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, Bentley 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 The world’s fastest diesel engine 350.092mph/563.418kph Bonneville Salt Flats USA – August 2006 Designed specifically for off-highway equipment, the JCB Dieselmax engine is proven in tens of thousands of installations throughout the world – from off-highway vehicles to generators, water pumps to auxiliary engines in commercial vehicles, from Zone II flame- protected environments to marine applications. Built using the most advanced technology available, the JCB Dieselmax is tomorrow’s engine, today: • Power (63kW/84hp to 120kW/161hp), reliability and low noise • Tested in extreme conditions from -40°C to 50°C • Maximum performance with unmatched high torque at low speed • Holder of the world land speed record for diesel cars • Advanced combustion system ensures Stage 3/Tier 3 compliance – 350.092mph/563.418kph • Future Stage 4/Tier 4 compliance is built into engine design • Worldwide service and support network For further information call us today on +44 (0)1283 584250, or visit www.jcbpowersystems.com contents Ricardo Quarterly Review Q1, 2007 08 06 24 16 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; Toyota shows sports hybrid; Nissan’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): Chevrolet 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 Peugeot 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 Ralliart 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 Nissans 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.