Diesel
Hybrid yacht combines diesel, solar and wind power
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Island Pilot has used this year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show to debut its new hybrid motoryacht - the DSe Hybrid12m. Combining diesel, solar and electric power (hence "DSe") and with wind-power to be added to the production model, the 40ft vessel can take advantage of a sunny day by cruising at speeds of up to six knots indefinitely using only solar power. Not only does this save fuel, it eliminates the rumble of diesel engines to bring one of pure-sailing's greatest attractions to the motoryacht format - silence. Read More
Navistar unveils new hybrid truck
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With the spiraling cost of fuel and the average cost of diesel in 2008 climbing around 39 percent versus last year, it’s no surprise that truck manufacturers are looking to lighten the burden on trucking operators. To this end Navistar, makers of the LoneStar, has expanded its line of diesel electric hybrid trucks with the unveiling of their International DuraStar Hybrid tractor at this week’s Hybrid Truck Users Forum in South Bend, Indiana. Navistar claims that the new diesel electric hybrid Class 7 tractor has the proven capability to provide fuel savings of 20-25 percent on standard in-city pickup and delivery applications. Read More
Volvo to introduce 7700 Hybrid bus in 2009
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In addition to reducing the discharge of particles and nitrous oxides by 40-50% compared with a diesel-only bus, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid has 30% lower fuel consumption which the company estimates will allow bus operators to recoup the extra cost of the vehicle within seven years. Read More
GE Hybrid locomotive protoype in Chicago
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GE Transportation will parade its Evolution Hybrid locomotive prototype at the RSI Railway Technology Exhibition in Chicago later this month. Promising significant fuel and emissions savings, the diesel-electric hybrid technology captures and stores the energy generated by braking a 207 ton train and delivers it back to the propulsion system in the form of an on-demand, 2000 horsepower boost. Read More
Mercedes-Benz ConceptFASCINATION design study
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The latest design study from Mercedes-Benz is Concept FASCINATION - and it looks pretty swish. Under its skin, the highly-sculpted hatchback coupé is based on E-Class technology with drive provided by a new four-cylinder BlueTEC diesel engine which develops 150 kW/ 204 hp from a displacement of 2.2 liters. It's mostly about the looks though. Designed to pull on the heartstrings of coupé lovers with a healthy dose of practical usability thrown in, the concept makes extensive use of luxurious hand-crafted materials on the inside including a load compartment made of wood with brushed aluminum protective rails and built-in refrigerator and humidor. From the outside the car's dynamic profile is highlighted by its forward-sloping rear, glass roof, frameless side-windows, an eye-catching front apron and slightly new take on the dual headlight theme. Read More
Renault to reveal high-end Ondelios concept (UPDATED - NEW IMAGES)
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Renault has placed the emphasis on style, interior space and long-haul comfort in its new luxury crossover concept offering which is set to debut at the Paris Motor Show next month. The 15.7 feet (4.8 m) long, 5.2 feet (1.6 m) high Ondelios - the name being an amalgam of the French 'onde' (wave) and 'helios' (the Greek god of the sun) - is powered by a by a hybrid system combining a 205hp (150kW) version of the 2.0 dCi engine with two 20kW electric motors at the front and rear which give it the capability of a 4WD vehicle. The initial pics reveal the standout elements of the design - a striking inset aluminum-finish grille, inwardly curved tail lights, seven-spoke, 23-inch aluminum alloy wheels and butterfly-style side doors hinged to the roof to enable easy access to the three rows of seats. There's also plenty of technological goodies on show including a collaboration with Samsung that lets the driver use a cell phone to unlock the door and engage personal settings like seat-adjustment and music. Read More
Mitsubishi to switch to diesel for Dakar 2009
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September 9, 2008 The once poor cousin of the gas-burning internal combustion engine, the diesel, is slowly but surely invading the world of motorsport. In recent years the all-conquering Audi team led the diesel assault on sports car racing and diesel now dominates these events. Now Mitsubishi will enter a new, turbodiesel 'Racing Lancer' in next year's relocated-to-South-America Dakar Rally. The new car has an aeronautic steel multi-tubular frame, honeycomb body floor and carbon fiber body powered by a 280PS 3-liter V6 diesel engine producing a prodigious 650Nm peak torque. The engine uses an innovative two-stage turbocharger with both a small and large diameter turbine, one on each side of engine, employed according to engine revolution and load. Read More
VW Golf BlueMotion concept car delivers 74 mpg
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September 9, 2008 Volkswagen has taken the wraps off a Golf BlueMotion concept car capable of a combined 74.3 mpg while emitting just 99 g/km of CO2. The concept is powered by a highly-efficient and refined 1.6-litre TDI common rail diesel engine developing 105 PS and 184 lbs ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. Despite the focus on economy the Golf BlueMotion concept can reach 62 mph from rest in a respectable 11.3 seconds before going on to a top speed of 117 mph. Read More
New Boxer Diesel Forester And Impreza
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September 5, 2008 We’d been looking at pictures and static displays of Subaru’s horizontally-opposed diesel engine for several years before seeing it in the Legacy and Outback earlier this year. The engine is exceptionally compact, very light and has a low centre-of-gravity which benefits handling agility and makes best use of the all-wheel drive system. Throw in gobs of torque (the 2.0 litre version produces 258 lb ft at 1,800 rpm), class-leading fuel economy and emissions and the refinement, smoothness and sharp throttle-response it has already displayed and it makes the coming Forester Boxer Diesel which goes on sale in later this month and the Impreza Boxer Diesel (January 2009) very enticing indeed. The Forester will be unveiled in Paris next week. Read More
Happy tenth birthday to the smart fortwo
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September 4, 2008 Ten years ago the smart fortwo was launched to a world market decidedly unsure about the highly unusual two-seater that was just two and a half metres in length. It could fit into less than half a parking space, took two people and their luggage quite comfortably and had impressively low fuel consumption and minimum carbon dioxide emissions. The degree of foresight in the design will be judged most kindly by history given the issues of global warming, road congestion, and the effect the laws of supply and demand have had on fuel pricing. Throw in the car’s safety and technical innovations and a design that combines functionality with joie de vivre and the smart fortwo deserves a warm round of applause on its automotive coming of age. Read More
Mazda Kiyora urban compact concept car Paris debut
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September 4, 2008 Mazda will unveil the next vehicle in its long-term technology development vision, "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom" concept car series at the 2008 Paris International Motor Show next week – the Mazda Kiyora is a lightweight, next generation, urban compact concept car. Kiyora's aerodynamic Nagare design and next-generation four-cylinder direct-injection engine contribute to excellent fuel economy and low CO2 emissions. Read More
Trident’s 200mph 100mpg Iceni biodiesel sports car nears production
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September 2, 2008 British manufacturer Trident Performance Vehicles has produced a remarkable set of figures to go with its new Iceni two-seater sports car. It's a diesel sports car and will run any kind of biodiesel without any invalidating the warranty, adjusting the engine or affecting the performance. The car’s 6.6 litre turbo diesel V8 develops 550bhp@3800rpm and an arm-stretching 950lb/ft of torque at just 1800rpm, meaning it can be leisurely potter around short-changing at ballistic speeds. Not only does it get to 60 mph in under four seconds (a serious supercar time), it’ll do 200 mph, deliver 70 mpg at 70 mph, and if you treat the throttle very gently, it’ll deliver 100 mpg. At UKP75,000 it ain’t cheap, but it is special, and very exclusive. Read More
Lotus deploys unique Concept Ice Vehicle to the Antarctic
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August 24, 2008 Look closely and you'll see a Lotus badge on the side of this fascinating device. Built to act as a scout to plan routes for heavier vehicles on flat, hard-packed ice, the Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) is set to perform its first tour of duty in Antarctica with the Moon Regan Transarctic Expedition. Three oversize, suspended skis give the ultra-light CIV a low friction contact patch, and handle the steering as the biofuel-powered propeller drives the vehicle forward. Braking is another issue - a large, spiked metal arm is forced down into the smooth ice, dragging the CIV to a halt - and it comes equipped with a radar to detect hidden ice crevasses that could spell trouble for the rest of the team. Read More
Build your own three-wheel 225MPG plug-in-Hybrid
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Here's one for the dedicated back-yard mechanic. Arizona based Robert Q. Riley Enterprises has now released construction plans based on the completed prototype of its do-it-yourself, two-passenger, XR3 plug-in hybrid, a vehicle that's capable of up to 225 miles per gallon, has a top speed of 80 mph and acceleration comparable to a conventional small car. The USD$200 instructional package for the modular, three-wheeled sportscar includes printed drawings, electronic 3D virtual models, computer files that enable vendors to make parts plus a DVD that outlines the building of the car. Read More
Opel Insignia World Premiere
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One of the biggest debuts at the 2008 British International Motor Show - and certainly the most floorspace - was claimed by the Opel Insignia, a new mid-size sedan that will offer seven different engine configurations and a number of technical innovations when it hits the showroom floor in Germany late this year and other markets from January 2009. The technology packed Insignia includes a new Eye camera system that reads speed and no-passing signs and displays them on the instrument panel, coupled with a Lane Departure Warning system that provides an extra level of awareness to the driver. Read More
World's first hybrid refuse truck launched in Sweden
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April 8, 2008 Volvo has announced that Swedish refuse collection firms Renova and Ragn-Sells will begin regular daily testing of two of the company's hybrid refuse trucks ahead of a market launch in 2009. Using a 7 liter diesel engine and an electric motor that utilizes regenerative braking, the trucks are capable of delivery fuel (and therefore emissions) savings of 20 percent. Read More
Suzuki to exhibit Kizashi Concept x 2 at the Geneva Motor Show
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January 27, 2008 Suzuki will present both the Kizashi and Kizashi 2 Concept cars together for the first time at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show. Unveiled separately at the 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt and 2007 Tokyo Motor Show respectively, the Concepts showcase the company's intention to build on its automotive presence already established in the compact car (Swift) and sport utility vehicle (Grand Vitara) segments by entering into the sedan market. The Kizashi - a Japanese word meaning “prelude” or “foretaste” - will feature a 2.0L 4-valve turbo diesel engine coupled with an intelligent all-wheel drive system targeting low CO2 emissions in a lean, muscular design that aims to optimize interior spaciousness and apply the no-nonsense, user-oriented approach to driver functionality gleaned from Suzuki's experience in motorcycle production. Read More
Audi R8-based concept delivers a flat 1,000Nm torque spread
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January 16, 2008 Audi looks set to create a new class of road-going supercar following the first showing of its R8 TDI Concept at NAIAS this week. Using the V12 6.0-liter bi-turbo TDI engine first seen in the forthcoming Q7 V12 TDI SUV, the 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 with 500 bhp is similar in basic concept to the R10 TDI’s 5.5-litre race engine, and delivers – wait for it - 1,000Nm of torque - between 1,750rpm and 3000 rpm, guaranteeing the effortless delivery of a 4.2-second 0-62mph acceleration time and a top speed in excess of 186mph. The 4WD beauty has a full set of goodies, such as Audi’s magnetic adaptive suspenders, it already meets the proposed EU6 emission limits expected to apply from 2014 and comes with a GPS system that incorporates race circuit information and centrifugal force / boost pressure data when the car is in race mode. Hey guys, you’ve gotta make this one! Read More
Mitsubishi plan clean diesel assault on 2009 Dakar
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December 18, 2007 Mitsubishi will use what must be the worlds toughest proving ground - the 2008 Dakar Rally - to garner technical feedback on the company's new high-performance clean diesel engines with a view to fully introducing the technology at the Dakar in 2009. Aiming for its 8th consecutive Dakar victory, Mitsubishi aims to derive durability and endurance data essential to the future development of clean diesel engines already seen in its Concept-cX and Concept-RA vehicles. Read More
MITSUBISHI Concept-RA set for Detroit debut
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November 28, 2007 Mitsubishi has released tantalizing design sketches of its Concept-RA ahead of the car's world premiere at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January 2008. With a view to rolling high-performance, low-emissions and fuel efficiency into one package, the coupe Concept features the all-wheel control system and automated manual transmission used in the Lancer Evolution X and is powered by a turbo-charged, 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve clean-diesel engine that delivers a maximum output of 150 kW (204 PS) and maximum torque of 420 Nm (42.8 kg-m). Read More
Scania’s third-generation ethanol buses debut in Stockholm
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November 9, 2007 Stockholm Transport (SL) is taking delivery of 10 Scania buses featuring the company's third generation of ethanol engines - technology which can cut carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90 per cent compared to conventional diesel motors. Read More
Nissan’s Intima concept revealed in the lead-up to Tokyo Auto Show
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Perhaps the least outrageous of the Japanese concepts to be unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Show – and thus the most likely to directly influence a production model, Nissan’s Intima concept saloon lays out the company’s definition of modern luxury. Slick exterior looks sit well with a glass-roofed interior that’s designed to soothe its occupants in an aesthetic sense as much as physically. Wide-angle barn doors on the driver and passenger sides give exceptionally easy access, and they’ve even included an 80-degree swiveling motorised passenger seat to assist the elderly or disabled in a comfortable and dignified entry and exit. Read More
Bio-diesel powered motorcycle eclipses 100mpg
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October 22, 2007 The 2007 Panasonic World Solar Challenge got underway yesterday with 40 teams from across the globe competing in the 3000 km race from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia. Among the competitors in the Greenfleet Technology Class - a category for internal combustion vehicles promoting an enhanced environmental profile - is the BioBike, a biodiesel-powered motorcycle, constructed by a group of students in Adelaide, Australia, that happily does 96kmh and returns a staggering fuel economy of only 2.2 litres per 100 kilometres. As the design is further refined, BioBike’s creators expect this to drop below the 2 litres per 100km mark (around 107 miles per gallon), and they believe it can be manufactured for around the same cost as a petrol-powered dirtbike. Read More
GEO2 Technologies' advanced diesel filtration technology
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October 16, 2007 Clean transportation technology is and will remain a critically important issue, with the ongoing development of fuel cells and hybrid technology growing strongly in recent years. The health risks associated with particulate matter, and tightening government regulations on pollutants give more immediate and practical implications to another alternative - the concept of “clean diesel” . This encompasses the use of diesel powered vehicles, which achieve up to 30% greater fuel efficiency than their gasoline powered counterparts, but also boast low-emissions through the use of advanced filtration. Read More
Volkswagen squeeze 52 miles from a gallon with new Golf BlueMotion
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September 4, 2007 Toyota needed two whole engines to get 46mpg from their famous Prius hybrid, but Volkswagen have achieved over 52mpg by simply tweaking a few characteristics of its popular Golf diesel compact in the latest addition to the company’s environmentally-focused BlueMotion initiative. The Golf BlueMotion makes over 1200km from a 55-liter tank, showing that there’s further room for development from the combustion engine. Read More
MITSUBISHI Concept-cX 'Compact crossover' for Frankfurt debut
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July 31, 2007 Mitsubishi will unveil the Concept-cX at the 62nd Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA; commonly known as the Frankfurt Motor Show) in September. The MITSUBISHI Concept-cX represents a new-generation compact SUV, and uses a new high-output, high-efficiency 1.8-liter clean diesel engine, featuring a variable geometry (VG) turbocharger for optimum boost control and a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) with diesel particulate filter (DPF) for compliance with Europe's Euro 5 emission standards. The company's new Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission) adds superior power transmission efficiency for a powertrain that delivers nimble performance alongside excellent fuel economy and low emissions. Among the number of new environmental technologies applied in the Concept-cX is the extensive use of interior trim materials made from Mitsubishi's own Green Plastic — made from bamboo and other plant-based resins.
smart set to roll out a full complement of Alternative Drive Systems
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July 10, 2007 Mercedes-owned smart is set to become the first mainstream production vehicle with a full complement of alternative drive systems. It has begun touting four new versions of the smart fortwo, all of which can be expected in production form before the year is out. We’re not sure which is the most exciting as they all offer different solutions depending on your needs. The cleanest of the new smarts is the 30 kW plug-in electric version with a range of 115 kilometres (EUDC), but there’s also a 100 mpg 53 kW diesel hybrid drive, a slightly less economical petrol hybrid for those who don’t want diesel, a 52 kW micro hybrid petrol variant and a diesel-engined fortwo which will become the world’s most economical combustion-engined production car with 85 mpg (3.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres - NEDC) and the ability to travel 1000 kilometres without refuelling. The smart fortwo diesel is the world champion in low CO2 emissions at just 88 grams of CO2 per kilometre. This is huge news. Read More
World’s most powerful production six-cylinder diesel introduced to BMW 6 Series
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July 2, 2007 BMW has for the first time combined its twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder diesel with the marque’s flagship Grand Tourer in the form of the new 635d. Coinciding with the revamp of 6 Series model line-up to include Active Headrests, Brake Energy Regeneration and other fuel saving and emissions-cutting technology, the 635d Coupé and Convertible will hit showrooms in the UK in October with world’s most powerful production diesel under the bonnet. Read More
Acumentrics demonstrates extended operation of fuel cells on synthetic JP-8 diesel fuel
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May 8, 2007 Acumentrics, a leading developer of solid-oxide fuel cells and uninterruptible power supplies for the distributed generation market, announced today that they have proven 1300 hours of fuel cell operation on synthetic JP-8 fuel. The synthetic JP-8 (“S-8”) Fischer-Tropsch fuel was provided by the Air Force Research Laboratory, and was produced as part of the DoD Assured Fuels Initiative. According to the company, this accomplishment marks one of the first fuel cell successes with heavy hydrocarbons in an extended run. Because Acumentrics’ ceramic fuel cells operate at high temperature, they accept lighter hydrocarbons such as propane and natural gas directly, and disassociate the fuel inside the cell, via in-situ reformation. For fuel cells to be of most use to the military, they must operate on heavy fuels. The heavy hydrocarbons in diesel and JP-8 require catalytic reforming before they can enter a cell. For this test the company employed a separate InnovaTek reformer (pictured).
The world’s first horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine
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February 8, 2007 In 1896, when Karl Benz patented the first internal combustion engine, it had horizontally opposed pistons, and the flat boxermotor (the German term for flat engine) has been powering some of the world’s best known automobiles (Porsche, Volkswagen’s Beetle and Kombi f’rinstance), motorcycles (Honda’s Goldwing and BMW’s mainstay Boxer range) and aircraft (Lycoming and Continental) ever since. Japanese automotive company Subaru has used the boxer design almost exclusively and is now pioneering a new phase for horizontally opposed piston engines with the release of the world’s first horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine. The Japanese all-wheel drive specialist will be displaying an entire drivetrain at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show next month. Read More
World’s first affordable diesel hybrid powertrain
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December 14, 2006 Zytek has already proven its knowledge of powertrains and electric vehicle many times over, on and off the racetrack. Now, in collaboration with a UK Government initiative, the British engineering consultancy has developed a novel diesel hybrid powertrain that will be affordable in the most popular market segments. The new technology will allow vehicle owners to drive across London’s extended congestion charge zone for just four pence. The low-cost, high-efficiency hybrid-electric drivetrain offers a realistic alternative to expensive proprietary systems and can be quickly implemented within the packaging constraints of compact European passenger cars. A demonstration vehicle, built within the UK Government’s Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge (ULCCC), has exceeded all targets set for the programme, delivering an exceptional 85g of CO2 per km compared with 121g/km for the already exceptionally efficient standard vehicle. Read More
The first commercially-available diesel motorcycle
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November 20, 2006 The sudden realization after several decades of evidence that the world is drowning in burned fossil fuels has catalyzed a lot of initiatives to reduce consumption and emissions, but few are as tantalizing as the prospect of diesel motorcycles which further enhance the already economical motorcycle to new levels of fuel efficiency and offer astounding torque and drivability. Though we have written about several production motorcycles such as the HDT military-only JP/8 and the Dutch-built Star Twin ThunderStar 1200 TDI diesel motorcycle, none have been available to the public in any quantity until this week’s news that a new diesel motorcycle from Holland has achieved production status and 500 will be built over the next two years. The Track T-800CDI is being produced by E.V.A. Products BV Holland and uses the 800cc three cylinder Daimler Chrysler diesel engine used in the smart fortwo diesel, military UAVs and marine applications, matching it with a CVT, frame, driveshaft, running gear and ECU produced in-house. The engine uses a turbocharged intercooled Commonrail direct injection engine and produces a whopping 150Nm of torque. It comes with three pre-programmed ECU settings enabling it to be switched to run on 100% Pure Plant Oil (such as sunflower oil) or into a highly efficient but lower power diesel economy mode. E.V.A. CEO Erik Vegt describes the bike as a “BMW GS killer with KTM LC8 drivability and Suzuki Hayabusa-like torque.” “It’s the ultimate long distance and long life motorcycle that can run on diesel fuel or 100% pure plant oil,” says Vegt.
Honda shows next-generation diesel engine
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October 2, 2006 Honda has developed a next-generation diesel engine that reduces exhaust gas emissions to a level equal to a petrol engine and expects to have the engine available in its U.S. market cars within three years. The engine employs an NOx catalytic converter that enables a reduction in NOx emissions sufficient to meet stringent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier II Bin 5 emission requirements. This catalytic converter uses the reductive reaction of ammonia generated within the catalytic converter to “detoxify” nitrogen oxide (NOx) by turning it into harmless nitrogen (N2). Read More
Subaru develops horizontally opposed Turbo Diesel engine
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September 29, 2006 Subaru Europe President Hiroyuki Ikeda dropped an unexpected announcement in his Paris motor show speech when he mentioned that the company was working on a SubaruBoxer Turbo Diesel and that development is nearly complete. The horizontally opposed engine layout made famous by Volkswagen has long been favoured by Subaru and has been the mainstay of its fleet for more than three decades with its latest effort winning first place in the 2.5-liter class of the International Engine of the Year Awards. Though it’s logical that the company would develop the world’s first horizontally opposed diesel engine, there are many technical difficulties to overcome, so it was by no means regarded as a given. Anyway, we have the drawings in high res and we suspect it’ll be a beauty. Read More
The Audi Q7 V12 TDI - the world’s most powerful diesel passenger car
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September 15, 2006 Audi is set to debut the first twelve-cylinder diesel engine in a series passenger car. A six-litre V12 will be available in the Audi Q7 that is reminiscent of the engine featured in the all-conquering R10 Le Mans racing car and it catapults the driving performance of the Audi Q7 SUV into the echelons of top-class sports cars. The V12 TDI engine produces a colossal 500 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque giving the car a 0 to 100 km/h time of just 5.5 seconds, and an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h. Maximum torque is available from just 1,750 rpm. The high-tech diesel engine, with the world’s first 2,000 bar Bosch Common Rail system, provides the high-performance Audi SUV with superior power reserves in any situation. The impressive sound of the new Audi is provided by the ultra-modern piezo-injection system. The V12 TDI transmits this power through a new six-speed tiptronic gearbox to the quattro permanent four-wheel drive system. Read More
