TURBOS AND SUPER CHARGES

Engine Intel: How Turbos and Superchargers Work

To get both fuel economy and horsepower, automakers are boosting engines with pumps that provide extra kick. If you've ever wondered just how these engine pumps provide that boost, here's a handy diagram.

Big engines provide a satisfying surge, but most of the time we're using only a fraction of an engine's maximum power. To increase fuel economy, automakers are rapidly employing smaller engines—both in displacement and cylinder count. Downsized engines can, however, produce big-motor power with the help of pumps that force more air into the engine. The extra air, combined with fuel, makes a more powerful "boom" when the spark plugs fire, increasing horsepower.

Automotive engine pumps come in two flavors: turbochargers and superchargers. Turbos are currently the de facto small-engine power booster because they efficiently run off the engine's exhaust. This energy may be "free," but there's a slight delay between the time the driver presses the gas and when the turbo generates boost (the delay is known as turbo lag). While turbo-makers have reduced the lag with twin-scroll ducts that increase gas velocity, surviving in the over 2000 F exhaust requires exotic and expensive materials like cast stainless steel and Inconel, a nickel—chromium alloy.

Superchargers have typically been employed when peak power—not saving fuel—is the ultimate goal (see the Corvette ZR1). But refinements like helical rotors and a bypass system for coasting have increased the blower's efficiency so that several automakers are keen to take advantage of the supercharger's relative simplicity and lower cost. Plus, a supercharger offers near instantaneous response, so a downsized, supercharged engine feels punchier in heavier vehicles like SUVs. Compared with a nonboosted engine of equal power, a smaller "pumped" one is roughly 10 percent thriftier, which is why the majority of new-car engines will almost certainly be boosted by the end of the decade.

TECHNOLOGIES

Six New Car Technologies That Will Simplify Your Life

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  Audi Piloted Parking App

  Someday, parking could be this easy. Choose an open space in the app and the car will drive itself to the correct spot. | May 29, 2013 | Audi of America

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Technology is supposed to make life simpler and better. Cars cover greater distances than horses. The automatic transmission spares us the task of shifting gears. Cruise control gives feet a rest on long road trips.

Here are six new car technologies that continue in that tradition. They might not be offered on all vehicles, and some will take time to make their way to the mainstream car market. But at the very least, this list can serve as a glimpse into the future of some cool, make-it-simple car technologies.

1. Piloted Parking
Mall parking lots are a hassle on the weekends and a nightmare around the holidays. But what if you didn't have to worry about driving around to find a space, or even parking the car at all? Enter Audi's piloted parking.

Here's how it works. You drive your Audi to a specially designated car lot, leave the car at a drop-off area, choose an open space with a smartphone app and then let the car do all the work.

From there, the vehicle uses its Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) cameras to navigate the lot and park itself in the pre-determined space. Once you're finished shopping, you enter a command in the smartphone app, asking for the car to meet you at the drop-off area. This video shows the system in action.

Piloted parking needs two major components to work: a self-driving car and a parking lot outfitted with laser sensors to record the car's movement. Businesses may be more likely to add the sensors to their parking lots once self-driving cars are on the road in sizable numbers.

In the meantime, Ford and Toyota already have vehicles that can assist with parking. In these cars, the driver has to be in the vehicle to manipulate the gas and brake pedals. The car will automatically take care of steering into the space.

We put these two self-parking systems to the test, and found that while they work well enough, they often require a large parking space to operate in.

2. In-Car WiFi Hotspots
People are used to being online all the time, whether at home or at work. The rare exception is when we get into our cars. Sure, you can pull out a smartphone to check your e-mail or Facebook, but what if you want to get some work done on your laptop or browse the Web on a larger tablet? The 2013 Ram 1500 with Uconnect access has a solution that is catching on with other automakers.

Uconnect Access is a $505 upgrade (more if you want navigation) to the Ram 1500's infotainment system. The package adds a 3G cellular modem, running on the Sprint network, which provides a WiFi hotspot for multiple devices up to 150 feet away.

Chrysler has confirmed that Uconnect Access will be available on the high-performance 2013 SRT Viper and the more affordable 2014 Jeep Cherokee. Data prices range from $9.99 a day to $34.99 per month.

The 2013 Audi A6, A7 and A8 also offer 3G WiFi hotspots, albeit at a much higher cost for the car.Data prices for Audi connect range from $15 per month on a 30-month contract, to $30 per month without a contract. And by 2015, General Motors plans to equip most of its models with a 4G LTE modem that will also provide even faster WiFi hotspots.

3. Airless Tires
It's a fact: Most people don't check their tire inflation often enough, and a lot of us are driving on underinflated tires, which is hard on fuel economy and can be unsafe. Swings in temperature also can affect tire pressure. Furthermore, under-inflation and over-inflation can cause premature wear on a tire. One solution? Dump the air.

The Bridgestone Corporation announced in late 2011 that it is working on a concept airless or "non-pneumatic" tire. Instead of air, this tire would be filled with molded thermoplastic resin spokes, which would be strong enough to support the weight of the vehicle. Since the tire does not need air, it would still operate normally if it were punctured. The thermoplastic material, including the rubber on the tread of the tire, would be 100 percent recyclable, making the concept tire significantly more environmentally friendly.

Bridgestone says that it has no set date for the launch of these tires. But even if they don't make it to passenger vehicles, there is still potential use for them on off-road and military vehicles.

4. Easy-Fill Tire Alert
While we may be a ways off from the "airless tire," Nissan has come up with a technology to make it easier to maintain the tires that actually do need air. The Easy-Fill Tire Alert system is a convenient alternative to the inaccurate, or sometimes nonexistent, tire pressure gauges at gas stations.

When you connect an air hose to the tire and the air starts flowing, the vehicle's emergency lights flash to indicate that the filling process has started. The horn chirps when the tire pressure reaches the recommended setting. If the driver spaces out and keeps filling the tire with air, the car horn honks until the air hose is disconnected. Once the driver has let air out of an overfilled tire, the horn chirps again to signal that the proper tire pressure has been reached.

The Easy-Fill Tire Alert debuted on the 2013 Nissan Altima sedan and will eventually make its way to other Nissan vehicles, the automaker says.

5. Smart Headlights
Driving in the rain or snow at night is difficult not only because of the road conditions, but also because car headlights illuminate raindrops and snowflakes rather than the road. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a headlight system that combines a camera, projector, beam splitter and an Intel-based processor to reduce the number of raindrops in your field of view.

The camera detects the raindrops at the top of the field of view. The processor determines their future location. The projector reacts to "dis-illuminate" the particles. The entire process takes about 13 milliseconds, and could potentially speed up once the system has been fully integrated into a car.

"A few manufacturers have contacted us about the headlights," says Srinivas Narasimhan, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University and principal investigator for the project. He says nothing formal has been agreed to since the lights are still in the development period.

Narasimhan says that his team has continued to make improvements to the technology, but adds that researchers need another two years to make the headlights fast enough to be used effectively at highway speeds and small enough to fit in most vehicles. Once they clear that hurdle, he estimates that we should see them on cars in four to five years.

For now, we have smart headlights on cars like the Dodge Dart, though they aren't as smart as the ones that have their degree from Carnegie Mellon. If you are driving with your high beams on at night, Chrysler's "SmartBeam" headlamps sense the headlamps or taillamps of other cars and adjust the high beams to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.

6. Hydrophobic Windows
Rather than relying on the headlights to hide raindrops, what if the drops just beaded up and slid right off the car's windows? The 2014 Kia Cadenza is one of the first vehicles to offer hydrophobic windows.

The Cadenza's side windows have been specially treated to repel water and condensation. This improves visibility in rainy weather and makes for easier drying after the car is washed. Kia bundles hydrophobic windows into the Cadenza's Technology package, which also includes adaptive cruise control and blind-spot and lane-departure warning systems.

As of this writing, we know of no other automakers that are offering hydrophobic windows. But there is a way to have the windows' benefits without having to buy a Cadenza: Consider getting a bottle of rain repellent. It works great, and you can use it on all your car windows.

We never said that life-simplifying car technology had to be expensive.

FUTURE FORD

2015 Ford Mustang

America’s original pony car will be turning 50 in the next few years, and Ford is celebrating the monumental birthday by taking its maiden voyage overseas. The 2015 Ford Mustang will find its way into right-hand-drive markets, such as England, Japan and Australia. Moreover, for the first time in the Mustang’s history, England and Australia studios will aid in the design of the new-generation muscle car. Add that to the fact that the 2015 Mustang will receive independent rear suspension for the first time ever, with exception of the Cobra version a decade ago, and the Mustang suddenly becomes a hot topic among enthusiasts.

With such dramatic changes in the geographical availability of the Mustang, as well as the move away from the cheaper live axle, not much else has to change in order for this new-generation Mustang to find its new niche in the 2015 model year. That being said, expect the updated muscle car to get a radical redesign while still staying true to its overall look and style.

The 2015 Ford Mustang should debut at the New York Auto Show in April 2014, exactly 50 years to the month of the original Mustang’s debut.

UPDATE 06/13/2012: The guys over at CarAndDriver have managed to catch a mule of the next generation Mustang during testing. As usual, the spy shots reveal more details on the future car. The next Mustang will be built on a heavily revised version of the outgoing car’s platform, with the biggest change being made for the suspension system.

UPDATE 06/28/2012: Today we have created a new rendering for the upcoming Ford Mustang. Click past the jump to learn more about it.

More details on the 2015 Ford Mustang after the jump.

Rendering

When Ford announced plans for a new-generation Mustang, it also announced that the model will adopt a more global design. As a preview to it, the company unveiled the Evos Concept, which inspired our rendering. However, unlike the base concept, we have tried to make it a little more Mustang-ish with more pronounced body lines and slightly less-squinty headlights.

History

The Ford Mustang is one of the most successful muscle cars ever to roam the streets of America market and one with the longest history. The model arrived on the market in 1964 and, depending who you speak to, it is either on its fifth or tenth generation. If you consider platform changes as generations, then you are on the side that says this is the sixth generation. However, if you take major body changes as new generations, then you know that the Mustang is on its 10th rendition. We’re not here to argue semantics, so we’ll just stick with the five platform changes to make things easier...

First Generation: 1964 - 1973

The first-generation Mustang was offered in coupe and convertible, plus a sporty 2+2 fastback body style added just a few months after the car’s official debut. The 1964 Mustang was offered with a 170 cubic-inch six-cylinder and a pair of V-8 engines. The most powerful Mustang of the first generation was unveiled in 1968 when Ford announced the 428 Cobra Jet, which delivered a total of 335 horsepower.

In 1967, the Stang underwent a metamorphosis that some consider a new generation, as it grew in length and width, but rode atop the same 108-inch wheelbase. In 1969, the Mustang grew once again, plus it received a four-headlight setup, a sharp nose and a revised grille. This is considered by some enthusiasts as the "third generation," but the basic platform and 108-inch wheelbase remained the same as the debut model.

The 1971 model year was likely the most hated of the first-gen Mustangs, as it grew into a 187.5-inch-long whale of a muscle car whose base 145-horsepower six-banger just wasn’t up to the task of hauling this much lard around. However, the 375-horsepower Cobra Jet 429 was certainly up to the task.

The first-generation closed out in 1973 with emission regulations choking the Mustang to just 150 horsepower from the once-feared 351 cubic-inch V-8 engines.

Second Generation: 1974 - 1978

The second generation arrived in 1974 and, when the Mustang II arrived with smaller dimensions, thank to a chassis that was borrowed from the Pinto. Sure, the chassis was modified for the Mustang II, but it was still a basic Pinto structure and had a petite 96.2-inch wheelbase. This generation used engines ranging from a Pinto-sourced 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 88 horsepower to a 5.0-liter V-8 with 134 horsepower. The Mustang II’s only claim to fame was its Cobra II model in "Charlie’s Angels".

Third Generation: 1979 - 1993

In 1979, Ford released the infamous "Fox Body" Mustang with the hopes of winning back the Mustang’s reputation. The debut Fox Body was a four-eye-style - four headlights - and came with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 88 horsepower as standard and topped out with a 5.0-liter V-8 with 140 horsepower.

In 1987, Ford dropped the four-eye look and released a flat face with composite headlights. This gave the Fox Body the iconic look that everyone remembers.

By time the third generation came to its final year in 1993, the Mustang boasted a healthy line of engines, ranging from a 105-horsepower 2.3-liter to a 235-horsepower 5.0-liter V-8 in the Cobra model.

Fourth Generation: 1994 - 2004

The fourth generation was unveiled in 1993, as it dropped the hatchback coupe model in favor of a traditional notchback setup. The base model was offered with a 3.8 liter V-6 engine delivering 145 horsepower and up to a V-8 with an output of 215 horsepower.

The 1999 model year is another transition year, as some consider it a new generation, thanks to the drastically restyled body, but Ford essentially swapped out the fascias, sharpened the fenders and restyled the grille. Much everything else on the 1999 Mustang was the same as the year before.

The pinnacle of the third-generation Mustang was the 2003 Cobra, which featured a 390-horsepower V-8 powerplant.

Fifth Generation: 2005 - 2014

In 2005, Ford went retro with the Mustang, bringing back the rounded headlights, three-element taillights and extending the wheelbase by 6 inches. A new 4.0-liter V-6 with 210 horsepower debuted in the fifth generation, as did a 300-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8.

The 2007 model year brought a new Shelby GT and Shelby GT500. The former featured a 319-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 and the latter enjoyed a 500-horsepower supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 engine.

In 2011, Ford shocked the world with two new engines. First was a base 3.7-liter V-6 engines with 305 horsepower and the other was the 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 with 412 ponies.

The most powerful Mustang ever - the 2013 GT500 - offered up a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine with an output of 662 horsepower.

Check this link for a full history on the Mustang.

Exterior and Interior

The 2015 Mustang will be getting redesigned for its new generation, as most cars do, but Ford would be ridiculous if they changed it up too much. Expect to see the same long hood/short deck combination, as well as the sharp upper and lower quarter panels of the current model to carry on to the next. The major component of the redesign will come in a revised platform that will drop the car’s overall weight and length. The new, lighter and smaller Mustang will then be prepared to take on the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro that is also said to have dropped a few pounds.

The interior of the Ford Mustang hasn’t had many changes since its restyling in the third generation. Other than the seats getting made out of soybeans for the 2008 model, the Mustang’s interior has stayed the same. Will 2015 be the year of the interior? It’s highly doubtful, but we do expect more of Ford’s bountiful technologies to find their way into the new generation muscle car.

Engine

As of right now, the engine lineup for the 2015 Mustang will not differ much from the current V-6 and V-8 configurations. Expect to see the 3.6L V-6 producing 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque and the 5.0L V-8 delivering 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, except that the V-8 may get direct injection.

Rumors have also been circulating about a new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine with upwards of 350 horsepower.

Handling and Stability

For the first time in 10 years since Ford’s then-VP, Phil Marten, decided to switch to a live axle to cut down on costs, the Ford Mustang will be getting an independent rear suspension. This new suspension will be a one-off of sorts from Ford’s Control Blade suspension and will be similar to that of the Ford Falcon from Australia, marking the area in which Australia’s studios will come into play.

This switch to IRS may be cause for alarm for the drag racers of the world that rather enjoy the live axle, but a limited-edition live axle model may come into play to put out that fire. We can see it now, 2015 Ford Mustang Drag Race Edition.

Handling may also be improved for the new generation Mustang with computer-controlled torque vectoring. This system be able to apply and hold torque where it is needed for more aggressive and controlled handling.

Pricing

The 2015 Ford Mustang is still a long ways away, with the debut scheduled for April 2014 at the New York Auto Show, exactly 50 years to the month of the original Mustang’s debut. Putting a price on a vehicle that won’t hit the market for another four years seems a bit premature.

Competition

As previously mentioned, when the 2015 Ford Mustang hits the scene, it will tackle its longtime rival, the Chevrolet Camaro. The Mustang/Camaro war has been a fiery one and, with both models shedding some weight for their new generations, we don’t expect that fire to be doused anytime soon.

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