Exploring the increasingly influential community of online bloggers who take aim at climate-change science
Much remains murky about the scandal dubbed Climategate, which involves the release last fall of e-mails leaked or stolen from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. Initial accounts focused on e-mails that seemed to show scientists deliberately distorting research to make the danger of global warming appear worse than it is. Others have suggested this could be a misreading of the e-mails, most of which, though not all, simply suggest working professionals wrangling over contentious issues and occasionally slagging their critics.
The question of scientific misconduct is still under investigation at East Anglia. But what’s clear is that the scandal – one of the biggest to hit the science community in the past decade – wouldn’t still be hanging so heavily over climate-change researchers if it weren’t for bloggers such as Stephen McIntyre.
An account of how a retired geologist took apart the alarmist climate claims of a Nobel Prize winning organisation
Vijay Kumar Raina is amused. The 76-year old retired geologist who lives in Sector 17, Panchkula in Haryana has been blitzkrieged by the media, government, world scientist community and the average citizen since December 2009.
Why? Because he blew the lid off the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC), headed by the charismatic R.K. Pachauri, claims that the Himalayan glaciers will be extinct by 2035.
Raina’s life has taken a complete turnaround in the last six months. Like most retirees, Raina had followed a routine: Early morning walks, discussing politics, attending to his plants and working religiously on his book devoted to ‘tracing the work done on Indian glaciers’.
He was on the receiving end of jibes from Pachauri who dismissed his claims as school-boy science. Now Pachauri has been keeping a low profile, his reputation at stake. However, neighbours call on Raina non-stop. There is no time to work on his book. But Raina laughs off the publicity. “The last one month has been absolutely maddening. Morning to evening, I am either talking to the press or answering questions on email and I haven’t been able to even touch my book. [But] so far I am concerned, the case is closed,” he says.
Britain is facing the coldest February since 1986 – as snow storms returned yesterday.
Experts say more are on their way and even a slight dip in temperatures will make this the chilliest February in 24 years when mercury levels averaged -1.2C (34F). But the Met Office warned us not to be fooled by a mild weekend as a punishing -5C or -6C chill is set to sweep in on Monday.
And it will see a return of the travel chaos suffered in the North and East yesterday – as there is a 60% chance of heavy snow hitting everywhere north of the Thames Valley. Met forecaster Barry Gromett said: “The first 14 days of February were colder than the month’s average over the past 30 years.
AUSTRALIAN green groups have called a strategy meeting to devise ways to hit back at the climate sceptics movement, amid fears they are losing the PR war.
The groups, including Greenpeace, the Wilderness Society, World Wide Fund for Nature, Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of the Earth, have acknowledged that the public mood has shifted following the collapse of the Copenhagen climate talks and blows to the credibility of the IPCC.
James Norman, of the Australian Conservation Foundation, said the strategy of ignoring climate change sceptics had not worked as it had been taken as confirmation of their claims. ”The stakes are too high to remain silent or disorganised in the face of this systemic disinformation campaign,” Mr Norman said.
He said the global campaign was being funded by anti-climate-change think tanks such as the American Atlas Economic Research Foundation and the British International Policy Network, which had both received grants from oil company ExxonMobil.
Japan’s already getting a dose of the origami killer in Heavy Rain, and North America and the rest of the world will be getting in on the action in a mere couple of days. But even before
If you head to www.motorstorm3.com, you’d find that it leads you directly to Sony’s Official PlayStation Website. From the looks of it, the said site was indeed registered by Sony Europe.
High school students worked on “cleaving” a coriander seed Thursday in Terry Isbell’s chemistry lab at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research.
It wasn’t abstract or irrelevant busy work. Isbell explained the relevance of the work to America’s trade imbalance and the national farm economy.
That was an astounding and exciting correlation, and one that became infectious throughout the day as 16 students rotated among three labs to work alongside scientists on real-life problems.
Thursday was the third “Student Researcher Day” at the lab. Junior and senior
high school students throughout the Tri-County Area were invited to apply for a day of hands-on lab work, discussions with practicing scientists and lunch with staff at the center, including scientists who rank among the world’s best.
Student Researcher Day is part of the center’s effort to turn high school students on to the excitement of basic scientific research untethered by corporate sponsorship or grant money.
In brief remarks, Isbell explained how his lab is trying to cleave the coriander seed and split the fat molecule into oleic acid and lauric acid. Students grappled with the conundrum of trying to figure out how to use oxidation, but to stop the process in the first phase in order to extract the lauric acid.
Isbell explained that lauric acid is a detergent component in shampoo, and American manufacturers currently depend on imported lauric acid. Having a domestic source would help America’s trade imbalance.
The other component, oleic acid, is used in nylon, he said, “so out of one crop, two products can be used.”
He told students coriander, also called cilantro, can be grown in central Illinois and many regions of the United States as part of a crop rotation following winter wheat, thereby producing additional farm income.
During a lunch break, lab director Paul Sebesta told students that basic science means signing on for a “career of discovery.”
“This lab opened in 1940 with our first generation of scientists working here. We’re now on our third generation of scientists,” Sebesta said. “Students in high school today are our fourth generation. This program is our opportunity to entice you to seek careers in science. Today is your opportunity to work in a lab, not a classroom.”
Lily Liu, a junior at Dunlap High School, walked out of Nancy Alexander’s lab after photographing DNA and said, “Really cool. We get to do a lot more here. There is definitely a lot of exciting hands-on work in the labs here.”
Liu, 16, is thinking about pursuing a career in biochemical or biomedical engineering. She was the only girl in a class of 20 last year in her high school’s introduction to engineering class.
Blake Holzgrafe, a junior at Notre Dame High School, is considering a career in health sciences and found work in Alexander’s lab separating DNA “extremely exciting.”
“I signed up for the day because in my education so far I haven’t really experienced first-hand science. A lot of this is more advanced than I imagined,” he said.
“I want to get as much experience as I can with science before I start applying to medical schools. The work going on here is about using your brain to make leaps ahead in critical discoveries. We’ve got to solve problems by thinking outside the box. Obviously, we can’t keep doing things they way we have in the past.”
Alexander, a molecular biologist, told students, “I never do the same thing day after day. I’m not on an assembly line. Every day I’m challenging my brain.”
She is working on fungi and ways to keep the food supply safe.
“I highly encourage young people to go into science. There is still an incredible amount of work to be done. If we don’t keep up with science and technology, our society will go down hill,” she said.
“We need to figure out how to feed the world without fighting. If we are to keep the food supply safe, we need to be ahead of the game. We can’t be behind the fact and still stay ahead of bioterrorism.”
Alexander, who has been at the lab 30 years and is close to retirement, said when she applied to graduate school, an administrator tried to discourage her, saying that she would end up leaving her career to marry and have a family.
She has always tried to make positions in her lab available for students and tries to encourage female students.
Last week, Alexander stopped by Proctor First Care and was diagnosed with pneumonia. The female physician had been a student working in Alexander’s lab 25 years ago.
“She came here as a high school student and worked here for two more summers, then I lost touch with her,” Alexander said. “I don’t know how to change politicians or the bureaucracy, but we can take little steps here to help students. It feels good to be able to do that.”
The RiverPlex Recreation & Wellness Center reverberated with the sounds of wheels and cheers from the audience Saturday, when Cub Scouts gathered to compete in the Pinewood Derby.
“I think it is a great way for all (Cub Scouts) packs to come together,” said Peoria Heights resident Audrey Miller, whose son Quinn Miller and stepson David Dellit, both 11, participated.
A total of 71 participants from the W.D. Boyce Council’s Heartland District — Fulton, Marshall and Peoria counties — raced miniature cars they constructed themselves, with help from their parents.
The cars are made from blocks of wood, with plastic wheels and metal axles.
Brian Foster, a Heartland District activity committee member, said the event takes about four months of preparation for participants.
The race cars have to abide by certain specifications.
Scott Snedden, 10, of Princeville was awarded the fastest-car title Saturday.
For Snedden, the race was exciting. He built his car from scratch by cutting a block of wood, setting the wheels and axles, and painting and designing it with stickers.
For his mother, Theresa Snedden, the race is about having fun.
“This is his final year in scouting,’’ she said, “so this (the award) makes it special.”
Another Boyce Council district, Wotamalo, held its race Saturday in Pekin. The Wotamalo District consists of Cub Scouts in Logan, Mason, Tazewell and Woodford counties.
At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next month, Mercedes-Benz will unveil its new F800 Style concept providing a hint at what the next-generation CLS-Class four-door-coupe will look like. Other than that, the F800 Style concept shows a range of “green” technologies that will be found in future Mercedes-Benz models.
“We are dedicated to reconciling our responsibility for the environment with practical customer utility in a fascinating automobile,” says Dr. Thomas Weber, the Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “The new F800 Style research vehicle combines this commitment to providing the leading innovative drive concepts with our traditional Mercedes strengths in the areas of design, safety, comfort, and outstanding performance.”
The Mercedes-Benz F800 Style concept is powered by a V6 gasoline unit making 300-hp mated to a plug-in hybrid module making an additional 109-hp. Mated to a 7-speed transmission, that allows for a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph. When its lithium-ion battery pack is fully charged (through a household power socket), the F800 Style can run on pure electricity for up to 18 miles. In electric-mode, the F800 Style has a top speed of 75 mph. With everything running together, the F800 Style has a certified fuel consumption of 81 mpg (in U.S. terms). The Mercedes-Benz F800 Style also offers clean driving in a variant equipped with an electric-drive system based on fuel-cell technology. The onboard electric-motor develops 136-hp and 214 lb-ft of torque.
Other than that, the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style also introduces two technological features. The DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant is basically an upgraded version of Mercedes-Benz’s Active Cruise Control system but now allows the car to steer itself and keep itself in lanes at speed of up to 25 mph. The concept also features something called PRE-SAFE 360°, which upgrades the existing PRE-SAFE system to monitor vehicles from the rear. So at around 600 milliseconds before an anticipated rear-end collision, the system engages braking to avoid your vehicle hitting another one in front of you. Pretty cool stuff.
Check out the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.
Mercedes-Benz F800 Style Concept:
Efficiency paired with elegance:
Pioneering premium sedan with “green” technology and avant-garde design
* A reinterpretation of the concept of “fascination and responsibility”
* Multi-drive platform enables use of two alternative drive systems – either Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell
* Intelligent display concept focusing on “electric driving”
* HMI with cam touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
* Traffic Jam Assistant for increased comfort and safety
Mercedes-Benz’ F800 Style research vehicle is showing the future of premium automobiles from a new perspective, as the five-seat premium sedan combines highly efficient drive technologies with unparalleled safety and convenience features and an emotive design idiom, which interprets current Mercedes-Benz styling in line with the brand’s hallmark attribute of refined performance.
The F800 Style has a spacious interior full of intelligent seating, operating, and display concepts. Another unique feature of the large sedan is an all-new multi drive platform, which accommodates electric drives with fuel cells (enabling ranges of almost 375 miles) as well as the use of Plug-in Hybrids that can drive for up to 18 miles solely on electricity. Both variants of the F800 Style therefore make locally emission-free mobility possible at the level of a premium-class automobile, while at the same time being fully suited for everyday driving and providing a dynamic driving experience.
A glance into the future of pioneering premium sedans
Within the 15.5-foot external length of the F800 Style, all of the components of the vehicle’s efficient and environmentally compatible alternative drives (Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell drive system) are installed in a space-saving manner in the engine compartment and the gaps within the chassis. Each of the drive systems takes up comparatively little space for the installation. This applies in particular to the electric drive with fuel cell, which has been enhanced by Mercedes-Benz to be compact and powerful. The front end’s compact package was made possible through the consistent downsizing of all F-CELL components. As a result, the entire interior space is preserved and offers plenty of room for five occupants.
“For many decades now, our research vehicles have been turning pioneering concepts into reality and thereby setting future trends. We set a course on the large touring sedan segment in 2007, when we presented the F700,” says Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of E-Drive & Future Mobility and Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler. “Characteristic features of the F800 Style are its innovations, whose development is already close to the series production stage. This is true not only of the electric drive with fuel cells but also of the Plug-in Hybrid, whose components were taken from our modular system for electric and hybrid vehicles.”
F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid: Outstanding performance despite emissions of only 68 grams CO2 per kilometer
In combination with the very powerful Plug-in Hybrid drive system, the F800 Style is a very dynamic expression of the concept of “fascination and responsibility.” Its drive unit consists of a V6 gasoline engine with an output of 300 hp with next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output 109 hp so that it delivers a total power of around 409 hp. The lithium-ion battery with a storage capacity of >10 kWh can be recharged either at a charging station or a household power socket. Thanks to its powerful and high-torque hybrid module, in the city the F800 Style can run exclusively on electricity, therefore without generating any local emissions. Because it also has high torque right from the moment it starts, the vehicle has the same driving performance as a car with a V6 gasoline engine even when operating in electric mode. The F800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid can run purely on electricity for up to 18 miles. The F800 Style research vehicle therefore marks a further important step in the creation of a market-ready Plug-in Hybrid. Mercedes-Benz will begin series production of the S500 Plug-in Hybrid with the introduction of the next-generation S-Class.
Due to its efficient drive system and a CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode, the vehicle has a certified fuel consumption of only 2.9 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. This corresponds to extremely low CO2 emissions of only 68 grams per kilometer. However, thanks to its outstanding efficiency, the F800 Style equipped with a Plug-in Hybrid nevertheless has a driving performance comparable to a sports car (0-60 mph 4.7 s, top speed of 155 mph). When in electric mode, the F800 Style has a top speed of 75 mph, thus meeting the needs associated with long-distance driving.
Like the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID introduced in the summer of 2009 and the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid, the powerful electric module (approx. 80 kW) of the F800 Style is completely integrated into the housing of the seven-speed transmission. The lithium-ion battery in the new research vehicle is located underneath the rear seat, where it takes up little space, creates a low center of gravity, and ensures maximum safety in the event of a crash.
The electric drive components in the F800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid once again demonstrate the versatility of Mercedes-Benz’ extensively scalable modular hybrid system. The hybrid system can be expanded in various ways, depending on performance needs and the area of application. On this basis, it is possible to combine hybrid modules and batteries of different performance ratings with fuel-efficient, high-torque gasoline and diesel engines. Examples range from the current mild hybrids all the way to Plug-in Hybrids that enable pure electric driving over long distances. In developing the F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid, the Mercedes engineers specifically focused on improving the pure electric driving in urban traffic. Thanks to high power reserves, the F800 Style in e-mode easily masters all kinds of city traffic while producing no local emissions. With the new hybrid module, the top speed of the F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid has been increased to 75 mph in electric mode compared to the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid. At the same time, it emits only 68 grams of CO2 per kilometer, compared to the latter vehicle’s 74 grams per kilometer.
Flexible, secure, and fully suited to everyday use:
The F800 Style with electric drive and fuel cell technology
The F800 Style also offers clean driving pleasure in the variant equipped with an electric drive based on fuel cell technology. The vehicle’s electric motor develops around 136 hp as well as a strong torque of approximately 214 lb-ft. The fuel cell generates the traction current by chemically reacting hydrogen with oxygen onboard the vehicle, producing water vapor in the process as the only emission.
The components of the fuel cell drive are taken from the range of available e-drive modules, which Mercedes-Benz developed for a variety of different electric vehicles. These components, which are already installed in the limited edition B-Class F-CELL, can be used flexibly and are suited for a variety of different drive configurations. The F800 Style is an example of this, as it uses rear-wheel drive, in contrast to the B-Class F-CELL. The same components are also installed in commercial vehicles, with developments here being spearheaded by the new Citaro fuel cell bus, which is equipped with two of the F-CELL systems used in passenger cars.
The new Mercedes-Benz research vehicle has the fuel cell located in the front, while the compact electric motor is installed near the rear axle. The lithium-ion battery is located behind the rear seats and is protected as well as possible against the effects of accidents, as are the four hydrogen tanks. Two of the tanks are located in the transmission tunnel between the passengers, while the other two are underneath the rear seat.
F800 Style with further innovations for more comfort and safety
In addition to a multi-drive platform that is unparalleled for large sedans and the combination of different alternative drive technologies, the F800 Style features many other technological innovations, such as a new multi-function display concept and a human-machine interface (HMI) with a cam touchpad. The display shows many additional functions not typically found in conventional instrument clusters. The F800 Style’s display concept focuses for the first time primarily on electric driving functions.
HMI with cam (camera) touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
The new cam touchpad HMI is an intelligent expansion of the COMAND system. For many years now, Mercedes-Benz has been forging ahead with the development of innovative operating and display systems. A particularly user-friendly innovation is being presented in the F800 Style. The HMI unit here consists of a touchpad on the center console and a camera that records video images of the user’s hand as it works the pad. The live image of the hand is presented in transparent form in the central display above the console. The user sees the contours of his or her fingers glide across the image without covering anything, thus ensuring that all of the functions of the currently used menu remain visible so that they can be easily operated by applying slight pressure to the touchpad. Pressing the display with one’s fingers generates a feeling similar to that of touching laptop keys so that users know when they are carrying out specific actions.
The cam touchpad HMI unit recognizes finger movements on the pad surface such as wiping, pushing, turning, and zooming, thus enabling intuitive regulation of the climate control system, telephone, stereo and navigation systems, and Internet access. The unit enhances active safety as well, because it is extremely easy and convenient to use and therefore does not distract the driver as much from the actual task of driving. And unlike conventional touchscreens, the HMI cam touchpad does not get smudged with fingerprints.
Conventional touchpad units generally depict hand or finger positions only by a small point in the display. Their lack of precision makes it very risky to enter information while driving, because doing so diverts the motorist’s attention too much from the road. By contrast, the HMI with cam touchpad can be easily and safely operated even while driving. Test subjects have confirmed that the HMI with cam touchpad is extremely easy and safe to use, particularly as a result of the transparent depiction of the hand.
Range on Map: Graphic range depiction during electric operation
Another very user-friendly innovation created by the Mercedes engineers is the “Range on Map” function, which shows the remaining possible travel radius during electric vehicle operation as a 360° depiction on a map. Should municipalities only permit purely electric automobile traffic in the future, the driver can determine whether the electric range of his or her vehicle is sufficient for the journey into and out of the urban area by means of the Range on Map function. The system provides this function by combining information on the current battery charge level with data from the navigation system.
In the new operating and display concept, Mercedes-Benz has created a solution that provides an unparalleled amount of information in a system of exemplary clarity. The engineers have thus achieved the goal of successfully developing a comprehensive yet easy-to-operate information and control system for future automobiles equipped with electric or partially electric drive systems. A further-developed version of the system can also display recharging stations.
Mirror display is easy on the eyes
The mirror display of the innovative cam touchpad HMI eliminates the differences between close proximity visibility and visibility over longer distances, thus contributing to the driver’s physiological safety in a manner typical of Mercedes. The system displays driving and vehicle information via a mirror in the instrument cluster so that they appear to be farther away. The distance the eye looks into is thus extended, which means less switching between near and far focus – and therefore less fatigue – for the eyes.
New DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant further reduces the stress of driving
Back in 2006, Mercedes-Benz introduced DISTRONIC PLUS, the world’s first proximity and speed control system that operates even when the car is standing still. The system substantially reduces the stress for drivers in dense traffic, as it regulates the distance from the vehicle in front even at very low speeds all the way down to a standstill. With its new DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant feature in the F800 Style, Mercedes-Benz has also become the world’s first automaker to implement a system that is also capable of automatically following the vehicle in front of it into curves. The system recognizes the difference between driving along curving roads and turning, which means it does not “blindly” follow the vehicle up in front – for example, when it changes lanes in order to exit the highway.
The result is that at speeds of up to about 25 mph, the Traffic Jam Assistant function takes care of both longitudinal and transverse movements so that drivers do not have to steer themselves. The driver can just sit back and relax – with hands on the steering wheel. When the 25 mph mark is exceeded, the steering torque that keeps the vehicle in its lane is gradually reduced to a point at which the Traffic Jam Assistant smoothly disengages. Drivers can, of course, override the system at any time. Sensitive sensors notice active steering movements, thus automatically deactivating the system’s lateral control function.
“The DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant is the logical continuation of the Mercedes-Benz assistance and safety philosophy. With it, we are setting another milestone on the path toward creating innovative systems, with which we will further enhance the high driving comfort that is a hallmark of Mercedes,” says Prof. Bharat Balasubramanian, Head of Product Innovations & Process Technologies at Group Research and Advanced Engineering. The required data is generated by radar distance sensors that are supplemented by a stereo camera.
PRE-SAFE 360° improves safety in rear-end collisions
While the Traffic Jam Assistant heightens comfort and active safety, the innovative protective system known as PRE-SAFE 360° further improves passive safety. PRE-SAFE 360° is based on the proactive occupant protection system PRE SAFE® developed by Mercedes-Benz. Unlike the previous system, PRE-SAFE 360° also monitors the area behind the vehicle. As a result, the system engages the brakes around 600 milliseconds before an anticipated rear-end collision occurs. The key advantage of this system is that braking a stationary vehicle helps prevent secondary accidents such as those that occur when the car is pushed uncontrolled into an intersection or a pedestrian crossing. It goes without saying that PRE-SAFE 360° also allows the driver to take control at any time. For example, the brake is immediately released if the driver hits the gas pedal, should they recognize that there is sufficient space in front of their vehicle to avoid the rear impact.
Rear pivot-and-slide doors ensure maximum entry comfort
A particularly customer-friendly innovation of the F800 Style is its rear doors. Whereas the front doors are attached to the A-pillar in a conventional manner and open wide toward the front, the rear doors slide backward when opened, as they are suspended from an interior swivel arm. Because the doors slide back close to the vehicle body, occupants find it much easier to get into and out of the automobile in tight parking spaces.
The F800 Style also has no B-pillar, making the entire space between the A and C-pillars completely accessible when the doors are opened. Despite the lack of a B-pillar, the F800 Style boasts a bodyshell that is both extremely robust and lightweight, and that meets the stringent demands for crash safety that are a hallmark of the Mercedes brand.
Reinterpretation of the typical Mercedes-Benz design idiom
The F800 Style is both a technology platform and a showcar. This research vehicle was created through close cooperation between technical research and advanced engineering departments and the advanced design studios in Sindelfingen, Germany and Como, Italy. Its exterior appearance is marked by a long wheelbase, short body overhangs, and a sensually flowing roof line.
“The exciting coupe-like roof line, and in general the vehicle’s balanced proportions, lend it a stylish sporty look that reinterprets the Mercedes-Benz design idiom and emphasizes the sculptural character of the F800 Style,” says Mercedes-Benz Head of Design Prof. Gorden Wagener. “The result is a harmonious blend of innovative form and function, which conveys a sense of great styling and authority.”
Front end with distinctive LED headlights
The vehicle’s front end features a variation of the radiator grille with the centrally placed star that is typical of Mercedes sports cars. The curved radiator grille bars softly flow around the tube holding the Mercedes-Benz brand star. Along with the wide radiator grille and the generously curved air intake openings, the model’s unique bright LED headlights emphasize the dynamic nature of the research vehicle. The headlights are divided into individual segments for daytime running lights, turn signal indicators, and primary headlights. The F800 Style’s taillights are also equipped with state-of-the-art LED units that enable an exciting interplay of indirect illumination and direct beams. The result is an attractive, unmistakable, and memorable visual effect.
Wood and light create a cozy interior
Luxurious wood surfaces and lots of light ensure a high level of comfort in the interior of the F800 Style. Occupants will immediately notice the modern sense of lightness, and functional elements like the driver area and the door armrests seem to float in space like sculptures. The innovative lightweight-construction seats in the F800 Style consist of a magnesium shell and a carbon fiber laminate shell backed with a fine yet resistant netting. The seat shell also features genuine wood veneer. For the veneer process, Mercedes-Benz engineers used a 3D surface coating procedure designed especially for the veneering of three-dimensional surfaces. This same procedure was used to create the wood finish in the center console, on the doors, and in the driver area. These wood finishing pieces are molded as 3D laminated components and are augmented by an aluminum core, which ensures that the components meet the high crash safety standards that are a hallmark of Mercedes.
Successful transfer from research to series production
Mercedes-Benz has presented 13 research vehicles since the early 1980s. The range of innovative and pioneering automobiles that was unveiled – beginning with Auto 2000 in 1981 and leading up to today’s F800 Style – offers proof of the consistency and foresight with which Mercedes-Benz engineers address the core issues of research and technology in order to develop innovative solutions for the future. Many systems that were first used in research vehicles and viewed as revolutionary at the time are now found in Mercedes-Benz production cars, including the DISTRONIC proximity-controlled cruise control, which was first installed in the F 100 in 1991 and made its series production debut in the S-Class in 1998.
The F800 Style is continuing this approach. Like its predecessors, the model features important drive, comfort, and safety system innovations, as well as an avant-garde design, all of which point the way forward for future series- production Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will continue to impressively combine fascination and responsibility.
CHAMPAIGN
— First Christian Church, 3601 S. Staley Road: More than two dozen items including lawn care items, radio, tools, and household wares, stolen form the church Tuesday.
— 300 block of South Second Street: Money stolen from home Wednesday.
— 1000 block of South Mattis Avenue: Global positioning system, in-dash radio stolen from vehicle Tuesday.
— 600 block of Ventura Road: Four shrubs damaged Wednesday.
— 300 block of East Green Street: Apartment entered about 10 p.m. Thursday; purse, keys, jewelry, debit and credit cards among stolen items.
— Station 211, 211 E. Green St.: Woman’s purse with cell phone, cash and other identification stolen Wednesday.
— 100 block of East Green Street: 21-year-old woman awakened by unknown person shining a flashlight in
her eyes about 4 a.m. Friday.
— 600 block of Bellerieve Drive: Home entered Thursday; wallet stolen.
— Centennial High School, 913 Crescent Drive: Cell phone stolen from 27-year-old woman Friday.
— 3900 block of Pebblebrook Lane: Vehicle entered Monday; backpack, textbook, global positioning system, jewelry, purse, debit and credit cards stolen.
URBANA
— 800 block of Oakland Avenue: Vehicle window broken; global positioning system stolen Thursday.
— Vine Street and Montclair Drive: 18-year-old male used pepper-spray on a 14-year-old boy because he was talking about the older youth’s friend; older teen arrested but not charge.
— 1200 block of East Washington Street: Lug nuts removed from tires on a vehicle parked in lot between Jan. 15 and Thursday; vehicle damaged when tire came off.
GM’s executive salaries seem to be an object of scrutiny lately, but many fail to consider those salaries in comparison to those being paid to execs with other carmakers. According to Fiat’s annual report, CEO Sergio Marchionne earned a staggering 41% more in 2009 than in 2008 with his salary of 4.8 million euros, or $6.5 million. 1.35 million of those euros however, were by way of bonus incentives.
The U.S. Treasury also approved in December, $600,000 in stock payments for Marchionne’s work at Chrysler, having been taken over by Fiat. Those shares remain unsellable however for three years, and not until obligations under TARP have been met by the company.
Fiat predicts that it will come close to black ink this year and have a trading profit of 1.1 − 1.2 billion euros after the Italian government made public their intention to not renew consumer purchasing incentives. Marchionne also predicts putting Chrysler in black ink in 2011. Other European CEO’s like VW’s Martin Winterkorn and Daimler’s Dieter Zetsche earned 6.1 million and 2 million euros respectively in 2008.
Newly appointed CEO of GM Ed Whitacre, will be compensated to the tune of $1.7 million per year in cash, and a stock package payable over three years beginning in 2012 that is valued at $5.3 million. Fritz Henderson, the ousted CEO that Whitacre was appointed to replace, will be retained as a consultant to Whitacre. The figure that Whitacre is set to receive is greater than what Henderson was to make before GM’s executive salaries were scrutinized by U.S. Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg. Before being officially named CEO, Whitacre was earning a salary of $350,000 as chairman.
GM rehired Henderson yesterday as consultant on a month-to-month basis with with the job expected to end before 2011, at a rate of $59,090. Henderson will offer counsel specifically with regard to international operations. For that fee Henderson is expected to put in about 20 hours per month.
Henderson was being paid $950,000 per year in cash and received a $4.2 million stock package as CEO, after Feinberg stuck his hand in and chopped the cash portion of Henderson’s salary from $1.3 million. It is said by many that GM’s pay restrictions imposed by the government have greatly hindered their search for an outside GM.
For the first four months of the 2010 fiscal year, the federal deficit is already $430 billion. Doesn’t it make you sick just thinking about it?
This year, interest on the U.S. government’s debt will hit 42% of expenditures. That means that of every $100 the government collects, it can really only spend $58 on things like defense, social security, and various programs, the other $42 going to pay interest on our debt.
Alan Greenspan was considered a genius during the boom years, and now people are blaming him for planting the seeds of the Global Economic Crisis. What’s kind of interesting is the mystery behind his Ph.D. thesis.
From an April 28, 2008 Barrons article on his thesis: “There are only two known copies: the Maestro’s own and the one we viewed. As far as we can tell, Barron’s is the only news organization ever to have seen the thesis since a third and now missing copy was removed from the public shelves of NYU’s Bobst library at Greenspan’s request in 1987, the year that Ronald Reagan appointed him chairman of the Federal Reserve Board…..Magazine articles and a new book, Deception and Abuse at the Fed have suggested that his degree was largely honorary and that the thesis was a cut-and-paste job, comprised of previously published, non-academic articles wrapped in a flimsy introduction. Two magazine articles in the late 1990s suggested that the thesis was entirely the work of Greenspan’s staff at the Council of Economic Advisers, which he chaired from 1974-1977.” There’s another side to the story, of course, but it’s apparently quite clear that the thesis involved no original research done specifically for the doctoral degree.
We flew into San Francisco from Baltimore a few days ago, and as the plane was landing, they played “I Left My Heart in San Francisco ” on the intercom. Just about everyone sang along. A sweet moment.
A bit of musical trivia is that Frank Sinatra recorded “I Left My Heart….” first, but he hated it so much that he had it yanked. Tony Bennett released his now-famous version, and the rest is history. We’d be curious to hear Sinatra’s version if it exists anywhere.
From Doug Mayer at MIAC: “One area of leakage that we observe consistently is in secondary where folks are using a spreadsheet-based model for hedging….. We find those folks are usually 10 to 20% over hedged all the time, mostly because their hedge models don’t measure (or shock) the servicing component of the pricing that they get from their investors. That leakage can turn into a geyser in a significant rally where pull-through drops, their hedges go quickly out of the money, and they have big pair-offs to pay.”
From First Cal’s Emil Fanelli regarding the joke about Bank of New York being so slow moving: “I once had the privilege of dining in The Bank of New York’s executive dining room. The dining room overlooked the East River , and I remember thinking that the slow-moving river currents were going at break neck speed compared to the bank I worked for.”
And then there was another stodgy bank, National Bank of Detroit . Their stock symbol was NBD, and we all thought we were terribly clever by referring to them as Nice But Dull.
Why did President Obama have to appoint a Commission on reducing the federal deficit? Isn’t it pretty obvious? Couldn’t a college freshman tell you that all you have to do is reduce spending or raise taxes or both? As Ronald Reagan said, “There may not be easy answers, but there are simple ones.” We had massive surpluses during the Clinton years, and the Congressional Budget Office projected a complete elimination of the national debt by 2009 – all of it – so if we did it once, we can do it again.
Here’s another comment on leakage from a client, a mortgage company owned by a commercial bank in the not-so-deep South. “With regard to leakage, I can send you a copy of the spreadsheet we use to record loans as they fund – it compares what we expected to receive on each loan to what we actually received and shows the differences recorded into the various income categories…Managers can look at the differences to see if they are significant enough to track down (i.e. not just little differences due to closing a loan at full balance and selling with a payment or so…” The company is Monarch Mortgage of Virginia Beach, owned by Monarch Bank, and it was one of the best run companies we saw last year. Actually, it was extraordinarily well run.
There’s nothing as good as laughing. Not chuckling or chortling, but out-loud laughing, so we recommend two very funny movies: Don’t Mess With the Zohan is about an Israeli commando who decides tobecome a hair stylist. The plot partly revolves some Palestinians who decide to bomb his salon, and as unbelievable as it seems, you could be Jewish or Palestinian and still laugh hysterically. There’s even a happy ending! Valentines Day is also hilarious. In many ways it’s a throwback to romantic comedies of the 30’s, but with a thoroughly modern twist.
A final comment from a client on re-purchases: “It’s really simple. In our experience, one bad loan will wipe out the profits on 60+ good loans.”
Terry Hodel was the President of North American Mortgage, and we remember his once saying that one bad loan wiped out the profit on seven good ones, and boy, things have changed since then? Sixty goods ones wiped out by one bad one sounds a bit high, but whatever the ratio is, it’s way up there. By the way, was there ever a better run company than North American?
We had a hamburger at a TGIF in Towson , Maryland last week, and the waiter seemed pretty cheery. When we asked how he was doing, he answered by saying “I’m living the dream.” Isn’t that wonderful? It’s hard to imagine that working at a fast food joint is anyone‘s idea of a dream, but it was a nice reminder that happiness comes from within and that people can be as happy as they allow themselves to be. By the way, it was the first time we’d ever eaten at a TGIF and it wasn’t all that horrible.
Speaking of TGIF, a good way to impress your boss is to walk in Monday morning and announce loudly and often TGIM, as in Thank God It’s Monday. Your boss will mark you as a real up-and-comer and it will totally annoy your co-workers.
We really liked Baltimore on our recent visit. We drove through block after block after block of abandoned row homes, but the downtown seemed very much alive and vibrant. It also seems a bit like Boston , with lots of colleges and lots of college students, and that always make for a livelier city. We have some ideas on how to revitalize the neighborhoods that have been abandoned there, but no one cares what we think, so we’ll just move on.
We have a theory on how to rate companies that has to do with their former employees: It seems to us that the top companies have lots of their people eventually go off and have great careers elsewhere. North American was one of those. A lot of great talent also came out of Countrywide and Headlands and a few others that come to mind. Great companies not only attract talented people, but they also groom them and prepare them for leadership.
You’re probably acutely aware of how hard it is getting publicity for your bank, so one of the attachments might be of interest.(click here) This is really embarrassing but this writer wanted some publicity for the ultra-tiny bank he ran, and besides hoping no one we knew would wander by on the day covered in this attachment, we mostly remember how bitterly cold it was. We had signs promoting the bank as the true heir to the BofA’s heritage (a red circle around North Carolina with a slash through it) and did it on the anniversary of the 1906 earthquake. Anyway, we opened a few accounts on a plank atop two barrels (think A.P. Gianinni) and the moment the reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle showed up and got his story, we closed up, went inside, and changed into normal clothes. It was embarrassing, but we did get some free publicity in the press and on TV. By the way, the little girl in the photo is 8-year old Hannah Garrett who cut school that day.
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This week’s cartoon is mildly funny but mostly a comment on yes-men, brief-case carriers, ass-kissers and sycophants. We remember one employee some 20 years ago who was a complete pain in the neck, always managing to disagree, ask tough questions, and bring up issues that no one wanted to deal with. She was a complete pain, but we wished we’d had 5-10 more of her. So the question is whether your company rewards those who tell you when you’re wrong, or whether you reward the team player who always tell you how brilliant you are. It’s a key component of your corporate culture, and it’s worth thinking about.
Finally, we’re not above bragging about clients and friends, so if you got a promotion, switched jobs, or did something you want to tell the world about, let us know and we just might run it. Have a good week. And write the President that he really needs to get the deficit under control!
Last week, we were told to expect an announcement regarding Killzone 3 “in the next few months”. Apparently, that is not necessarily correct as we’re now being told that we might actually receive an announcement regarding the
Robbie Hummel had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 4 Purdue finished strong to beat Illinois 75-65 on Saturday for its ninth straight win.
E’Twaun Moore added 18 points and Keaton Grant scored 13 of his season-high 15 points in the second half for the Boilermakers (23-3, 11-3 Big Ten). The win moved Purdue into a tie with No. 11 Michigan State for the conference lead.
Demitri McCamey of Illinois scored six points, and his 16 assists tied for the fourth-most in Big Ten history. Mike Davis had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks and Brandon Paul added 13 points for the Fighting Illini (17-10, 9-5).
Purdue closed the game on a 14-5 run to sweep the season series. The Boilermakers outscored the Fighting Illini 24-3 from the free-throw line.
The Boilermakers won despite 1-of-10 shooting from JaJuan Johnson, who had averaged 21 points in his previous four games.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (STMW) — A man wanted on burglary and aggravated assault charges in Will and Cook Counties was arrested Friday afternoon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Marvin Antuan Williams, 18, was arrested in Sioux Falls, S.D. about 12:30 p.m. Friday and is being held in the Minnehaha County Jail on fugitive from justice charges, according to Sgt. Loren McManus with the Sioux Falls Police Department.
Williams is wanted in Will County for failing to appear in court on a burglary charge, and is wanted in Cook County on a charge of aggravated assault with a gun, according to Officer Steven Mahlstedt of the Minnehaha County Jail.
A fugitive task force comprised of Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department officers and possibly U.S. Marshals made the arrest Friday at the intersection of East 75th Street and South Sycamore Avenue in Sioux Falls, McManus said.
Maps indicate the city is located in the south western corner of South Dakota, near the state’s borders with Minnesota and Iowa.
McManus said Williams’ last known address is 4809 E. 54th St. in Sioux Falls and that police there had no prior contact with him before Friday’s arrest.
It was not immediately clear what police departments in Illinois may have been involved with the arrest.
Williams will appear Monday in Minnehaha County Court. Possible extradition to Illinois will be determined after that hearing, Mahlstedt said.
Infiniti continue its assault on Europe at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show with the introduction of a newly developed 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel unit, which will initially be available in the EX, FX crossovers and the upcoming Infiniti M sedan.
“Although we did investigate the possibility of adapting an existing large capacity diesel for Infiniti, we quickly established that nothing on the market met our exacting requirements,” said Jim Wright, Vice President, Infiniti Europe. “We needed an engine that delivered not just stunning performance but exemplary refinement too. For that reason, with the Alliance we decided to develop our own engine, a performance diesel worthy of the Infiniti badge.”
The 3.0 V6 turbo-diesel produces 234-hp and a peak torque of 405 lb-ft. When thrown into the Infiniti EX30d or the FX30d (mated to a standard 7-speed automatic transmission), the diesel unit allows the crossovers to run from 0-62 mph in 7.9 seconds or 8.3 seconds respectively.
In terms of fuel-economy, the 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel allows the EX30d to average an estimated combined fuel-economy of 28 mpg, while the FX30d will estimate an average 26 mpg.
Hit the jump for the press release for more details.
Press Release:
INFINITI GOES DIESEL … QUIETLY
• Bespoke new 3.0-litre V6 direct injection diesel
• Class leading torque output of 550Nm.
• Exceptional refinement…
• … with outstanding performance…
• … competitive CO2 emissions and economy…
• … add up to a true Infiniti performance diesel
• Alliance designed engine for new EX30d, FX30d and M30d models
• Sales due to start in the summer, prices to be confirmed
• Diesel opens new opportunities for Infiniti
ROLLE, Switzerland (February 19, 2010) – Phase two of Infiniti’s quiet assault on the European luxury car market is underway with the arrival of a newly developed 3.0-litre V6 diesel. The engine, the first in the brand’s 20 year history, has been specifically designed to deliver high levels of refined performance in line with Infiniti philosophy. It will initially be available in both the acclaimed EX and FX crossovers and later in the Infiniti M luxury performance sedan.
The new diesel is a key element to Infiniti’s continued growth in Europe. Launched barely a year ago, the Infiniti range has won high praise from customers and the motoring press alike. Now with five established model lines – G37 saloon, coupé and convertible, plus the EX and FX ranges – more than 2000 Infinitis have been sold across 15 markets despite the marque’s launch coinciding with the worst global recession for decades.
A sixth model, the Infiniti M Line, will be launched during 2010 and it, too, will be available with the choice of petrol and the new 3.0d unit.
“The sales success enjoyed by Infiniti in Europe against a backdrop of financial uncertainty proves the cars’ appeal to a discerning audience. We have established Infiniti as the luxury performance brand thanks in part to the remarkable multi-award winning VQ petrol engine that powers most of the models in the range,” said Jim Wright, Vice President, Infiniti Europe.
“We were aware from the outset, however, that for Infiniti to offer a complete range a powerful diesel engine was a must, especially in the European premium SUV market where diesel represents the bulk of sector sales.
The performance figures speak for themselves. Developing 175 kW (238 PS) and a remarkable 550 Nm of torque, with standard seven-speed automatic transmission the new engine sends the EX30d to 100 km/h from rest in 7.9 secs and the FX30d in 8.3 secs. However with all that torque, it is in their overtaking performance that the Infinitis’ advantage will be most felt. (All figures subject to final homologation.)
The V6 diesel in detail
Designated V9X, Infiniti’s new V6 diesel has been developed in Europe by Infiniti engineers working with other engineers from Renault and Nissan. It is made at a state-of-the-art facility in Cleon in France, some 100 kms west of Paris. From the very start of development, the new unit was created to answer Infiniti’s demands for a powerful but exceptionally refined diesel engine, quiet enough in use to match the high standards set by the petrol engine.
The unit will also be used in cars from Renault and Nissan, allowing both those brands to broaden the appeal of specific model ranges at the same time as boosting production volumes of the engine. Unusually, V9X will power front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models.
With Infiniti’s specific requirement for a compact unit delivering high levels of power and torque with competitive emissions, strong economy and unrivalled refinement leading the development, work on the direct injection 2993cc V6 began in 2005.
Although a V8 diesel engine was investigated, the V6 format was identified early on as the ideal layout for the unit, providing the optimum balance between overall performance, refinement and volume potential across the three Alliance brands. Target performance was 238 PS (175 kW), 500 Nm of torque and early compliance with forthcoming Euro 5 emission legislation.
At the same time, the engine bay architecture of the EX and FX models – designed initially as petrol models only – called for a compact engine which, if it were to be used in both transverse and longitudinal positions, would need to have a comparatively narrow vee angle as close to 60 degrees as possible.
Engineers decided that the ideal vee angle for the unit would be an unusual 65 degrees. This offered an excellent compromise between crankshaft balancing, crankshaft and cylinder block reliability and engine packaging with the 65 degree angle wide enough to allow the single turbocharger to be neatly mounted within the vee.
But perhaps the key element to the success of the new V6 is the material chosen for the engine block. While some rivals tend towards aluminium-alloy cylinder blocks to reduce the weight of their diesel engines, development engineers felt that to achieve the desired levels of refinement an aluminium block would need extra material added to increase its stiffness and reduce noise levels. It might also need extra complexity added in the form of balancer shafts to boost refinement, but all these additions negate the weight advantages of an alloy block.
Conventional cast iron, however, would place too much weight over the front wheels and lower the levels of driving pleasure offered by all Infiniti vehicles. In its place, the engineers chose Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI), a material that offers all the benefits of cast iron and more – it has higher levels of stiffness and noise absorption – but without the weight penalty. And while CGI is heavier than a pure aluminium block there is no need to add stiffening ribs or extra sound deadening material so the weight gain is comparatively modest.
CGI was patented in 1949 and its first commercial application was for the brakes of Europe’s high-speed trains. It is 75 per cent stronger and up to 75 per cent stiffer than grey iron, the most common form of cast iron found in engine cylinder blocks. It also performs better than aluminium at higher temperatures when it is up to five times more fatigue resistant. Best of all, the weight of a typical engine block can be more than 20 per cent lower than an equivalent cast iron block.
To manage the high loads on the engine structure commensurate with the impressive power and torque outputs, the overall stiffness of the engine structure was optimised at the design stage by incorporating a number of specific features. These included a large and stiff coupling face between the converter housing and the engine; the CGI cylinder block with semi-deep skirts; direct bolting of ancillaries on the crankcase; an integrated engine bracket in the upper timing covers; a structural oil pan; a stiff torque converter housing and an axial driveline bearing on the gearbox side.
At the same time, to reduce vibrations inherent in a diesel engine and avoid unwanted resonances in the rev range, intensive structural optimisation during the preliminary design stage used finite element calculation to identify both the source of vibrations and to establish the ideal structural form of the block.
The result is a compact, architecturally stiff and refined unit that by itself delivers two of Infiniti’s design goals: high levels of refinement and no loss of chassis balance. In tests, Alliance engineers have determined that the V9X engine has the lowest 250 Hz and 500 Hz vibrations of all the benchmarked engines.
To ensure it fitted under the bonnet of both the EX and FX models, there are a number of significant differences between the Infiniti engine and its ancillaries and the version used in front-wheel drive applications. A number of changes also had to be made to the engine bays of the EX and FX.
As used in Infiniti models, the engine has a different cylinder block, a new design of crankshaft as well as new or revised intake manifold, fuel injection system, exhaust gas recirculation, turbocharger, oil sump and manifold catalyst. It is tuned differently, too, for more responsive performance and is ‘dressed’ differently, in keeping with the visual identity and design expression of the Infiniti brand.
Differences between petrol and diesel versions of the EX and FX models are equally far reaching and include a new front subframe, different front bumper designs to enhance air flow into the engine bay as well as redesigned sheet metal within the engine bay to house additional radiators needed for cooling.
The next phase of the engine’s development was to achieve the high levels of performance demanded by Infiniti owners. The result is a clean sheet design that takes current direct injection technology to a new level. Combustion chamber design has been optimised to improve the balance between emission levels and fuel efficiency and the compression ratio has been lowered to 16:1 to benefit not just economy and emissions but also noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
The depth of the cone-shaped valve pockets have been reduced and a mini-sac seven-hole injector nozzle adopted while the bowl diameter has been widened and the spray angle adapted accordingly for a better swirl effect at the same time as reducing thermal losses. Internal engine friction is reduced by the use of ultra smooth components such as the micro-finished forged steel used for the crankshaft.
Class leading levels of torque and highly competitive specific power outputs are delivered thanks to the adoption of a comparatively large single turbocharger, which is mounted within the vee of the engine, an intercooler and the use of the latest generation of Bosch common-rail fuel injection. This system incorporates piezo injectors and operates at 1800 bar.
Power output is bang on target at 175 kW (238 PS) while the class-leading torque output of 550 Nm (for rear and four-wheel drive applications) is better than the target. Better still, peak torque is achieved from as low as 1,750 rpm and is available all the way to 2,500 rpm, while as much as 500 Nm is available from a mere 1,500 rpm. Idle speed is an exceptionally low 650 rpm with none of the NVH usually associated with a diesel.
The result is strong low-end performance with comfortably refined delivery. Throttle response is exemplary and although noise is kept to a minimum, special tuning of the exhaust note provides a pleasantly sporting note at about 2,500 rpm under hard acceleration.
Engine refinement is complemented by Infiniti’s smooth seven-speed automatic transmission, standard on both EX and FX, which has been tuned to take full advantage of the high levels of torque.
“Whether at idle or at 2,000rpm such is the refinement of the new diesel engine that the only way a driver will know what’s under the bonnet is by looking at the rev counter and seeing where the red line falls,” said Wright.
With performance meeting or exceeding the design goals, the final stage of engine development was to ensure the V6 met or exceeded emissions and fuel efficiency targets, including achieving Euro 5 compliance. In addition to the advances made by the changes to the combustion chamber, the V9X engine also incorporates a number of innovative features designed both to enhance emissions performance and improve reliability.
Among these is the adoption of an overcooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system which reduces NOx emissions. The system incorporates an integrated exhaust gas by-pass in the EGR cooler which quickly helps to achieve the optimum temperature after start up so that the full cooling capacity can be used. This features a low temperature water circuit for the EGR cooler to reduce still further the temperature of the exhaust gas and lower carbon monoxide and hydro carbon emissions.
Equally significant is the treatment of the tailpipe emissions. The system comprises a metallic oxidation catalytic converter offering lower pressure loss compared to a ceramic system and an exothermic catalyst and a catalytic diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the same container. The latter arrangement works in conjunction with a seventh fuel injector which is positioned in the exhaust.
This is activated while the particulate filter is being regenerated – a process of which the driver is completely unaware – but significantly means the opportunity for unburnt fuel to pollute the engine oil is removed. It also allows the filter to be regenerated in low-load conditions, such as idling, and therefore achieves a high efficiency level under all driving conditions at the same time as permitting oil change intervals to be optimised.
As well as high levels of performance and superb refinement, the V9X engine cuts CO2 emissions in the EX to 224 g/kms and helps the model return a combined fuel figure of 8.4 l/100kms. The equivalent figures for FX are 240 g/kms and 9.0 l/100kms.
Reliability and quality targets during development included more than 12,000 hours of durability testing on test benches while transverse and longitudinal V9X development engines were driven more than 1,250,000 kms. In addition every single engine is run on a ‘hot bench test’ cycle before it is delivered to the vehicle assembly plant.
“When we introduced Infiniti to Europe we knew our first task was to establish the brand as the pre-eminent luxury performance marque with the highest possible levels of service and aftercare.
“Now we can move on to the next step in Infiniti’s development. The new diesel engine allows us access to a far greater sector of the market without compromising on our core values. More than that, it’s an exceptional engine, with impressive torque from very low revs helping to deliver progressive, linear acceleration with none of the typical disadvantages of unwanted noise and vibrations.
“By creating a bespoke sporting diesel, we have been able to maintain the combination of performance and luxury expected from an Infiniti with the added bonus of lower emissions and improved fuel economy. It’s a win-win position,” said Jim Wright.
Ron Paul wins this year’s straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), overtaking Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin as conservatives’ favorite for the 2012 presidential nomination.
Results:Ron Paul 31%, Mitt Romney 22%, Sarah Palin 7%, Tim Pawlenty 6%, Mike Pence 5%, Newt Gingrich 4%, Mike Huckabee 4%, Mitch Daniels 2%, Rick Santorum 2%, John Thune 2%, Haley Barbour 1%
“Although we did investigate the possibility of adapting an existing large capacity diesel for Infiniti, we quickly established that nothing on the market met our exacting requirements,” said Jim Wright, Vice President, Infiniti Europe. “We needed an engine that delivered not just stunning performance but exemplary refinement too. For that reason, with the Alliance we decided to develop our own engine, a performance diesel worthy of the Infiniti badge.”
