Q1, 2007 Q1,

Ricardo Quarterly review

CHAMPION SHIF T Ford’s Focus RS wins the World Rally Manufacturers’ Championship – using transmissions designed, developed and manufactured by Ricardo

Interviews Helping hydrogen Franz-Josef Paefgen, chief Ricardo heads European executive, Motors Commission fuel cell Karina Morley, vice technology project president for control and electronics, Ricardo 9547 engine ad 26/1/07 15:17 Page 1

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news features 04 Industry news 08 Championship winner Electric cars are back on Detroit’s agenda; VW’s cleanest- The BP-Ford team brought home the 2006 World Rally ever diesel; shows sports hybrid; ’s green Manufacturers’ Championship in spectacular fashion, commitment taking eight wins in the season. Ricardo was a key partner in the programme, designing and supplying the complete 24 Ricardo news transmission system. Michael Scarlett tells the story of a Berlin debut for Ricardo’s cross-axle torque vectoring sophisticated system developed in a matter of months but demonstrator; KV6 engine production starts in China; new proving totally reliable in the heat of competition Global Perspectives white paper; European software users’ conference 16 Helping hydrogen happen Ricardo was chosen to lead a major European Commission questions and answers project to evaluate potential future directions in hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Jesse Crosse reports from the heart of 06 Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen the operation charged with setting future energy strategy Chief executive of Bentley Motors since 2002, Paefgen has presided over a dramatic increase in production and a major turnaround in the ultra-luxury marque’s fortunes 22 Karina K Morley As vice president for control and electronics at Ricardo, Morley leads one of the fastest-growing areas of automobile engineering. Tony Lewin hears her insights into the electronic future

Head office: Conceived and produced for Ricardo by: Ricardo plc, Shoreham-by-Sea, TwoTone Media Ltd West Sussex, BN43 5FG, Editor: Tony Lewin United Kingdom Contributors: Tel: +44 (0)1273 455611 Mark Roberts, Anthony Smith, Ricardo contacts and locations: Jesse Crosse, Michael Scarlett www.ricardo.com/contacts TwoTone Media Ltd contacts: RQ subscriptions: www.ricardo.com/rq Anthony Smith: [email protected] Sales enquiries: [email protected] Tony Lewin: [email protected] Industry News

GM revives the electric car n a dramatic Imove at January’s Detroit show General Motors brought electric cars back on the map with its compact Volt concept. Bob Lutz (bottom left): Volt The Volt, which is “may never burn in fact a series hybrid a drop of gas” with a small one litre motor topping up its lithium ion batteries, re-establishes GM in a field it once led with the pioneering EV1 electric car. The week after the GM concept went A production sedan could appear early VW claims ‘cleanest on show, president Bush announced next decade if battery makers came up new targets for energy independence with a cost-effective package, said Lutz. ever’ diesel and ethanol fuels. He also proposed Though headlined as an electric ew technology developed by revisions to CAFE consumption car, the Volt is conceptually closer to a NVolkswagen has further reduced standards to provide different plug-in hybrid – a configuration which pollutant emissions of its TDI diesel thresholds for different sizes of vehicle, has been heavily talked up in recent engines for the US market, prompting the a move criticised by green groups. months. At November’s Los Angeles company to claim the units as the world’s GM vehicle development head Bob motor show, GM chief executive Rick cleanest. Lutz hailed the Volt as the model “that Wagoner said that the corporation saw The selective catalyst reduction deNox used on larger Volkswagens to may never burn a drop of gas during “a logical journey from stand-alone, meet the very strict Tier 2 Bin 5 norm the life of the car”. The vehicle can largely mechanical automobiles to is already familiar – it is shared with run 60 km in EV mode on a six-hour vehicles that run on electricity.” Audi and Mercedes models. New, recharge but its range-extending The other side of the Atlantic, Renault however, is the NOx reservoir catalyst constant-speed combustion engine announced a joint programme with its technology being applied to models gives it an effective radius of over 1000 Japanese partner, Nissan, to develop below the size of the Passat, or roughly km, says GM. mobility solutions using electric energy two litres displacement. Nitrogen oxide Built on the next-generation Astra that will eliminate CO2 emissions while is absorbed ‘like a sponge’, according platform, the Volt is a compact coupé. the vehicle is in motion. to VW, before the engine management sends a spike through the system to clear the reservoir. Unlike the SCR system for larger cars, no separate additives are required. VW claims a 90 per cent reduction in NOx emissions, enough to get the vehicles under the 70 mg/mile limit. At the opposite end of the scale Audi announced its monster six-litre V12 TDI diesel for the Q7 luxury SUV, giving 500 hp and 1000 Nm torque and inspired by the Le Mans winning R10 engine of 2006. Mitsubishi, too, has signalled its intention to contest the US market with a next-generation diesel; it will also co-operate with PSA Citroën on diesel engines.

Mitsubishi makes it five Electric truck initiative Retrofit filters raise 2CO emissions by up to 40 per cent, For the fifth year in succession UK-based Tanfield is to build a Aftermarket particulate filters as promised, but, said Empa, this a Mitsubishi Pajero 12-tonne electric truck for North can raise fuel consumption and was at the cost of a three per cent Evolution has triumphed on America, while Wal-Mart, the NOx emissions, according to an increase in fuel consumption and the gruelling Lisbon to Dakar largest retailer in the US, has investigation by a Swiss institute. 11 per cent greater emissions of rally in West Africa – using a teamed up with Arvin Meritor Retrofitted to existing models, nitrogen oxides. To blame, said Ricardo designed and built to develop a diesel hybrid truck the so-called open filter systems EMPA, was increased pressure in

News in brief in News transmission system. using a Cummins engine. succeeded in reducing particulate the system all pictures this page: headlineauto.co.uk page: this pictures all

 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 Toyota’s hybrid sports car he FT-HS coupé concept revealed has made a sharp about-turn in its by Toyota at the Detroit show is the hybrid policy. The bought-in Toyota T The task of RQ is to highlight clearest evidence yet of the potential hybrid technology that is beginning to the latest thinking in automotive for hybridisation to provide additional appear in production such as engineering and technology performance rather than simply boost the Altima will be phased out as the worldwide – both within Ricardo and fuel economy. company embarks on its own in-house among other leading companies. A potential replacement for the engineering programme. By presenting an up-to-date mix discontinued Celica and Supra, the FT- Under its Green Program 2010 of news, profiles and interviews HS is a two-plus two with a 3.5 litre V6 Nissan plans to develop a hybrid for with top business leaders we paint gasoline engine teamed with Toyota’s launch in 2010, produce an electric an interesting and exciting picture Hybrid Synergy Drive to form a powerpack vehicle “early next decade” and come of R&D activity at a world-class of some 400 hp. Toyota argues that the up with a gasoline-fuelled car capable automotive engineering services hybrid technology allows exotic-car levels of a consumption of 3 litres per 100 provider. of performance combined with a mid- km, again with the end of this decade It is a formula that has certainly market price position. as its target launch date. The next been a hit with the worldwide Few technical details were given, but decade will also see the introduction automotive community: in the six Toyota says it is projecting 0-100 km/h of what Nissan describes as a next years since RQ was launched we acceleration in the four-second range. generation fuel cell vehicle, using a have had to increase our print run to Rival Japanese carmaker Nissan stack developed in house. 14,000 copies to keep pace with the demand to read about Ricardo and its activities. Client confidentiality is of the utmost importance to Ricardo, which means that we can only report on a small fraction of the work carried out by the company. So we are especially grateful to those Ricardo customers who have kindly agreed to co-operate with RQ and allow their programmes to be highlighted in print: without such help from customers it would not be possible to present such a fascinating insight into the way vehicles are conceived and developed.

Ford’s fuel-cell crossover

ord’s elegant Airstream crossover F concept introduces a new type of fuel cell configuration. It is effectively a series hybrid with the Ballard fuel cell operating in a steady state to keep the lithium ion traction battery topped up, the battery powering the wheels directly. Ford claims this allows a smaller fuel cell stack and gives “drastically improved” durability as well as better cold starting. The Airstream can travel 40 km on battery power alone, before the fuel cell begins recharging; the range on hydrogen is an additional 450 km.

Mitsubishi-PSA diesel link Direct injection Ford family Hybrids ‘here to stay’ Europe’s CO2 proposal Following the success of its deal Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models The move to hybrids and fuel- Legislators in Brussels have with Mitsubishi for the sourcing of in the US will get the company’s efficient engines is a permanent reached a compromise proposal SUVs for Europe, PSA has agreed new Twinforce twin-turbo gasoline one rather than a passing fashion on continent-wide CAFÉ-style CO2 with the Japanese company engine. The 3.5 litre unit claims according to the results of a poll of emission. A limit of 130 g/km has to collaborate on diesel engine the power of a V8, but with V6 global auto industry leaders now been proposed for 2012 subject manufacture, with production of economy. It will be the company’s carried out by US accountancy to confirmation by the EU member PSA’s 2.2 litre unit this year. first US V6 with direct injection. group KPMG. states’ governments.

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW  RQ Interview – Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen

it is also a laboratory for research. A lot of things we have done in Bugatti Luxurious revival haven’t been done on any car in the world before. Rather than spending Under the control of Volkswagen AG since 1998, the money on research or maybe on Bentley is now selling a record number of cars and Formula One, we invested a lot of is becoming more profitable. Its sales rose to a new money in the Bugatti project. high of 9200 units in 2006, up from 8500 in 2005. Tony Has there been any crossover between Bugatti and Bentley? Lewin speaks to CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen about the I have dealt with both brands for quite company’s expected growth, new markets such as some time, and there is quite a bit of [joint] work. Ceramic brakes, for Russia and China, and synergies with sister group instance, were developed together brands Bugatti and Lamborghini with Audi and Bentley, and there are other areas where we still have joint How profitable is Bentley? return on investment? development going on. We are profitable, but we are not The most important thing is to protect publishing any figures. The breakeven the brand, so we would never go for a Is there more room for synergies came in 2004; 2005 was better; 2006 short-term profit and take any risk with between Bentley and other VW will be better again. the long-term brand position. brands? We could look at further synergies How does that compare with other Does this mean cost is not a priority? between the top brands. We had a companies? No, cost is extremely important, project in the past to find synergies [If we’re] talking about ROI [return on because at the end of the day what the between Bentley, Bugatti and investment], we are in the upper half. customer is looking for is efficiency. Lamborghini and there were some What we offer has to be at a price level good opportunities as in many cases In the long term, could Bentley be as that is acceptable to our customers. we talk to the same customers and use profitable as Porsche or Audi? Currently, people are saying that we are the same technologies. It is possible we There are challenges coming up in the reasonable [in our] pricing. We would could take this further. next [few] years because we don’t have never try to price a car at a premium as many launches as in the last [few] just to demonstrate superiority. years, but we are quite optimistic that we can maintain a good profit margin. Is this different from the approach VW group takes with Bugatti? What is the most important indicator You cannot compare Bugatti with any GTC convertible (right) is the third model in for the company - return on sales or other car company. It is a brand, but Bentley’s Continental family

 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 for top-end premium vehicles to Has Bentley’s centre of gravity moved “The most important develop? from the large Arnage-sized sedans to thing is to protect Our markets are growing more or less the smaller Continental family? in line with the growth in wealth. If there I regard both Arnage and Continental the brand, so we is no unexpected interference we will as the heartland of Bentley. If you look would never go for see further growth in the future. But at back to where the brand comes from, any time we could face a political move there are two main influences. You a short-term profit that could stop our growth. What we’re need to look back at how the brand has and take any risk trying to do within the company is to developed. Vintage Bentleys were very create a situation where we can still be fast and reliable but price-wise never at with the long-term profitable even at a significantly lower the very top of the market. Today, our brand position.” volume. priority is to offer Bentleys not only with extremely powerful drivetrains but also with style and beautiful, hand-crafted Would this help protect you luxury. against criticism that there is too much VW technology in Bentley Could Bentley offer innovative products? technology such as a gasoline- It is not possible to develop a electric hybrid? car such as the Continental - or Ceramic brakes are one example a car like an of innovation and there are many - without some degree of others. Our customers are not product content from a feature-driven. They are first volume manufacturer. and foremost interested The reasons for this in elegant, reliable, good- are clear. It is the benefit looking cars. Currently there is of enhanced purchasing no demand for a hybrid, but if power, access to testing the majority of customers were facilities and the use interested, I think we might be of components such able to offer something. as electronics and heating and ventilation Will Bentley return to systems. It is ? extremely expensive The last break between to develop all your Le Mans victories was 73 own components. years, the next one will be Having access to shorter. We can’t afford to components from a do it on an ongoing basis, wider volume base but we are all passionate to helps significantly. do it again. Currently there is no plan. One thing is for You could just pass certain: if we were to return on higher costs to the to Le Mans, our sole aim customer. would be to win. That’s where The reason why we our history is. are more expensive than others is mainly driven by the This interview first appeared in high content of hand-crafted Automotive News Europe components and the small volume we sell. It is not driven by customers paying more money for standard Do you want to maintain volume or Biography components. Cost is a very important market share? factor in our business. We are facing greater competition. 3/2002 Chairman and chief If Rolls-Royce enters the Flying Spur executive, Bentley Motors How will Bentley develop in its top segment, we will definitely lose some of 4/1998 President, Automobili sales markets? our market share. Lamborghini Holding By far the biggest market is the US with 3/1998 Chairman, Audi AG around 40 percent of total sales. Then Could Bentley build something like a 1/1997 Deputy chairman, Audi AG it’s the UK, then the rest of Europe, Bugatti Veyron or Porsche Cayenne? 1/1995 Board member for technical with roughly 20 percent each. Next it’s Yes, but why? Being a profitable project development, Audi AG Japan, then the Middle East, but in our is not sufficient. Being supportive 1991 Head of product planning, mid-term vision Russia and China will of the brand is always our priority. Audi AG sooner or later show up in the top five Convertibles and coupes are therefore 1980 Joined Audi AG - perhaps within the next five years. extremely important. Four-door models 1976 Graduate trainee, Ford of are not so important but are also an Germany How do you expect the global market essential element of the brand.

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW  Ford RS Transmission

Drive of Champions It’s not just the driving that is fast in the rally world. Ford and its rally team, operated by M-Sport, gave Ricardo just seven months to develop a new transmission for the FIA Focus RS so that it could be homologated in time for the last event of the 2005 season. The reward? Victory in the 2006 World Rally Manufacturers Championship. Michael Scarlett reports hen Marcus Grönholm and supplied the gearbox and four wheel a schedule so acutely compressed Timo Rautiainen hurtled their drive transmission for the 2006 Focus that it would terrify even the most W Focus RS across the finish RS WRC car, and it was the speed and flexible of engineering organisations: line in November’s excellent reliability record of the car, contracted by M-Sport in February securing victory in the 2006 World Rally including this brand new transmission, 2005, Ricardo was asked if it could Manufacturers Championship for the that allowed Grönholm to take seven develop a transmission design and BP-Ford team, it wasn’t just the venue outright wins, with team-mate Mikko supply a working system fit to compete near Hamilton, which erupted into Hirvonen adding a further victory. in the last event of the 2005 season, spontaneous celebration. Champagne Between them, they took 20 podiums in the in November of that corks started popping on the other side the 16-event series. same year. The reason for the rush was of the world at Ford’s UK corporate But though the M-Sport team, its cars a powerful one: gaining homologation headquarters near London, at rally team and Ricardo’s transmissions ran pretty for the car in 2005 permitted another M-Sport’s HQ in Britain’s picturesque well like clockwork throughout the homologation to take place in 2006. Lake District – and at Ricardo’s Midland season, developing the transmission With only a single homologation Technical Centre in central England. was anything but routine – even by the permitted per season, For Ricardo has been a key part often extraordinary standards of top- achieving this was of the team, too. Working hand in level international motorsport. vital to allow a hand with M-Sport, it designed and For a start, the programme ran to performance ⁄

 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 Drive of Champions

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW  Ford RS Transmission

enhancing “upgrade” to be introduced when required part way through the M-Sport 2006 season, and Ford had planned a full-scale assault on the series for 2006. M-Sport chose Ricardo as its transmission partner not least due to its track record in competition transmissions and drivelines as well as its extensive design, CAE and test facilities. Innovation and teamwork between M-Sport and its transmission partner would be all important and in the words of Christian Loriaux, M-Sport’s technical director, another very important consideration was the fact that Ricardo “had some guys who were more open to looking at new wacky things as I call them – and I like doing new wacky things.” Probably the most remarkable aspect of the transmission that Ricardo High Performance Transmission Products came up with is that it not only made it to the start line of Rally Australia in good time, but that the car finished the event – and in the points too. Few would have bet on such a result in February 2005, just • M-Sport is unusual among top-level • Today, M-Sport is an extremely well nine months earlier, when M-Sport motorsport outfits: its headquarters equipped motorsport engineering awarded the contract to Ricardo for are not on some anonymous factory company, with state-of-the-art the new car’s transmission. Still fewer estate but set in and around what equipment that equals – and in could have expected to take a world was originally a large and gracious several cases surpasses – the championship the very next season. old country house, bought by facilities one can find in a major car M-Sport’s founder and chairman, ex- maker’s motorsport operation. Close working relationship rally driver Malcolm Wilson. Although the Focus RS WRC06 • One major example is where rally transmission was fundamentally • M-Sport now has a wide range of engines are tested. There are two designed by Ricardo and is built at the design abilities and engineers – and dynamometers in this £1.5 million Ricardo Midlands Technical Centre, a even its own transmission chief investment. One is a standard type, major part of the conceptual thought designer, Jocelyn Litra, whose work used for running-in and performance behind the system came as a result of experience includes spells with testing. The second is a transient the close working relationship between the Prost F1 team as well as one of dynamometer, the only one of Christian Loriaux, M-Sport’s chief Ricardo’s motorsport transmission its type in the UK, and is able to competitors. simulate altitude and temperature. It is capable of dealing with engine • The company is responsible for outputs of up to 1000 horsepower. the design, specification and build Wheatley explains its huge of cars, organisation, logistics and competitive benefit: “in effect, we co-ordination of the BP-Ford World can sit the car on the start line and Rally Team: in the 2007 season this simulate a complete load cycle in involves eight Focus RS rally cars any sort of weather conditions.” running in 16 WRC rallies. Yet, adds M-Sport business co-ordinator • For example, in Norway, rally teams Andrew Wheatley, “We’re actually can encounter temperatures of -40 present at 55 to 60 rallies a year.” Celsius, providing very dense air, ideal for high power. The same team • Wheatley explains that M-Sport can end up in the heat of Mexico, at started as a company in January high altitude and +40 Celsius: this 1997 when it was awarded the makes the air thin, providing much contact to run the Ford World Rally less oxygen and requiring a totally car team. “it grew out of Malcolm different engine tune – all of which Wilson Motorsport,” he says. this dynamometer can simulate and prove.

10 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 transmission designer Jocelyn Litra, operating shaft deflection, and gear gears is also assessed using the GEAR and the Ricardo High Performance and bearing misalignment. The SABR module of SABR. Transmission Products engineering model combines non-linear bearing Throughout the design stage a team led by chief designer Tim Gee. and finite element modelling methods significant number of modifications The relationship between the two to calculate the performance of the were required in response to changing engineering teams became close, too, transmission in terms of individual vehicle requirements. Ricardo was and proved of great benefit in achieving component displacement, stress and able to respond to these changing the daunting timescales imposed by fatigue life. The design of individual requirements, yet still remain on track⁄ the programme. Litra and Gee worked closely to establish the fundamental design layout for the transmission. Though the M-Sport team, its cars and The matter of drivetrain layout in Ricardo’s transmissions ran pretty rally versions of cars whose road- going configuration is transverse- well like clockwork throughout the engine front-drive has had an season, developing the transmission was interesting recent history. What Christian Loriaux laughingly derides anything but routine – even by the often as “a silly fashion which we all fell for extraordinary standards of top-level then”, was when the rally world grew very keen on turning the drive from international motorsport originally transverse drivetrain front- drive cars through 90 degrees from the still transverse engine, as dictated by the regulations. This put the gearbox and centre differential of the rally version’s four-wheel-drive system in line with the car’s longitudinal axis. This of course simplified the drive to the rear differential, and moved the mass of the gearbox further aft – desirable to improve handling balance – and was adopted by the majority of the WRC contenders. However, the successes of those who chose a conventional transverse configuration showed that this could be just as effective, if not more so. The inline gearbox also meant the complication of a transverse case running halfway across the rear of the engine. This, as Loriaux points out, added weight as well as some complexity, for only a small gain in handling balance. In the fast-paced world of top-level motorsport it is essential that the major vehicle systems are optimised to a high standard prior to commitment to hardware. Ricardo’s motorsport transmission engineers make extensive use of CAD and CAE simulation methods to ensure that, as far as possible, the system will operate right first time. This approach is particularly important for a WRC transmission, which is required to operate between maximum torque and maximum power conditions for most of its operating life, hence placing exceptional demands on its gears, bearings and shafts. One of the key CAE tools used for this purpose was the Ricardo SABR package. This software incorporates significant parts of the Ricardo knowledge base in terms of transmission model building and typical design targets for

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 11 Ford RS Transmission

within the development timetable demands that major masses in the were certainly advantages to be gained – even if it meant many late nights at the car be moved nearer to the back as by designing the new four-wheel-drive computer screens. A good example of much as the limited amount allowed transmission of the rally version with this flexibility in action was M-Sport’s by the rally regulations. In this case, the a transverse layout. Ricardo targeted continuing search for the improved regulations permitted a maximum of and executed a lightweight system, handling dynamics and competitive only 20 mm longways movement of the and the transverse layout was a key advantage a lower centre of gravity drivetrain. element in this. would bring. This is never an easy Again avoiding specifics, Loriaux challenge in rally car design at the front Transmission design says: “For sure, we are one of the end, particularly when the original car For entirely understandable reasons lightest of the 2006 championship on which the rally version is based has – the World Rally Championship is a contenders.” In the final design the a transverse powertrain. Yet Ricardo ferociously competitive business – transmission has the five-speed was able to accommodate M-Sport’s Ricardo and M-Sport do not reveal too gearbox part in its conventional various changes of front suspension much about the inner workings or the position, bolted to the left hand side and steering geometry and respond detailed specifications of the Focus RS of the engine – as it would be on a with fresh iterations of the transmission transmission design. But as far as the normal roadgoing Focus. From the design. gearbox itself and the output drive to box’s output the drive is carried back Optimum handling balance also the differentials were concerned, there via a train of two drop gears behind the

From paper to podium “The ultimate goal of everyone concerned is the Driver’s title. So there will be • February 2005 M-Sport asks Ricardo to develop absolutely no letup on development, on transmission for new continuous improvement or on our single- RS WRC06 rally car, to debut in November minded focus to assist M-Sport in building the best car in the WRC.” • May 2005 Concept design and layout finalised • September 2005 First prototype systems begin rig tests at Ricardo and delivered to M-Sport for in-vehicle testing • October 2005 First Focus RS WRC06 for shake down fitted with Ricardo transmission • October 2005 First gravel test Focus RS WRC06, Whinlatter Forest, Cumbria • November 2005 New car debuts on Rally Australia, finishing in the points • January 2006 Marcus Grönholm wins Rallye Monte Carlo, first of eight wins for the Focus RS in 2006 • November 2006 Grönholm and Hirvonen take first and second place respectively at the Rally New Zealand, giving victory in the World Rally Manufacturer’s championship to the BP-Ford team • December 2006 Grönholm wins Rally GB, completing a season in which the BP-Ford team achieved outright wins in eight of the 16 events of the 2006 season without a single transmission failure

12 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 engine to take the drive to the front and best gearbox around it. M-Sport threw centre differentials. That means that the in almost as many ideas as we did, and transmission is both beside and behind the experience of Christian Loriaux and the engine, resulting in a basically L- Jocelyn Litra complemented that of the shaped layout. Ricardo team.” Having just five gears is nothing unusual in the rally world, made Rig and vehicle prototype testing possible by the wide power and torque By mid May 2005 the iterations were spread of the two litre turbocharged more or less complete, the transmission engines. Some teams have dabbled design was in a definitive form, and it with only four speeds, as reducing the was time to commit to hardware. This number of ratios makes for simplicity, date in itself represented additional reduces weight and aids packaging. The challenges, as this was one month smaller, lighter unit is in line with the later than planned for, but it had been philosophy of Ricardo chief designer, decided to take the extra time to finish Tim Gee, to keep things simple and to optimisation of the arrangement, keep the parts count as low as possible: at the expense of compressing the the approach also extends to the neat manufacturing time still further. Just 16 packaging solution put in place for weeks remained before the prototype the front and rear differentials, again gearboxes’ first trials on the Ricardo resulting in a lightweight reliable unit. test rigs, with the new Focus RS rally To help keep it cool, the transmission car’s debut the other side of the world has two eccentric rotor oil pumps, in the Rally Australia only seven weeks one in the gearbox and another in the beyond that – a seemingly impossible differential area, which feed the oil schedule. through a cooler. There is a third oil Ricardo’s ability not just to design pump in the rear axle. and manufacture the transmission, Teamwork between Ricardo and but also to be able to test it rigorously M-Sport during the design stage in prototype form, was a major was extremely important, as Rob consideration for M-Sport to the extent Simmonds of Ricardo explains: “The that access to certain rigs was written exceptionally close working relationship into its contract with Ricardo. The we have with M-Sport was crucial for Midlands Technical Centre is equipped success. The key to the whole process with an extensive array of transmission was to allow M-Sport to develop its and driveline test facilities including, for optimised suspension geometry and example, a four-wheel drive dynamic vehicle packaging, and for us to fit the 5E test rig, a facility unique to Ricardo ⁄

Q1 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 13 Ford RS Transmission

“We had just one transmission failure, which to be honest was not due to Ricardo - the electrical system failed” amongst motorsport transmission By rapid repeat analysis of the shaft First shakedown tests of the Focus RS suppliers. using SABR, a revised design was WRC06 with Ricardo transmission fitted The highly compressed time prepared and released for manufacture took place in Whinlatter Forest in October 2005 — just seven months after project start pressures of the programme were such that the revised parts were such that it was necessary to carry available in time for the first vehicle in the car would normally be the team out a considerable amount of forest testing in mid October. Without manager’s worst nightmare, but the parallel working between design, the 5E rig the earliest that these Ricardo transmission immediately CAE, prototype manufacturing and problems could have been identified demonstrated a high level of reliability testing. A particular opportunity to would have been during the forest test and the team lined up at the Perth close off development risk became or worse, the Rally Australia itself. Since start with its fingers crossed that initial apparent early in the project when it the prototype testing phase the 5E rig positive, and strictly limited, testing was identified that there would be an has been used on several occasions to would lead to a decent showing in the opportunity for rig testing between speed up the development process and event proper. delivery of the first prototype to M- enable detailed understanding of the Deeply relieved to have made it to Sport and the first vehicle shake down performance of the transmission and the start with the new car after such an test four weeks later. driveline components under the tightly intense development programme, most The second prototype was prepared controlled conditions of the test facility. of the team would have been happy to in parallel and installed on the The rig tests successfully see at least one of the cars get through electrically driven 5E (4x4) rig together accomplished and the units delivered a respectable number of special with propshafts, drive shaft and rear on schedule, the car completed one stages and perhaps even make it to the axle. Rig testing highlighted a number day’s shakedown on a Cumbrian finish. The final result was a brilliant of small but significant issues, in the airfield, then two days of gravel testing bonus, with finishing most serious case leading to a shaft in the forests close to M-Sport’s in the points in 6th place, and Toni failure which inspection of the failed Dovenby Hall HQ before the complete Gardemeister having set a fastest stage parts showed was linked to an oil hole team had to pack its bags for the long- time on the final day. It was more than break-out underneath one of the gears. haul flight to Australia. Minimal running anyone could have hoped for, and the

14 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 Ricardo’s Track Record

team returned to M-Sport’s Cumbria Ricardo has an extremely impressive ‘company vitae’ when it comes to high base with high expectations for the performance transmission and driveline products. Many achievements are 2006 season. necessarily shrouded in the client confidentiality restrictions typical of the top levels of motorsport formulae and luxury premium performance vehicle First taste of champagne sector. However in addition to the Ford WRC transmission, the following are The car and its transmission had already just some of the recent successes already in the public domain: proved themselves reliable, Ford had secured a new star driver in the shape of • Audi Sport R8 Le Mans Prototype: • Bugatti Veyron DCT and Driveline: Marcus Grönholm, and all looked good Fitted with a Ricardo designed and Ricardo is transmission and driveline for the Rallye Monte Carlo, January’s manufactured 6-speed sequential partner to Bugatti on the Veyron, opener for the new season. It was a shift rear mounted transaxle, the taking responsibility for development dream debut, with Grönholm taking Audi R8 became one of the most of the vehicle’s seven-speed DCT and the win by almost a minute from the successful race cars of all time, driveline, including its control system previously all-conquering Sebastian winning the prestigious Le Mans and software. Ricardo is also the Loeb in his Citroën. For Ricardo, it was its 24 hour race no less than 5 times production supplier of DCT, controller first victory on a works rally Ford since between 2000 and 2005, amongst and software, a system which was the in June 1997, which a grand total of 63 outright race awarded the Royal Automobile coincidentally had also been M- Sport’s victories in the 80 races it contested. Club’s prestigious for first ever WRC victory. And, just to technical achievement in April 2006. prove the point, Grönholm stormed to a • Volkswagen W12 sports prototype: second victory two weeks later when the Ricardo designed and manufactured rally circus moved north to Sweden. transmission used in VW’s • /Montero Evolution All in all, a thrilling 2006 season successful October 2001 assault on Cross Country Rally transmission: provided seven outright wins for team the world 24-hour speed record at On 21 January 2007, Team Repsol leader Grönholm as well as a single Nado, Italy. Mitsubishi Ralliart claimed victory at victory for team-mate . the – the world’s toughest The pair racked up a total of 20 podium • Ford GT six-speed transaxle: and most famous off-road rally – for finishes, and on no fewer than six Ricardo was the full service the fifth year in succession using a events they both tasted the champagne. supplier for the transmission of Ricardo transmission. The team’s Decisive throughout had been the the blue oval’s flagship sportscar two Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Focus RS’ exemplary reliability and, product launched in June 2004. Evolutions (below) with their Ricardo in contrast to some of the other World The company took engineering transmissions had a winning margin Rally Championship contenders, the responsibility for all related systems of over 1.5 hours ahead of their third gearbox and four-wheel-drive system in (clutch, driveshafts and shift system) place rival in this gruelling event the Focus RS had not been a source of in a programme which ran from which took place over 15 days across any major problems to M-Sport. concept to production including all Portugal, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali Christian Loriaux is complimentary validation testing in just 2 years. and Sénégal, about the transmission which, along with the power unit and all that goes into the rest of the Ford Focus RS WRC machine, did a total of 16 rallies in 2006: “We had just one transmission failure, which to be honest was not due to Ricardo - the electrical system failed. This induced hydraulic failure in the centre differential, which ended up working on full pressure when it should not have done.” Victory at November’s Rally New Zealand brought with it the World Rally Manufacturers’ championship, followed by a final 2006 victory in the damp and slippery forests of Wales. But as calm professional engineers as well as committed sports enthusiasts, the Ricardo HPTP team are inclined to see 2006’s result as an unexpectedly early bonus in a carefully structured plan stretching over several years. “The ultimate goal of everyone concerned is the Driver’s title”, says Simmonds. “So there will be absolutely no letup on development, on continuous improvement or on our single-minded focus to assist M-Sport in building the best car in the WRC.”

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 15 EU Hydrogen Initiative

Helping hydrogen happen Ricardo is well known as an innovator – so it’s no surprise that it was chosen to lead a major project set up to advise the European Commission on hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Jesse Crosse reports

ver the last ten years, interest myriad of questions. Supported In recent years the Commission in the use of the hydrogen by the European Commission, the has invited major industrial players O fuel cell as a powertrain for Roads2HyCom project, comprising to form what it calls technology sustainable road transport has grown 29 partners led by Ricardo, has been platforms. They meet, formulate almost exponentially. Many of the set up to provide the answers. Its aim technology roadmaps and strategies, world’s automotive manufacturers is to monitor the use of hydrogen then advise the Commission as to are making substantial investments in and fuel cells for both stationary and what to do next. One of those is the both fuel cell research and in finding transport applications. In doing so Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology ways to produce and distribute it will assess the capability of the Platform; Roads2HyCom exists to hydrogen to power fuel cell vehicles. technology in relation to the available support both the Commission and Other branches of industry are and future hydrogen infrastructure that technology platform and operates working on parallel technologies and resources, as well as the needs of by feeding data to the people who for stationary applications and even communities that may become early are preparing to make decisions and mobile ones, such as miniature fuel adopters. In short, explains project recommendations. cells to power laptop computers and co-ordinator Nick Owen, the intention The Commission organises mobile phones. is “to set future strategy for bringing its research under what it calls If the world is moving towards hydrogen and fuel cell technology ‘frameworks’. Roads2HyCom is part of a hydrogen-based economy, then closer to market by investing in Framework 6. Framework 7 will launch society faces immense technological, research.” public and private partnerships to practical and legislative changes, “It’s a broad ranging brief and a move hydrogen and fuel cells forward, every one of which will create a very broad project,” he observes. but this will be a costly step in the

16 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 process. Roads2HyCom is essentially been a business which stands on its Owen says, “Ricardo doesn’t take a high level think-tank designed to ability to anticipate future technology a stand on global warming but we provide the best possible data on trends and have solutions in place to recognise that it is a subject which is which to base that next step. meet them”, says Owen. “If you look increasingly leading to political action: at what’s in our advanced technology as engineers, we are here to provide Technology watershed portfolio you will see things like the market with the solutions it needs. Hydrogen and fuel cells are at hybrid vehicles and biofuels which, Likewise, with the security of energy something of a watershed, thinks if you like, are ‘today’s future supply it is not a question of the oil Owen. There were some major technologies.’ running out. Most data suggests breakthroughs at the end of the “We recognise the need to look there is actually a relatively long term 1990s when several automotive even beyond that,” he continues. supply of oil and even more of coal manufacturers demonstrated how “Ricardo won leadership of this and natural gas. It’s just that they are a fuel cell of sufficient power could project because we have an getting harder and more expensive to be packaged into a small car like the established track record in technology get to and that justifies increasingly Mercedes A-Class. “That in itself was planning and strategy. We have more efficient engineering solutions.” a big breakthrough,” says Owen. adopted a lot of world-class processes “But since that time a realisation in terms of technology road mapping Renewable sources: many has dawned as to just how many and planning and were able to show possibilities challenges there are in getting those the Commission that this was what Today, fuel cell vehicles using technologies into any market, whether it needed to sift through the vast hydrogen derived from natural gas they relate to transport, stationary or quantity of sometimes conflicting are probably no more efficient, on a portable applications. Some of the information in the field of hydrogen well-to-wheels basis, than a diesel early predictions that we would all be and fuel cells.” vehicle. But ultimately, by using more driving fuel cell vehicles by 2010 were, None of this activity implies hydrogen from renewable sources frankly, misleading.” an assumption has been made (and there are a large number of The Commission’s response that hydrogen and fuel cells are possibilities) Owen believes they has been to pull together a co- definitely the way forward. “When could be more than twice as efficient. ordinated effort to make the best of and if hydrogen and fuel cells As regards manufacturing cost, there the resources Europe has to offer. become the best solution, then are tangible signs that the dream of “There had perhaps been a feeling they will win,” remarks Owen. But the $10/kW fuel cell stack will one day that the US and Japan were ahead,” while benchmark competition from be achievable, making it competitive says Owen. “There were increasing conventional internal combustion- with combustion engine technology. concerns over climate change and based technology grows technically But, so far, a solution for hydrogen exactly where our energy was coming ever stronger, it is also growing more storage on board the vehicle has yet from. Europe’s oil reserves are known expensive, narrowing the gap with to be found that can get within 100 and being exhausted.” Climate fuel cells to a perceptible extent. times the cost of the humble blow- change is an issue; so too is the On the subject of climate change moulded gasoline or diesel fuel tank.⁄ question of energy security. Leading a project like Roads2HyCom “The intention is to set future strategy for may seem unusual for Ricardo, but it does in fact reflect the company’s bringing hydrogen and fuel cell technology core activity. “Ricardo has always closer to market by investing in research” Hydrogen worldwide: Mercedes F600 Hygenius concept of 2005 (left); and hydrogen fuelling station in Japan

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 17 EU Hydrogen Initiative

One of the most crucial questions either hydrogen, the storage of Making a judgment as to the surrounding the use of hydrogen is electricity by much improved battery suitability of various forms of power that of infrastructure, thinks Owen. devices, or some carbon-neutral for transport use can be complicated. “Initially any hydrogen infrastructure liquid fuel such as biofuel. But the Vehicles spend a good proportion of will be confined to captive fleets, as world’s capacity to produce biofuel their time lying idle and when they indeed it is at the moment. It will be is limited and it is unlikely the world are running, on average, use only a long time before we can supply could produce enough to meet more a small percentage of the engine’s vehicles on a wider scale. The question 30 per cent of its transport needs power. A cheap combustion engine with hydrogen is really this: what are at best. Batteries are improving but is cost effective for such intermittent the alternatives? If we look to the far people have been dreaming of a better use but any powerplant which has a future where carbon emissions are battery for longer than they have been high cost per kW is less so. It follows, seriously discouraged, the choice is dreaming of a cheap fuel cell.” then, that a fuel cell which is running flat out for most of the time makes more economic sense as a stationary “Roads2HyCom is essentially engine than as a propulsion unit a high-level think-tank for vehicles. For that reason, thinks Owen, fuel cells will appear much designed to provide the best earlier in combined heat and power possible data on which to base systems and also in stationary power units. Because of that inescapable the next step” truth, Ricardo may well be involved in Nick Owen, Ricardo the engineering of stationary rather than powertrain applications first. In fact, Ricardo is already engaged in a collaborative project together with Products must be attractive to customers and profitable to US-based fuel cell innovator TMI, to industry, against benchmarks that are constantly improving develop a diesel-fuelled solid-oxide auxiliary power supply unit. Used on a truck, for example, systems such as this, which could reach mass production within five to ten years, could power onboard electrical devices as an alternative to idling the diesel engine. As part of its remit, Roads2HyCom instigated an online survey to discover the level of activity being undertaken on hydrogen and fuel cell research by organisations throughout Europe. According to Owen, it is probably the biggest survey of its kind ever undertaken. More than 300 separate organisations have responded and, Owen continues, “we were frankly astonished at the number. We asked them various questions to find out who Natural gas is the most popular source of primary energy they were, what they were doing and – but there are many other sources of H2 production where they got their money from.” The results were illuminating and it soon became obvious that a big part of the funding came from European Commission and national government grants. “This implies that fuel cell technology is not ready for commercialisation yet,” explains Owen. “People are not making use of things like venture capital and bank loans which have to be repaid by the sale of product.” The survey also revealed that the average spend was between €100,000 and €1m per annum on hydrogen and fuel cell research. “It’s not that much really,” Owen continues. “We only had around seven responses where the spend was over €10m a

18 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 Hydrogen refueling in North America (right) and TMI’s diesel-fuelled solid oxide auxiliary power unit, developed in collaboration with Ricardo (below). year and it is in this area that you need to be when seriously considering commercialisation. In numerical terms, the field is dominated by academics and small enterprises.” This information formed part of a presentation made to the European Investment Bank, shedding light on the types of potential investors who may be out there, explained Owen.

Structured process The methods used by Roads2HyCom are highly structured and Owen describes the project as “a huge machine with three funnels into which you can pour information, two outputs and a huge ‘crunching engine’ in the middle.” In fact, these actually “A solution for hydrogen storage on board represent three layers in the project the vehicle has yet to be found that can get which are, ‘mapping’, ‘analysis’ and ‘engagement’, with each component within 100 times the cost of the humble of the ‘machine’ being a work package blow- moulded gasoline or diesel fuel tank” handled by a different member of the 29-partner consortium. while he concedes that instigating If and when hydrogen fuel cell Roads2HyCom also links to another any kind of major change in society technology has become both project within Framework 6 known is an enormous challenge, Owen technically viable and cost effective, as ‘HyLights’, which concentrates on thinks the whole question of adopting it could take a while to become transport demonstration projects. alternatives to fossil fuels is moving established. “Even when it does The two outputs point at politicians forward relatively quickly. “The become an attractive proposition, on the one hand and the hydrogen original transition from horses and there could be inertial reasons why communities on the other. The first sailing boats to coal power took it does not immediately penetrate provides strategic advice and support a very long time,” he reminds us. every market,” explains Owen. “That while the second is educating the “After Thomas Newcomen’s first may just be to do with the local community on the available options mining engine was installed in 1712, infrastructure, or suitability for the and helping people to make the right it was another 100 years before the local market, or some other reason.” choices. Rainhill Trials and the of the Moving from prototypes and steam locomotive. A hundred years demonstrations to full acceptance Instigating major change: further on, sail power was still in use is a big step. “You could argue that a tough task at sea to carry commercial cargoes, Stephenson’s Rocket was a prototype The task may seem daunting to the so the entire transition took 200 years and that the Rainhill Trials were a point of being unachievable. But in the UK alone.” public demonstration,” says Owen. “These steps provide feedback and, with publicity, foster public and political support. But then begins the real hard work of learning how to make this technology in ever larger quantities. There is production development going on in the fuel cell sector as we speak, probably the most common being for portable devices such as laptops and small-scale domestic combined heat and power systems. “As far as the Roads2HyCom is concerned, it is critical that our applied research provides us with a real understanding of how to take this technology to production. Exactly what do we have to do to achieve $10/ kW and not $1,000/kW, for example?⁄

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 19 EU Hydrogen Initiative

As far as the fuel cell is concerned, “There is production development going on when we reach commercialisation I doubt it will look much like the in the fuel cell sector right now: probably prototypes we know today. It will the most common is for portable devices include technologies that have yet to break cover, such as the alloying of such as laptops and small domestic platinum with cobalt to reduce the combined heat and power systems” cost of a PEM fuel cell, and ways of reducing the temperature at which There’s growing awareness among amount of renewable energy do you solid oxide fuel cells operate.” politicians that not all biofuels are really want to make hydrogen from it, equal and that the carbon savings or is it better to supply electricity to Well-to-wheels: well accepted from some biofuels are smaller than the grid to reduce the use of coal-fired The process is being helped by one might imagine.” energy generation? A simple steady increasing public awareness of the When looking at the bigger picture, state analysis indicates that you get well-to-wheels concept. “There’s a the questions become even more a bigger carbon saving by reducing good awareness in the media that intense. “For example,” Owen poses your dependence on coal-fired power although a battery electric vehicle the question, “if you have a limited for electricity generation.” might not produce carbon emissions However, in the case of wind or locally, somewhere down the solar-generated energy, whose line there’s a coal-fired intermittent nature can result power station in a surplus of electricity that does. beyond the capacity

20 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 Citaro bus and the hydrogen that powers it (far left): Mercedes B-Class fuel cell demonstrator (below left) Most entrants annually spend

Outlook The current technology funding scene in hydrogen and fuel The Roads2HyCom project was cells is dominated by grant-funded research started in October 2005 and runs to October 2008. Beyond that, new projects within the European Commission’s Framework 7 will take things forward on a technical and practical level. When that time comes it will be thanks in no small part to the vast amount of information which has been analysed, edited and evaluated by the consortium behind Roads2HyCom. As for Ricardo, Owen is quite clear. “We are likely to get more involved with fuel cells,” he confirms, “but not in terms of developing hardware. Ricardo’s strength lies in system integration and control. That’s what we are well known for and there will be much more to come in the future.”

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 21 RQ Interview – Karina Morley

software architecture to allow proper communication and give the right priorities to the right modules. As technology advances, automakers will be moving to a time triggered architecture.

Is this perhaps because systems have been added one by one, rather than the whole network being conceived as a complete entity? That’s correct. You have to design the whole system upfront and give prioritisation levels to the most important elements. It all has to be done at the beginning of the vehicle programme.

Who are Ricardo’s key clients for C&E work - or at least the ones that you’re allowed to talk about? Ricardo works with most of the big names in the auto industry but as your KeyCommunicator question correctly identifies, we are not always allowed to talk about our Safety, energy management, comfort, customers or the projects which we are involved with. In many cases we communications, reliability - all these and more are providing services solely within the are enabled by the electronic networks built in domain of C&E but in other cases this will form part of powertrain and vehicle to a vehicle. This is the fastest-growing area of R&D programmes. automobile engineering and Karina K Morley Tell me what a typical programme for is the new global vice president of Ricardo’s one of these customers might involve Control and Electronics business. Tony Lewin A good example is in the advanced dual clutch transmission (DCT) for the hears her insights into the electronic future Bugatti Veyron which Ricardo helped What systems come within the because of electrical and electronics design and develop, and which we umbrella of control and electronics? failures. Is this a C&E issue? manufacture at the Midlands Technical This [discipline] expands across Yes it is, and that’s definitely one of the Centre in the UK. The control system almost every subsystem in the vehicle. areas Ricardo is focusing on. Ricardo and software for a DCT is crucial Control and electronics (C&E) includes is working with the OEMs to help them for its successful operation and this electrical wiring, it touches into both define their whole electrical system was developed in parallel with the the engine and the transmission, it architecture so that if they have, say, transmission system by our Control & touches into the chassis side and it can 70 different control units or control Electronics engineers. touch into climate. And then there are heads, how can we re-architect that so pure electronic features such as the you can combine some of the control What do you see as being the key instrument panel and controls. The units. That’s number one; number drivers for the growth of C&E work? portfolio runs to electrical architecture two is to define a communications Other than the general expansion of and interfaces, hardware, software, system that minimises those kinds electronics across more product areas algorithms, too. of communications issues that you and the need for electronics at a total can have when you’re trying to vehicle level, some of the other trends What are the key techniques you work communicate with 70 different modules that I see are the growing requirement with? Which areas of the vehicle do at one time. for more safety features and functions you influence? for the passengers, the need for vehicle- We have people who are helping So what have automakers been doing to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure customers to design the electrical wrong in the past to create these communication – and we can help with architecture of the vehicle, we have problems? traffic and collision avoidance. people who are creating simulation The main issue is the need for new tools for the customer, we have people software architectures and how when What about the powertrain functions? who are implementing hardware and you have too many modules trying to Are those not increasingly data software for different parts of the communicate to one central area you hungry? vehicle. get what we call a bandwidth error: Powertrains are seeing increasing you can’t get all the communications levels of electronic control because Well known automakers have suffered through the queue at the same of emissions regulations and concern negative publicity in recent years time. So you need to have the right over fuel consumption and CO2; then

22 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 of course there are hybrid vehicles and, later, the shift to fuel cells as a “The control system and software for a source of power. A key theme for many DCT is crucial for its successful operation alternative powertrain applications is the effective management of energy within and this was developed in parallel with the the powertrain system. The Efficient- transmission system by our Control & C programme which we undertook together with PSA Peugeot Citroën Electronics engineers” based on the Berlingo Multispace, is a and driveline engineering; Ricardo is Are there any vehicle programmes yet good example. The Ricardo-developed now expanding through electronics as started using these principles? supervisory control system of this the opportunities in this area increase. We’ve quoted on a few programmes demonstrator, which runs on our rCube We are also improving and expanding and we’ve talked to many prospective rapid prototyping controller, interprets our tool set to bring solutions to our clients. driver demand and manages the clients more quickly. Another of our powertrain in a manner such that the key differentiators is that we will bring To what extent are the architectures engine is used as close as possible to its in strategic partners to bring in some designed virtually to begin with, before most efficient operating point. new technologies to help leapfrog being put into hardware? Could the capabilities to our potential clients. simulation be done elsewhere? Is C&E a commodity activity or can you It’s all done with computer tools and get added value from the process in Is this a link-up with another tier one electronic simulation to start with, and terms of new functions and distinctive supplier? then the parts are made. This work features? Yes and no. One of our partners is could be done anywhere. Today we To me it’s not a commodity – it’s not Honeywell, and our joint plan is to take work seamlessly between all our sites just turning a mechanical item into technology from the aerospace realm (UK, US, Germany and Prague) to an electronic one: you can definitely and move that into the automotive deliver programmes. add extra features – additional environment. The first area we functions based around telematics are focusing on is the technology Will this help Ricardo achieve a better capabilities, for instance, providing the of collision avoidance and object cost position compared with its driver information regarding traffic detection: this is highly developed competitors? conditions with alternative routes, within the aerospace industry. Taking Utilizing simulation tools and validating and maintenance schedules based on that knowledge and applying it to with tools will reduce the cost of the climate and driving conditions. These automobiles provides the same safety development process. We are also features make it more convenient for capability for a vehicle. building our resource to right size with the customer in the vehicle and allow the right skills in each region. the customer to save on costs and Are there any other areas of the improve fuel economy. vehicle’s design or operation where What is the intellectual property electronics could be of benefit to the position in C&E work? Can you develop How can Ricardo differentiate automaker or the vehicle’s end user? an idea, or a special feature, that you its offerings from those of other This is the second area we are focusing can protect with patents and make technology providers? on with Honeywell. They have great money out of? We are going to differentiate experience with airplanes and space The industry is changing because ourselves in three ways. Ricardo is shuttles, which have very complex the OEMs are starting to want to own the definite leader in expertise in electrical and electronic networks with more of the intellectual property. And integrated electronic and mechanical many different ECUs. They’re able to with that, there will always be a trade- engineering. Ricardo started out as operate with very high reliability, so off between paying up-front for the a very mechanical company, on the we want to be able to use those tools engineering work and being paid on a engine side, then it expanded into in designing automotive architectures, royalty basis, priced within the actual other areas on the mechanical side utilizing Ricardo’s vehicle integration product. Most of our IP that we would including vehicle and transmission know-how and experience. want to utilise would be in the tools we want our customers to use such as the Ricardo and PSA developed the Efficient-C diesel hybrid rCube rapid prototyping controller and concept, demonstrating energy management giving the Mint and CalSafe software tools. class-leading powertrain fuel efficiency In some instances where we come up with a new innovation on one of our research programmes – say an engine control or energy management strategy – which is software or algorithm related, then we may have ownership of the IP or at least a share of it together with any research partners. But the more usual situation is that a customer has paid for it as a part of a programme we are carrying out for them - and if they pay us for the programme and know-how, they have a right to use the technology. That’s the hard part!

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 23 Ricardo News

in the thermal analysis of automotive High performance marks EUC headlamp and tail lamp assemblies. The second collaborative presentation was provided by Emanuela Montefrancesco of Volkswagen, describing the prediction of non-premixed combustion and soot formation using an interactive flamelet approach. This work was aimed at providing an improved CFD modelling capability for diesel combustion, enabling the handling of detailed chemistry, soot formation modelling and the representation of multiple ucati, Jaguar, JCB and Volkswagen described in vivid terms the challenge injection strategies. For her efforts she Dheadlined the list of advanced CAE of transforming the production JCB444 was awarded the prize for best external application presentations at Ricardo engine into the world’s fastest and presentation at the 2006 EUC. Software’s fourth and most successful highest specific power diesel. An acoustic application paper was ever European conference, held in The theme of extreme engine presented by Raymond Cheung of Frankfurt in November. performance was echoed in the the Jaguar and CAE team With its rapidly expanding global presentation by Davide Barana of on the use of WAVE in the design of customer base attracting a steady Ducati Corse, describing the application the exhaust components of the new stream of new licensees each year, of WAVE in racing Jaguar XK. Cheung described how the Ricardo Software products are being design and development. Extreme development of the WaveBuild 3D pre- applied in the design of an ever transmission performance was also processor has provided an easy-to-use increasing range of products by a showcased in the presentation by David tool for this type of application where similarly increasing number of OEMs. Parkin-Moore of Ricardo describing the high fidelity models are required to be At the same time the range and design and development of the 2006 created within complex geometries. sophistication of applications Ford WRC car using the newly released Good correlation between simulation demanded by Ricardo Software’s Ricardo SABR gear and transmission and measurement was reported, and existing customers means that the system simulation package. Cheung claimed that the approach sheer extent of automotive research A change of pace was provided by taken on the XK had reduced the usual and development executed with two presentations on collaborations time required for exhaust system these software products is now at an between Ricardo and Volkswagen development by 50 per cent. unparalleled level. targeted at the needs of this leading “The 2006 European user conference The conference commenced with global automaker for quality, reliability has been our most successful to a keynote address provided by Allan and efficiency. In the first of these date in the four years that it has been Tolley, director of engine programmes Ansgar Leefken of Ricardo GmbH hosted,” commented Ricardo Software for JCB. In his presentation he described the application of VECTIS president, Steve Sapsford.

of Ricardo’s Torque VectoringTM RQ 2006/Q3. Berlin debut for technology that enables moment- Ricardo aims to licence Torque Cross-axle Torque by-moment redistribution of drive VectoringTM technology to interested TM torque in response to driver demand, parties for incorporation in vehicle Vectoring vehicle speed and road conditions. programmes with anticipated demonstrator Redistributing the torque in this way production implementation as early enables the vehicle to follow more as the 2009 model year. The company elegates at the prestigious 5th faithfully the driver’s intended path, is inviting vehicle manufacturers and International CTI-Symposium, D ultimately leading to a potentially safer, related system suppliers to register their “Innovative Automotive more enjoyable and more rewarding interest in evaluating the new cross- Transmissions”, which was held in driving experience. Details of this new axle Audi A6 4.2l Torque VectoringTM Berlin in early December, were given the demonstrator were described in demonstrator vehicle. opportunity to be the first to experience Ricardo’s new Cross-axle Torque VectoringTM demonstrator. The ride and drive event was held at the ADAC Berlin Brandenburg test track and a total of over 50 visitors drove the vehicle. Among those who sampled this ground-breaking technology were senior executives of a number of major automakers and Tier 1 suppliers. Developed from an Audi A6 4.2l V8 Avant Quattro, the demonstrator vehicle is fitted with the very latest generation

24 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 Ricardo Germany steps up testing investment he ever-increasing requirements Tof future emissions legislation, coupled with the need to reduce fuel consumption and CO2, is leading to a situation where state-of-the-art automotive test facilities worldwide are in exceptionally high demand. It is in response to this trend that Ricardo Germany has concluded a €5 million investment programme which strengthens the company’s development capabilities in both the centre will provide valuable resource Advanced test facilities will be in high automotive and heavy duty sectors. for programmes carried out both for demand from the world’s leading The extended test facilities at the German clients and its international automakers company’s Schechingen technical customers. Four powertrain test cells has led to the creation of a number of are now fully commissioned, each new positions within the company for having a capacity of 640 kW and 3400 engineers, technicians and fitters. Nm, and equipped for fully controllable Commenting on the opening of the environmental conditions including air extended test facilities, Dave Picket, temperature, pressure and humidity. global product group director of The asynchronous dynamometers testing, said: “The new test facilities also allow full vehicle simulations to now available at our Schechingen take place on the test-bed, enabling technical centre will provide a major faster calibration development and boost to the service that we can thus shorter time to market for new offer to clients both in Germany and engine products. The new facility internationally.

expertise. In response to these Chinese KV6 gasoline requirements a new Ricardo subsidiary, Ricardo 2010 Consultants Ltd, was engine goes into production formed both to assist SAIC Motor into production with products based on in record time the acquired IPR and also to act as the nucleus for the development of SAIC’s in-house automotive R&D capability for future product development. The team from Ricardo 2010 supporting SAIC Motor on the manufacturing launch of the KV6 engine included key engineering staff whose role involved the detailed specification of the production equipment required for the new plant, as well as its installation and commissioning ready for pilot production. As a result of this work by the joint Ricardo 2010 and SAIC Motor team, this powerful, Euro 4 compliant engine has been localised for almost total ollowing an intensive programme unveiling of SAIC Motor’s first own- Chinese content and commissioned Fof production engineering, brand car, the 750 sedan, at for manufacture in less than 14 months localisation of component supply and November’s Beijing auto show. The from the initial project specification. commissioning of its brand new £15m design of the new 140 kW (188 hp) “We congratulate SAIC on the Baoshan engine manufacturing plant KV6 gasoline engine was part of the commencement of manufacture of the near Shanghai, SAIC Motor announced package of IPR purchased by SAIC in KV6, its first ever in-house engine,” the start of production of the KV6 2004 from the former UK automaker said Mark Garrett, Ricardo director of gasoline engine which will power its MG Rover. This IPR purchase did not gasoline engineering. “This has been a Roewe brand vehicles. however include the provision of any tremendous achievement both for SAIC This announcement follows the manufacturing tooling or background Motor and for the Ricardo 2010 team.

Q1, 2007 • RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW 25 Ricardo News

Reducing CO2 without Global Perspectives In-depth viewpoints on Technology & Business Innovations that are compromising performance shaping the transportation sector ow can automakers achieve beneficial powertrain and vehicle Hsignificant improvements in fuel technologies for maximum effect. In economy, and hence reductions in CO2 response to the growing complexity emissions, without customers feeling and strategic importance associated that their driving experience is being with fuel economy improvements compromised? This is the question world-wide, Ricardo has developed posed by senior executives of Ricardo its own approach to the optimisation in their white paper, Fuel Economy of total vehicle fuel economy. These Improvement: “Performance without unique methodologies integrate Compromise”, published in December. complex vehicle simulations, The white paper sets the scene technology attribute data, economic by reviewing the primary drivers for and product cost/volume data, but 2 fuel economy and CO emissions are reliant too upon their application Fuel Economy Improvement: improvements, both at a global and within the framework of highly “Performance without Compromise” a local level in the world’s major innovative engineering teams, with automotive markets. It continues deep technical knowledge and global with a detailed review of developing and regional market awareness. The technical solutions in areas including result is a comprehensive approach Fuel Economy Improvement: advanced gasoline engines, clean to fuel economy optimization, without “Performance without Compromise” is diesels, hybrids, and efficient compromise in vehicle performance. published by Ricardo and is available transmission and driveline systems The paper closes with a review of in pdf form as a free download such as dual clutch transmissions. The the implementation challenges for for registered users of the Global paper includes references to recent different sectors of the auto industry Perspective area of www.ricardo. Ricardo research programs in these and concludes with the caution that com/media. Global Perspectives is areas, such as Efficient-C, a full hybrid there is no ‘one size fits all’ technology conceived as thought leadership white diesel demonstrator that achieves an solution for future vehicles. For papers that share Ricardo’s in-depth incredible 75 miles per gallon (3.75 sustainable success in the market it is viewpoints on technology and business litres per 100km) while emitting only crucially important that any selected innovations shaping the transportation 99 g/km CO2. technologies not only meet consumer sector. The company anticipates Emphasis is placed on the need to aspirations for each vehicle but also publishing an on-going series of Global develop solutions in a holistic manner, deliver sufficient economic return Perspective white papers on a range considering the complete vehicle as in order to stimulate investment of topical areas for the international a system, combining and integrating throughout the value chain. . Engine Design Team of the Year win for Ricardo

icardo’s diesel engineering team Rwas awarded the title of “Engine development team of the year” by Testing Technology International magazine in its November 2006 issue. The award was made for the company’s work in developing the engines which power the JCB Dieselmax. The magazine’s editor, John Challen, visited the Ricardo Shoreham Technical Centre in January to present the award to Ricardo chief engineer on the Dieselmax project, Matt Beasley, pictured right with members of the Dieselmax team.

26 RICARDO QUARTERLY REVIEW • Q1, 2007 The Energy Saving Trust’s green fleet review has provided us with the skills and expertise needed to identify and quantify areas of cost savings, allowing us to develop a significant business case. They helped us identify hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of potential savings on transport costs and at present we are reviewing plans to purchase more fuel efficient vehicles.

Ben Ross, Environmental Advisor, Bank of Ireland UK Financial Services Division

If they can do it, you can too. Apply for a free green fleet review: call 0845 602 1425 or visit www.est.org.uk/transport

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