Germany:Germany: RicardoRicardo meansmeans businessbusiness Ricardo acquires PROTOtechnik-IFT, which counts Porsche among its prestigious customers

Gasoline’s 20% saving Interviews LBDI® technology cuts consumption using Louis Schweitzer today’s parts and processes Chairman and CEO, Renault GSQA Hiroyuki Watanabe Head of worldwide R&D, Toyota How Ricardo technology helps carmakers achieve world-class gearshift quality Autumn 2003 HERE’S A REAL ONE.

THE H2. LIKE NOTHING ELSE.™ HUMMER.COM

Vehicle shown $50 , 545 . Tax, title, license and other optional equipment extra.1 . 800 . REAL . 4WD © General Motors Corporation, 2003 . HUMMER and the vehicle’s grille design are registered trademarks of GM Corporation. contents 6 Autumn 2003

8 18 17

NEWS FEATURES QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Industry update 4 PROTOtechnik-IFT 8 Louis Schweitzer 6 Frankfurt Show: Sports sedan concept from The acquisition of the prestigious specialist Renault’s CEO has presided over a dramatic Jaguar highlights lightweight and diesel propels Ricardo into Germany’s big league. renaissance of the brand’s style, sales and technology; particle filters gain acceptance; Tony Lewin reports from Europe’s biggest global reach. Tony Lewin hears his future micro-hybrids arrive; Toyota’s new hybrid market for automotive engineering plans for the Alliance take; Ricardo CEO welcomes German acquisition Gasoline’s big breakthrough 14 Hiroyuki Watanabe 17 Ricardo’s cost-effective LBDI® system cuts As Toyota’s worldwide head of R&D, News from Ricardo 20 consumption and emissions by 20 per cent Hiroyuki Watanabe is responsible for every Triumph for Ricardo in downhill race; Global – using today’s industrial infrastructure. technology in every market. Tony Lewin Powertrain Congress features Ricardo Anthony Smith has the details finds out his thinking papers; seminars on particulates and software GSQA 18 Gearshift quality is notoriously difficult to analyse objectively – but now Ricardo has the tools to enable every carmaker to achieve the desired values. Anthony Smith reports

Head office: Ricardo plc, Bridge Works, Ricardo contacts and locations: www.ricardo.com/contacts Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex RQ subscriptions: www.ricardo.com/rq BN43 5FG, United Kingdom Sales enquiries: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1273 455611

Conceived and produced for Ricardo by TwoTone Media Ltd TwoTone Media Ltd contacts: Editor: Tony Lewin Anthony Smith [email protected] Design: Lucie Brown Tony Lewin [email protected]

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review 3 in brief Diesel power for Piezo goes gasoline The piezo-electric injectors pioneered by Siemens for DI diesel engines are now being Jaguar concept adapted for use in gasoline engines, where they are expected to generate fuel Jaguar’s vision of a near-future savings of up to 20 per cent. compact sports sedan is built of aluminium, has rear-hinged doors Valeo sees bright future to allow a sleek coupé roofline – Automated parking systems and is powered by a twin-turbo are tipped for a bright future by diesel engine. Valeo. “The dream of cars that Unveiling the R-D6 design drive themselves will begin study at September’s Frankfurt with parallel parking,” said CEO auto show, Jaguar design director Thierry Morin, predicting that Ian Callum hailed the 4330mm such systems would begin to long, 1500kg four-seater as “a be available around 2006. Morin vision of the future of premium also forecast that Valeo would motoring: beautiful, fast, agile, be a global top-five supplier by efficient and fun.” Jaguar R-D6 concept takes diesel power into the compact sports 2010, and that it would have Mike Wright, managing director sedan segment number-one positions in ten of Jaguar cars, added that the product areas. R-D6 was a concept which Jaguar says are “beyond gasoline engine. Again with two sought to build on the heritage of roadgoing levels” to give turbochargers, the five-litre V10 Siemens’ innovation drive the R Coupé, shown in 2001, and 230 hp – enough to provide unit sends its 610 hp to all four Among a flurry of further develop Jaguar’s new 0-100km/h acceleration in under wheels to allow a theoretical top developments announced by design direction. “We also wanted six seconds and a maximum speed of 345 km/h. SiemensVDO at the Frankfurt to showcase the latest speed regulated at 250km/h. Further innovations include auto show are electric impulse technology in lightweight vehicle Very similar in weight and Audi’s magnetic ride damper charging to boost low-end structures and our potent new bi- dimensions is Audi’s Le Mans system and an instrument panel torque on turbo, frontal turbo common-rail V6 diesel quattro concept. Taking its which can be switched from its sensors for active pedestrian engine,” he said. inspiration from the company’s conventional roadgoing analogue protection, heat-exchanger The 2.7 litre common-rail diesel triumphs in the French 24-hour condition to track mode where a cooling systems with pulse is a co-operative venture between classic, the Le Mans quattro uses plan of the circuit is displayed width modulated control of PSA, Jaguar and Ford, and in the an aluminium space frame to and GPS satellites indicate the motors, and a handwriting application for the house two occupants and the next bend and even compute the recognition interface that R-D6 has been tuned to what mid-mounted direct-injection car’s lap times. allows drivers to write commands to multimedia systems and navigation. Particle filters gain ground Toyota two years ahead Toyota has brought forward its Diesel particulate filters are whole model line-up to become filtre à particules systems will be 2005 goal of selling 800,000 beginning to achieve broader Euro 4 compliant. Describing its fitted to all the group’s diesel units in Europe to this year, and market breakthrough as move as a breakthrough in filter models over 100 hp. has set a new objective for carmakers seek to ensure their technology, BMW says its However, at Denso, the 2010 – to sell 1.2 million products are seen as environ- maintenance-free catalytic world’s number-three vehicles in the region. mentally clean as well as low on system requires no component maker, global

CO2 emissions. For some additives and sales director and board Solar power for BMW producers, the fitment of a enables member Hiroshi Uchiyama BMW’s 3-series can now be particulate filter – pioneered by insists the company’s 1800 bar ordered with solar powered PSA in 2000 – is the key to common rail direct-injection ventilation. An array of 24 solar compliance with Euro 4 even its system (illustrated left), with its cells in the sunroof panel feeds emissions standards larger and more five injections per cycle, gives up to 18W to six fans in the which come into force powerful diesel cars to such clean combustion that the roof lining, helping reduce in 2005. meet Euro 4. Smaller BMWs, diesel filter is unnecessary. Denso cabin temperature build-up by New models to include PM says the company, can comply will soon add piezo electric 15-20o Celsius when the filtration systems include the without the need for the filter. injectors to its technology vehicle is parked, without Mazda 3, Ford Focus C-Max, A similar view is held at PSA portfolio, a development also drawing any power from the Volvo S40 and several Peugeot-Citroën, where Gilles being undertaken by Delphi and battery. The system also helps Volkswagen derivatives. BMW, Michel, executive vice president Bosch following SiemensVDO’s improve the effectiveness of too, is introducing filtration on its for platforms, engineering and big success in pioneering the the standard air conditioning. larger diesel engines, allowing the purchasing, says that by 2006, system in 2001.

4 INDUSTRY NEWS Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 Europe’s micro-hybrids arrive

Citroën’s new C2 small hatchback and its existing five- door C3 will be the first volume production models to feature Valeo’s start-stop system, operated through a belt-driven starter-alternator in the position A message normally occupied by a conventional alternator. from the “This is the first step on the road to [volume] hybrid vehicles,” Chief said Valeo chairman and CEO Thierry Morin at the Frankfurt Executive auto show in September. The Citroen’s C2 is the first volume model to offer start-stop system, start-stop option, which is supplier Valeo claiming a 7-10 per cent saving on fuel bills claimed to save between 7 and The acquisition of the 10 per cent on fuel bills, operation during engine stop is seconds, cars can spend as PROTOtechnik-IFT group of combines Valeo technologies in assured by a further Valeo much as 35 per cent of their companies by Ricardo in June three areas and marks an development, Stop-Stay-Cool. time stationary. A major of this year underscores the important move into power An additional evaporator in the secondary benefit of the start- importance we attach to electronics, said Martin Haub, circuit stores what Valeo stop system is thus improved Germany, Europe’s leading group vice president for R&D describes as ‘cold energy’ in an comfort and refinement, noted automotive market. This move and marketing. The engine, unspecified ‘cost-effective PSA’s Gilles Michel. significantly increases our which shuts down when the material’; this cooling effect is Further advantages of the regional presence, providing vehicle is at a standstill, is later released into the system stop-start system include the the necessary infrastructure, restarted in 400 msec when the without the need for the air elimination of the starter motor complementary technology driver releases the brake conditioning compressor to be and the potential for energy and critical mass to deliver full (automatic) or engages gear in a running. recuperation through powertrain and vehicle manual, when clutch operation is Valeo observes pointedly that regenerative braking, though this integration programmes from fully by-wire. in Paris, where the red phase of is not enabled on the present a local German base and Continuity of air-conditioning traffic lights is as long as 45 system. team. In this issue of RQ we present the background to the acquisition and highlight our Toyota’s second take on the hybrid vision for the future of Ricardo in Germany and the benefits A useful extra benefit of the mission, generator and motor all improved handling and that this will bring to our gasoline-electric hybrid within one large assembly, in the roadholding. German customers. powertrain is highlighted by a CS&S the elements are A further novel feature of the In addition to this exciting new Toyota concept car differently divided. The centrally CS&S prototype, though entirely news about our company I am presented at the IAA Frankfurt mounted engine drives the rear unrelated to its hybrid operation, also pleased that we are able auto show. wheels, while the electric motor is is its so called Toyota Space to describe a significant Outwardly a mid-engined two- moved to the Touch control system. technical achievement in the seater roadster, the CS&S in fact Holographic projections which development of the Ricardo houses an additional pair of appear to float around the LBDI® gasoline engine. With seats below a slide-back driver provide demonstrated fuel fairing, while under its information about the consumption and CO2 bodywork lies a novel car’s multi-media emissions reductions each in twist on the Hybrid system, its air excess of 20 per cent and Synergy Drive conditioning and other without compromising vehicle engineering theme of tasks such as internet performance, the LBDI® the second-generation access and navigation. Touching concept offers the prospect of Prius, making its sales debut in these virtual-reality displays a major step forward in Europe in the fourth quarter of front allows adjustments to be made – gasoline engine economy from this year. axle to provide four wheel drive in a manner which Toyota claims technology that is already Whereas the Prius mounts its and improve weight distribution. is both intuitive and viable. 1.5 litre gasoline engine, trans- This gives scope for significantly straightforward.

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review INDUSTRY NEWS 5 Alliance architect

In his eleven years in the driving seat of Renault, Swiss-born Louis Schweitzer has turned the company into a design leader and taken control of Nissan, Dacia and Samsung to build a world Alliance selling over 5m vehicles annually. Tony Lewin spoke to him at the launch of the second-generation Scénic in Stockholm

Nissan has become a huge success When Carlos Ghosn comes to Paris to design have to be toned down a bit? under Renault’s management. Is there take over your job in 2005, will you No I think there are different issues. a danger that it becomes the bigger want to have a Japanese person Clearly Avantime was a niche car and it partner and, in some way, the more running Nissan? was meant to attract a small number of glamorous company? He has stated quite rightly that he will people – not a thousand or two We knew from the start that Nissan was have a Japanese COO in Nissan. Carlos thousand a day. Design was a positive bigger: it was 50 per cent larger than will remain Chief Executive; how long will and not a drawback for the car. The Renault when we took it over. There were this last is something that will have to be Mégane is in a segment which is only nine months during which Nissan addressed in a pragmatic way. considered even more conservative. was worth less than Renault on the Golf is the traditional leader of the market and these were the nine months In cash benefit terms would it not be segment, and we felt that we had to during which we negotiated our right to say that the way that Nissan make a statement on design in the controlling stake! The day we announced has turned out in its financial same way that Ford did with the Focus, the agreement, this changed. Now, it performance was almost like winning which did very well. We made our would be the most stupid thing to try to the jackpot? statement with Mégane and it is achieve a better balance by making A jackpot is a one-time win, and the idea exceeding its sales expectations. Nissan less successful. I am not for Nissan is a recurring win which is preoccupied with this issue. slightly different. Outside Renault it was But in the future will you take the considered as a high risk bet which paid same risks with design? Will both marques be full range off handsomely. The interesting thing is I think there is no such thing as a policy suppliers for all market segments or that nobody else was prepared to take without risks. Bland does not mean will there be some things like 4x4s the risk. It was not as if there was a success: bland, no risk, is a certain where it is Nissan only? bidding contest for Nissan. failure – but it can be a very discreet No, but you may have strong points and, failure because nobody notices it! purely for example, in Europe SUVs are Do you take personal credit for it, for Nissan’s strongpoint and we are a full-line having taken that risk and won? You’ve been strong on safety and volume market player. In other countries, Quite frankly, yes. There is a French design. What about powertrain and say Mexico, we are more upscale and saying, attributed to a Marechal called chassis? Nissan is in the full line value for money Joffre in the First World War. He won the I believe we are good on chassis, and if sector. Market by market it may be battle of the Marne during the first we look at the press or what our different. German invasion in 1914 and was asked customers say I believe we are fairly ‘Who won the battle?’ He answered: ‘Well good in [getting] the balance between I don’t know who won it, but I surely know driving pleasure and comfort — though who would have lost it!’ of course we do not put the same balance in a 2-litre Clio as in a Scénic. How do you feel your new design Ten to fifteen years ago we were not direction has gone down with the Vel leaders in engines; we have had issues Satis and Mégane hatchback? with reliability of diesel engines, but we Mégane is doing well. Everywhere have been moving ahead. From the fuel in Europe the design is a efficiency point of view we are good, major element of choice. but on the gasoline side the issue to be It’s doing what we addressed now – as for a number of hoped it would do our competitors – is to find direct so we are very injection which really delivers value for happy with it. The the extra cost. To date we have seen Vel Satis was less more announcements than results. In successful. 1996 and 1997 we, in common with the whole industry, completely Renault’s BeBop Does the failure of underestimated the potential of diesel concept, Frankfurt, the Avantime mean and overestimated the potential of September 2003 Renault’s ideas of high direct injection gasoline.

6 LOUIS SCHWEITZER Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 Louis Schweitzer, chairman and CEO, Renault 1942 Born, Geneva 1970 Inspecteur des finances, French government 1981 Chief of staff under prime minister Laurent Fabius 1988 Joined Renault as chief financial officer and head of strategic planning 1989 Executive vice president 1990 Chief operating officer 1992 Chairman and CEO 2003 President of ACEA for 2003

means having other markets than Europe. Yes, I believe we will bring forward an offering, probably in the C-segment, as a 4x4 crossover.

When we look at French companies we often find ourselves comparing you with PSA. Why are your margins less good? Currently PSA has had a very successful product range with a number of exceptionally successful models, in the same way that the Scénic was exceptionally successful for us. They are at a good point in their product cycle. We are today at a lower point of our product cycle. In the long run there is no reason that the operating margins of Renault How will hybrids and fuel cells fare in whether it will catch in the US. I believe and PSA should be significantly different. the European theatre? at one point in time they will say yes to Of course we do have a little extra which The so-called mild hybrids will bring diesel but I can’t say when. is Nissan. additional savings, but at a significant cost because for them to be fully efficient What will it take for them to want You talked about your product cycle: you would need 42 volt batteries. I diesel? what is the average age of your fleet? cannot see 42 volts not happening Maybe to find that diesel in some cases It is moving down. I believe with the eventually, and once it has happened it is more enjoyable than gasoline. I think it Scénic it will go down and, with the would be stupid not to have the mild is significant for the US because the price launches of the Scénic and the full hybrid. If you look at hybrids in general of the fuel in the US is a non-issue. Mégane family, we will arrive at 3.5 years. the feeling is that from a fuel and cost Coming back to Europe, the limit to diesel We want to keep it between 3 and 3.5 efficiency point of view diesel is a better is that Euro 4 is making it cleaner but years. In our best year for results we way to achieve it. On fuel cells there more expensive. Euro 5 when it happens were at slightly over 2.5, and in 2001 and seems now to be a consensus that will make it still cleaner and still more 2002 we were in the vicinity of 4.5. You before 2020 they will not be significant in expensive, which means that the balance see on average a fairly good correlation, Europe except if there were genuine between initial cost and cost of ownership all things being equal. quotas saying you should put out will move more in favour of gasoline. specified numbers of fuel cell vehicles. What are your plans for Dacia? Will it What is your attitude to SUV models? become a key brand for you in Eastern Where do you see the limit in terms of We have done it in our modest way with and Central Europe? diesel share in Western Europe? And the Scénic RX4 and the Kangoo 4x4. The first plan has been to turn the will the Americans eventually see You have to accept that if you are mainly company round, and I think we are sense and go for those newer a European player, which is what we are, moving ahead there, but it’s not easy. To diesels? you do not find the volumes to make a lot give an idea, Dacia’s labour cost is As you know, last year the first meeting of money. If you have to amortise all the between 1 and 2 euros per hour all-in, of all manufacturers of the world took development costs only on the European compared with between 20 to 25 in place in Paris in October. One of the market, you do not make a lot of money. Europe and 40 to 50 in a UAW plant. On issues was diesel and we made the So how do we get out of this? First we the new product we are on schedule: statement in favour of diesel collectively, may use Nissan technology, which this is the X90, the so called 5000-euro but I must acknowledge that amongst the means reducing development costs and, car. And once we have these two things Big Three there were clearly opposed secondly, we may use the fact that we I think we have a good base for views, not on the potential of diesel, but are internationalising ourselves which expansion.

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review LOUIS SCHWEITZER 7 Premier-league purchase

The acquisition of the respected PROTOtechnik-IFT Group near Stuttgart propels Ricardo into the premier league in Germany, the world’s second-biggest market for outsourced automotive engineering services. Tony Lewin looks at the landmark deal and what it means for Ricardo

8 RICARDO IN GERMANY Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 icardo aims for growth in Germany” ran the headline “R in the Financial Times on July 1st this year; Ricardo CEO Rodney Westhead was quoted as saying that Germany had been a “serious gap” in the firm’s map. But while those few bland statements, typical of the FT’s calm and strictly factual style of reporting, were more than enough to earn an approving nod from the financial community, they nevertheless gave little hint of the real significance for Ricardo – and for the auto industry in Germany. Prior to the acquisition Ricardo had a certain presence in Germany. However its representation was – on its own admission – too small and too far short of the critical mass needed to attract the staff and the business Ricardo’s world-class skills portfolio merited. This had for some while been a source of we are going to have a larger and triangle between the three cities frustration to Ricardo: Germany, after greater relationship with you’. And we hosting the nation’s four most all, is ahead of Japan and on a par have seen since the acquisition that prestigious and profitable producers – with North America as the world’s this is likely to come to fruition: it’s BMW in Munich, Audi in Ingolstadt, biggest market for contract automotive more a question of doing a lot more and both Mercedes-Benz and Porsche engineering services. business with existing customers rather in Stuttgart – PROTOtechnik-IFT’s Yet now, following the purchase of than attracting new customers.” headquarters at Schwäbisch Gmünd is the PROTOtechnik-IFT Group – which Having said that, however, the directly on the Stuttgart-Ingolstadt axis, received widespread and favourable PROTOtechnik-IFT Group’s client list with Munich just to the south. Its coverage in Germany – Ricardo has could hardly be more impressive: offices are just 30 minutes from catapulted itself from barely-visible among the Group’s current Stuttgart, 120 from Munich and 100 visiting side to premier-league home- programmes are the exhaust and from Ingolstadt; key Tier 1 supplier ZF team player in a division where the induction systems for the prestigious is an immediate neighbour, as is most important fixtures invariably go to Porsche Carrera GT, the exhaust national German system for the equally squads. Through the exotic Mercedes- PROTOtechnik-IFT – key facts PROTOtechnik-IFT McLaren SLR, and Location: between Stuttgart, Group Ricardo is work for McLaren- Ingolstadt and Munich suddenly much more visibly Mercedes Formula Founded: 1985 and publicly open for business One and Toyota’s Employees: 250 in Germany: Cologne-based Skills: exhaust system design and doors which Formula One team. prototyping; niche exhaust system were PROTOtechnik-IFT manufacture; inlet system design and previously also has the durability manufacture; tube products; cooling hard to testing contract for all system design; engineering design; budge are models from Daimler- engine testing; vehicle testing; now thrown wide open, with the Chrysler’s smart division, and motorsport engineering welcome sign hung out for good contributed to the same group’s V8 OEM clients: AMG, Audi, BMW, measure. diesel engine programme and DaimlerChrysler, Ford, MAN, Opel, The change, as Ricardo plc director numerous racing ventures. Further Porsche, smart, Toyota, Volkswagen, Chris Bates admits, is remarkable: “It work has included adapting Audi’s V8 was imperative for Ricardo to be part gasoline engine for off-road use in Volvo of the largest automotive market Volkswagen’s Touareg SUV – as well Tier 1 clients: Behr, Benteler, outside of North America, and our as many other motorsport programmes ContiTech, Donnelly, Eberspächer, German customers had said that they where the company has agreed not to Faurecia, Gillet-Tenneco, Hengst, would like us to be more local. disclose the identity of the team. Pierburg-Kolbenschmidt, Mahle, “We have always supplied the major Mann & Hummel, Phoenix, Valeo , OEMs in differing degrees across the Germany’s premium triangle Veritas, Zeuna Stärker, ZF, ZS world,” explains Bates. “The whole If the PROTOtechnik-IFT Group’s client Motorsport clients: Abt, Audi Sport, rationale for doing this is to meet our list is the envy of every other BMW Motorsport, HWA, Joest, customers’ requirements – and our engineering services provider, then so Mercedes-McLaren, Toyota German customers had said to us time too is its geographical location. If you Motorsport, Manthey, VW Motorsport and time again ‘you must be closer if take a map of Germany and draw a

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review RICARDO IN GERMANY 9 Bosch, which has many of its major Porsche R&D and production facilities in the Carrera GT surrounding cities. supercar (far It cannot escape notice that right) - Germany’s most important premium PROTOtechnik players are situated in this southern designed and half of the country, while volume manufacture makers such as GM/Opel, Ford and both the intake Volkswagen lie further to the north. Yet and exhaust systems. PROTOtechnik-IFT’s blue-chip Here, the V10 customer portfolio is not just a engine’s reflection of its pole-position location in exhaust Germany’s premium triangle: it has system glows been earned over the course of many hot in the years on the strength of the test cell sophisticated nature of the programmes it is able to deliver. For Ricardo it is a positive benefit that there is relatively little overlap between the PROTOtechnik-IFT Group’s range of skills and its own. Once Ricardo had acknowledged that the only way to expand in the key German market was to acquire an existing player, it became clear that it could be self-defeating to take over a direct competitor. Instead, reasoned Chris Bates and Detlev Baudach, head grand total of five staff and was only series production by other companies,” of Ricardo operations in Germany, a recruiting at a junior level. He explains explains Gersmann. “Nearly all the big firm offering a different set of skills why PROTOtechnik-IFT appeared to fit first-tier suppliers in the exhaust would be a more logical move, the bill so well: “In PROTOtechnik-IFT I business are our customers: we will eliminating any risk of duplication could see something already well design, develop and produce a either in personnel or in orders with established in the marketplace, prototype of a manifold with catalyst, customers. something with an ideal location, and and the rest of the system, and we will “We had been looking at various with good experience and a good do all the testing. What we don’t do is possibilities for about four years,” says spread of business – especially things the real volume production – all we do Bates, “and for the past three we’ve like hardware, which complemented in terms of manufacture is the niche had our eyes on the PROTOtechnik- Ricardo’s simulation approach. The and high performance applications.” IFT Group.” deeper we looked into it, the more PROTOtechnik does not want to Baudach recalls how, in late 2000 – opportunity we saw.” compete with the volume exhaust just two months after he took over the system suppliers, adds Baudach by top slot at Ricardo GmbH – PROTO- Three-division structure way of clarification: instead, it prefers technik-IFT first attracted Ricardo’s Reflecting its origins as an to maximise its value by concentrating attention. “PROTOtechnik-IFT had organisation founded by talented and on the niche high-performance sector asked Ricardo to help with some enthusiastic engineers, the where the volumes are so small that advanced simulation work it was doing PROTOtechnik-IFT Group has three they don’t fit production arrangements divisions, each operating in clearly- of the big manufacturers. ‘The Mercedes SLR McLaren defined areas of the market. Much the Having said that, PROTOtechnik is perhaps the biggest most familiar in the broader auto does manufacture some systems in industry is surprisingly high volumes: it makes the challenge we could have had PROTOtechnik exhaust for the in exhaust system GmbH, founded natural gas development’ in 1985 by powered Karl-Heinz version of the – Karl-Heinz Gersmann Gersmann and Günther Opel Zafira at a rate König: its core business is of between 10,000 for Volkswagen – it was pretty the design of exhaust systems, and 13,000 a year. significant, as VW had suddenly and it has also gone on to build up At the opposite end outsourced a lot of the work and an enviable reputation for the low- of the scale are the PROTOtechnik-IFT didn’t feel capable volume manufacture of specialised Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and the of offering all those extra services on high-performance exhaust systems for Porsche Carrera GT: the McLaren, its own. In the event it didn’t turn out to racing cars and ultra-high performance says Gersmann, is “perhaps the be any real business, but from that road cars such as the Mercedes-Benz biggest challenge we could have had point on we began talking to each SLR McLaren. in exhaust system development. It’s a other.” “Our biggest business is developing mixture of production and series At this early stage Baudach had the exhaust systems and manifolds for techniques: from the technology side

10 RICARDO IN GERMANY Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 flexibility born out of its racing experience, says Gersmann. Racing activities used to account for two-thirds of PROTOtechnik’s business: “we’ve all breathed in a lot of exhaust fumes in our lives,” he laughs. “It’s a special business, and you have to have the right feel for it.”

Engineering development Founded in 1989 by Austrian-born engineer Dr Walter Schwelberger, IFT Ingenieurgesellschaft für Farzeugtechnik mbH majors on engineering development, electronics and software design. It also undertakes benchmarking work and other studies for the auto industry. “I had earlier met Karl-Heinz Gersmann – in 1978 when he was R&D director at Bischoff,” recalls Dr Schwelberger. “While I was working as an engine design consultant to Volkswagen in Wolfsburg I became conscious that customers for engineering services were interested in getting more than the prototype it’s closer to a racing design.” system as well as the exhaust. hardware – they wanted the design as The Porsche marks an important Together with Porsche we developed well as the software for the parts. broadening of PROTOtechnik’s both systems,” continues Gersmann. That’s how the idea for IFT Fahrzeug- activities into induction systems, too. “We call it ‘from air to air.’” technik was born.” “I think we’re the first company in the One of PROTOtechnik’s biggest “One of our first projects was the world to do this – we supply the intake advantages in the market is the design of a special kind of inlet manifold for a six-cylinder VW engine,” says The founders of Schwelberger, “and then the jobs PROTOtechnik increased: different tasks within engine -IFT Group, design, including Porsche cylinder heads, from left to and other components around the right: Günther engine.” König, Karl- Other programmes have included the Heinz first research work on Mercedes-Benz Gersmann and direct injection gasoline engines, and Dr Walter work on a family of modular engines Schwelberger for the then-independent Daewoo in Korea. Today, IFT Fahrzeugtechnik’s principal client is DaimlerChrysler’s ‘We had the capacity to design the parts and to build those parts... The next step was for us to develop the capacity to test the parts too’ – Dr Walter Schwelberger

smart division, carrying out durability testing on the road. Another recent engineering programme has been the development of the lubrication circuit for the Audi V8-engined Volkswagen Touareg: here, the existing system had to be adapted to perform faultlessly at the high angles of inclination likely to be found in extreme off-road driving. The Touareg programme also

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review RICARDO IN GERMANY 11 highlights the capabilities of the PROTOtechnik- youngest company in the Group, IFT IFT is highly Prüftechnik, founded in 1996 as a regarded in “logical move forward for us” to round motorsport out the activities of the original firms. circles. Here, an As its name suggests, IFT Prüftechnik engine destined has testing as its core competence. for the US “We had the capacity to design the Indycar Series parts and to build those parts,” says is put through Dr Schwelberger. “The next step was its paces in the for us to develop the capacity to test test cell the parts too.” The formula has proved very successful: IFT Prüftechnik did all the durability testing on the three-cylinder smart diesel engine, as well as Mercedes’ V8 diesel and Audi’s V8 diesels. The location in Schechingen – the Ricardo connection, we are able to local presence, a service that can be just 9 km from the Group headquarters undertake bigger programmes and with delivered to them in their own – boasts an array of 12 sophisticated more sophisticated content.” language, with an understanding of test cells equipped with the very latest their requirements in every detail that measuring and control systems: just Big presence, big opportunities they could wish for. We can do it more over half its work is durability testing, While Ricardo plc director Chris Bates cost-effectively for them, in the sense with calibration, mechanical is enthusiastic about the additional that we no longer have to ship development and component testing skills and specialisations the vehicles to the UK, and we can now give them access to the whole breadth ‘In PROTOtechnik-IFT I could see of Ricardo technology to be delivered in Germany, in conjunction with our something already well established in the other operations around the world, marketplace... with good experience and a and we can give them global coverage good spread of business... the deeper we to meet their own global aspirations, looked into it, the more opportunity we saw’ be it in North America, Germany or the UK.” – Detlev Baudach, Ricardo Having struggled for several years to achieve organic growth in its German operations, Ricardo GmbH accounting for the remainder. PROTOtechnik-IFT acquisition brings MD Detlev Baudach is the first to “Ricardo provides a lot of additional to the Ricardo group, his greatest welcome this dramatic expansion of abilities right at the top end of excitement is reserved for the huge the company’s presence. development,” explains Dr Schwel- new opportunities presented by “When we started to really build the berger. “There are of course some PROTOtechnik-IFT’s geographical business in Germany we found it quite areas where we do almost the same location: difficult to recruit the kind of people things, but I would say that now, with “Firstly we can offer our customers a we needed to provide the appropriate services to our clients: we were far too small for people to feel any kind of security with the company, to feel that they were being offered a good career structure. “Now, however,” he continues, “we’ve reached that all-important critical mass where we can be a serious force in the market and compete with the established companies on equal terms.”

Prospects Chris Bates, back at Ricardo headquarters in the UK, is bullish about the prospects for the future: “Our number one strategic aim, set out some years ago, was to become part of the German automotive industry – and this successfully fills that gap. We have work to do to grow it, but it is a very good move for IFT-Prüftechnik has carried out the on-road and durability testing of all smart Ricardo, for PROTOtechnik-IFT, and models. Here the Roadster is under evaluation for all the staff involved.”

12 RICARDO IN GERMANY Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 Chris Bates, a director of Ricardo plc and managing director of Ricardo Consulting Engineers Ltd, is based at Shoreham in the UK. Tony Lewin spoke to him about the acquisition of PROTOtechnik-IFT

What is the strategic thinking behind the The existing customer base and order German acquisition? book must be one of the most valuable It was imperative for Ricardo to be part of the assets in the acquisition. Has this opened largest automotive market outside of North doors to car companies that were not America – and our German customers had open before to you? said that they would like us to be more local. We very much hope so. We have always For some while we had sought to grow supplied the major OEMs in differing degrees brand name? I understand it is a organically in Germany, but as far as staff are across the world. The whole rationale for respected brand in the German industry. concerned it is difficult to recruit when you are doing this was to meet our customers’ Yes: the companies are going to be known as a small company in a new country and are requirements. PROTOtechnik Ricardo and IFT Ricardo. That viewed as a UK company. To meet customer may change over the coming years, but both requirements and to be able to recruit and So will Ricardo be perceived as a global IFT and PROTOtechnik are very strong retain staff and give them career company rather than an English company brands within the German market and we development, a substantial presence is in Germany? would not wish to dilute that. necessary. We have come from an English base, although we have global operations in North Has the acquisition filled the most What is the critical mass of the company America and in the Far East. I very much important gap in the Ricardo portfolio? in Germany that could then snowball and hope that we will be part of the German Yes it has. Ricardo is always looking to grow: become bigger? industry and be perceived as part of the our number one strategic aim set out several I think we are now there. We have that critical Germany industry, rather than an English years ago was to be part of the German mass. We now have nearly 300 employees in company on the edge of German industry. automotive industry, and this successfully fills Germany and are looking to grow that to that gap. closer to 500 in the coming years. Was the geographical location of PROTOtechnik-IFT an important factor in Are there any other acquisitions Ricardo is Can you explain what added benefits your your choice of company to acquire? looking to make? customers will now get following the Yes – apart from it obviously being in Ricardo will always look to acquire companies acquisition? Germany, the fact that it is located within the that fit our strategy and portfolio. Over the last Firstly we can offer them a local presence, Stuttgart-Ingolstadt-Munich triangle was an year we have seen three acquisitions, with a service that can be delivered to them in important factor in our decision. Gemini in transmissions and motorsport their own language, with an understanding manufacturing, and Tarragon in control and of their requirements in every detail they PROTOtechnik-IFT differs from Ricardo in electronics. PROTOtechnik-IFT in Germany could wish for. that it has manufacturing capability – how was the perfect geographical fit for Ricardo. does that sit with the rest of Ricardo’s Yes we will look at other acquisition In terms of skills that the group can now operations? opportunities in the growing areas of the offer its German customer base, what Very well. We already have a manufacturing business, be it to fit technical development extra does the new group bring? capability in prototype and niche needs, geographical development needs or The new group brings in both complementary transmissions. We have a capability in customer needs. skills, which are in line with our historical prototype engines in both the UK and North business of engine and vehicle engineering, America, so the niche high performance You have got good contacts with the and a new skill of high performance niche nature of the exhaust business fits very well Japanese car makers through HORIBA, exhaust manufacture and supply. On top of with the strategy. German car makers through the new that it gives us a new skill of being able to acquisition and a well set up organisation communicate in the native language with our Is it better to work with specialist niche in the US. Does this not leave gaps with customers! products than volume lines? French, Italian and Korean car makers? Yes. One of the Ricardo’s strategies is to be Taking each of those gaps in isolation, we So it sounds like language is quite an within niche vehicles and niche products. We have very good relationships with French issue. Is it because you are dealing with are not a high volume manufacturer making manufacturers and we look to grow our people at all levels that the German hundreds of thousands or tens of thousands presence in France — probably organically, language helps? of products per annum. We concentrate on but if there was an opportunity we might look At senior levels of all our customers English is high value added, high quality niche and for an acquisition there. In Italy we have a a commonly spoken language. However when smaller series low volume production where presence through our control and electronics you are talking on a very technical level, Ricardo can add the value. We are not big and our vehicle engineering operations, which engineer-to-engineer or even in certain enough and do not wish to be big enough in we are growing organically. In Korea we have project circumstances, it is much easier to manufacturing at that high volume level. representatives, but we need to review what communicate with total clarity when you are we do in Korea and other parts of mainland speaking in your own language. Will you retain the PROTOtechnik-IFT Asia in the coming years.

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review RICARDO IN GERMANY 13 Gasoline breakthrough delivers 20% saving

This Ford Focus demonstrator provides a 20 per cent fuel saving over the standard 1.6 – using existing technologies and without the need for significant plant investment. Anthony Smith looks at the remarkable new Ricardo Lean Boosted Direct Injection (LBDI®) engine, set to rewrite the rules of gasoline economy

s the automotive industry in (and hence low CO2) gasoline engines power, and transient response may be Europe strives to reduce its new – engines which must deliver on real- adversely affected by turbocharger lag, Avehicle fleet average CO2 world customer satisfaction as well as particularly in the absence of more emissions in line with the commitment test-cycle fuel economy. advanced boosting technologies. of the European OEM body, ACEA, to In addition to these drawbacks, there achieve 140g/km by 2008, an The challenge of downsizing is of course the ever-present economic increasing emphasis is being placed Engine downsizing is a well-established concern of increased production cost on gasoline combustion efficiency. concept for the improvement of fuel arising from many additional

Since the ACEA commitment was consumption and associated CO2 technologies associated with engine made in 1998, much of the reduction emissions. By reducing the swept volume downsizing. As such, the challenge is to to date in fleet-average CO2 emissions and increasing BMEP through boosting, develop technologies for gasoline has been attributable to the increased friction and pumping losses can both be engine downsizing which meet the ever- penetration of diesel engines within reduced and, in addition, the lower mass increasing demands of modern drivers European markets at the expense of of a downsized engine offers potential for performance, responsiveness and gasoline. cold-start advantages associated with driveability but at the same time

However, there is a practical ceiling reduced thermal inertia as well as matching the CO2 emission/cost to this trend represented not just by lowering the weight of the vehicle. premium position of existing HSDI customer preferences but also in the But there are potential drawbacks too. diesel alternatives. The resultant vehicle maximum fuel volume split that can be The compression ratio must be reduced is thus potentially profitable for both the managed by the refiners. The result is on a conventional boosted engine in manufacturer and the customer. that the pressure is now on to develop order to control knock, low-speed torque new and commercially attractive is less than in a naturally aspirated Meeting the challenge technologies for higher fuel efficiency engine of equivalent peak torque and “In our research programme we examined a range of concepts for downsized DI gasoline engines,” Cost-benefit analysis for low-C02 engine technologies explains Tim Lake, chief engineer of the Ricardo gasoline research team. We made use of advanced engine performance and vehicle simulation CAE codes such as the Ricardo WAVE package and V-SIM, and subsequently, moved into a comprehensive multi- cylinder experimental programme.” Through the analytical and experimental programme the team investigated a range of engine concepts including conventional direct injection (DI) operation, the Ricardo Lean Boost Direct Injection (LBDI®) and EGR Boost Direct Injection concepts. Also explored was Miller Cycle operation based on the use of variable inlet cam phasing to change the effective compression ratio. Of the concepts investigated, LBDI®

14 LBDI® Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 “A downsized 1.1 litre LBDI® engine can provide comparable performance to that of the 1.6 litre baseline car, but the improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are more impressive still”

Tim Lake, Ricardo

Ricardo worked with Ford, Bosch and Johnson Matthey to develop a Ford Focus using the LBDI® engine showed substantially the greatest programme and to a vehicle downsizing a Ford Focus equipped promise in terms of the trade-off of demonstrator. with a 1.6 litre in-line four-cylinder performance, cost and CO2 emissions. The selection of vehicle was itself naturally aspirated gasoline engine. This concept uses lean operation to significant, as Lake explains: “C-class The objective was to replace this with reduce full-load octane requirement and or lower-medium size cars represent a 1.1 litre three-cylinder LBDI® engine hence allows operation at higher by far the largest segment of the offering comparable performance and compression ratios than is the case in a European market and hence the driveability. Lean operation – especially conventional DI. The lower exhaust greatest potential for reduced fleet- at higher boost pressures – represents ® temperatures of the LBDI allows use of averaged CO2 emissions. It is therefore a more demanding environment for a Variable Nozzle Turbine (VNT) important that we demonstrate stable combustion, so the dual turbocharger which gives advantages in downsizing solutions aimed at this injection strategies developed in the low speed torque and reduced lag. critical sector.” previous single-cylinder work were Furthermore, Ricardo also found that Together with research partners at further optimised in the multi-cylinder with the low exhaust temperatures of the Ford Motor Company, Bosch and programme in order to improve LBDI® it was possible to use a standard Johnson Matthey, the team members combustion stability. Additional production diesel VNT unit in place of identified as their baseline for engine refinements were applied to both air the more expensive gasoline equivalent. For emissions, the LBDI® concept Contour plot of percentage fuel economy benefit incorporates a Lean NOx Trap (LNT) in of LBDI® compared with baseline engine addition to a three-way catalyst (TWC), something which is unnecessary in the alternative EGR boosted DI concept.

However, the CO2 emissions potential of the LBDI® is sufficient to offset the added expense and complexity of LNT technology, which is in production today with several vehicle manufacturers.

Concept to reality Considerable development work had previously been carried out by Lake and his team based on a single- cylinder Ricardo Hydra research engine (as reported in RQ, Spring 2002). This programme provided the opportunity to take the concept forward both to a multi-cylinder test bed

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review LDBI® 15 motion and the production ignition system and here too, significant improvements were achieved in terms of combustion stability.

Delivering driveability with a 20 per cent fuel saving Having completed the test bed development phase, the team progressed to implementation of the vehicle demonstrator. “It was important for us to develop a full calibration for the demonstrator so that we could show the performance of the vehicle was comparable with that of the baseline,” explains Lake. The results of the work in demonstrating that the downsized 1.1 litre LBDI® engine could provide comparable performance to that of the 1.6 litre baseline were highly impressive – but the improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions were more impressive still. Over the Downsized 1.1 litre, three-cylinder LBDI® engine in Focus demonstrator matches NEDC drive cycle the LBDI® drive characteristics of standard 1.6 – but with a 20 per cent fuel saving demonstrator returned a fuel consumption improvement of better that even at maximum vehicle speed are not cost-neutral, how will the than 20 per cent below the level of the the temperature drop across the consumer respond? “It’s a long- baseline Focus, with an equivalent turbine and through the exhaust established principle that consumers are reduction in CO2 emissions. system was sufficient to provide a safe willing to pay next to nothing for In order to meet legislative emissions level for LNT protection. improvements in fuel economy alone,” limits the LBDI® engine is fitted with explains Lake, “but fortunately with its both a TWC and an LNT. In order to Real-world benefits and large mid-range torque similar to a achieve a good NOx trapping efficiency commercial viability diesel, LBDI® can also offer punchy within the LNT the trap must operate The practical benefits of LBDI® high-gear acceleration: customers will within the relatively narrow range of combustion demonstrated by the project pay for performance gains like that.” between 250oC and 550oC. are undeniable: an improvement of over “If we examine different candidate The team was able to show that this 20 per cent in fuel consumption and gasoline technologies in terms of their window could be maintained both CO2 emissions, and the ability to meet respective reduction in CO2 related to during NEDC as well as under all other Euro IV (and beyond) emissions, while the increased manufacturing cost of the off-cycle operating conditions. Within providing similar 0-100 km/h and low- engine and its emissions control Europe in particular, high speed driving speed acceleration performance to the technology, we see that LBDI® provides is commonplace and it was important baseline vehicle. by far the best trade-off. Moreover, the for the team to be able to demonstrate But given the fact these improvements system offers CO2 emissions comparable with those of an HSDI 1.1 litre LBDI® gasoline demonstrator closely matches diesel but at a substantially reduced incremental cost.” tractive effort of Focus TDC1 1.8 litre 100 PS Diesel A bright future With such a positive cost-benefit trade- off and its ‘fun to drive’ appeal, Ricardo believes that LBDI® may be as attractive both to consumers as it is to European OEMs in their efforts to

improve fleet average CO2 emissions. But perhaps the greatest challenge of all will be to change the way in which swept volume is used as a direct measure of attractiveness when marketing vehicles. For this downsized LBDI® gasoline engine, less is definitely more.

For further information about Ricardo LBDI® see www.ricardo.com/LBDI

16 LBDI® Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 Hybrid pioneer

Toyota is the world’s leading promoter of hybrid vehicles, promising to build 300,000 a year. As the second-generation Prius hybrid goes on sale in Europe, Tony Lewin speaks to Hiroyuki Watanabe, one of the company’s leading engineers

Senior managing we will pass into the fuel cell age. The It depends on the cost of the director and hybrid can be seen as just a bridge performance of each type. The mild board member between the ages, but a more accurate hybrid can only improve efficiency by ten

Hiroyuki view is that in the end all vehicles will be per cent and reduce CO2 emissions by Watanabe, right, hybrid, meaning that there will be more ten per cent. A strong hybrid, as we call is in charge of different engine types and combinations it, like Prius, can give a 50 per cent Toyota research of engines. increase in efficiency – but 20 per cent of and development the energy efficiency increase of the worldwide What timescale are we looking at? strong hybrid is actually achieved by the We are already in the age of gasoline regenerative braking system. So in hybrids, and I believe that within ten years European countries or cities where we will have diesel engined hybrids and people drive their vehicles at very high What is top of your R&D agenda right fuel cell hybrids. It’s a matter of using two speed or often accelerate rapidly, and now? different power sources in the most where traffic congestion is not such a big It’s the environment, and globalisation – in efficient way. problem, I believe the strong hybrid will the sense of harmonising standards and be a much better solution. technologies. What about the fuel cell hybrid? Another point is that strong hybrid Efficiency in a fuel cell vehicle can be technology will eventually lead to fuel cell Within the environmental areas, which three times higher than in a gasoline or technology. technologies are you pursuing most diesel one. But at certain points in the strongly? load range its efficiency decreases: the What about the high cost of the There are five areas of technology: three area of excellent efficiency is limited, and components in these strong hybrids? of them are related to engines. The first is that’s where we need hybrid operation. We have been in discussion with a major the development of clean diesel engines; European OEM over the past five years the remaining two are hybrid technology Why has Toyota stuck with gasoline about hybrid fuel cell technology: they and the development of fuel cells. Our hybrids and not yet looked at diesel? believe hybrid is too costly and want just fourth task is to make vehicles smaller It’s an issue of chronology. There are two to concentrate on the development of fuel and more compact, and the fifth is the tracks to follow: one is to develop the cells. Our counter-argument is that almost development of information technology to gasoline hybrid to reach our final goal of all of the components of the strong hybrid improve safety and reduce traffic an eco-car; the other one is start with the are the same as for the fuel cell vehicle, congestion. diesel engine. The diesel has a very high so if you cannot reduce the cost of the combustion efficiency but also large components in the hybrid you cannot You serve all the markets in the world. emissions of NOx and particulate matter. mass-produce fuel cell vehicles. Which is the most important Many carmakers from all round the world powertrain technology in your view? have been trying to make the diesel Can you give an idea of the relative We are well advanced in the development exhaust as clean as that of gasoline, and costs? of gasoline hybrid powertrains, which are it’s not easy. The cost of adding hybrid operation to a able to reduce CO2 emissions and gasoline vehicle is roughly the same as produce a much cleaner exhaust. We are How do you see the next ten years in that required to bring a diesel engine now in the gasoline age, and will soon terms of mild and full hybrids and down to the exhaust emission levels of a move into the diesel age, and from then customer acceptance? gasoline vehicle.

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review HIROYUKI WATANABE 17 Shift work

What makes a gearshift satisfying? What makes it disappointing? This key component of driver enjoyment is notoriously difficult to analyse objectively, but the latest Ricardo GearShift Quality Assessment (GSQA) system is rapidly becoming the industry standard to help carmakers achieve gear change feel that precisely matches their desired brand values. Anthony Smith reports

hile gearshift quality is something that few people instrumentation needed to log data stop and think about, its effect is something that we of gearshift handball position and Wall experience in our daily lives as drivers. It’s also forces. something that we may become rather more conscious of The modular design of the when considering a new vehicle purchase and test driving a system allows the GSQA to be range of candidate products. This is reflected in the motoring mounted in vehicles ranging from press where almost any ride and drive report on a new car will compact cars to heavy trucks. In invariably contain references to the responsiveness and ‘feel’ addition to a full range of cables, of its transmission. Indeed, in an environment where common electrical connectors and other powertrain systems are increasingly being offered across a accessories, the hardware wide range of differently badged vehicle products, gearshift installation includes a signal quality is becoming a potentially important branding conditioning analogue to digital characteristic. converter. This acquires data and But to quantify and characterise the attributes that give a Marcus Fear, Ricardo translates it into a form readable by vehicle particularly good or bad shift quality – and to use this a laptop PC. A total of 16 channels information to improve its design – is an extremely difficult are provided on the base level GSQA system: six are used to process. Firstly it is necessary to understand the subjective convey applied gear knob forces and location in three measures that we all instinctively apply in evaluating an dimensions, four channels are used for temperature abstract concept such as shift quality. Secondly, in order to be measurements, and the remainder are used for other able to develop new transmissions that exhibit positive shift analogue measurements such as speeds, forces and torques. quality attributes and avoid negative driver responses, an The software supplied with the GSQA system comprises understanding is needed of the engineering basis of different two packages, each written as MATLAB® applications, shift quality characteristics. respectively for data acquisition and for analysis. The software Until comparatively recently, manual gearshift quality was gives the capability to assess performance of the gearshift in typically evaluated solely on the basis of the observations and terms of a range of pre-determined objective measures, assessments of teams of test drivers. This approach suffered replacing the need for subjective evaluation. The system as from a very high degree of subjectivity due to the many delivered includes a range of data based upon Ricardo different driving styles, tastes and personal interpretation of experience but, inevitably, most manufacturers will wish to each gearshift by each individual driver. Ricardo recognised populate the system with measures which reflect the desired the need for a more objective process and pioneered its brand characteristics of their own vehicles. GearShift Quality Assessment (GSQA) system. According to Marcus Fear, principal engineer (CAE) at Ricardo Driveline & Land Rover: embedded brand values in shift quality Transmission Systems, the guiding objective of GSQA is to Engineering vehicles with consistent transmission brand reduce the requirement for skilled engineering resource in attributes is a major focus of activity for David Tilling and gearshift quality development, while at the same time Hans Berg, attribute specialists at Ford Premier Automotive improving its speed, accuracy, and repeatability. “Essentially Group (PAG) with respective responsibilities for Jaguar and we want to remove the skilled engineer from what was formerly a time consuming process of capturing data and, ‘Total reliability is important – in particular instead, enable him to be able to concentrate on the more for benchmark testing, when we may have value-added processes of transmission system development, only one opportunity to test a given vehicle’ benchmarking and problem resolution.” – Hans Berg, Land Rover Shift lever measurement GSQA comprises a comprehensive package of hardware and Land Rover vehicles. “The constituent product engineering software which aims to enable transmission engineers to teams of PAG have joined forces to ensure that all aspects of measure and analyse shift quality rapidly and in an accurately transmission performance conform to group standards, while repeatable and objective environment. In addition to this it can maintaining the brand DNA of each vehicle marque,” explains be applied in the diagnosis of known operational problems Tilling, “We use the GSQA system principally for two and the validation of engineering solutions. applications: the measurement of competitor vehicles for the In terms of hardware the GSQA system comprises all the purposes of benchmarking and establishing our own

18 GSQA Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 development targets, and in the development of new gearshift systems in the future products of PAG brands.” New features of GSQA version 5 Robustness and ease of use are particularly important 32-channel compatible software (previously only 16) qualities of the GSQA system to PAG. Time is always at a Vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) compatible premium during the product development cycle and the software availability of test vehicles can be extremely limited. As Berg Fully automated shift point picking, removing the need explains, “a major advantage of the GSQA system is that we for skilled data post-processing can install the equipment in a vehicle in the morning and carry Fully integrated clutch hysteresis measurement out measurements, change various components and settings Improved plot and scaling functionality and re-test the vehicle the same day. Total reliability is Improved data import and export routine important – in particular for benchmark testing, when we may have only one opportunity to test a given vehicle.” PAG also cites the comprehensive nature of the analysis But this is far from the last word in GSQA development, or software as a significant advantage of the GSQA system. Like in its growing range of applications. According to Fear, many other OEM users, however, they have embedded their Ricardo is already talking to a number of OEMs from Japan own objective measures within the system. “We have our own as well as elsewhere in Asia about the potential use of GSQA guidelines for shift quality which reflect the characteristics of in engineering versions of their vehicles which are more the individual PAG brands,” explains Tilling, “and it’s important closely in tune with European tastes. In production too, the that these are used in the development process.” company is talking to a number of transmission manufacturers While GSQA is now very much part of the transmission about the potential application of the system in end-of-line engineering process at PAG, the company feels that individual conformance auditing. users of the system have much to learn from each other. A Longer term, many customers are also considering the ‘governance board’ or internal GSQA user group is being application of GSQA in the optimisation of shift quality in new formed, aimed at sharing knowledge of the system, Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) systems. establishing best practice guidelines for its operation, and Here the ability to process vehicle Controller Area Network investigating future applications. (CAN) bus signals and the 32 channel capability available with the Tier 2 suppliers: GSQA validates simulation model new version 5 of GSQA will open But if GSQA can be put to such good effect by OEM users, up many more possibilities for how is it used by its many customers in the components engineering desired shift sector? As one of the leading manufacturers of transmission characteristics both in terms of components and sub-systems such as synchroniser systems, hardware design and changes to the transmission ‘With GSQA we can offer systematic control software. With a problem analysis to our customers’ customer list that reads – Ottmar Back, HOERBIGER like a directory of the world’s automakers it may already be HOERBIGER serves a wide range of OEM and Tier 1 something of an customers. It is highly focused on the need to engineer high industry standard, standards of gearshift quality. According to Ottmar Back, but GSQA clearly manager of research and development at HOERBIGER has potential for Antriebstechnik GmbH, GSQA finds a number of applications growth. within the company: “With GSQA we can offer systematic problem analysis to our customers. Design modifications can concentrate upon the identified root cause and if we have used simulation in our analysis, GSQA can be used to validate the model.” HOERBIGER has also used GSQA in many new product programmes, including the development of new six-speed manual transmissions, for improved shift quality. As with OEM users, reliability, ease of use, repeatability and accuracy are all important. “GSQA is in our experience easy to install into a vehicle and is easy to use,” explains Back. “The comparison of two systems with two drivers in the same car showed good correspondence.” Back at Ricardo, Marcus Fear is confident that the market for GSQA will continue to expand. “We have just launched version 5 which has some particularly useful new features. For the first time we can process vehicle CAN bus data which enables a range of control signals and operational details to be recorded in parallel with gearshift data, opening up a wide range of potential new applications. In terms of ease of use, the new automated shift point picking capability will also remove the need for skilled data processing.”

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review GSQA 19 Downhill to victory

ow in its fourth year as Npart of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood Gravity Racing Club’s Dunhill Challenge draws teams – predominantly of graduate engineers – from many of the UK’s leading automotive organisations. From a standing start the vehicles race in pairs, gradually accelerating down Goodwood’s 1.13 km normally uphill course, ultimately reaching race speeds over 100 km/h. The Ricardo graduates who decided to take up the challenge for the 2003 race, developing and racing the completely new RS/02 vehicle, realised they had a major engineering task on Winning Ricardo RS/02 at its their hands. Competition had peak speed (101.8km/h) on become increasingly fierce Goodwood’s main straight, over the previous two years, above. On bends, right, the with many teams applying vehicle’s stability proved a significant technical resource crucial advantage to the challenge. “When this year’s competition was formally announced in October 2002 we realised that it would take a considerable engineering commitment to be driver, aiming to achieve an been fast but it lacked project,” explains fellow team competitive, let alone to win optimal fore/aft weight directional stability on member John Cusack. “By the 2003 race,” explains Mark distribution. “We had learned cornering. This restricted the using VECTIS we were in Fowler, a graduate engineer some fairly important lessons speed at which it could travel effect able to place the RS/02 at Ricardo Vehicle from the experience of the around bends without risk of design in a virtual wind tunnel Engineering. 2002 Ricardo graduate team spinning off. Our most and, through a process of The team started by with their RS-01 vehicle,” immediate challenge iterations, we produced an designing RS/02 around the concedes Fowler. “RS-01 had therefore was to engineer optimised shape which RS/02 for improved stability offered the best compromise so that it could tackle bends of stability and low friction. In without braking while still particular, we were able to remaining stable.” The team evaluate the effect of the full- achieved this by placing the height side pods that are a driver as far forward as characteristic feature of this possible while incorporating year’s car.” an adjustable rear roll The chassis was modelled stiffening beam into the extensively using the ADAMS design of the chassis. simulation package to In the form of a 3D CAD optimise its dynamic model the external shape performance. The final design was optimised using the incorporated fully adjustable Ricardo VECTIS CFD roll stiffness and wheel software package. “I had alignment geometry, allowing previously used VECTIS as the vehicle to be tuned to the RS/02 aerodynamic package was carefully honed in the part of my day-to-day work particular requirements of the virtual wind tunnel provided by the VECTIS software. Full- and so was able to apply this driver and the track height side-pods emerged as a key feature technology directly to the conditions prevailing at the

20 RICARDO NEWS Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003 event. For the wheels, the team wanted to achieve high lateral stiffness for cornering Ricardo Inc president chairs but at the same time have extremely low inertia in order to maximise acceleration from Global Powertrain Congress the start line. “We came up with the idea of using tough, low mass et to open at Ann Arbor, mountain bike hubs coupled SMichigan, as we go to to the lightest weight rims we press, the Global Powertrain could find,” explains Fowler. Congress (GPC) is expected This was absolutely critical to to attract a high-profile us in achieving a quick start audience of automotive and stable cornering.” Braking engineering professionals from was provided via disc brakes across the US auto industry, on each wheel, automatically as well as many overseas balanced across axles and delegates. with fully independent front The opening session is and rear operability for entitled Powertrain Drivers and maximum driver control. sets the scene for the However, to be truly conference by considering an successful in downhill racing external view of the forces Diesel ACTION strategy described by Ricardo in the requires a vehicle engineered driving powertrain Advanced Engine Design and Performance session in such a way that the brakes development. Moderated by are rarely – if ever – used. Ricardo Inc president Jeremy fuels to hydrogen. In their as the need to achieve the Nik Tyson, driver of the Holt, the session will provide a paper they build upon the very stringent requirements of RS/02, takes up the story: “In range of perspectives on the results of previous Ricardo the US Tier 2 fleet average downhill racing it’s important environment, legislation, and research examining the emissions limits to be phased to get a good start. We race consumer and business needs, possible routes to the transition in over the next five years. At in pairs against the closest outlining the various technical from carbon to hydrogen-based the same time, in order to matched rival from the options under consideration automotive propulsion in the maintain an attractive position previous run. As such, if you aimed at providing solutions to European market. in the market the diesel engine can accelerate quickly you these drivers. An outline analysis is must maintain its CO2 have a chance of taking the Papers are due to be presented of some of the advantage over gasoline and optimal racing line ahead of presented from a wide range of economic factors governing continue to increase power your competitor.” sources including engineering early uptake of hybrids. Owen density in order to meet “RS/02 was paired against research organisations, US and Wiseman conclude that consumer demands for high Lotus but its low inertia government agencies and progressive hybridisation offers performance diesel vehicles. wheels gave a distinct academia. In his paper an excellent route toward a The paper outlines a advantage in this respect and Selecting Powertrain hydrogen/fuel cell future or a Ricardo approach known as we quickly moved ahead of Technologies for Future Light variety of other alternative Advanced Combustion them,” said Tyson. Duty Vehicles, Peter Brown of futures including those Technology for Improved Having won the 2003 Ricardo will outline in detail the featuring the internal engine Out NOx (ACTION), Goodwood competition the processes used by Ricardo in combustion engine or aimed at developing diesel Ricardo graduate team is now developing its technology road breakthrough electric vehicles. engines to meet these criteria. looking forward to the maps to forecast the future The additional cost of this new Based on the philosophy that challenge of 2004. New take-up of new automotive technology remains a emissions are best reduced at members may join the team technologies. significant factor, but will be source, ACTION is being with this year’s graduate The process described reduced as initial investments developed to apply to intake and some will no doubt provides for a systematic and are recovered and rising conventional diesels with leave, but one thing is for objective evaluation of manufacturing volumes enable minimum change cost, using a sure – the 2004 event will see alternative technologies while the economies of scale to be combination of advanced high a substantially new Ricardo taking into account the realised. pressure fuel injection vehicle. “We expect that perspectives of consumer In the Advanced Engine equipment and enhanced air- RS/03 will be a 90 per cent demand and regulatory Design and Performance handling systems. new car,” predicts Fowler, requirements, as well as the session a paper by Ricardo’s In addition, Marco Fracchia, “and we already have a range competitive positioning of the Adrian Greaney, Steve Whelan Peter Harman and David Kelly of new ideas that we would manufacturer. and Brian Cooper addresses will be presenting a paper like to try out.” In the Advanced Propulsion the highly topical issue of outlining their work on In a challenge that says as Systems session of the GPC, meeting the challenge of light transmission development much about engineering a paper by Nick Owen and duty diesel emissions in the using Ricardo’s GSQA innovation as competition, it Marc Wiseman presents the US market. (GearShift Quality seems that at Ricardo the will Ricardo view of the role of The most significant Assessment) programme. to win remains as intense as hybrids in the possible future challenge facing the adoption GSQA is reviewed in detail on ever. transition from carbon-based of diesel engines is identified page 18 of this issue of RQ.

Autumn 2003 Ricardo Quarterly Review RICARDO NEWS 2 1 Ricardo Software hosts European conference

icardo Software is to hold its first European Users’ RConference on November 5th 2003 at the PROTOtechnik- IFT-Ricardo site in Schwäbisch Gmünd (approximately 40km from Stuttgart). There will be no charge for the event. Intended both for existing and potential users, the technical focus of the conference will cover all of Ricardo Software’s products, as well as providing an opportunity to discuss recent and planned developments with Ricardo Software's development and support teams. An informal reception will be held on the evening of November 4th for all delegates. For further details and to request registration please e-mail: [email protected].

Chinese distributor appointed Users of Ricardo Software products in China will benefit from improved training and support provision following the appointment of Beijing Jiu Zhou HiRain Technology Company Limited (HiRain) as distributor of the company's suite of analysis products in that country. Commenting on the move, Ricardo Software president, Dr Richard Johns, said: "the appointment of HiRain as Ricardo Software distributor in China will be of considerable benefit to our Chinese customers, enabling them to benefit from local language and time-zone communications." Ricardo Software sales enquiries in China should now be directed to HiRain at Tel: +86-10-82011456, Fax: +86-10- 62073600 or e-mail: [email protected]. Full contact address Ricardo VECTIS analysis of combustion (top) and spray structure information is available at www.ricardo.com/contacts. (above) in a DI diesel engine Seminar to focus on automotive particulates

icardo will host a technical seminar entitled final technical session will address engine, vehicle and other RParticulates and particles from automotive sources at effects on fine particles. The results of published research the company’s Shoreham, UK, facility on October 23, 2003. work and Ricardo experience will be described in terms of Of potential interest to engineers, research scientists and the implications for particulate emissions of various engine managers from the OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, oil and additive types, fuels, lubricant additives aftertreatment technologies, companies, industry groups and government agencies, the and fuel injection systems. seminar will explore the emerging issues surrounding A panel discussion will be held at the conclusion of the particulate emissions from all types of vehicle technology. seminar. Informed largely by the presentations and Q&A of Four technical sessions will be presented. The first will the preceding technical sessions, the panel discussion will cover current concerns and market drivers, including the aim to identify the gaps in the current knowledge of current legislative frameworks applied to particulate particulates, the most promising abatement technologies emissions, an overview of engine and aftertreatment on the horizon, and the prospects for future legislation. technology trends, and a review of health concerns related Overall it is hoped to discuss the future needs and to automotive particulate emissions. The second session will direction of investment by the automotive industry in focus on the methods used to obtain high quality test data. particulate emissions research and development of This will include a review of current methodology for abatement technologies. sampling and particle sizing, and the implications of The participant registration fee for the seminar is £500 measuring very low particulate mass levels. The (exclusive of VAT and accommodation). To reserve a recommendations of US EPA 2007 will also be discussed. delegate place or to receive further information about the Session three will concentrate on the detail of particulate seminar, please contact the event organiser, Michelle chemistry and the instrumentation and metrics used in Mairs (Tel +44 1273 794374 or e-mail particle sizing for both diesel and gasoline engines. The [email protected]).

22 RICARDO NEWS Ricardo Quarterly Review Autumn 2003

Following the acquisition of the PROTOtechnik-IFT group, Ricardo now has a team of over 300 in Germany Delivering full powertrain and vehicle integration programmes from a local base near Stuttgart. The combined technical and programme delivery expertise of Ricardo and PROTOtechnik-IFT sets a new standard in Germany.

Nach der Übernahme von der PROTOtechnik-IFT-Gruppe hat nun Ricardo in Deutschland ein Team von über 300 Mitarbeitern, das von einem lokalen Standort bei Stuttgart ein komplettes Programm an Antriebsstrang und Fahrzeugeinbauten liefert. Durch die Kombination aus Knowhow im Bereich Technologie und Lieferprogramm von Ricardo und PROTOtechnik-IFT werden neue Maßstäbe in Deutschland gesetzt. www.ricardo.com