GM vows Volt WILL be built in 2010

By Frank Markus

I just returned from another fairly in-depth GM press event updating us on the progress of its plug-in hybr -- sorry, we're not supposed to use the "H" word -- "Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV)," the Chevy Volt. An entourage of international journalists were given tours of GM's battery-development lab, a virtual-reality Visualization Center, the E-Flex Studio, and the Aerodynamics lab in order to drive home the point that this is not a science project or a micro-volume technology learning exercise, but a production program -- albeit a greatly accelerated one.

Today we basked in the heat generated by equipment that was performing accelerated-life-cycle testing on a pair of lithium-ion battery packs from potential supplier CPI/LG Chemical. The tests charge the 16kW-hr battery packs to their maximum state of charge (estimated at around 80 percent), then they're subjected to discharge at a rate (peaking at 43kW) that simulates a typical federal city fuel economy cycle, followed by the harder-charging US-06 cycle, the highway cycle, and another city cycle. This regimen drops the battery to roughly 30 percent of its capacity in 40 miles, after which the rig simulates range-extending operation with mild charge/discharge cycling from the onboard engine/generator, before "parking it" and recharging (at 25 kW) back up to 80 percent.

Battery Lab Environmental Test

Then we peeked inside an environmental cell where batteries supplied by competing supplier A123/Continental were undergoing hot- (176 degrees F) and cold- (-22 degrees F) climate testing. Such testing helps develop the battery pack's thermal management system (they're liquid cooled), and the hot tests accelerate the life-cycle testing. Other labs have subjected the pack to 10 years of in-car shock and vibration. Also on hand in the lab was an EV-1's lead-acid battery pack casing alongside the Volt's. Both contained 16kW-hrs of energy, but the vintage lead-acid pack weighed three times as much and was over twice as large. As yet, GM is not discussing the specific battery chemistry, except to say that it is NOT anything like that used in laptop batteries (and the Tesla).

On a hoist in the battery lab was a 2005 Malibu that has served for six months as an engineering development vehicle (the first of three prototype stages), employing a NiMH battery pack from a 2-mode in place of the li-ion pack but serving to test the many other control systems. (Judging by the wheel-flare extensions on the Malibu, we can assume that the Volt's track will be wider than a 2005 Malibu's.) These early cars will be upgraded to level-2 mule status with installation of the proper battery packs by the end of April. Soft-tooled prototypes that look like Volts will be the final stage. Engineering development teams have been working two six-day shifts per week, at GM's Milford Proving Ground to meet the Volt's aggressive development schedule.

Battery Test Cycle

Battery Test Rig

A123-Continental And CPI-LG Battery Testing

The visualization center involves a huge wide glass screen with twin rear-projection images that, when viewed wearing special electronic 3-D glasses allow you to see all parts of a car as modeled in the computer, from any angle. It's used to check special relationships that could cause problems in assembly (and even to model entire assembly lines), trouble-shoot potential quality problems, etc. without the need for costly prototype parts. An entire car can be assembled in the system from math data in about two weeks. It's said to have slashed the number of physical prototypes required to be built (at roughly $1 million each) by 60 percent.

What we were shown of the new Global Compact architecture indicates this moon-shot tech can be packaged in traditional architecture -- a must to ensure it can be produced economically alongside high-volume mainstream products. A tall center tunnel (about the size of a Cadillac CTS's) houses the battery pack. The small mainstream four-cylinder "Family Zero" engine mounts in its usual spot, and the generator and motor are co-located in a housing that looks like a big transaxle (though there is still NO link between the engine and front wheels).

The brake system is an electro-hydraulic by-wire setup like the Prius's, allowing a computer to interpret the driver's deceleration needs and apportion braking among regeneration and friction brakes as it sees fit. Naturally, the steering assist is electric, but the motor's input is via a secondary pinion on the steering rack. That's different from current GM designs and more like the VW-Audi setups (whose steering feel is superior), but it will likely be rolled out across GM's lineup. The evaporative emissions system is fortified to contain fumes that may accumulate over days or weeks of vehicle operation without engine ignition to burn them off. The cooling module is also far more complex, with the battery cooling unit out in front, then the A/C condenser, a layer shared by the power-electronics and driveline oil coolers, and then the engine's radiator backed by fans powered by ultra-quiet, high-efficiency brushless motors. The front strut suspension is completely typical, the rear uses trailing arms integral with a transverse torsional member. The Volt will get unique, weight-optimized trailing-arm castings (which will likely be shared with a high-performance coupe variant of the architecture), but otherwise the underpinnings look conventional.

During the final Q&A session, we learned a bit more about the forthcoming Volt. No diesel, fuel-cell, or full battery-electric variants have been approved as of yet. The first two range-extenders will be gasoline PZEV and E85 compatible ULEV engines, with a production launch date of November 2010. That's ambitious, and officials admit the launch will be gradual. Not all states and certainly not all dealers will get the Volt immediately, and the initial lot may well be for lease only. The Volt is not expected to generate a profit right out of the chute, either, but it should earn GM a significant return on investment in terms of Green cred and technology leadership -- especially if, as they promise, the 8.5-seconds-to-60 Volt turns out to be a good-looking, no-compromises, fun-to-drive family sedan. Here's hoping.

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More BMW news for enthusiasts

BMW Will Revive tii Badge for 1- and 3-series

The tii revival didn'texactly startoff with a bang. At the Tokyo auto show last fall, BMW resurrected its fabled tii suffix-best known as the high-performance version of the company's marque-making 2002. Unfortunately, the Tokyo concept was little more than a 1-series coupe with a cosmetic package. The show car was accurate in that a tii kit is in the works for the 1-series coupe, according to BMW chief Norbert Reithofer. The package consists of aero body add-ons, carbon-fiber trim, wider wheels and tires, sport seats and instruments, and a new, M-style steering wheel with an integrated LED rev counter.

That's fine, but a tii deserves substance, not just style. The good news is that the substance is coming, and eventually tii cars will supplement the M cars as a second strain of performance models, one that's more accessible and emphasizes connectedness rather than absolute power. They are designed to be raw and rather loud driving machines that deliver a particularly intimate aural and tactile experience, as well as a higher level of dynamic connectivity. In technical terms, this means upgrades such as more direct steering, a firmer suspension, reduced noise insulation, and a brawnier drivetrain.

The good stuff could start arriving as early as later this summer, with the face-lifted 2009 3-series. That car is under consideration for a tii version that, in addition to styling tweaks, would include M3 brakes, nineteen-inch wheels, a sport suspension, a dual-clutch transmission, and increased boost pressure that would bump the output of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine from 300 hp to about 355 hp.

The tii revival gets into full swing with the next-generation models of the 1-series (due in late 2011), the 3-series (out in early 2012), the X3 (also in 2011), and the new X1 (coming in mid-2009). All four of those cars are slated to get tii versions that will have emphatically sporty appearances and exceptional dynamic abilities. The 1-series tii would feature a lighter unibody and use a direct-injected, 2.0-liter twin-turbo four-cylinder good for 300 hp. BMW is even evaluating unique, tii-specific body styles. The most intriguing is the so-called "sharknose" version-a special tii body style for the 3-series. It is almost retro in character, with thin roof pillars, a relatively upright windshield and rear window, and simple head- and taillights, as well as traditional "waterline" styling (which also can be found on the current 1-series coupe and cabriolet). Aslightly longer front end and a cab-backward greenhouse should also help create a quite different tii-only appearance.

It's too early to tell whether the tii game plan will first come into effect on the 1-series or the 3-series or what the exact scope will be. But it's clear that BMW is determined to plug the gap between the sport packages and the M cars, using a more affordable mix of visual and engineering enhancements worthy of the iconic tii suffix.

New BMW Hyrdogen 7 to run completely on Hydrogen

In yet another step toward a zero-emissions world, BMW this week rolled out a BMW Hydrogen 7 with a V12 internal-combustion engine that has been engineered to run solely on hydrogen. The previous version of the Hydrogen 7 was a biofuel version that runs on gasoline and hydrogen.

The upgraded monofuel Hydrogen 7 is being paraded in front of some important audiences, including the 2008 National Hydrogen Association Conference in Sacramento, California, this week. It will also show up at the 2008 SAE World Congress in Detroit, which starts on April 14.

BMW emphasizes that the BMW Hydrogen 7 monofuel is a "demonstration production vehicle, not a prototype."

"It was created to showcase the zero-CO2 and low-emissions potential and feasibility of a dedicated hydrogen internal-combustion engine," the automaker said in a statement. "In addition, the BMW Hydrogen 7 monofuel helps deliver additional experience in the everyday use of hydrogen beyond what has already been learned with the nearly 100 bifuel Hydrogen 7 sedans that have been used in a customer test-drive program since November 2006."

Aston Martin DBS Volante caught testing

Chismillionaire is not sure he is on board with a Volante version of Aston's sharpest sword but no doubt some need to have theirs topless.




A prototype for the future Aston Martin DBS Volante was caught outside the automaker's Nürburgring workshop this week, during what we assume are preparations for hot laps on the popular test circuit.

Inside Line tested the 2008 Aston Martin DBS coupe last fall, so the arrival of a drop top is no surprise, especially since Aston Martin Vice President and General Manager for North America John Walton alluded to the "possibility" of the DBS Volante at a recent Aston Martin press event in Dallas.

"We design everything we make with the ability to build a coupe and a roadster," said Walton. "We never do anything as an afterthought." Walton said it would be at least 18 months away for the DBS Volante, "if we went there."

Aston's head product PR guy, Matthew Clarke, also echoed the 18-month target, which would put the DBS Volante's debut shortly after the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide sedan's summer 2009 target.

Aston execs also reiterated the fact that the DBS is more than just a DB9 with body cladding and a bigger engine, and that more development time was needed to make the DBS into a roadster, while keeping its sports car handling intact.

What this means to you: Easily one of the most beautiful convertibles on the road today, even in prototype form. — Kelly Toepke, News Editor

Spring has almost Sprung Van Damme Friday

Place Your Bets! '08 Baseball Season Mathematically Predicted

It’s the beginning of the baseball season, and no matter who you’re supporting (Go Blue Jays!) it’s time to make your yearly predictions. And though each of us have a different method to work out who is going to win what and who’ll take bottom place, I doubt yours will be as involved as Bruce Bukiet’s.

Of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Bruce Bukiet has for the past seven seasons used a mathematical model to calculate who will win, who will do well, and who will fail miserably.

The computer model predicts the probability of how a team will do against any given team, based on who is hitting, who has the home field advantage, who’s on the bench, and who is the starting pitcher and relievers.

Created by an avid New York Mets fan, the model has a pretty decent accuracy rate. According to its creator the model has more often than not picked correctly rather than incorrectly. Last year’s predictions saw him pick the Yankees, Indians, Angels, Mets and Padres as clear Division winners; he was right about the Indians and Angels.

"These results give a guide of how teams ought to perform during the season," he said. "But there are so many unknowns, especially concerning trades, injuries and how rookies will perform that cannot be taken into account."

Nevertheless, the predictions for this season see the American League pretty much down to a contest between the Yankees, Sox, Tigers and Angels (what about my Blue Jays???). However the National League is not so clear cut.

"The National League should see much tighter races, with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves winning the East and the wild card respectively, while in the Central and West Divisions, only the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants have no real shot of making it to the postseason," Bukiet said.

The complete list of predictions is below, but no matter what the predictions say, the game isn’t over until the fat lady has sung!

* AL East: Yankees – 98; Red Sox – 98; Blue Jays – 86; Rays – 75; Orioles – 63

* AL Central: Tigers – 96; Indians – 87; White Sox – 79; Twins – 74; Royals – 63

* AL West: Angels – 92; Mariners – 78; A's – 75; Rangers – 70

* NL East: Mets – 92; Braves – 89; Phillies – 84; Nationals – 73; Marlins – 70

* NL Central: Brewers – 84; Cubs – 83; Reds – 81; Cardinals – 80; Astros – 79; Pirates – 71

* NL West: Rockies – 85; Padres – 85; Diamondbacks – 83; Dodgers – 82; Giants – 75

Posted by Josh Hill.

7 Engineering Wonders of the Modern World [PICS]

Contemporary World Record-Setting Construction

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Rare Photos of a Space Shuttle Being Assembled [PICS]

For all you NASA geeks out there (like me!), here's how they actually do this....

This is just Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Full Metal Jacket Drill Sargent - North Pole Elves (NSFW)

Motor Trend gets 0-60 in 3.2 sec for GTR

Godzilla Unleashed! 2009 Nissan GT-R Acceleration Test

0-60 in 3.2 seconds: Nissan's GT-R terrorizes El Toro Marine Air Station

By Frank Markus
Photography by Evan Klein Art By Mike Royer

Okay, we've strapped Japan's latest monster car to a four-wheel Dynojet dynamometer and tortured it into giving up a 430.6-horsepower rating at the wheels. That translates to between 507 and 574 horses at the crank depending on how much power one assumes the drivetrain is siphoning off in the form of mechanical friction (heat) and hydraulic pumping losses. Judging by the heroic acceleration numbers this two-ton Terminator has been credited with by various testers around the globe, it's tempting to peg power near the top end of that range, but a charge up the Angeles Crest Highway and numerous brief blasts along public roads suggest this is no 570-horse beast. Rather, we expect this car's performance will be explained by more than mere horsepower alone, and a day on the runways at El Toro Marine air station should tell us all we need to know.

INITIATING LAUNCH PROCEDURES

The sun is shining, the air is a comfortable 66.9 degrees, humidity is SoCal-low (30 percent), and the car has essentially been sitting still for about two hours when we line up for the first full-on acceleration run. Programming the GT-R's launch control mode requires toggling the transaxle and shock absorbers mode switches up for "R" race modes and the stability-control switch down for off, then engaging the manual shifting mode via the shifter lever. Hold the brake, floor the throttle, revs climb to 4500 rpm -- hold on, they're hovering at 2000. Hmmm. Somewhere in that sequence, the transmission has popped itself back to "normal." To make sure the driver never accidentally engages this mode, one of the switches always has to be reset upon completing the sequence. Ah, there's 4500 rpm. Then simply side-step the brake and...

WE HAVE IGNITION

BAM! The GT-R leaves the line like an arrow from a cross-bow. From the outside, the rear tires spin for a little over a foot, the fronts never visibly slip. The acceleration screen on the center dash confirms the test equipment's assertion that longitudinal acceleration of at least 1.0g persists for almost two seconds. No wonder the forged-aluminum rims have little knurled ridges to keep the tire beads from slipping. Despite the big gs, the car doesn't squat much (Launch Control does NOT loosen rear jounce control to induce squat like many such systems do). Comparatively little thrust is sent to the front wheels, at least according to the center-console display. The rear wheels spin, then 25 percent of the torque gets routed forward (just half the max available), front torque increases to 37 percent briefly during the 1-2 upshift, then trails off to the typical 2 percent. Speaking of the 1-2 shift, the car is accelerating so fast that the tachometer has trouble keeping up, and the driver has to signal for an upshift slightly before the needle kisses the redline to avoid a time-consuming bounce off the rev-limiter.

Nissan senior project engineer Bruce Robinson, on hand to observe the test, remarked that our Bridgestone tires appeared to spin more than did the Dunlops that were run on all previous tests he's observed. This might explain our slightly better launch. (The Bridgestones will be standard fitment on GT-R Premium package models.) A brief cool-down run returns engine temperatures to normal between runs, and by the third one we have our perfect clean run. Employing our customary one-foot rollout and SAE weather correction (it slows the car down by 1.1 percent today), we get:

Acceleration to mph
0-30	1.2 sec
0-40	1.7
0-50	2.4
0-60	3.2
0-70	4.2
0-80	5.3
0-90	6.5
0-100	8
0-110	9.7
0-120	11.6
0-130	14.1
Passing, 45-65 mph	1.6 sec
Quarter mile	11.6 sec @ 120.0 mph

That 3.2-second zero-to-60 mph time ties our best runs in a Porsche 911 Turbo and a 911 GT3-R, and trails only the Ferrari Enzo (3.1 sec) and Bugatti Veyron (2.7 sec) among production test cars. Our 11.6-second quarter-mile time ties the mighty Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR's, but 13 other supercars manage to squeak ahead of our GT-R's elapsed time. Its trap speed of 120 mph is neck-and-neck with the Porsche 911 Turbo's, but at least 20 different models we've tested can top that figure. Perhaps that's the revelation here: Nissan's everyday-usable supercar is at its most super at everyday speeds. Beyond 110 mph the mythical beast becomes increasingly mortal, as illustrated in this graph.

Not in quite that big a hurry? Floor the throttle without Launch Control and the quieter launch adds just 0.8 second to the 60-mph time, 0.6 to the quarter mile.

Acceleration to mph
0-30	1.9 sec
0-40	2.5
0-50	3.2
0-60	4
0-70	4.9
0-80	6
0-90	7.3
0-100	8.7
0-110	10.4
0-120	12.3
0-130	14.8
Passing, 45-65 mph	1.6 sec
Quarter mile	12.2 sec @ 119.7 mph

WHAT'S THE SECRET?

There are three factors helping the 3879-pound GT-R appear to dodge the laws of physics:

1. Horsepower and torque. Our testing on the four-wheel Dynojet dynamometer at K&N Engineering indicated that the factory ratings of 480 horses and 430 lb-ft are discounted by at least 5 and 14 percent, respectively. To verify the accuracy of the dyno readings we ran a fourth-gear acceleration pull at El Toro and computed the horsepower required to accelerate the mass of the car and driver, plus the power lost to aerodynamic drag and tire friction (using Nissan's 0.27 drag coefficient, a 22.5-sq-ft frontal area computed per SAE formula and assuming a 0.020 coefficient of rolling friction for the tires). Note how closely the overall shape of the curves match, including the slight plateau from 4000-4500 (intake cam timing change?)

2. Short Gearing. The Nissan GT-R's overall gearing (including tires) is among the shortest in supercardom. The Porsche 911 Turbo that served as the GT-R's performance target spins gearing that's taller by an average of 10 percent in the first three ratios, while the Corvette Z06 it competes with most closely on price averages 40 percent taller in the same three gears. Short gearing effectively increases the engine's "leverage" but results in more frequent shifts, which can add time (the Z06's 0-to-60-mph trick is hitting 60 mph in first gear with no time-consuming shifts).

	Nissan GT-R		Porsche 911 Turbo			Corvette Z06
Gear	Ratio	MPH/1000 RPM	Ratio	MPH/1000 RPM	%Taller	Ratio	MPH/1000 RPM	%Taller
1	4.06	5.33	3.82	5.79	8.70%	2.66	8.42	58.10%
2	2.3	9.39	2.14	10.34	10.10%	1.78	12.59	34.00%
3	1.6	13.55	1.48	14.95	10.40%	1.3	17.24	27.20%
4	1.25	17.32	1.18	18.75	8.30%	1	22.41	29.40%
5	1	21.59	0.97	22.81	5.70%	0.74	30.28	40.20%
6	0.8	27.15	0.79	28.01	3.20%	0.5	44.81	65.00%
Axle ratio	3.7		3.44			3.42

3. Uninterupted torque during shifts. Nissan quotes a 0.2-second time required for shifts, but this is simply the time that elapses between ordering a shift at the steering-wheel paddles and accelerating in the next gear. What isn't mentioned is that rather than coasting with the clutch disengaged during that time (as happens during a 0.10-second Ferrari F1 shift or a 0.15-second BMW SMG shift), power is still flowing through the previous gear. Those precious tenths add up in other cars, but torque interruption is imperceptible in the GT-R. Manual shifts in the Porsche or Corvette consume about a quarter of a second each, and there are at least three of them in a quarter-mile run.

And that, dear GT-R fans, is the science behind the apparent magic that allows this two-ton Godzilla to sprint like a cheetah. Our final installment will dissect the Nissan GT-R's handling performance. Stay tuned.

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