Drivetrain tech

Pinnacle engine: Two pistons, one explosion

Over the roar from a 110-cc, two-cylinder engine, Pinnacle Engines founder James Cleeves (nicknamed Monty), pointed out a window in the block.

"You can see the cylinder sleeve moving for the intake stroke," he yelled over the din. Mostly what I could see was oil bubbling in the tiny window, hidden behind the spinning bands driving the camshafts. On the other side of the block was a bigger belt, joining the engine's two crankshafts and spinning at 4,000rpm, the current test speed. The safety glasses I was issued on entering the test room would be little … Read more

Honda announces new, more efficient engines, hybrid system

In classic Japanese style, Honda calls its new drivetrain effort Earth Dreams Technology.

Once upon a time, Honda engineers came up with VTEC, a valve control system that made its engines the most advanced in the industry. But that was years ago, and other companies, notably BMW, have pushed the envelope with new valve control, direct-injection, and turbocharging technologies. With each model update it releases, I've been waiting for a similar advance from Honda.

The wait appears to be, mostly, over, as Honda announced a new set of engines, transmissions, hybrid system, and electric drive at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. Giving these new drive components the overall moniker of Earth Dreams Technology emphasizes the goal of greater efficiency and Honda's effort to reduce its vehicle's CO2 emissions 30 percent by 2020.… Read more

ABCs of Car Tech: Back to basics

The vehicle above is an FWD PHEV with a DOHC ICE rated at 98BHP and 87MPGe. Some of you know exactly what all of that means, but many will need a translation.

Welcome to the first installment of a new feature that I like to call the ABCs of Car Tech. Here I will be explaining the whats, whys, and hows of car technology. This week, I'm starting by defining some basic and common abbreviations used when talking about cars.… Read more

Mazda Takeri concept previews the next Mazda6

Mazda takes a stab at wrapping its new "Kodo: Soul of Motion" design language around the lithe proportions of a sporty sedan in December, when it will debut its Takeri concept at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

The inverted, pentagonal grille and angry eyes of the Kodo style, which debuted first on the Shinari concept and will hit the road on the CX-5 small crossover, seem particularly suited for the Takeri sedan. From the looks of the photos, this could eventually manifest as the next incarnation of the Mazda6 midsize sedan. The Takeri isn't just a pretty … Read more

Mazda tweet hints the rotary engine is not dead

After it killed off the RX-8, we thought that Mazda had called off its love affair with the Wankel rotary engine. If the Mazda_PR twitter account is to be believed, perhaps the rumors of the rotary's death have been exaggerated.

The tweet comes out of the other side of Google Translate's tubes as:

To support a lot of RX-8 rotary engine, the message, thank you very much! We are excited together. Mazda "SKYACTIV" said aims to achieve technological breakthroughs, new models are being developed intensively with the next generation of rotary engines. Continued support thank you! … Read more

Nissan video series details the Juke-R's construction

When we last spoke of the Nissan Juke-R concept, I'd mentioned that Nissan was planning wholesale importing of the Nissan GT-R's power train into the smaller, lighter Juke chassis. However, Nissan wants you to know that this is no simple shadetree engine swap that you can pull off in your garage, so the company's produced a YouTube video series detailing the process.

It all starts with a Nissan Juke that gets its entire floorpan cut out and rebuilt to accommodate the more complex ATTESA E-PRO drivetrain and its dashboard restructured to make room for the GT-R's … Read more

11 technologies that increase fuel economy

Short of employing a full hybrid system, automakers are finding many ways to improve fuel economy in current, gas-engine cars. Engineers are looking at every part of the drive cycle to determine where savings can be made.

Some of the technologies being employed are old, such as turbochargers and continuously variable transmissions, but they are being refined to take advantage of new materials and computing power.

There have also been some newer innovations that cut fuel use, such as the use of idle stop and dual-clutch transmissions.

A number of factors are helping push these developments. Consumers are trying to cope with increasing gas prices, and governments are pushing for reduced carbon dioxide emissions, which relate directly to fuel economy.

Check out these 11 technologies that reduce fuel consumption. … Read more

Four-cylinder will power Mercedes' U.S. car lines

FRANKFURT--Mercedes-Benz has developed a four-cylinder engine family that will power the upcoming A-, B- and C-class lineups in the United States.

Ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 liters, the turbocharged gasoline direct-injection engine could offer torque ranging from 185 to 260 pounds-feet, depending on displacement, said Bernard Heil, Daimler AG vice president of power train development.

With help from two fully variable camshaft phases, those torque figures could come on at as low as 1,250 rpm and run at full load up to 5,000 rpm without problems with cooling--impressive for a small-displacement gasoline engine, Heil said in … Read more

BMW M5 generates fake engine noise using stereo

For a driving enthusiast, there's nothing like the throaty roar of a well-tuned engine. However, as vehicle noise regulations, technological advances, and general increases in build quality have continued to make vehicles ever quieter both outside and inside, some automakers have been seeking ways to preserve and enhance the visceral sound of an angry engine for their performance-oriented models. For example, Ford includes a sort of sound pipe that channels induction noise into the Mustang's cabin. BMW, on the other hand, has taken a different approach with the new M5's Active Sound Design technology, which artificially replicates … Read more