Mazda SkyActiv-X, a spark-aided Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition

Source: Kickaffe via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

The battle for high efficiency, low emission engine continues to gather momentum when Mazda made a revolutionary announcement earlier this month in the form of the SkyActiv-X engine technology, which Mazda predicts will find its way into production cars by 2019. What the heck is that? Another one of Mazda's trick techno wizardry? In no uncertain term, it is one heck of a piece of tech. It is Mazda's speak for Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine, which mixes air and fuel in the cylinder like a gasoline engine, but ignite by piston compression like a diesel engine.

That sounds like a win-win proposition-diesel efficiency combines with clean gasoline emission. Except with a but. A BIG but. There has never been a production HCCI engine in mainstream cars. Why? Well, it's due to this conundrum: timing. Unlike on conventional gasoline and diesel engine where ignition timing can be easily controlled and adjusted with the spark plug (gasoline) and fuel injector (diesel), HCCI has no such luxury. It relies solely on cylinder temperature which if not controlled properly, can create a whole host of nasty problems such as the dreaded knock when it's too hot or compromised combustion if it's too cold.

To remedy this problem, Mazda throws in the spark plug. The idea is that when condition is less than ideal for compression ignition (cold engine, low ambient temperature, high load/rpm), the spark plug will take care of ignition. During highway driving or low load/rpm, the engine will revert to compression ignition to increase efficiency. Speaking of efficiency, Mazda claims their SkyActiv-X tech can improve efficiency by 20-30%. Bold claims there Mazda.

Efficiency aside, this warrants some questions:

1. How will Mazda ensure seamless transition from spark ignition to compression ignition and vice versa? 
2. What approaches will Mazda adopt to control the time combustion occurs?

Let Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained offers some educated guess:

Video Credit: Engineering Explained

    

Petrol and diesel vehicles ban from France by 2040

Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid from 2016 MIECC Auto Show

Are we seeing more and more proposal to consign fossil fuel-powered vehicles to the history book? Looks like the trend is gaining traction as the French government has taken a bold step towards a greener future by proposing that by 2040 there will be no more vehicles motivated by prehistoric dinosaur leftover clogging the French thoroughfare. 

In a move announced by Nicolas Hulot, France ecology minister, the move is part of France plan to become carbon neutral by 2050.

The French, however, is not alone in this initiative as their northern neighbour, Norway, is set to fully adopt hybrid and electric cars by year 2025.  

What does this entail? Well, in my opinion, this is nothing surprising as automakers have to meet emission standard before being certified as road legal. Phasing out pure Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars seems to be a more feasible option as authorities worldwide are looking for solutions to address pollution woes in their respective countries.   

This is how car thieves can steal keyless entry-equipped cars

Car keys are increasingly getting high-tech. From conventional mechanical keys to remote keys and finally to keyless entry that obviate the need to fish out the key from owner's pocket to unlock and lock the car. This obviously offer nice convenience factor to car owners...and even to car thieves. Yep, car thieves can still drive keyless entry-equipped car away which is not only easy to pull off, but dead cheap as well. Wired Magazine reported that Qihoo 360, a Beijing-based security firm, had proven the possibility through a relay hack.

How does the relay hack work? 

For keyless entry to work, car owners need to be standing within close proximity, roughly 5 feet away from the car, to pick up the signal from the key fob. What the relay hack does is it enables would-be car thieves to extend the signal from the owner's key fob to a radio signal device that tricks the car into thinking the key fob is within close proximity. The short video above by Jun Li, a researcher from Qihoo, demonstrates how the hack is executed.

For this hack to work, it will require 2 people and 2 radio signal devices. One thief tails the owner with the device in hand. The device will then copy and transmit the signal from the owner's key fob to a separate device held by the thief's accomplice who is within close proximity with the car. The car receives the signal from the device and tricked into thinking it is receiving signal from the owner's key fob, the car door is automatically unlocked. 

Simple indeed. As well put by Jun Li, "You're working in your office or shopping in the supermarket, and your car is parked outside. Someone slips near you and then someone else can open up and drive your car. It's simple." 

The price?

How much it costed Qihoo to put together the radio hacking device? Well, get this: $22 (RM 95)! Dead cheap indeed. Also, according to carmudi, the hacking system's range is increasing, enabling car thieves to unlock the car even if the owner's key fob is more than a thousand feet away. Is this the end of the world?  

How to prevent the hack from occurring?

Thankfully there is a way. As suggested by Qihoo's researchers, automakers and component companies can prevent the relay hack by tightening the timing constraints in the call-and-response communications between the key and car. In other words, if the signal is copied and transmitted too far away, the fraudulent transmission can be rejected altogether. 

Owners can also do their part by keeping the key inside a Faraday bag that blocks radio signal or inside a metal box such as a refrigerator.   

Let's hope the auto industry can get their act together to forestall future attacks before it becomes too easy for car thieves. 

   

BMW E30 M3 a racing legend

Sport Evolution (aka Evo III) model

Year 1986 has to be the sacrosanct year for the BMW aficionados as it marked the beginning of a legend that stood the test of time until the present day. The M3 badge makes its presence felt all thanks to Munich's racing aspiration. The venerable badge gestation was instigated by the E30 generation as a homologation special for entry to Touring Car racing, where it would lock horns with the likes of the W201 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3/16V in the DTM series.

Available either in 2-door coupe or convertible form, the E30 M3 was a star machinery, with notable accolades including winning the 1987 World Touring Car Championship drivers title, Top Sports Cars of the 1980s awarded by Sports Car International in 2004 and the "5 greatest drivers cars of all time" under Automobile Magazine 25 Greatest Cars of All Time. 

To keep the car competitive in racing and adapt to homologation rule changes, special editions model were produced. Due to the homologation rules roughly stating that the race version must reflect the road-going version, special editions model were rolled off the assembly line where the differences between standard M3 and special editions model include more power out of the stonking S14 engine, improved aerodynamics, lighter weight and bigger wheels. The special editions model were christened Evo II and Evo III (Sport Evolution).

 

It all started with the Evo II available in 1988. The latter retained the 2.3 litre S14 naturally aspirated 4 pot from the standard M3, albeit with a bump in power from 197 hp to 217 hp thanks to higher compression ratio, revised intake camshaft profile and improved exhaust camshaft timing. The wheels had also grown in size (16 x 7.5 inches), weight had been shed off thanks to lighter bootlid, and front splitter and rear spoiler took care of the aero department. Only 500 Evo II models were available.

                                                            S14 Evo III Screamer

In 1990, the more potent Evo III, or Sport Evolution, hit the scene with a larger 2.5 litre S14 4 pot which boosted output from 217 hp to 235 hp with higher lift intake and exhaust camshaft fitted.

Adjustable front splitter and rear wing were fitted and the front foglights had been replaced by brake ducts. Only 600 examples were made.

Thanks to the special editions model, the E30 M3 gained entry to the Touring Car racing and performed impeccably. The car had to its name 2 European Touring Car Championship titles, 2 British Touring Car Championship titles, 4 Italia Superturismo Championship titles and 2 DTM titles.

Apart from Touring Car racing, the E30 M3 also partook in rally racing, clinching victory in the 1987 Tour de Corse driven by Bernard Beguin and the 1990 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship driven by Bertie Fisher.

Given the number of accolades in the bag, the E30 M3 has to be among the most competitive racing machine to have ever graced a race track.  

A look back at previous generation Nissan Z-cars

Source: Hatsukari715 via Wikimedia Commons

Still remember Nissan Z-cars? The brawny rear wheel drive sports car that had been in the market since 1969? If you don't, I don't blame you as the Z-car had been sort of forgotten. Does that mean Nissan is going to pull its plug? Well, words have been circling around that Nissan is going to preview the next generation Z-car in concept form in this year's Tokyo Motor Show. This might mean that Nissan ain't gonna expunge the Z-cars from their line-up just yet.

If it goes into production, it will still retain the outgoing 370Z's proportion, meaning the fastback roof, long hood and wide stance as reported by Car and Driver. On the engine side of things, 3 options are available: (1) 400 hp 3.0 litre twin turbo V6 from Infiniti's Red Sport cars, (2) 300 hp entry-level 3.0 litre V6, and (3) 500 hp hybrid variant with the same V6.

With that said, it wouldn't hurt to look back at all of the previous generation Z-cars that magnified the brand's image.

240Z (S30)

Source: Rockymntskier via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0

Introduced in October 1969 (sold as 1970 model year), this first generation Z-car spawned two versions, one for the Japanese market where it was known as Nissan Fairlady Z, and one for the US market marketed under Datsun 240Z moniker. The Japanese Fairlady Z was motivated by a 130 hp 2.0 litre SOHC L20A straight 6, while a 151 hp 2.4 litre L24 straight 6 with twin carburetors Hitachi SU-type powered the US 240Z.

The general public was head over heel by its aesthetically pleasing looks and impeccable performance, leading to a stellar 45,000 units being sold off in 1971, 50,000 units in 1972 and 40,000 units in 1973.

In 1974, Nissan introduced the 260Z, featuring a bigger 2.6 litre engine. Despite that, new emission regulations 'choked' the engine in most part of the US down to 139 hp, 12 hp lower than the outgoing 240Z.

In 1975, the US market was endowed with the more powerful 280Z, which saw the engine displacement enlarged to 2.8 litre. The most significant change was the introduction of Bosch fuel injection in place of the SU carburetors, which led to a power hike to 170 hp.

280ZX (S130)

                      

Source: Avriette via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0

Now in its second generation, Nissan maintained the 'Fairlady' label for the Japanese market, while the export market remained under the Datsun labelling. The 280ZX had no correlation whatsoever with the 280Z, though the 2.8 litre engine and 5 speed manual were carried over from the latter.

Increasing consumer demand for luxury saw the introduction of t-tops, leather seats and automatic climate control. In 1981, a turbocharged model was introduced, good for 180 hp.

So popular was the 280ZX that it won the Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year award in 1979 and went on for a record sales of 86,007 units during the first year.

300ZX (Z31)

                                                                   Source: Zach87 via Wikipedia

In 1984, Nissan gave the Z-car a makeover which saw the debut of the brand's 3.0 litre V6 engine from the VG engine family in the 300ZX. These engines came with the options of VG30E naturally aspirated with 160 hp and VG30ET turbo with 200 hp or 228 hp outside the US thanks to longer cam duration and liberal emission regulations.

This third gen Z-car marked the retirement of the Datsun labelling for good, marketing all Z-cars in all markets under Nissan's labelling in 1985. Nissan made a minor tweak to the 300ZX with the inclusion of water-cooled turbo and smoked taillights.

In 1988, the engine was given a lower-inertia T25 turbo and a higher compression ratio, up from 7.8:1 to 8.3:1 to combat turbo lag. To further complement the changes, a special edition package, known as 'Shiro Special' (SS), was introduced. The package came with analog gauges, climate controls, stiffer anti-roll bar and springs, non-adjustable suspension, Recaro seats, viscous limited-slip differential and front lower lip spoiler.

300ZX (Z32)

                               

                                          Source: RedBeauty84ZX via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0

The 3.0 litre V6 from the previous gen 300ZX was carried over to the fourth gen 300ZX, fortified with dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) and variable valve timing (VVT) which improved output to 222 hp in naturally aspirated form. The most mouth-watering prospect however had to be the turbo variant, now equipped with twin Garrett turbochargers and twin intercoolers that churned out 300 hp to the rear wheels under Super HICAS four wheel steering's supervision.

The Z32 generation 300ZX won several accolades from renown motoring magazines, including Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine, Road & Track and Car and Driver.

1993 saw the introduction of a convertible version for the first time in a Z-car. T-tops was standard feature on all 300ZX Z32 generation, though consumers can option the hardtops as well.

However, the 300ZX Z32 generation had to be a blot in the copybook as the mid-90s trend toward SUV and the depreciating Yen currency in relation to the US dollar put a lid on the car's US sales in 1996. Compounding matters were the price inflation, which saw a price tag of $30,000 at its release and $50,000 in its final year. The result? The end of Z-car sales in the US, but it lived on in Japan.

240Z Concept (1999)

                                 

                                            Source: Zach87 via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0

With increasing interest in SUV in the US, Nissan shifted their focus onto SUV to keep them from being financially strapped. Despite that, Nissan wouldn't give up on the Z-car that easily.

During the 1999 North American International Auto Show, the 240Z Concept was launched. The concept was a bright orange two-seater with fastback roof, with a fully functional 2.4 litre KA24DE 4 cylinder with 200 hp. This eventually rekindled the love for Z-car among American public.

350Z (Z33)

                                  

                                           Source: rumpleproofskin via Wikipedia CC BY 2.0

After a hiatus from 1997, 2002 finally saw the return of Z-car in the form of the 350Z. It all began after Renault bought 44.4% of Nissan and Carlos Ghosn became CEO in 2001.

Ditching the 4 cylinder from the concept, it now featured a 287 hp 3.5 litre VQ35DE DOHC V6, the 350Z was launched in Japan on July 2002 and in the US on August 2002, with transmission option of a 6 speed manual or 5 speed automatic (automatic was down 13 hp). In 2004, a convertible was made available after initially only available as a hardtop.

In 2005, the 35th Anniversary Edition 350Z was launched, featuring improved output of 300 hp and a higher redline of 7000 rpm.

From 2007-2008 model year, the car featured a much improved 3.5 litre VQ35HR with dual intakes and 7500 rpm redline, increasing its output to 306 hp.

370Z (Z34)

                                  

                                                       Source: OSX via Wikipedia

Introduced on December 30 2008, the 370Z was marketed as a 2009 model year. Powering the 370Z is Nissan's 3.7 litre VQ37VHR V6 with power output ranging from 328 to 350 hp depending on market and variant.

The highlight of this sixth gen Z-car is the first production manual transmission with the ability to automatically blip the throttle on downshift, known as the SynchroRev Match. It simulates heel and toe downshift through array of sensors that monitor the shifter's position, wheel speed and engine speed. This ensures the rev is perfectly matched to prevent the rear driven wheels from locking up due to the shock generated by the driveline in response to the significant discrepancy in speed. 

Nissan's innovative auto rev match function inspired other manufacturers to follow suit, notable examples including the C7 Corvette Stingray Active Rev Matching, Aston Martin V12 Vantage S AMSHIFT and Porsche's Sports Chrono Package on 2013 911.

References

http://moneyinc.com/history-nissan-z-car/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Z-car#

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/28/2013-porsche-911-to-get-auto-rev-matching-technology/

  

.  

   

 

Lexus LC F trademarked; slated for production?

Source: Thesupermat via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

May the Force be with you. F is the Force that decimates anything standing in its path, tearing the tarmac asunder in its wake. Okay enough with the poetic opening. Let's cut to the chase shall we?

It appears that Toyota has filed the trademark for the 'LC F' name with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. What does this entail? Well, sooner or later, Lexus is going to slap the hallow F badge on its LC model. Yes, get yourself ready for the prospect of the more potent LC F to terrorise your street! What's the engine size? How much power it's going to make? Well, I have no idea. There's no hint on the powerplant that's going to grace its bonnet. Let's hope it's something special.

Currently, the production LC, based on the LF-LC concept as pictured above, is available under the moniker LC 500 and LC 500h. The former is powered by the 471 hp and 540 Nm 5.0 litre naturally aspirated V8 with VVT-i and D-4S direct and port injection; the latter makes use of the Dual VVT-i 3.5 litre V6 juice up by electric motor and 311V lithium ion battery.  

Mercedes AMG A45: The M133 4 cylinder monster

Source: TTTNIS via Wikimedia Commons CC0 1.0

Small displacement turbocharged 4 cylinder engine is becoming a popular choice in hot hatch. Combining the power of turbocharger with the simplicity of having just 4 cylinders has got to be a boon in the age where meeting emission standard is a necessary evil, but without compromising the thirst for out-and-out performance that enthusiasts (including myself) crave.

Hence, why turbo 4 pot pocket rocket such as the Peugeot 208 GTi (200 hp), Ford Fiesta ST (180 hp), Ford Focus RS (350 hp) and Renault Megane RS (275 hp if you fancy the potent 275 Trophy-R) exist. However, none of the engines in the above-mentioned hot hatch hold a candle to the M133 engine found in the bonnet of a 3-pointed star hot hatch, namely the Mercedes AMG A45.

Source: Digital-Designs via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

It  all began...

Assembled by hand in Kolleda, Germany, the engine is based on the M270, with knowledge gained from the M156 (6.3 litre NA V8) and M157 (5.5 litre twin turbo V8) integrated into the M133. AMG reckoned that fitting the M270 in their ultimate hot hatch would stifle its credential, as in stock form it only made 208 hp. Not good. So, since 2013 AMG worked its magic to conceive the M133, claimed to be the world's most powerful production 4 cylinder engine.

The M133 2.0 litre twin-scroll turbo 4 pot dished out 355 hp in its initial guise thanks to its spray-guided direct injection with piezo injectors, 83 mm x 92 mm bore and stroke, 8.6:1 compression ratio and mind-blowing 1.8 bar of boost pressure ramming itself into the 4 NANOSLIDE-coated cylinders. 

In case you're wondering what on earth is NANOSLIDE, it's basically a cylinder wall coating technique of spraying nano-crystalline iron coating into the cylinder wall of an aluminium block. This result in wear-resistant and low-friction surface that further eases the piston's up and down motion, freeing even more power from the already potent engine as a result from the reduction in internal friction losses. Plus, it helps cut weight as it negates the need for heavy cast iron cylinder liners that have been the standard approach in protecting aluminium cylinder block from being worn down by the piston's friction.   

Furthering the weight reduction regime is the all-aluminium crankcase, forged steel crankshaft and forged pistons with friction-optimised piston rings. Together with NANOSLIDE, this enables the M133 to tip the scale at just 148 kg!

Keeping the charged air cool is the air-to-water intercooler which according to AMG, utilises its own coolant circuit. On top of that, AMG also claimed this helps keep the charged air temperature down at an impressive 130°C!  

A45's party spoiled...or is it?

Source: Automobile Italia via Flickr CC BY 2.0

So it was fine and dandy for the A45, until alarm bell started ringing at Affalterbach in the early 2015 thanks to a certain brand from Ingolstadt who identify themselves by the famous four rings insignia....Audi. 

Audi just wouldn't let AMG rest easily. Their performance arm, RS, rolled out their own A45  fighter, the  RS3 Sportback. Deep in the depth of the Ingolstadt's hot hatch is the brand's iconic 5 cylinder engine displacing 2.5 litre. With help from the turbo, the brand's hallmark engine served the quattro all-wheel drive 362 hp. That's 7 more than the A45. The upshot? The RS3 Sportback sprint from 0-62 mph in 4.3 second. That's 0.2 second faster than the A45! 

Obviously, AMG wouldn't take the slap on the face lightly. In response, engineers from Affalterbach gave the M133 a massage, recalibrating the engine control system and threw in a new exhaust camshaft. This brought along power hike by 21 hp, raising the M133's power from 355 to 376.

In an I-got-your-ass-back sort of way, the advantage swung back to AMG's favour. The extra power brought down the 0-62 time from 4.5 to 4.2 second, nudging the A45 back in front of the RS3 Sportback's front bumper.

Accolade

Mercedes AMG had wowed the entire world by their brilliant M133 4 cylinder turbocharged engine so much, that it won the Engine of the Year award in 1.8-2.0 litre category 3 times.