Vehicles: Page 184

Interiors A Battlefield

The redesigned Dodge Ram pickup, due out next year, will be the first vehicle to benefit from Chrysler Group's new strategy to increase interior-design lead times.

July 1, 2007

Motorola Integrated

The president of Continental Auto-motive Systems tells Ward's he hopes very soon to consolidate the newly acquired metro Detroit offices of Motorola Inc. with Continental's North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. German-based Continental announced the $1 billion purchase of Motorola's automotive electronics business in April 2006 and has spent the past year integrating Motorola's products

By Tom Murphy • July 1, 2007

EU Gives Diesel SUVs More Time to Meet Euro5

Auto makers now will have until January 2012 to ensure diesel passenger vehicles with a weight exceeding 4,409 lbs. and designed to carry seven or more occupants meet the regulations.

By Keith Nuthall • June 7, 2007

Ford’s Dedicated Interior Ergonomics Appeal to All Demographics

Ford is deriving dual benefits from its ongoing efforts to design interiors to better suit aging and pregnant customers.

By Bill Visnic • June 6, 2007

Ward’s Names Interior Winners for 2007

Winners include Honda’s Fit and CR-V, along with GM’s Chevy Silverado, Cadillac SRX and Saturn Aura, and Ford’s Lincoln Navigator and Volvo S80.

By Christie Schweinsberg • June 6, 2007

Vehicle Headliners Continuing to Evolve

The Audi A6 was the first vehicle to feature flat knits, which were highly formable and functional, allowing designers greater latitude.

By Byron Pope • June 6, 2007

Moving Toward Hydrogen One Step at a Time

It would take only 12,000 refueling points to make hydrogen available every two miles in America’s 100 biggest cities, a GM executive says.

By David E. Zoia • June 6, 2007

Autobytel’s MyRide.com Focuses on All of Car Ownership

Autobytel Inc. is launching a break-through integrated automotive-only search engine in June that company executives hope will reinvent the way cars are sold online.

By Cliff Banks • June 1, 2007

Phoenix Engine Plant Next Step in Manufacturing for Chrysler

The highly flexible Phoenix facility will start by producing just one version of the new modular engine.

By David E. Zoia • May 24, 2007

Dassault Seeks to Align Design, Purchasing

Enovia Collaborative Enterprise System allows a company’s engineers to readily access a list of pre-approved suppliers, simplifying procurement.

By Tom Murphy • May 22, 2007

Ford Plans Own Diesel Engines, Navistar Says

The supplier says Ford “has turned desperate” due to its current weakened state. The auto maker lost a staggering $12.7 billion last year.

By Byron Pope • May 4, 2007

Subaru Develops More Powerful, Efficient Boxer Engine

Subaru combined VVT technology with a new engine cooling system in order to allow the ’08 Tribeca CUV to run on regular-grade gasoline without knocking.

By Byron Pope • May 1, 2007

Behr Beginning No-Idle AC Production

Long-haul truckers can count on more restful sleep while meeting reduced diesel emissions thanks to a new product expected to make significant inroads in the coming years from Behr America Inc.

By Tom Murphy • May 1, 2007

Natural Engineering

Growing pressure to reduce global carbon-dioxide emissions is good news for hemp farms in France and rock quarries in central Europe.

By William Diem • May 1, 2007

Mix-up Leads to Customer’s Arrest on Auto Theft Charges

An Oakland, CA, dealership's apparent mistake led to a customer being arrested on auto theft charges.

May 1, 2007

Grammer’s U.S. Gameplan

Grammer Automotive AG, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of head restraints and other interior components, is attracting interest from U.S. auto makers with an emphasis on safety as well as interior quality, its top North American executive says.

By Byron Pope • May 1, 2007

Finally, a New Way to Prime-Coat Vehicles

Every household painter knows prepping and priming is one of the toughest parts of the job. Painting vehicles isn't much different.

By Drew Winter • May 1, 2007

Subaru’s Boxer Diesel

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. uses the recent Geneva auto show to unwrap its highly anticipated Subaru flat-4 diesel engine, marking the first time the auto maker has had a compression-ignition powerplant in its stable.

By David Scott • May 1, 2007

FEV Shows Variable Compression Ratio Gas Mill

As a means to exemplify the gasoline engine's relevance in the face of advancements in alternative powertrains, FEV Engine Technology Inc. continues to develop a variable compression ratio (VCR) system for use with turbocharging and direct gasoline injection.

By Mike Sutton • May 1, 2007

New xB, xD Improve Scion Breed

Both Scion models are better than their predecessors, thanks in part to their larger engines. But prices are up and fuel economy suffers.

By Christie Schweinsberg • May 1, 2007

Is There an Engineer in the House?

The U.S. not only needs better math and science education in public schools, it needs it in Congress and the White House.

By Drew Winter • May 1, 2007

VW Launches New TSI Engine, 7-Speed DSG

The entry-level direct-gasoline injection TSI 4-cyl. relies solely on turbocharging and is mated to an all-new 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

By Mike Sutton • April 30, 2007

Mitsubishi Rolls Dice With EVs

With limited advanced-powertrain development resources, Mitsubishi plans to distinguish itself by leading in electric-vehicle development

By Roger Schreffler • April 30, 2007

FEV Advances With Variable Compression Ratio Gas Engine

The variable compression ratio engine uses flex-fuel operation, along with turbocharging and direct injection, to counter the fuel economy drawbacks of E85.

By Mike Sutton • April 25, 2007

Honda Plans for Clean Diesels, Affordable FCVs

Honda’s near- and long-term powertrain strategies rely on clean-diesel and fuel-cell vehicles.

By Roger Schreffler • April 25, 2007