Driver Dynamics Blog

Saab BioPower, the best selling environmentally friendly vehicle in Sweden, is on its way to Australia to promote the benefits of ethanol, a renewable alternative fuel.

Running on E85, 85 per cent ethanol 15 per cent petrol, Saab BioPower 9-5 was launched in Sweden at the end of last year. In less than a year it has become the top selling environmentally friendly car in that market and driven record 9-5 sales. BioPower has also been launched in the UK and other markets across Europe.

Saab Australia will be running a demonstration fleet of BioPower 9-5 vehicles in Australia to help media, industry and government understand the benefits of ethanol and to stimulate serious debate about alternative fuels in Australia.

Director Saab Australia and New Zealand, Parveen Batish, says with a focus on fuel prices and the need for renewable energy, the time is right to start planning a BioPower roll-out in this market.

“Ethanol fuel makes sense in a country like Australia. It is a renewable, sustainable fuel – unlike fossil fuel,” Mr Batish said.

“You don’t have to sacrifice performance, boot space or the environment to switch to an alternative to petrol.”

Saab BioPower is a ‘flex-fuel’ vehicle, which means it can effectively run on 100 per cent ethanol or 100 per cent petrol or any combination in between, thanks to the Saab advanced trionic engine management system.

“BioPower drivers can still fill up with petrol when they need to – which makes ethanol ideal for Australia where we drive vast distances, making the roll-out of a new fuel technology, such as hydrogen, very challenging in the short to medium term.”

While engineering changes are required to run a vehicle on E85, it does not require any new technology.

E85 has a much higher octane rating (104 RON) than petrol (95 RON), and turbocharging allows the use of a higher boost pressure and more advanced ignition timing - giving more engine power - than is possible on petrol without risk of harmful ‘knocking’ or pre-detonation.

The hardware modifications necessary include the addition of more durable valves and valve seats, and the use of ethanol-compatible materials in the fuel system, including the tank, pump, lines and connectors to cope with the more corrosive nature of the fuel.

Ethanol also actually improves performance. Currently Saab offers BioPower versions of its turbocharged four-cylinder 2.3 and 2.0 litre turbocharged engines, which both deliver increased power and torque when running on ethanol compared to petrol.

“The higher octane of ethanol gives Saab BioPower up to 20 per cent more power and 16 per cent more torque compared to the equivalent petrol powered model - and Australians love performance vehicles.”

Saab 2.3t BioPower generates approximately 155 kW and 310 Nm of torque, and 2.0t BioPower approximately 133 kW and 280 Nm.

Swedish Case Study

BioPower demonstrates the importance of community and government support to establish a viable alternative fuel industry.

The success of BioPower was the result of close collaboration between Saab, the Swedish government, fuel suppliers and the community to create demand for ethanol, to engineer the vehicles, encourage their take up and switch on the new fuel supply simultaneously.

To help make it more attractive to drive a car powered by the renewable fuel, the Swedish government offered tax incentives and other benefits to owners such as free parking in Stockholm and reduced excise on ethanol fuel compared to petrol.

Similarly fuel suppliers, which also have to upgrade their fuel storage tanks to hold ethanol, committed to a staged roll-out of E85 pumps at fuel stations over time to support the take up.

Ethanol background

Ethanol is an alcohol distilled commercially from grain, cellulose or sugar cane. There is a local ethanol manufacturing industry in Australia.

Ethanol has been produced from sugar cane for many years in Brazil and also from corn in the mid-west of the United States. In Sweden, it is produced from wood pulp and forest residues and feasibility studies for ethanol from lignocelluloses are currently being done.

As a fuel, the most important difference between petrol and ethanol is that ethanol does not add to global CO2 levels because it is actually ‘recycling’ CO2 that is already present in the atmosphere.

This is because CO2 is removed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis when crops are grown to be converted into ethanol fuel. It is then released - or returned - to the atmosphere during combustion when driving the car.

Burning fossil fuels such, as oil and petrol, adds to global CO2 because you are releasing new amounts of carbon that has lain fixed underground for millions of years. Ethanol is, of course, renewable and oil isn’t.

Well to wheelBrazil, which is currently the largest producer of ethanol in the world, produces and consumes ethanol with a net saving of fossil carbon dioxide between 80 and 90 per cent.Brazil, which is currently the largest producer of ethanol in the world, produces and consumes ethanol with a net saving of fossil carbon dioxide between 80 and 90 per cent.A report from Chalmers (Magnus Blinge) demonstrates that 2 per cent fossil energy is required for current ethanol production from pulp residues in Sweden, which means a 98 per cent net reduction of fossil carbon dioxide. In future large-scale ethanol production from cellulose or grain, Swedish researchers calculate a net reduction in fossil carbon dioxide of between 90 and 95 per cent from cellulose and between 50 and 70 per cent from grain.

Brazil, which is currently the largest producer of ethanol in the world, produces and consumes ethanol with a net saving of fossil carbon dioxide between 80 and 90 per cent.A report from Chalmers (Magnus Blinge) demonstrates that 2 per cent fossil energy is required for current ethanol production from pulp residues in Sweden, which means a 98 per cent net reduction of fossil carbon dioxide. In future large-scale ethanol production from cellulose or grain, Swedish researchers calculate a net reduction in fossil carbon dioxide of between 90 and 95 per cent from cellulose and between 50 and 70 per cent from grain.GM Alternative Fuel Strategy

GM has adopted a clear three-pronged strategy to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions:

1. Near-term: GM will continue to refine and improve today’s technology to provide better efficiency and performance. Alternative fuel vehicles are part of this near-term strategy. GM is producing alternative fuel vehicles, such as Saab BioPower 9-5 that run on bio fuels such as ethanol/E85.
2. Mid-term: GM will focus considerable resources in bringing more hybrid technologies to market. Saab’s recent BioPower Hybrid Convertible concept car, which made its debut this year was the world’s first fossil fuel free hybrid.
3. Long-term: GM will continue its efforts to develop and bring to market vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

 Bentley Motors continues the intensive development of its flagship Arnage range with the introduction of a major programme of powertrain and chassis enhancements for the 2007 Model Year. The Arnage’s renowned 6.75-litre V8 engine now develops up to 500bhp and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission benefiting performance, driving dynamics and refinement. The powertrain changes are complemented by subtle exterior, interior and under-bonnet design cues.

Key to this performance increase is the most powerful version of Bentley’s legendary V8 engine ever built at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England. In the performance-oriented Arnage T model, the revised twin-turbocharged V8 engine produces a staggering 500bhp and 1000Nm of torque – an 11percent increase in power and a 14 percent increase in torque over the outgoing model. Twinned with the latest six-speed ZF automatic transmission, which uses state-of-the-art computer management, performance and refinement are optimised at all speeds. In the Arnage R and RL models the new engine is boosted from 400 to 450bhp, while torque climbs from 835 to 875Nm.

“The 2007 Model Year Arnage range is clear evidence of our intent to ensure Bentley’s flagship model remains at the forefront of technology and delivers the performance, refinement and luxury that every Bentley customer demands,” explains Stuart McCullough, Member of the Board, Sales and Marketing.

The 500bhp Arnage T is a true driver’s car with much higher performance and delivers an even more rewarding driving experience. The improvements to the refinement and comfort of the 450bhp Arnage R are equally striking, while the long-wheelbase RL shares the same increased power output together with major improvements to the rear passenger cabin.

“Two years ago we introduced major upgrades to the Arnage’s chassis, steering and brakes,” says Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, Member of the Board, Engineering. “Those improvements meant the car could easily handle a significant increase in power and torque, so work began on this important powertrain programme.”

The 2007 Model Year Arnage also benefits from safety, interior and design improvements. Every Arnage now has a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, rSAP Bluetooth integrated telephone system and improved driver ergonomics as standard. Additionally, new wheel, exterior paint colour and interior trim options are available, as well as an optional retractable ‘Flying B’ bonnet mascot.

The new 2007 Model Year Bentley Arnage range will go on sale from September 2006.

Ford’s LPG Challenge returned to Melbourne at 3:15pm on Friday August 25 after driving more than 13,950kms around Australia and spending only $997.55 on fuel by filling up solely on LPG.

The LPG Challenge left Melbourne on August 3 in a BF Fairmont, with the aim of proving the economical benefits of LPG fuel and its availability around the country.

“Australians are constantly worrying about fuel prices and there has been a lot of talk about a movement from large cars into smaller vehicles,” said Ford Australia President Tom Gorman.

“We wanted to show Australians that you can have all the performance and package benefits of a large car while enjoying the refuelling costs of a much smaller car.

“The difference in LPG prices versus petrol around the country allowed us to complete our trip around Australia for less than $1000. A similar trip in a petrol vehicle would have cost approximately twice that amount.”

At the end of the trip, the Ford Fairmont had achieved a total average fuel consumption figure of 10.2L/100kms.

“We also wanted to prove that concerns about the ability to access LPG outside major metropolitan cities are unfounded and that it is possible to drive the whole way around mainland Australia and fill up only on LPG.

“The LPG Challenge team has now travelled a full lap of mainland Australia – more than 13,950kms – and has filled up only on LPG at service stations around the country. This includes areas as remote as Port Hedland in Western Australia, Kununurra and Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory and Mt Isa in Queensland,” said Mr Gorman.

Ford V8 Supercar drivers Russell Ingall, Mark Winterbottom, James Courtney, Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes, Dick Johnson, Dale Brede and Jason Bright all had their turn behind the wheel of the Fairmont throughout the Challenge.

The drive covered more than 13,900kms in total, following a route from Melbourne to Adelaide, across to Perth, north to Broome, east to Kununurra and Darwin, south to Tennant Creek and then east again to Mt Isa and over to Townsville. From Townsville, the Challenge continued its southward journey into Rockhampton and Brisbane before heading inland to Tamworth and Dubbo before heading back to the coast and Sydney. From Sydney the Challenge stopped in Canberra, before its final leg to Albury and Melbourne.

Melbourne – The successful CLK-Class model range will soon serve up more sports car driving pleasure with the introduction of the new V8 CLK 500 and range topping CLK 63 AMG, boasting 285kW and 354 kW respectively.

The newly developed 5.5-litre V8 engine powering the CLK 500 boasts a peak torque of 530 Nm (outgoing model: 460 Nm), allowing the CLK-Class (available in Coupe and Cabriolet variants) to deliver a virtuoso performance: the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 5.2 seconds (outgoing model: 5.9 seconds), while the top speed is 220 km/h (electronically limited). Despite the 26 per cent boost in power, NEDC combined fuel consumption remains at an impressive 11.4 – 11.5 litres per 100 km, matching the excellent figure posted by the previous model. To coincide with the release of the new engine, digital/analogue TV tuner, electrically folding exterior mirrors and the Harmon Kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system are now standard. The new CLK 500 is equipped with the upgraded engine as well as $5,440 of extra standard equipment, at a cost of only $2,400 over the recommended retail price of the predecessor model.

The new CLK 63 AMG utilises the all new AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine and produces 354 kW of power and a peak torque 630 Nm, representing an impressive increase of 84 kW of power and 120 Nm of torque over the superseded CLK 55 AMG. The CLK 63 AMG which comes with 7G-TRONIC seven speed transmission, is available in Coupe and Cabriolet variants. In addition to the standard features on the CLK 500, the CLK 63 AMG comes with a host of extras including AMG SPEEDSHIFT and steering wheel mounted gear shift paddles as standard.

“The arrival of the new CLK 500 and CLK 63 AMG will increase the impressive sales the CLK range has enjoyed since arriving in Australia, and expand on its leading position in the sports car greater than $80,000 segment,” said Horst von Sanden, managing director for Mercedes Car Group in Australia.

The CLK is the clear leader of its segment, accounting for over a third of all sales in the sports car greater than $80,000 category. The CLK-Class was released in Australia in 1997 and since then close to 10,000 vehicles have been delivered to customers, with the current model, released in 2002, making up 6,000 of those sales.

Pricing

CLK-Class Coupe
CLK 200 KOMPRESSOR……………………$85,100
CLK 280………………………………………..$95,100
CLK 350………………………………………..$120,100
CLK 500………………………………………..$149,100
CLK 63 AMG…………………………………..$199,100
CLK-Class Cabriolet
CLK 200 KOMPRESSOR…………………….$99,400
CLK 280………………………………………..$109,100
CLK 350………………………………………..$134,100
CLK 500………………………………………..$163,100
CLK 63 AMG…………………………………..$213,100

Ford Australia President Tom Gorman today announced details of the new BF Falcon MkII range, which will go on sale in October.

“The introduction of the new BF Falcon MkII is the next step in the evolution of the iconic Falcon brand,” Mr Gorman said.

“BF Falcon MkII builds on the strong engineering foundations laid by the BF Falcon and SY Territory programs, while also delivering a host of fresh exterior and interior styling elements that further refine the Falcon’s contemporary design. (more…)

Second edition of the highly successful originator of the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment accounting for global sales of approximately 580,000 units so far, all-new development maintaining the body and drivetrain concept and strengthening the X5’s characteristic qualities in terms of driving dynamics, functionality, and exclusivity.

Significant improvement of driving dynamics and agility: engines with even more power and greater efficiency, torsionally rigid bodyshell, optimised aerodynamics, unique double wishbone front axle and integral IV rear axle, low centre of gravity, BMW all-wheel xDrive enhanced to an even higher standard. (more…)