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GM spends $8m doubling size of US Battery Lab

A far cry from its pre-bankruptcy days, General Motors has announced an $8 million investment to double the size of its battery lab in the United States to support the production of future electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt.

As a clear sign that times are changing at GM, areas previously used for engine testing will be renovated for battery development and testing with further environmental considerations undertaken in its design including high-efficiency LED lighting and a floor made from recycled tires.

The new lab will be equipped with 176 test channels and 49 thermal chambers which duplicate extreme real-world driving patterns and temperatures to test the batteries in all possible conditions.

"GM is building on its commitment to lead the development of electric vehicle technology – from battery cell design to the charging infrastructure – and today's investment furthers our work in this area," said Micky Bly, GM executive director, global electrical systems, hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries.

"This addition will benefit consumers by helping us put cleaner, more efficient vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range, on the road more quickly and affordably."

Having collectively accumulated over 500,000 test miles, the Chevrolet Volt has reached a milestone of its own with recent testing of pre-production models yielding up to 64km of electric-only driving.

The Volt remains on schedule to start regular production in late 2010, with GM now due to begin pre-production of its European counterpart – the Ampera – ahead of its launch for 2012 model year.

General Motors to sell 3 million cars in China by 2015

If you’ve ever wondered why the bigger automotive brands may not care all that much about the Australian market you simply have to look at our market size compared to other markets such as the United States and more particularly China.

The Chinese market last year took the title as world's biggest car market from the United States and car manufacturers are scrambling to take a strong foothold in the east.

The number one overseas automaker in China is General Motors, which today announced plans to sell three million vehicles a year in China by 2015.

Not that selling three million cars by 2015 seems like a massive target given the company and its local partners sold 1.83 million cars last year and are expected to sell 2 million cars this year.

The extra one million will come from 25 new or revised models expected this year plus a more prominent focus on fuel-efficiency.

General Motors focus on China, now its biggest market for vehicle sales, is no doubt a sign of events to follow with other manufacturers shifting more focus and resources to compete in Asia.

"While both the U.S. and China markets are very important for GM, it is China where it will increase investment," said Lin Huaibin, a Shanghai-based auto analyst at IHS Global Insight. In terms of industrywide sales, "the U.S. can’t possibly retake China."

Fuel efficient models in China will include hybrids, plug-ins and electric vehicles. For example General Motors’ Volt plug-in car will go on sale in China come 2011.

Whilst Australian market managed to grab 251,827 sales for the first three months of this year, China saw 3.5 million plus new cars hit the road.

Last year the Chinese bought 13.6 million new vehicles, helped largely by government incentives for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. 2010 may see 16 million new vehicles sold.

Volvo losses to end by 4th quarter

The once Ford owned Swedish manufacturer Volvo will soon be under the rule of the Chinese. Geely Automobile Holdings is expected to take over the struggling European company and reports today suggest it may be the right move for Volvo in the long run.

The Chinese company, which has still to finalise the deal between Ford says Volvo may potentially end losses as early as the fourth quarter this year. Geely’s parent company, China’s biggest private carmaker, has confirmed that it will pay Ford Motor Co. USD $1.8 billion (1.94 billion) for Volvo.

First three months of this year saw Geely sell around 100,000 units with expectations to finish the year with 400,000 sales. Nonetheless Geely itself suffered a decline in its second-half earnings compared to last year as some other Chinese manufacturers saw growth.

Concerning Volvo, Geely CEO Gui Sheng Yue told reporters in Hong Kong: “As far as I know, Volvo is in good operating condition and it’s possible it could break even in the fourth quarter of this year,“.

Geely is best known for producing smaller, cheaper cars so Volvo will no doubt help bring the brand back up to standards and help chase Chinese rivals that have coupled with global brands such as General Motors and Volkswagen.

In related news, the Chinese carmaker may take a controlling stake in London black cab maker Manganese Bronze, a company which Geely already owns a 20 percent stake.

China’s car market is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade. The country last year took the title as world’s biggest car market from the United States.

12 hour traffic gridlock on F3 to Newcastle
April 12, 2010 at 9:52 PM

If you thought traffic was really bad for you yesterday, spare a thought for the poor motorists that got caught up in a record-breaking traffic jam on a Sydney freeway.

The issue started following an accident between a B-double fuel tanker and a small truck on the F3 at Mount White, north of Sydney at around midday.

The accident caused traffic jams stretching back an incredible 10 kilometres+ throughout the entire day before a contra-flow system was finally put into place 9 hours later.

The enormous delay by the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) to fix the issue highlighted the incompetence of authorities with NSW Transport Minister David Campbell saying “fur will fly” following the event.

The drive which is mean to take only two hours took as long as 12 according to some motorists. “You would think that on a highway like this where you only have one exit from Sydney to Newcastle that they would do something about it, why didn’t they shut off one lane over there and have all the traffic up one lane?” one driver told Nine News.

Mr Campbell was quick to pass on the blame, saying RTA workers had informed him that clearing the accident was the quicker option than implementing the contra-flow.

“To me, the commonsense test was not met in the decision-making around when to put in place that contra-flow and there will be some fur flying this morning, it will be that I’ll be in a cat fight with some public servants and (I’ll) demand from them to understand why, what in my view was the common sense approach, was not taken.” Mr Campbell told Fairfax Radio Network.

Sydney residents would be used to long traffic delays but 12 hours is by all means a new record!

BMW remains number one premium manufacturer

Yesterday we reported that Audi outsold Mercedes-Benz for the first time and we can reprot today that BMW has remained the number one premium manufacturer by beating German rival Audi in the first quarter of 2010.

The result makes BMW, which also outsells Toyota’s Lexus, the world’s top-selling premium brand.

Nonetheless the margin between BMW and Audi isn’t all that high. BMW had a global increase of 14 percent over the same period in 2009 to sell 265,809 in the first quarter, compared with 264,100 for Audi. A difference of just 1709 cars.

BMW sales were pushed along thanks to the newly launched BMW X1 as well as a 54 percent increase in sales for the 7 Series sedan. In Australia BMW sold 1,479 cars in March compared to Audi’s 1,163 while Mercedes-Benz remained the best selling premium manufacturer in Australia with 1,799 units sold.

This year will prove to be interesting for all three manufacturers as they launch a series of new models. BMW will soon launch the new 5 Series in Australia as well the updated 3 Series coupe and convertible.

Year to date (end of March), BMW has sold 4,316 cars in Australia compared to Audi at 3,710 and Mercedes-Benz at 4,739.

2011 Mercedes-Benz ML AMG spied

Having previously brought you four sets of Mercedes-Benz ML-Class spy photos, today we got handed some photos of the AMG variant undergoing testing near the Nürburgring.

The new ML-Class most likely won't get any longer front and rear overhangs and more importantly from a quick glance it appears the wheelbase doesn't appear to be stretched either.

We suspect the reverse may be in order, with Mercedes likely to slightly downsize the M-Class' dimensions in order to reduce weight to make the new model more efficient.

The AMG factor of this beast can be easily noticed thanks to its rather large disc brakes brakes.

Although it may still use the 6.2-litre V8 found in the current model, it may in fact have a big upgrade to the brand-new 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 which puts out 400kW and 800Nm of torque.

BMW Hydrogen Hybrid caught testing

Although BMW is well known for its environmentally friendly EfficientDynamics range and to a lesser extent it’s soon-to-arrive ActiveHybrid models, the German company is also working on Hydrogen vehicles. This morning we were sent photos of a modified front-wheel drive 1 Series being used as a test car.

The hydrogen hybrid drivetrain is currently under development and it will most likely be used in the upcoming generation of front-wheel drive BMWs and perhaps even seen in the next generation Mini.

The idea behind the system is rather simple. It combines a traditional front-wheel drive setup with a hydrogen fuel cell, electricity-storing super-capacitors and an electrically driven rear axle.

BMW tested a fleet of 7 Series hydrogen vehicles some time ago but the system seen here appears to be an evolution of that technology.

Ford S-MAX and Galaxy get blind spot warning system
April 12, 2010 at 5:27 PM

We've all done it. You hit the indicator stalk and start switching lanes, when all of a sudden you realise that another car has crept up into your blind spot and has blasted you with their horn, in the hope of avoiding an embarrassing collision.

Now there's an answer, it's called BLISS (Blind Spot Information System) and it's been available on Volvo cars for several years.

The system is incredibly effective and is now standard kit on the Ford S-MAX and Galaxy MPV's in the UK.

BLISS is essentially a radar warning system, which alerts drivers of vehicles in their blind spot on both sides using a small orange warning light in both side mirrors.

Better still, BLISS will work at speeds as low as 10km/h making it effective in stop start conditions such as peak hour or while searching for a car park at your local Mall.

Ford UK says, that the technology will also appear in other future Ford models including the Focus.

Michelin to consider F1 return as Bridgestone re-evaluates position

French tyre manufacturer Michelin is considering a Formula One comeback, albeit with several strict conditions.

The news comes after a meeting between Formula One team managers and President and CEO of Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone in Malaysia this weekend. The group met to discuss a replacement for sole tyre provider, Bridgestone who will quit the deal at the end of next year’s season.

It is reported that Michelin is keen to rejoin the premier motorsport series, but has placed several serious conditions on its return including free trackside advertising at all rounds and making each team pay for its own tyres. If successful, the deal could cost each team between 2 and 5 million euros (AUD$2.9 million to $7.3 million) per season.

Michelin also said it wants all teams to change from the 13-inch wheels currently in use to larger, 18-inch wheels to better integrate Formula One with other racing programs under the Michelin umbrella.

Korean tyre manufacturers Hankook and Kumho have also expressed an interest in supplying F1 tyres.

Bridgestone is said to be re-evaluating its position.

Audi outsells Mercedes-Benz globally for first time in Q1 2010

For the first time in history, Audi has outsold its closest German-based luxury rival, Mercedes-Benz.

The numbers are convincing too, with Audi selling 264,100 vehicles worldwide in the first-quarter of 2010 against Mercedes-Benz’s 248,500 units in the same period.

Audi has said for some time now that it aims to become the world’s leading luxury car manufacturer by 2015. To achieve this goal, it must first surpass German rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as well as Toyota’s luxury-arm, Japanese-based Lexus. Today’s news indicates it is now at least a quarter of the way there.

According to a recent report published by Autocar, the main contributor in Audi’s successful overtaking of Mercedes-Benz lies with strong sales in the Chinese market. Audi sells 20 per cent of all cars it produces to China, the figure more than double that of Mercedes-Benz. And, as the Chinese market continues to grow, Audi’s sales dominance looks likely to continue.

BMW has yet to release its final first-quarter sales figures.

NSW not lowering drink-driving blood alcohol limit

As we recently reported, the Queensland government is currently looking into reducing the drink-driving blood alcohol limit from 0.05 to 0.02. A plan which is still in progress. Nonetheless NSW transport minister David Campbell said today that his state has no plans to do the same.

The NRMA recently conducted a survey asking nearly 1000 motorists in NSW & ACT if they supported the move. The results were surprising with only 42 percent in favour of dropping the limit to 0.02.

The proposed limits in Queensland have caused a fair bit of controversy given the number of additional motorists which may be caught. For example if the laws do come in to place many motorists would no longer be able to have a single alcoholic drink and stay under the limit.

The other issue with the proposed change is its effectiveness. Would a reduction in the drink-driving limit have any real affect on the road toll? If a driver is willing to drink and drive what difference will the slightly harsher limits actually make? Much more likely that the changes could result in a lot of everyday motorists being fined.

For example if a motorist spends a night out having a fair few drinks, it’s very likely that they will still be over the 0.02 limit the next morning but well and truly under the current 0.05 limit.

What are your thoughts on lowering the drink-driving blood alcohol limit from 0.05 to 0.02?

Porsche Panamera RWD V6 & AWD V6 Panamera 4 pricing announced

Porsche Australia has today announced the pricing of two new entry model Porsche Panameras expected to arrive in Australia in July.

The V6 engined Panamera and Panamera 4 will bring the starting price of the Panamera range to just $193,000 for the rear-drive Panamera. If all-wheel drive is required the Panamera 4 (from $204,400) will easily do the job.

Porsche says both models will deliver fuel economy figures of below 10L/100km from the 3.6-litre engines. Power is rated at 220 kW and torque come in at 400 Nm.

The Porsche built engine is coupled to German company’s well known seven-speed PDK double-clutch gearbox.

"This V6 has been designed by Porsche specifically for the Panamera," says Porsche Cars Australia Managing Director Michael Winkler. "It has the power and refinement our customers expect, yet at the same time delivers excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions."

Along with low fuel usage the V6 powered Panamera rear-wheel drive is returning CO2 emission ratings of just 213 g/km while the Panamera 4 manages 220 g/km.

The two entry model Porsche Panamera and Panamera 4 make a total of five variants of the Panamera range in Australia.

Porsche Panamera
3.6-litre V6
220 kW / 400 Nm
rear-drive
$193,000

Porsche Panamera 4
3.6-litre V6
220 kW / 400 Nm
all-wheel drive $204,400

Porsche Panamera S
4.8-litre V8
294 kW / 500 Nm
rear-drive
$270,200

Porsche Panamera 4S
4.8-litre V8
294 kW / 500 Nm
all-wheel drive $282,400

Porsche Panamera Turbo
4.8-litre V8T
368 kW / 700 Nm
all-wheel drive $364,900

Infiniti to use Mercedes-Benz engines in new G series

As part of the newly formed alliance between Renault-Nissan and Daimler, the new Infiniti G series will receive a Mercedes-Benz four-cylinder engine.

CEO of Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co, Carlos Ghosn said the move is aimed at improving fuel economy and CO2 emissions for the luxury coupe and sedan models which currently utilise a mix of four- and six-cylinder Japanese-built engines.

The move is the first in a diverse five-year product and technology sharing plan aimed to lower costs for the trio as increasingly strict emissions and fuel-economy standards are introduced.

In the US, where Infiniti is sold as a luxury brand of parent company Nissan, the government will require all manufacturers to meet a combined passenger and light commercial fuel economy figure of 34.1 miles per gallon (6.89L/100km) from 2016. Currently, the standard is 30.2 mpg (7.78L/100km) for 2011-model cars and 24.1 mpg (9.76L/100km) for 2011-model light commercial vehicles.

That mandate, and growing consumer interest in more fuel efficient, environmentally friendly vehicles, has already seen several manufacturers adopt similar plans including Kia and Hyundai who both announced the introduction of a direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant in some of their future models at last week’s New York Motor Show.

Nissan North America’s vice president of product planning for Nissan and Infiniti brand vehicles, Larry Dominique said his company is considering even broader use of four-cylinder engines in the future, but did not specify models or timing.

The Infiniti G series was one of the brand’s top-sellers in the US last year with 47,174 recorded sales. In the first three months of this year, Infiniti G series sales were 28 per cent stronger than the same time last year.

Australia will get its first taste of the Infiniti brand within the next three years. Nissan Australia CEO and MD, Dan Thompson telling CarAdvice recently that he has a team of staff working full time to bring Nissan's luxury brand to Australia in the near future.

CarAdvice will keep you posted on any developments as they come to hand.

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Monday, April 12, 2010

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