Each year, cars and trucks are given various “best of” awards. This year, the Chevrolet Volt Concept received the 2007 North American Specialty Concept Vehicle of the Year and the Most Significant Concept Vehicle of the Year at an awards ceremony at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan. And the award for 2007 North American Concept Car of the Year went to the Holden EFIJY.

The North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards recognizes those vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry. They are organized by the South East Automotive Media Organization (SEAMO). A jury consisting of professional automotive journalists selected the winners from 33 concept vehicles and 11 production preview vehicles that made a debut during the 2007 auto show season. 

The Chevy Volt is GM’s new electric-vehicle concept. It is a battery-powered vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range. A fuel-cell variant of the Volt debuted at the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show in April. The EFIJY is “Holden’s wild hot-rod concept,” which debuted in January.  It is a custom coupe boasting V8 supercar power, Corvette underbody and state-of-the-art automotive technology. The EFIJY is a reinterpretation of the classic design cues of the '53 FJ Holden.  Richard Ferlazzo, GM Holden chief designer and EFIJY project leader, says that the car exists purely for automotive entertainment.

Other nominees from GM included the Chevy Beat, Chevy Groove, Chevy T2X, Chevy Trax, Chevy WTCC, Saturn Vue Plug-In Hybrid and Chevy Camaro Convertible.

Source: General Motors

Pricing for the 2008 Nissan Versa, Toyota Highlander and Audi RS4 Cabriolet have been announced.

*Sales for the early-model Audi RS4 Convertible are unavailable

Nissan’s entry-level Versa receives little change for the update and comes in sedan and hatchback versions. The addition of a sport package on the sedan model offers performance styling, but no additional performance parts. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the six-speed manual transmission is set at $12,550, a bump of roughly a hundred dollars over the last release. Nissan’s traditional four-speed automatic and advanced Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) are also offered, but raise the price to $13, 450 and $14, 650, respectively. The 122-hp 1.8 DOHC four-cylinder engine remains unchanged and provides an EPA estimated 27-mpg (city)/33-mpg (highway) rating when equipped with the CVT option; the most fuel efficient of the group.

The Highlander has been drastically changed for 2008. Toyota’s midsize SUV is now substantially larger, more spacious and more powerful despite retaining the same fuel efficiency. Three levels of options are available, but the Base, Sport, and Limited iterations all feature the same 3.5L V6 engine capable of 270 hp—an additional 55 horsepower over the previous model. Hybrid versions will match the output while lowering emissions. Safety features consist of seven airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic brake-force reduction, brake assist and enhanced vehicle stability control with electronic power steering. Pricing for the Base model will host an MSRP of $27,300, an additional $510 from last year. Top-of-the-line Limited versions start at $32,700, a substantial $1,890 bump in price. Hybrid prices will be announced closer to their launch in September.

Audi’s heralded RS4 Cabriolet will be coming to North America in limited quantities. Only 300 examples of the sports sedan are expected to make the trip and will carry a hefty price tag—$81,900. This includes neither the $775 destination charge nor the gas guzzler tax to be determined later. Enthusiasts are already lining up on waiting lists to catch their chance at this 420-hp drop-top. Due to the limited production size, there will be virtually no options. Standard equipment include a navigation system prepared for Bluetooth accessories, a Sirius satellite radio, a Bose sound system, heated front and rear seats, bi-xenon adaptive headlamps, rear parking system, an iPod interface and a whole host of other amenities. The cabriolet version will share the same 4.2L FSI V8 engine used in the RS4 sedan and will only be offered with the six-speed manual transmission and Quattro all-wheel-drive.

Sources:  (June 25, 2007). “Audi Announces 2008 RS 4 Cabriolet Pricing and Equipment.” PRNewswire.  Retrieved June 25, 2007 from www.prnewswire.com. (June 20, 2007). “Toyota Announces Prices for All-New 2008 Highlander.” PRNewswire. Retrieved June 25, 2007, from www.prnewswire.com. (June 25, 2007). “Nissan Announces Pricing on 2008 Versa.” PRNewswire. Retrieved June 25, 2007, from www.prnewswire.com.

According to a story published by ForbesAuto.com, there are 10 styling trends that are dominating the future of vehicle design. It doesn’t take much thought to realize that many of these styling trends are the result of innovations spawned in the performance parts and accessories industry.

1. Higher Beltlines

The vehicle beltline is a critical part of the look of a car—loosely defined, the beltline of a vehicle splits the windows from the lower body. Beltlines have been creeping higher and windows becoming shorter lately. Some have attributed this trend to the vertical styling of the Cadillac. Just look at the Chrysler 300 to see what we mean. For some time we have seen ground effects kits that visually elevated the beltline of production vehicles.

  
Chrysler 300

2. Larger Grilles

Since the early ’90s, vehicle grilles have been getting bigger. Some automakers are using the grille to make a brand statement, while others are accommodating the larger engines that demand more air. The performance parts and accessories industry has been designing custom grilles for cars and trucks for decades. In many cases the custom grilles may not have been larger than the production items they replaced, but they gave the appearance of being bigger.

 
Lincoln MKR
 
3. Aggressive 'Faces'

Designers often call the front of a vehicle the "face." When we think back to the musclecar days of the ’60s and early ’70s, we remember car faces that were really aggressive. For example, who can forget the look of the ’69 Super Bee or the ’73 Firebird. Then, as styling went more “aerodynamic,” in many cases it also became rather blah. Now we are seeing designers go back to much less bland approaches to their styling.

Hyundai Hellion
 
4. Hardtop Convertibles

Once available only in luxury class vehicles, full convertible hardtops that cleverly fold away are now reaching the mass market. Now, Volkswagen and other automakers with more humble roots are offering the option.

Volkswagen Eos
 
5. Elaborate Sunroofs

Automakers are coming up with all sorts of new tricks for opening up the roof to the sky, seeking more light and a sense of openness, especially for backseat passengers. Cadillac's panoramic Ultra-View sunroof, available on the SRX, is one example. It will be available on the all-new 2008 CTS this fall. "With panoramic roofs, you get a feeling of more comfort and room," says Ford designer Pat Schiavone.

Chevy Volt
 
6. Headlights and Taillights as Jewelry

Designers call headlight and taillight assemblies the "jewelry" of the vehicle, and they work to utilize new technology to create new eye-catching designs. For too many years the headlight was just a sealed beam formed into a small number of shapes, and taillights were thought of strictly as functional. The performance parts and accessories industry has been inclined to play with the headlight and taillight assemblies of vehicles. In the early days, it was a matter of moving them from one make/model of vehicle to another. More recently, the industry began creating new effects, such as the “euro-style" taillight assemblies.

Mazda Nguya
 
7. Larger Wheels

There is no doubt that the performance parts and accessories industry is the birthplace of custom wheels. Every year the SEMA Show features an array of wheels larger than the ones that were on display the year before. Car companies have realized that larger wheels help to sell cars and light trucks, so they have jumped on the band wagon.

Acura Sports Car
 
8. New Paints

Since the earliest days of the auto industry, car companies have always been conservative when it came to applying colors to its vehicles. It was left to the customizers to come up with exotic colors and vehicle painting schemes. Now technology is allowing automakers to get into the game. DuPont claims to have perfected matte paints that are consistent. You will also notice the “metalflake” painted vehicles coming off the assembly lines.

Nissan Bevel

9. Interior Lighting

Automakers have figured out that the interior is just as important as the rest of the vehicle. After all, consumers spend a great deal of time in their cars and trucks today. The restyling industry has been adding accent lights to the interiors of vehicles for years, and now it is being done by the automakers themselves.

 
Ford Airstream

10. Expressively Small

With the success of MINI and Scion, other manufacturers are moving to offer smaller, less-expensive cars.  They have learned lessons from and are applying cues they have seen in the compact-performance market over the past 10 years.

Toyota FT-HS

Source: ForbesAutos.com, SEMA Research & Information Center 

According to WardsAuto, American Honda Motor Co. Inc. wants to “boost sales of its Accord midsize sedan to a level not seen since 2001.” In recent year’s, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.’s Camry has surpassed the Accord in sales, and Honda wants to take back some of the market share.

John Mendel, senior vice president for American Honda, says that the volume expectations are to hit 400,000-plus units with the 2008 Accord, which will go on sale in the United States this fall. Last year, Honda delivered 354,441 Accords in the United States—a combination of 323,079 domestically built models with 31,362 imported models. The current generation of the Camry, which was launched in 2006, sold 448,445 units in 2006, making it the best-selling car in the United States. Back in 1997, only 12,547 units separated the Camry and Accord in spots one and two, respectively. In 2001, the Accord did beat the Camry in sales, 414,718 units vs. 390,449 units. And Honda’s assurances in 2003 that the 2003 Accord would again hit the 400,000 mark never came to fruition.

Global Insight analyst Rebecca Lindland said that the company expects the Accord to reach about 425,000 units in 2007, but that the Camry will hit the 500,000 mark with the addition of 100,000 units of production capacity at Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. Many Honda officials have attributed the high sales figures for the Camry to higher incentives and an increase in fleet deliveries. According to Fleet-Central.com, 11.4% of 2005 Camry sales went to fleets, vs. 2% of Accord deliveries.

And although Mendel downplays the somewhat rivalry between the Camry and the Accord, the fact is Honda wants to boost sales of the Accord, period. Furthermore, Honda would like to increase the percentage of coupes sold. At its peak, the Accord coupe accounted for about 70,000–80,000 units each year, but recently sales of the coupe have hit about 35,000–40,000 units annually.

Source: Schweinsberg, Christie. (June 27, 2007). “Honda Wants to Get Accord Back to 400,000.”  WardsAuto.com. Retrieved June 27, 2007, from www.wardsauto.com.

According to The Car Connection, Volkswagen has confirmed that the new Jetta sedan will be the first of the company’s vehicles to get the new clean diesel engine in 2008. Production for the clean-diesel Jetta TDI is expected to begin in January of 2008 and will go on sale in late spring. The new diesel will be 50-state complaint and will be badged as a TDI.

The engine will be a common-rail 2.0L diesel four-cylinder, with 140 hp and 235 lb.-ft. of torque. The use of an oxygen after-treatment system and particulate filter will make the engine 50-state compliant.  Although no actual numbers have been released, VW says that the fuel economy and noise-vibration-harshness (NVH) will be significantly improved over the former 1.9L diesel engine. Pricing has not yet been announced, but the diesel is expected to be pricier than the gasoline-powered Jetta. Diesel-powered Jetta sedans and SportWagens should hit California and New England first when they arrive in showrooms next year.

Source: Hemmes, Henry. (June 26, 2007). “Jetta Gets Clean Diesel TDI in ’08.” The Car Connection. Retrieved June 27, 2007, from www.thecarconnection.com. 

BMW has denied any concrete plan to build an M version of the entry-level 1 Series. But according to AutoWeek, the versions of the 1 Series that will be available resurrect the spirit of the original M3. The 1 Series is expected to debut at September’s Frankfurt motor show.

Sales for the 1 Series should begin in October of this year. There will be two versions—a 128i and 135i.  The 128i will be powered by a 3.0L inline six, producing 230 hp and 200 lb.-ft. of torque. The 135i, which may suppress any need for an M version, will be fitted with BMW’s twin turbocharged 3.0L inline six and will boast 300 hp at 5,800 rpm. In other words, it will have over 100 hp per liter, which is a long-standing M tradition. The 135i will also have a standard six-speed manual gearbox and 3.08:1 final drive.  As BMW die-hard enthusiasts will tell you, it will be the driving experience which will ultimately determine if the 135i will assume the celebrated role as the spiritual successor to the first-generation M3.

BMW says the 1 Series will have a 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, and that the coupe adheres closely to the 1 Series hatchback with heavy convex and concave surfacing along with unusual shut-line architecture and sharp detailing. The coupe and hatchback will have the same wheelbase of 104 inches, but the coupe’s longer rear overhang will extend the length of the vehicle five inches.

According to BMW, the 135i will reach 62 mph from a standstill in 5.3 seconds, and will have a top-end speed of 155 mph. The 50–75 mph split is 5.0 seconds in fourth gear. The 1 Series will share the same rear-wheel-drive platform and aluminum intensive suspension. The 135i will feature a MacPherson front strut and five-link rear arrangement in combination with speed-sensitive electro-hydraulic steering. Wheels will be standard 18-inch, with 215/40, 7.5-inch wide front tires and 245/35 8.5-inch wide rear tires. No pricing for this vehicle has yet been released.

Source: Kable, Greg. (June 28, 2007). “2008 BMW 1 Series Coupe: Hot, New 300-hp 135i Resurrects Spirit of Original M3.” AutoWeek. Retrieved June 28, 2007, from www.autoweek.com.

An unlikely new player has entered the biofuel arena. Tyson Foods, the world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork, and Syntroleum Companies recently announced the formation of Dynamic Fuels LLC to build the first commercial synthetic fuels plant in the United States. The plant will target the renewable diesel, jet and military fuel markets. And although Tyson might seem like an unlikely candidate, the company formed a renewable energy group in 2006 to explore ways to commercialize its supply of fat into biofuels as well as ways to generate energy from poultry litter and other byproducts.

Syntroleum has extensive synthetic fuels experience and has announced the next generation of synthetic biofuels made possible by the company’s proprietary Biofining process. Over 400,000 gallons of Syntroleum synthetic diesel and jet fuel have been successfully tested and “has opened the door for Syntroleum to utilize its Synfining product upgrading technology in a new way. The Biofining process makes use of renewable feedstocks, such as vegetable oils, fats and greases. Dynamic Fuels represents Syntroleum’s first commercial application of the Biofining process. In simplistic terms, the fuel will be created from Tyson’s fats and oils feedstocks and Syntroleum’s Biofining process.

According to Tyson, the first plant will be designed to produce 75,000,000 gallons per year of ultra-clean and high-performing renewable synthetic fuels beginning in 2010. And some additional plants are already in the planning stages. In the long run, Syntoleum plans to employ its proven Fischer-Tropsch capabilities to produce ultra-clean renewable synthetic fuels from the nation’s vast supply of biomass.

Source:  (June 25, 2007). “Tyson Foods and Syntroleum Launch Renewable Fuels Venture.” Syntroleum. Retrieved June 25, 2007, from www.syntroleum.com.

Electronics and software represent more than 20% of the cost of today’s vehicles. Analysts project growth to 35% or even 40% by 2010. So according to WardsAuto, so-called embedded computing is growing as well.

Personal computers use a high-performance 64-bit microprocessor (MPU) as the central processing unit.  But embedded computing in vehicles consists of distributed elements for every system, and the computing power comes from microcontrollers (MCUs), digital signal processors (DSPs) and digital signal controllers (DSCs). Control systems such as powertrain, body electronics and safety typically have used 8-bit MCUs. However, some of today’s newer systems, such as hybrid-electric vehicle powertrains and advanced entertainment systems require the use of 32-bit MCUs.

In spite of the growing need for 32-bit MCUs, 8-bit units are the largest and still-growing portion of embedded automotive computers, according to the WardsAuto article. The more powerful 16-bit components are satisfying system requirements between the emerging low-cost 8-bit and high-performance 32-bit units. This is information that might prove useful for anyone manufacturing aftermarket components that require the use of microcomputers. 

DSCs, primarily used for motor controls, are yet another category of embedded computing. They are often used for electronic power steering, “where the brushless DC motor’s position is calculated based on feedback from steering-wheel position, torque and speed sensors.” Some of the latest embedded computers found in vehicles use 64-bit capability in order to address the stringent requirements of several new systems.

A new technology, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), allow system designers to configure programmable logic blocks. Some of these FPGAs have an embedded MCU core and/or DSP functionality.

The following table indicates the different types of computing units, their capabilities and their various applications. As vehicle systems become more and more complex, this type of information will be very useful.

Source:  Frank, Randy. (May 23, 2007). “Vehicle Electronics Growing by Bits and Bytes.” WardsAuto.  Retrieved June 25, 2007, from www.wardsauto.com.

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