cycle and it doesn’t have the emissions problems of the Wankel. The Wankel has apex seals that are carried around with the rotor and need to be lubricated. To do this, oil has to be sprayed on them, which means that the Wankel is burning oil as it runs, resulting in the high emissions that have recently curtailed its use. The X2 engine, on the other hand, moves the seals from the rotor to the crankcase, so no special lubrication is required. liquidpiston-9.png Another way that the X2 engine differs from the Wankel is that Shkolnik has no intention of it sharing the same fate as the Wankel, which turned into an automotive also-ran when put head to head with the ICE or hybrid electrics to power motor cars, (though he admits that the X2 engine would be an excellent range extender for hybrids). Instead, he plans to go after niche markets that can use the X2’s peculiar strengths. One place where the X2 engine may have an advantage is in auxiliary power units (APUs). Shkolnik said that an enormous amount of diesel fuel is wasted by lorry drivers for “hotel” purposes. That is, when they stop overnight they leave their engines idling to provide power for the living amenities of their long-distance rigs. Small, lightweight diesel power units with high fuel efficiency, he believes, would be particularly attractive. liquidpiston-8.png Another area is military applications. The U.S. military has a need for APUs that can run on heavy fuels, which the X2 engine can. Also, the Pentagon is very keen on developing robots. According to Shkolnik, “you can do amazing things with robots, but ask a robot to carry this giant engine and there’s problems.” He believes that the X2 engine may be the answer to these problems. In addition, the military has need of APUs for tanks, which suffer from extremely bad fuel efficiency from idling to run electronics. Currently, LiquidPiston is running its original X1 engine in tests, which has been built after only a year from its first design concept. This month, the company unveiled the X2, which is a more fully integrated engine with a simpler construction, at the DEER Conference in Dearborn, Michigan. Shkolnik says that the X2 will be available for partner tests in 2013 as a new round of financing is launched and he hopes to have a preproduction prototype by 2014. Source: LiquidPiston Galerie de imagini

LiquidPiston unveils 40-bhp X2 rotary engine with 75 percent thermal efficiency

liquidpiston.jpg
The internal combustion engine (ICE) has had a remarkably successful century and a half. Unfortunately, it’s notoriously inefficient, wasting anywhere from 30 to 99 percent of the energy it produces and spewing unburned fuel into the air. Last week, Gizmag interviewed Dr. Alexander Shkolnik, President and CEO of LiquidPiston, Inc. about the company's LiquidPiston X2 – a 40-bhp rotary engine that burns a variety of fuels and requires no valves, cooling systems, radiators or mufflers, yet promises a thermodynamic efficiency of 75 percent.

Co-founder of LiquidPiston with his father Nikolay, Dr. Shkolnik believes that the internal combustion engine is at the end of its development cycle. According to Shkolnik, after 150 years the ICE has made as many incremental improvements as it can. Many varieties of ICE, such as the Otto cycle used by petrol engines and the Diesel cycle, have had their successful points, but all fall short of being as efficient at they could be. Even what seem like very efficient engines, like the diesel, aren’t as good as they might appear.

liquidpiston-2.jpg

“Everyone would say at first glance that the diesel engine is more efficient (than the petrol engine). The truth is that if you had both engines at the same compression ratio, the spark-ignited engine has a faster combustion process and a more efficient process. In practice, it’s limited to a lower compression ratio otherwise you get spontaneous ignition.”

LiquidPiston’s approach to the problem was to go back to the basics of thermodynamics and work forward to develop what Shkolnik calls the “High Efficiency Hybrid Cycle” (HEHC), which combines the features of the Otto, Diesel, Rankine, and Atkinson cycles.

liquidpiston-5.png

The idea is to compress the air in the LiquidPiston X2 engine to a very high ratio as in the diesel cycle and then isolating it in a constant volume chamber. When fuel is injected, it’s allowed to mix with the air and it auto-ignites as in a diesel engine, but the fuel/air mixture isn’t allowed to expand. Instead, it’s kept compressed in a constant volume so it can burn over an extended period, as in the Otto cycle. When the burning fuel/air mix is allowed to expand, it’s then overexpanded to near-atmospheric pressure. In this way, all the fuel is burned and almost all of the energy released is captured as work. Shkolnik calls this use of constant volume combustion “the holy grail of automotive engineering.”

Constant volume combustion and overexpansion provide an HEHC engine like the X2 with a number of benefits. Shkolnik points out that the X2 engine is exceptionally quiet because it burns all of its fuel. In current ICE engines, an alarming amount of fuel goes out the tailpipe. This not only cuts down on fuel efficiency and pollutes the air, it also makes the engine noisy. Since the X2 engine burns its fuel completely, there’s no need for complicated silencing apparatus.

liquidpiston-6.png

The overexpansion used in the cycle also means that there is very little waste heat. An ICE only converts only 30 percent of its heat into work while the X2 engine has a thermal efficiency of 75 percent, so a water cooling system isn’t necessary. Water may be injected into an HEHC engine during compression or expansion for cooling, but doing so also helps to lubricate and seal the chamber and as the water cools the engine it converts into superheated steam, which boosts engine efficiency.

Shkolnik says that the X2 engine is a rotary because piston engines aren’t suitable for the HEHC and a rotary engine provides much more flexibility. Also, the use of a rotary design greatly simplifies the engine with only three moving parts and 13 major components required. That allows the X2 to be one-tenth the size of a comparable diesel engine.

liquidpiston-0.png

When asked whether the X2 engine isn’t just an updated Wankel, Shkolnik pointed out that though both are rotary engines, the Wankel is very different. For one thing, it uses a straightforward Otto cycle like a piston engine and operates at a much lower compression rate than the X2. In comparison, the X2 engine is almost the opposite of a Wankel. “It’s almost like the Wankel engine flipped inside-out,” said Shkolnik.

Not only does the X2 engine work on a different principle from the Wankel, but it doesn’t suffer from the same limitations. The X2 engine has a better surface to volume ratio, it doesn’t have the thermodynamic limitations of the Otto cycle and it doesn’t have the emissions problems of the Wankel. The Wankel has apex seals that are carried around with the rotor and need to be lubricated. To do this, oil has to be sprayed on them, which means that the Wankel is burning oil as it runs, resulting in the high emissions that have recently curtailed its use. The X2 engine, on the other hand, moves the seals from the rotor to the crankcase, so no special lubrication is required.

liquidpiston-9.png

Another way that the X2 engine differs from the Wankel is that Shkolnik has no intention of it sharing the same fate as the Wankel, which turned into an automotive also-ran when put head to head with the ICE or hybrid electrics to power motor cars, (though he admits that the X2 engine would be an excellent range extender for hybrids). Instead, he plans to go after niche markets that can use the X2’s peculiar strengths.

One place where the X2 engine may have an advantage is in auxiliary power units (APUs). Shkolnik said that an enormous amount of diesel fuel is wasted by lorry drivers for “hotel” purposes. That is, when they stop overnight they leave their engines idling to provide power for the living amenities of their long-distance rigs. Small, lightweight diesel power units with high fuel efficiency, he believes, would be particularly attractive.

liquidpiston-8.png

Another area is military applications. The U.S. military has a need for APUs that can run on heavy fuels, which the X2 engine can. Also, the Pentagon is very keen on developing robots. According to Shkolnik, “you can do amazing things with robots, but ask a robot to carry this giant engine and there’s problems.” He believes that the X2 engine may be the answer to these problems. In addition, the military has need of APUs for tanks, which suffer from extremely bad fuel efficiency from idling to run electronics.

Currently, LiquidPiston is running its original X1 engine in tests, which has been built after only a year from its first design concept. This month, the company unveiled the X2, which is a more fully integrated engine with a simpler construction, at the DEER Conference in Dearborn, Michigan. Shkolnik says that the X2 will be available for partner tests in 2013 as a new round of financing is launched and he hopes to have a preproduction prototype by 2014.
Source: LiquidPiston

Galerie de imagini

GM Announces Magnesium Sheet Metal High-Strength Panels - Lighter than Aluminium

Ford recently announced that they are working on bringing carbon fiber to the masses, and they showed off a bonnet for the new Focus, which was entirely made out of the stuff. Now, not to be outdone, GM have also announced the development of a new and better material for use in the bodies of the cars they build.

However, GM has opted for a different approach, using a material which has so far only found use in the auto industry, for the manufacturing of alloy rims - magnesium. The American firm is testing a thermal forming process, which will be able to make tough, rigid panes which will be one third lighter than anything made out of aluminium, and around 75% lighter than steel parts.

According to Greg Warden, Executive Director for Global Vehicles Body Engineering, Greg Warden, said: "Every gram of weight reduction matters when it comes to improving fuel economy. Being able to replace heavier metals with one of the lightest will help us deliver better fuel economy to customers around the world while also still providing the safety and durability they expect."

gm-announces-magnesium-sheet-metal-high-strength-panels-lighter-than-aluminium-50891-7.jpg

Bravo, Dacia!
http://www.autobild.de/artikel/dacia-hohes...et-3693289.html

De ce e Megane RS imbatabil http://www.planeterenault.com/1-gamme/40-t...me-dgl-et-tapi/

This post has been edited by Modus: 29 Oct 2012, 22:53

Informaţii pe volan … de la BMW

mda...displayul ala acolo nu prea il vad asa de benefic.

mult mai util ar fi sistemul HUD de proiectie pe parbriz

si nu ma refer la laserele de proiectie cum are citroen c6 sau mai tarziu bmw seria 5, si corvette c6 parca, ci la display transparent care sa afiseze informatia.
si nu tre sa faci cine stie ce grafica complexa sa creezi un parbriz plin de celule de iluminat.

se pot integra doar scrisurile esentiale, monocromatic, pt a fi si mai accesibil la pret. si nici sa nu jeneze vizibilitatea.

pt un brand de nivelul lui BMW si Audi chiar ma astept sa vad asa ceva., si nu volan cu ecranas inghesuit pe acolo.

Mahindra hopes to secure Aston Martin deal this week

India's Mahindra and Mahindra hopes to strike a deal to buy Aston Martin by the end of the week, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Mahindra is said to have topped an offer for Aston Martin from Italian private equity fund Investindustrial.

"There are a lot of moving parts here," the source told Reuters on Monday, adding that an initial 40 percent stake could rise to 50 percent for a total price unlikely to top $400 million.

Kuwait's Investment Dar denied on Sunday that it is reviewing rival bids from Mahindra and InvestIndustrial for 50 percent of the UK luxury sports car brand. However, sources said the bidders were wrangling over issues on management control.

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...eek-report-says

Renault et Leclerc partenaires pour le déploiement de bornes électriques

Renault s’est associé au groupe de grande distribution E. Leclerc pour équiper progressivement les parkings de ses magasins en bornes de recharge pour véhicule électrique.
renault-leclerc.jpg
Comme nous le soulignions il y a quelques mois, les groupes de grande distribution auraient tort de bouder l’arrivée de la voiture électrique. En installant des bornes sur les parkings de leurs magasins, ils peuvent ainsi inciter les propriétaires de voitures électriques à s’y rendre…et à y rester le temps de la recharge. Un certain temps donc.
E. Leclerc semble l’avoir bien compris, tout comme les bénéfices en terme d’image que cela peut drainer. La chaine de supermarchés vient ainsi de lancer le « club des 50 » avec Renault, afin d’équiper 50 magasins en bornes de recharge. Et à terme, tous les magasins devraient offrir cette prestation.

Dans le cadre de ce partenariat, les magasins concernés seront unis au concessionnaire au losange le plus proche. Localement, ils « développeront la mobilité électrique […], par des actions de sensibilisation et de communication auprès du grand public à travers notamment des présentations de produits sur les sites respectifs des deux marques ». Ce qui signifie que les véhicules de électrique de Renault seront présents dans les supermarchés. Actuellement, 20 supermarchés E. Leclerc disposent  de bornes de recharge.

Deci Renault va construi masini in China!

PEKIN, 22 jan 2013 (AFP) - Le constructeur automobile français Renault devrait signer en mars un accord pour former une coentreprise avec le groupe chinois Dongfeng Motor, a rapporté mardi le quotidien économique chinois Diyi Caijing Ribao (China Business News). Un responsable de Dongfeng n'a pas voulu confirmation l'information a l'AFP, déclarant qu'il n'était "pas au courant". Citant un responsable de la municipalité de Wuhan, le meme journal avait indiqué lundi que les travaux pour la construction d'une usine devaient démarrer en mai. Le feu vert des autorités chinoises pour le retour de la marque au losange en Chine est subordonné au résultat d'une étude d'impact environnemental. Selon un document officiel publié sur le site du Bureau de la protection de l'environnement de la province du Hubei (centre), la future usine aura une capacité de 150.000 véhicules par an pour un investissement de 7,2 milliards de yuans (870 millions d'euros). L'usine prévue a Wuhan, la capitale de cette province, produira des voitures de type SUV (sport utility vehicles ou 4X4) et MPV (véhicule multi-usage), selon cette administration chinoise. Le ministre français du Commerce extérieur, Nicole Bricq, qui effectue une visite de deux jours en Chine, a indiqué que l'implantation de Renault en Chine n'avait pas figuré au menu de ses entretiens lundi avec son homologue chinois Chen Deming. "Non, mais on aurait pu", a déclaré Mme Bricq qui n'a pas exclu la possibilité de la signature d'un accord dans ce domaine a l'occasion d'une visite en Chine du président français François Hollande. "La visite du président de la République est pour avril. On est en plein coeur de l'hiver", a-t-elle souligné, ajoutant que la signature d'un accord avec le constructeur français était "bien sur" une possibilité. Dongfeng Motor a déja une co-entreprise a Wuhan avec l'autre groupe automobile français, PSA Peugeot-Citroën. Il en possede également une autre avec le japonais Nissan, actionnaire de Renault. En 1993, Renault s'était déja implanté en Chine pour y fabriquer le minibus Trafic, mais l'expérience avait échoué et la production s'était arretée en 2003. Le groupe a la marque au losange est a l'heure actuelle l'un des seuls grands constructeurs mondiaux a etre ne pas fabriquer de voitures sur le premier marché automobile mondial. boc-uh/ple/jh AFP
22-01-2013 12:00


In acest timp in Franta uzinele Renault vor produce si Nissan :

PARIS, 18 jan 2013 (AFP) - Le PDG de Renault-Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, a accepté que le constructeur japonais se porte au secours de son partenaire français en difficulté en produisant des modeles dans les usines Renault, a indiqué vendredi le ministre du Redressement productif Arnaud Montebourg. "Renault a multiplié les implantations dans le reste du monde et donc le moment est venu de préserver la base industrielle France pour qu'elle ne s'affaiblisse pas", a expliqué M. Montebourg sur BFMTV/RMC, commentant la situation délicate du constructeur français qui a annoncé la suppression de 7.500 postes en France d'ici 2016. M. Montebourg a confirmé qu'il avait eu une conversation téléphonique jeudi avec M. Ghosn, durant laquelle il lui avait demandé de "réinvestir en France". "Je lui ai dit: je souhaite que vous mettiez dans la négociation le fait que, comme vous etes aussi le dirigeant de Nissan et que Renault contrôle Nissan, que Nissan se porte au secours des usines françaises et mettent du travail sur les chaînes françaises", a poursuivi le ministre. "La réponse est positive", a-t-il ajouté, expliquant que le PDG avait ainsi accepté que le constructeur japonais produise des Nissan dans les usines Renault de l'hexagone. "Quand Renault va mal, il est normal que Nissan se porte au secours, cela s'appelle une alliance", a-t-il insisté. Le deuxieme constructeur français a annoncé vendredi une baisse de 6,3% de ses ventes mondiales l'an dernier, a 2,55 millions de véhicules, du essentiellement a un effondrement du marché européen (-18%). Le groupe a annoncé le 15 janvier vouloir supprimer 7.500 postes en France d'ici a 2016, soit plus de 15% de ses effectifs, mais sans fermeture de site ni plan de départs volontaires contrairement a PSA. at/bpi/far/fw AFP
18-01-2013 11:08
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This post has been edited by Diac: 22 Jan 2013, 12:44

Volkswagen Announces Use of High-Strength Steel to Reduce Weight

Weight negatively affects automobiles in so many ways. It dents a car`s handling capabilities, its performance, comfort and economy. This is why all automakers are now on a quest to reduce the weight of their vehicles, and VW, of course, is among them.

Now, they have announced that they plan on using high-strength steel in the construction of their cars, more extensively than before, in an effort to make their cars greener and compliant with the increasingly-strict emissions regulations - the all-new Golf, underpinned by their new MQB architecture is the first model to incorporate this new philosophy.

They also plan to limit the use of aluminium in the construction of their future offerings.

Proof that their new high-strength steel theory is valid are the hundred-or-so kilos that the new Mark VII Golf has shed over its predecessor, despite being a larger and more spacious car.

This philosophy is similar, in a way, to what Mazda are trying to do with their SKYACTIV philosophy, which aims to make conventional cars as we know and love them, better and more efficient, without resorting to hybrids and overly-complicated electronics to do so.

The use of high-strength steel is also useful when it comes to cars' safety, as it is around six times tougher than regular steel, and in the event of an impact, the passenger cell needs to be strong and not buckle, so as to let the airbags do their job as efficiently as possible.

Bosch Increases Development Speed for Self-Driving Tech

While the automakers themselves are working on self-driving technology, which will be integrated into their own cars, there are also other companies out there developing the same tech. One such company is industrial giant Bosch, which has announced that it has actually accelerated the pace of development for the autonomous driving system.

Also, since they already provide Adaptive Cruise Control and Predictive Emergency Braking systems for other automakers, it is only natural that they move into the self-driving side of things, as well. However, the tech isn`t limited to just driving the car, but it can also search for a parking spot and automatically park, and in the near future a traffic jam assistant, which can change lanes and actually move through traffic will be added.

According to Gerhard Steiger, president of Bosch Chassis Systems Control division: “The traffic jam assistant helps drivers arrive more relaxed at their destination, even in dense traffic." It would be a welcome addition to city driving, and in the really congested cities it would free up a lot of time, in which the driver could begin reading a book, or doing something he or she may have neglected due to an acute lack of spare time.

Steiger adds, regarding the future of the tech: “Fully autonomous driving will come about one step at a time […] Two major challenges remain: first, inner-city driving, since automated vehicle functions have to deal with dense traffic involving a large number of road users traveling in every direction; and second, developing a concept to ensure that the system’s functions operate reliably in all types of driving situation."

Alfa Romeo avec Ferrari…
Ferrari-va-aider-Alfa-pour-ses-moteurs-348x493.jpg
… Quand y’en a pour un, y’en a pour deux ! C’est ce qu’a du se dire Sergio Marchionne ces derniers temps en observant les développements des nouvelles et futures Maserati. Ainsi l’administrateur délégué s’est laissé à quelques confidences lors d’entretiens donnés durant le salon et parmi celles ci, un qui se révèle intéressante si elle va au bout.

Le patron de Fiat SpA a déclaré que Ferrari allait signer un accord de collaboration technique pour les moteurs avec bien sur Maserati mais aussi Alfa Romeo. L’accord entre les filiales du groupe turinois sera officiellement annoncé dans les prochaines semaines ou en ouverture du salon de Genève début mars. Sergio Marchionne d’expliquer : « Ferrari va prendre un rôle actif et important dans le développement des futures motorisations pour Alfa Romeo. Ferrari travaillera de la même façon qu’ils l’a fait pour Maserati car effectivement le plus gros problème d’Alfa Romeo est aujourd’hui d’avoir des moteurs à la hauteur de son blason et de son image. »

Fort de cette collaboration, nous devrions assez vite retrouver des moteurs à 4 et 6 cylindres performants et chantants sur les Alfa Romeo.

Toujours devant les mêmes personnes du monde économique, le patron de Fiat a expliqué qu’il allait désormais s’atteler à la relance d’Alfa avec notamment, à échéance d’une année ou deux, l’apparition de la tant attendue Giulia, de son dérivé SW et du prochain Duetto. On est toutefois surpris par le fait que Sergio Marchionne ne parle plus du SUV milanais ! Oubli ? Projet reporté ? Projet annulé ? Rien a filtré et il faudra patienter encore un peu pour en apprendre plus.

On apprend que la Giulia fera son apparition début 2014, la Giulia SW suivra quelques mois plus tard. C’est l’usine de Cassino où sont déjà produites les Giulietta, Delta et Bravo qui va produire cette nouvelle berline destinée dans un premier temps essentiellement à la reconquête du marché européen. Il faudra bien ça car l’italo-canadien espère pouvoir vendre quelques 300.000 Alfa Romeo dès 2016. Beau challenge quand on sait qu’en 2012, le réputé constructeur milanais atteint péniblement les 100.000 autos.

On a aussi appris que la 4C arrivera en concession avant Noël aussi bien en Europe qu’aux USA. Sergio Marchionne explique que 2500 exemplaires de la 4C seront fabriqués chaque année avec la répartition suivante :

- Europe : 1000 exemplaires
- USA : 1000 exemplaires
- Reste du monde : 500 exemplaires

On constatera toutefois que le nouvel objectif annuel est inférieur à celui qui avait été annoncé initialement, surement le fiat du retour à la réalité pour le patron de Fiat qui va dans un premier temps devoir se passer d’un vrai réseau Alfa Romeo aux USA. Selon les informations, dans un premier temps, le roadster 4C bénéficiera, comme ce cenzurat le cas avec la 500, d’un corner spécifique chez les distributeurs américains.

Alfa Romeo 4C

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RhinoTire Unveiled

There is never a good time for a flat tire, and anyone who has gotten down on their hands and knees on the side of the road knows the feeling.  No matter if you drive a Honda, a VW, or a Ford F-350, RhinoTire is the answer to your flat tire problems. RhinoTire is the first and only solution introduced to the market to completely eliminate tire failure. We have developed a polymer byproduct that, when sprayed inside any standard tire, ensures that your tire will never go flat.

How It Works

The RhinoTire liner is a semi-solid polymer that forms a permanent liner inside the tire, eliminating all punctures up to a quarter of an inch in diameter. It is easily applied using a computerized applicator that matches the liner with the tire size.  The Rhino liner effectively increases the two most important features of a tire - its efficiency and its lifespan.  Here's how:

1. Tire Pressure Maintenance - Low tire pressure is the #1 safety hazard on our roads today. RhinoTire Liner seals the tread area, eliminating low tire pressure due to porosity. This keeps the tires inflated at optimum pressure to improve safety, tire performance, and handling.
   
2. Puncture Resistance - Our system instantly seals punctures up to 1/4 of an inch in diameter. Potential travel interruptions go unnoticed, and roadside tire changes are virtually eliminated.
   
3. Increased Tire Life - The RhinoTire Liner increases tire life by 25%. Heat and friction are dispersed through the sidewall and not the tread area, greatly reducing wear. This increases the tire life significantly.
   
4. Road Noise Reduction - The RhinoTire Liner acts as a barrier to eliminate tire sound on asphalt and reduce road noise levels by 30 decibels.
   
5. Increased Fuel Economy - The RhinoTire Liner increases fuel economy by maintaining constant tire pressure. Low tire pressure is a major contributor to poor fuel economy.
   
6. Ride Comfort - The RhinoTire Liner increases tire adhesion to the road, which reduces tire shocking (dribbling like a basketball) due to worn suspension components. The result is a smoother, more comfortable ride.

There is Nothing Like RhinoTire

90 percent of new cars on the road do not have a spare tire - they are either equipped with space savers/donuts or run-flat tires, both of which are designed to be used for only 50 miles or less. A buyer of RhinoTire can benefit far more than just a 50-mile low-grade replacement.

We apply the RhinoTire liner using computerized machinery that installs the exact amount necessary per application. The computer operator programs the system with the size and width of the tire to ensure quality control throughout the application. RhinoTire application occurs only while the tire is off the rim, not pushed through the valve stem like many other products. RhinoTire forms a permanent bond to the interior liner of the tire, remaining in a semi-solid (gummy) state that immediately surrounds the puncture and eliminates any chance of lost tire pressure.

HORIZONTAL SUSPENSION: According to the automaker, this solution offers a whole series of impressive benefits: due to the combination of the double wishbone and pushrod arrangement, wheel control and damper remain separate from each other. As a result, handling is more responsive and easier to manage at all speeds, while rigid connection to the chassis also improves the precise and spontaneous reaction of the springs and dampers. As a result, spring stiffness can be notched back a little – comfort increases, while precision remains. On the front axle, the shock absorbers are equipped with a hydraulic lifting system, which enables the front end of the super sports car to be lifted by 40 millimeters at the touch of a button, simplifying its ability to negotiate minor obstacles.
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Aia e o suspensie "banala" de masina sport, asemanatoare cu cele din F1.
Poate e mai exotica, dar nu e nimic nou acolo.
Are si dezavantaje destule: complexa, voluminoasa...

Aston Martin Rapide S Technical Details Explained

Daca tot exista topicul asta, in care se pun stiri in romana si engleza, de ce unii puneti aici stiri in engleza? Nu puteti sa-l lasati pentru stiri in franceza/ germana/ araba/ chineza/ orice alta limba?

VoloLights, the Safer Braking Light

We're happy to let you know about VoloLights, a truly great and innovative gadget meant to reduce the number of rear-end collisions between cars and bikes.

One of the factors which often cause cars to rear-end motorcycles is the fact that some drivers don't realize that the bikes are slowing down unless the brake lights are lit. And since a lot of bikers slow down simply by throttling off or down-shifting, the brake light stay off, thus no visual stimulus alerts the drivers.

VoloLights promises to change things, using an accelerometer which triggers the lights as the bike slows down, even if the brakes are not engaged. In case the brakes are used, the microchip inside the VoloLights makes the LEDs flash 5 times a second, a frequency which draws drivers' attention the most, as NHTSA states.

Tre sa fii cel putin idiot sa nu realizezi ca masina (motoreta) din față incetineste...

Iulica, problema respectiva este frecventa la moto.

http://www.quattroruote.it/notizie/auto-no...-modello-video-

facelift nissan micra.

McLaren a comis-o din nou. Slide 1-8 pt. detalii.

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This post has been edited by Squirrel: 25 Mar 2014, 13:57

Ca tot era in discuie soarta Aston: au intrat intr-un parteneriat cu Daimler, mai exact AMG, asa ca viitorul suna mai bine acum.

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata SkyActiv chassis, 2014 New York Auto Show

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This post has been edited by P-A-C-O: 17 Apr 2014, 20:04

Toyota Designs New Type Of Internal Combustion Engine For Extended-Range EVs
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The concept of range-extended vehicles--electric cars with a gasoline generator to extend their range--is an intriguing way of combining the benefits of both power sources. For the most part, you can roll around in silent, clean, responsive electric power, but can leave your range-related worries behind.

However, conventional gasoline engines like that found in the Chevrolet Volt are compromised by design: the 1.4-liter unit has been adapted from a regular engine, rather than purpose-built for the installation. If you were to come up with something original, tailored to the application, you might envision something like Toyota's Free Piston Engine Linear Generator (FPEG). It's smaller, lighter and generates electricity more efficiently than its more conventional equivalents.

Essentially, a linear engine has no crankshaft, nor connecting rods. In their place is a gas-filled chamber, the compression of which acts as a spring, returning the piston after the expansion and combustion phases of a typical combustion cycle. The clever part is in turning this back-and-forth motion into energy, when you haven't got a crankshaft and the mechanically-useful rotation it produces.

As Green Car Congress writes (via Green Car Reports), Toyota's FPEG uses a W-shaped piston. In the center of the 'W', is the piston, sitting in its combustion chamber. This operates on a two-stroke cycle: burned gas is scavenged through a port in the cylinder head, as fresh air is drawn in through a port in the side walls, ready to be mixed with direct-injected fuel and ignited. Below the piston, the gas-filled chamber helps send the piston on its return journey.

The outer layer of the W-shaped piston--the outer arms of the 'W' shape--features a neodymium-iron-boron magnet. The walls of this chamber--outside the actual combustion chamber--are surrounded by a wire coil. The constant movement of magnets past the coil generates electric charge to feed the battery. The unit isn't powerful--10 kW equates to about 13 horsepower--but just two of them produce enough charge to let a Yaris or Corolla-sized electric vehicle cruise at 75 mph on the highway.

Using two, ideally in an opposed formation, also offsets any vibration issues that might be caused by a piston moving rapidly back and forth. The characteristics of the engine can be changed depending on requirements, too, since a pressure regulating valve in the gas-filled chamber adjusts the stiffness of the "spring". It's still at the prototype stage--shown off at the recent SAE World Congress in Detroit--but could be the ideal solution for future range-extended applications.

This post has been edited by P-A-C-O: 1 May 2014, 19:36

2016 Toyota Prius to Offer AWD, Two Battery Options.

Mazda MX-5 … turbo?