General Motors opened a full-fledged design studio in India this week and is considering a design studio  in Dubai.

GM officially opened GM India Design Studio in Bangalore this week, and GM executives have been on recent scouting missions to Dubai for a possibly design studio focused on luxury vehicles there.

GM Design Chief Ed Welburn told AutoObserver he wants GM’s designers in India to become more involved with actually designing vehicles for their home market, one of the world’s fastest-growing car markets. The India studio will will help with designs of future products for global markets, mostly small cars.

GM has had a design center in India for some time, but it mostly played a support role to GM’s other global studios by doing computer work.

More recently, the India studio has produced the Chevrolet Beat concept car, displayed at last spring’s New York auto show. The Beat and two other small vehicles were created by GM’s design studio in Korea. However, the India studio actually built the Beat concept car to take the load off the Korea studio, which already was building two concepts, and because it could be done less expensively in India.

The addition of a design studio in India is a natural for GM, as it has been for other automakers, namely France’s Renault. GM already builds and sells in India the Chevrolet Tavera, Optra, Aveo and Spark. It is constructing another plant with 225,000 units of annual capacity.  An engine and transmission plants are also possible, which could make India a hub for small car production for India as well as for export.

Learning Luxury in Dubai

At the other end of the spectrum, GM is considering a design studio in Dubai. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz recently sent Welburn on a mission to Dubai to look around for a possible studio location.

Welburn said the goal of a studio in Dubai, one of the world’s richest cities, would be to provide GM designers with a better understanding of the ultra-luxury customer in Dubai’s ultra-luxurious environment.

Photo by General Motors

Ed Welburn in India with the Chevrolet Beat

Source: GM Design Expands to India and Possibly Dubai

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Sam Abuelsamid
Tech, Hatchbacks, Chrysler, Dodge

Click on the Caliber for a hig-res gallery of the 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT-4

While the new Dodge Caliber SRT-4 was in the Autoblog Garage, I had a chat with Erich Heushele and Kathy Graham from Chrysler. Erich is the Vehicle Development Supervisor at Chrysler’s in-house tuning group and Kathy is a communications rep for the team. We talked about some of the mechanical changes involved in transforming a Caliber into an SRT-4, including why it doesn’t have all-wheel-drive.

Autoblog: I just have a few questions about some of the things that your team did on the SRT-4 that differ from the standard Caliber. What sort of suspension and brake changes were made? Also, why is there no all-wheel-drive?

Erich Heuschele: Sure, well I will try to see what I can give you. We dropped the front end 28-mm and the rear 22-mm. We actually have shorter dampers on the car so it has more jounce travel. We didn’t just lower the car. We actually got back some of the jounce travel we lost. It has 210-pound per inch springs in the front, 240 in the rear. That’s pretty stiff, and on car like the Caliber and the Patriot, they like stiff springs. The base Caliber is more like a 160 pounds per inch and the old SRT-4 Neon was 175 in the front and 125 in the back. We’ve got 19 by 7 ½ inch cast wheels, 225/45-19 tires. The Goodyear Eagle RS-A or the F1. The RS-A is actually a really kick ass RSA, it’s nearly as capable as the F1 tire.

Find out what else changed and why the SRT-4 is front-wheel-drive after the jump.

Gallery: Autoblog Garage: 2008 Dodge Caliber SRT-4

EH: We did extensive tuning on those things. So you are not really giving up much performance with the four-season tire. The brake system is using the 5.7L Charger cop car calipers. It is actually the export 300C 5.7L pads and the cop car brake pads will go on. You could buy those from Mopar. Those are a little more track capable.

And then the rear brake is essentially a Sebring rear disc set up. We’ve got a unique master cylinder. It’s quite large, and we have got pretty damn stiff calipers and I think a pretty good pedal feel out of that thing. I think especially for a slider (floating calipers), I think that is the benchmark brake system.

AB: Yeah the pedal feels a lot firmer than the standard Caliber that I drove before.

EH: Yes, that is totally a different animal. It has got a much bigger master cylinder to push the fluid volume because we’ve got twin pistons on the front. We have a unique ABS tuning, unique ESP tuning for the vehicle, but suspension wise we maintain the Caliber R/T 24-mm front sway bar. We bump the rear sway bar from a 15 to an 18 mm.

AB: The SRT-4 only has front-wheel drive versus the all-wheel drive that is available on the R/T. What was the reasoning there?

EH: Well, the all-wheel R/T system is really a reactive system that isn’t capable of putting anywhere near the torque that we would want to put on the back of the SRT-4. (This statement got a little jumbled in the transcription process.)

So, we would have had to develop a whole new system, which was quite prohibitive and the feeling was that if we had started from scratch with an all-wheel drive performance system in order to compete with the Evo and the WRX STI, we couldn’t offer the vehicle at the kind of price point that we wanted to offer.

AB: The R/T all-wheel drive, is that a viscous coupled or electronic clutch?

EH: They have a clutch, but a clutch off the PTU but it doesn’t have the torque capacity in the lower gears that we want. And we wanted to be able to run torque capacity especially at time when it is low MU-type system, where okay, if you put a lot of torque to it on the front wheels and it spins up and then we send some torque to back and then as soon as you have traction you’re front-wheel drive again. We didn’t want to do something like that. We want to run 60 or 70% of the torques to the back tires.

AB: Right, that makes sense.

EH: A real performance system.

AB: You said you did some specific tuning on the stability control for this vehicle for the tires and suspension and the other changes. Were there any other hardware changes that were done on SRT-4?

EH: Let’s see. Well, you know we have got a unique full 3-inch exhaust system. I mean if you want to get started in the engine stuff. But, chassis wise we’ve got, yes, it is definitely a completely unique ABS/ESP tune for the vehicle. And we pushed the limits quite a ways out there compared to a base car. In other words, if you drive through the slalom smoothly, as fast as the car will go, we were 68 ½ mph through the slalom. You will not get ESP intervention.

AB: Yeah, I noticed it seemed to be pretty hard to get it to kick in and I just tried a couple of maneuvers on the road, just a couple of lane change type of maneuvers and it didn’t seem to kick in. When I did get it to kick in on a slippery road, it was much smoother than some of the other systems that I have tried on other vehicles recently.

EH: Well, thanks. We do a lot of development work on it and SRTs, I think, generally performance drivers don’t like the ESP controlling what they are doing so we try and push it out as far as we can and still catch the car.

Kathy Graham: And that is what I was going to say, Sam, is for that SRT customer, it’s a unique customer from the base Caliber. They are looking for different things when they drive the car than the average driver and as Eric said better than I can but that’s why we do those things with SRT.

AB: I just have one last question about the engine. You are not using direct fuel injection on there are you?

EH: No, it’s not a direct injection. It is multi-port.

AB: Are there any plans in the future if you can talk about it to go to a DI system on there?

EH: We can’t talk that. Kathy is shaking her head.

KG: We’d have to kill you Sam!

AB: That’s what I figured the answer would be, but I had to ask anyway.

KG: We always are looking at different things. But until we announce something, we cannot talk about it. We look at all technologies all the time and would evaluate it based on what makes sense for the vehicle, for the customer and for the business case.

AB: Sure, I understand that.

KG: Sorry.

AB: Well thanks for answering the other questions.

Source: Autoblog Q&A: Erich Heuschele from SRT answers why the Caliber SRT-4 is FWD

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Merritt Johnson
Motorsports, SUVs, Mitsubishi

click above image for high-res gallery

The 2008 Dakar Rally, a rigorous off-road endurance test, begins on January 5th in Lisbon, Portugal. The event will end on January 20th in Dakar, Sengal. That is a distance of 9,273 km (or 5,762 miles) full of sand dunes, rocks, mud, camel grass, etc., and an increase of more than 1,000 km (621 miles) over the 2007 race. Since 2001, Mitsubishi and its Pajero/Montero entries have dominated the automobile class of the event. Mitsubishi Motorsports recently announced its 2008 lineup of four Pajero/Montero entries. Three of the Diamond Star Motors’ driver match-ups have previously won the event. The pair of Stephane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret won in 2007. Luc Alphand and Gilles Picard won in 2006, while Hiroshi Masuoka and Pascal Maimon took the title in 2002. The final entry of Joan (Nani) Roma and Lucas Cruz Senra have yet to see the top of the podium on four wheels, but driver Roma previously won the event’s motorcycle class in 2004. The Ralliart group has quite a team to say the least, and its chances for an 8th consecutive title are looking rather good. The big question is, which pair will get the win?

[Source: Mitsubishi Motors]

Gallery: 2008 Dakar Rally Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolution

PRESS RELEASE:

Four Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero Evolutions have been entered for the 2008 Dakar Rally and will be looking to mark the 30th edition of the African event by securing Mitsubishi’s 13th success, which would take its score to eight wins in a row.

Tokyo, November 29, 2007 - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and its motorsport unit Mitsubishi Motor Sport (MMSP) will enter a field of four cars for the 2008 Dakar Rally* which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. Next year’s event will start from Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on January 5 and will arrive in the Senegal capital, Dakar, on January 20 after passing via Spain, Morocco and Mauritania. The total route length is 9,273km, including 5,736km in competitive special stages and the toughest challenge promises to be the dunes that competitors will find in Mauritania.

The Mitsubishi squad is led by Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) who won the event consecutively in 2002 and 2003. The Japanese veteran will be joined in the team’s strong driver line-up by Stéphane Peterhansel (France), who has nine previous Dakar wins on two and four wheels to his name and winner of the 2007 rally, and Luc Alphand (France), who has obtained excellent results on the event since 2005, including an outright win in 2006. Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (Spain), winner of the motorbike category in 2004 and who is making excellent progress on four wheels, rounds off the team’s talented foursome. The Pajero/Montero Evolution will feature ongoing improvements, as well as changes made mandatory by the latest regulations, and will make a key contribution to Mitsubishi’s bid to secure its 13th Dakar win from 26 starts, and its eighth consecutive success.

* The 2008 event is officially known as the ‘Euromilhoes Lisbon - Dakar 2008′. Euromilhoes, the title sponsor of the rally, is a lottery syndicate which has its headquarters in Portugal.

Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart

- Title sponsor : Repsol (Petroleum company with its headquarters in Spain)
- Car : Pajero/Montero Evolution (MPR13)
- Team Director : Dominique Sérieys
- Driver/Co-driver : Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) / Pascal Maimon (France)
Stéphane Peterhansel (France) / Jean-Paul Cottret (France)
Luc Alphand (France) / Gilles Picard (France)
Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (Spain) / Lucas Cruz Senra (Spain)

Preview of the 2008 Dakar

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is fully committed to building on its longstanding success on the Dakar Rally which it contested 26 times without interruption since its debut on the fifth edition in 1983. This time round, MMC will be targeting its 13th Dakar win, a result that would take its current run of success to eight consecutive victories. For the 2008 event, the total route has been extended to 9,273km, while the total competitive distance (stages) has also been upped to 5,736km. Both these totals represent an increase of more than 1,000km compared with the 2007 rally, and the additional stage mileage in the notorious Mauritanian desert promises to make next January’s event even tougher and more challenging than ever. A further difficulty lies in the format of the two marathon stages during which overnight servicing is not permitted. The latest technical regulations dictate the switch to a 31mm diameter air restrictor, which is 1mm smaller than the air restrictor used in 2007. The 2008 event will also require competitors to use a five-speed gearbox instead of the former six-speed ‘box. These changes have been introduced with a view to curbing dynamic performance, although the latest specification Pajero/Montero Evolution has improved in terms of handling and rough-road performance thanks to the significant work that has gone into the suspension and drive train. The 2008 car is ideally prepared to take on what could well prove to be one of the toughest Dakars in years.

Hiroshi Masuoka took consecutive Dakar wins in 2002 and 2003 and has contested the event on no fewer than 21 occasions. The Japanese veteran is confident that a third win is on the cards thanks to his experience and skill over dunes and desert terrain. Despite being sidelined in 2005 and 2006, Masuoka overcame a number of punctures and clutch problems to finish a strong 5th overall on the 2007 event. The two-time Dakar winner participated in the team’s intensive three-week simulation test in Morocco in July and played an active part in the fitness training programs organized by the team during 2007 to build its drivers’ physical and mental strength in readiness for the 2008 Dakar.

Stéphane Peterhansel joined Mitsubishi after collecting a record-breaking sixth Dakar win on two wheels. The Frenchman has since added three further wins to his name in the car category (2004, 2005 and 2007). His victory on November’s UAE Desert Challenge, the final round of the 2007 FIA Cross-country Rally World Cup, shows that he has lost none of his natural speed and served as an ideal way to prepare his bid for a 10th Dakar win.

Former Downhill Skiing Champion Luc Alphand celebrated his first outing on the Dakar with Mitsubishi by finishing second overall event to secure an emphatic one-two finish for the team. The following year saw him outperform his more experienced team-mate, Peterhansel, to claim his maiden Dakar victory. Last year, he once again finished 2nd overall in the wake of his French team-mate and the ex-skiing star is likely to be a front-runner once again on the 2008 event.

Joan ‘Nani’ Roma stands out as another successful convert from two wheels to four following his incorporation in the factory Mitsubishi line-up in 2005. Underlining his talent and justifying the team’s confidence in his ability, he finished on the Dakar podium (3rd) at only his second attempt. Problems prevented the Spaniard finishing any higher than 13th overall on the 2007 event, but he went on to take 2nd on the Rally Transiberico, the opening round of the 2007 FIA Cross-country World Cup, and he has all the makings of becoming one of the sport’s stars of the future!

Team Director Dominique Sérieys is convinced that the 2008 Dakar will be a success: “The 30th Dakar has all the makings of being a huge challenge, especially the Mauritanian stages. That said, Mitsubishi has plenty of advantages in its favor thanks to the combination of the Pajero/Montero Evolution’s reliability, durability and overall dynamic package and the experience and skill of our crews. Our recent win on the UAE Desert Challenge says a great deal about our capacity to take all the dunes and desert conditions in our stride. We face strong competition but we will have exactly the same driver and co-driver line-up as last year and I believe this consistency will be one of our strengths. We will be targeting our 13th win and our eighth consecutive success, but it won’t be easy. Even so, we are convinced that our year-long preparation program has a very good chance of bearing fruit.”

Pajero/Montero Evolution

Technical Overview

The Pajero/Montero Evolution is a Super Production rally car which complies with the FIA Group T1 technical regulations (modified cross-country rally car) that came into force in 2002. The car prepared for the 2003 event featured the same development codename (MPR10) as its predecessor. The introduction of technical evolutions saw the codename change in 2005 to become the MPR11, which in turn became the MPR12 for the 2006 rally. The MPR13 that made its debut in 2007 was an extensively upgraded version which featured an all-new frame structure.

Mitsubishi’s latest contender features a rigid, lightweight multi-tubular frame which forms an integral load-bearing structure. With the fuel tank and spare wheel positioned lower down and in a more central location, the MPR13 boasts a favorable weight distribution. The wider front and rear track dimensions combine with the revised suspension geometry to ensure enhanced high-speed and maneuvering stability. The spacious cabin offers optimal seating positions for the driver and co-driver while at the same time guaranteeing competitive comfort even in extreme conditions. The Super Production Pajero/Montero Evolution has won the event five years in a row to take Mitsubishi’s score to a record run of seven straight wins and its 12th in total from 26 starts.

Though the codename remains the same, the 2008 Pajero/Montero Evolution has reached its near perfect form. It features the mandatory changes required by the latest regulations, as well as a number of modifications aimed at improving its overall performance package. Changes include the inlet and exhaust systems which have been fine-tuned as a function of the new 31mm diameter air restrictor (compared with 32mm previously). The gear ratios have been optimized to match the new five-speed gearbox which replaces the six-speed ‘box used on the 2007 event, while the larger diameter clutch is aimed at enhanced durability. Meanwhile, the extensive year-long testing program focused primarily on the suspension with the aim of improving maneuvering stability, performance over rough surfaces and ride quality. The program included a three-week test in Morocco in July 2007, during which the team covered 7,600km. The enhanced handling compensates for the slight losses in power and torque, although there is a more than a sufficient margin.

MITSUBISHI PAJERO/MONTERO EVOLUTION (MPR13)
DAKAR RALLY 2008 (T1 Modified Cross-Country Cars)

Technical Specification

OVERALL LENGTH : 4195mm
OVERALL WIDTH : 1990mm
WHEEL BASE : 2775mm
FRONT TRACK : 1750mm
REAR TRACK : 1750mm

ENGINE MODEL : Based on Mivec, 6-cylinder, 24-Valve, DOHC, fixed inlet port, dry-sump oil system
FUEL SYSTEM : ECI multi-point fuel injection
DISPLACEMENT : 3997cc
MAXIMUM OUTPUT : 188kw (255 ps) / 4500 rpm, 412Nm (42.0 kgfm) / 3500rpm
TRANSMISSION : 5-speed Ricardo-type, sequential shift gearbox and mechanical gear selection
4WD SYSTEM : full time, mechanical centre diff lock
FRONT DIFF : Xtrac self-locking differential
REAR DIFF : Xtrac self-locking differential

SUSPENSION
FRONT : Independent, double wishbones, coil spring and anti-roll bars
REAR : Independent, double wishbones, coil spring and anti-roll bars
DAMPERS : Fully-adjustable BOS dampers (two per wheel) and anti-roll bar system
STEERING : Power-assisted rack and pinion
WHEEL STROKE : 250 mm front and rear
BRAKES : Front and rear: Ventilated Brembo discs with 6-piston Brembo calipers
WHEELS : OZ Racing aluminium 7×16
TYRES : BF Goodrich 235/85 - 16
MINIMUM WEIGHT : 1825 kg
OTHERS : Aeronautic steel multi-tubular frame, Honeycomb body, floor and carbon fiber body
FUEL TANK CAPACITY : 500 litres (competition range around 800 kms - 400 kgs extra weight with full tank)

Driver Profiles and Comments

Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan)

Born March 13, 1960, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Japan’s leading cross-country driver made his international debut on the Pharaohs Rally in 1985. He has been active on the Dakar Rally since 1987. The 2008 event marks his 21st participation in the world’s most difficult cross-country competition. He won the Modified Road Car class in 1990 and 1994, which was followed by the greater success in 2002 when he won outright. Hiroshi repeated his success the following year and was 2nd overall in 2004, but failed to finish in 2005 and 2006. He is now more determined than ever to add a third win to his record after finishing 5th in the 2007 event despite a series of punctures and clutch problems. For the third consecutive year, his co-driver is Pascal Maimon (France) year who was with Masuoka when he clinched his first win in 2002.

“My 21st Dakar Rally is approaching. I am more than satisfied with the new car and the five-speed gearbox after completing an extensive test program in Morocco and at other venues. The gear ratios have been revised and fine-tuned. Modifications have also been made to the suspension setup and I feel that its ability to take rough terrain in its stride has been significantly upgraded compared with the previous car.”

“My personal target is to bring Mitsubishi its eighth consecutive win and its 13th win in total. After all, it’s time for me to win again, isn’t it? The competition will be very close and several drivers could win. It won’t be easy for us to defend our title, but the 2008 route places the accent on dunes covered in deep sand, and that could play into the hands of the Pajero/Montero Evolution which is also excellent over rough terrain. I am looking forward to the challenge because driving over dunes is what I prefer.”

Stéphane Peterhansel (France)

Born August 6, 1965, in France. Seen by many as ‘Mister’ Dakar, Stéphane Peterhansel stands out as the event’s most successful biker with a score of six wins to his name from eight starts between 1991 and 1998. In 1999, he switched to four wheels and joined the Mitsubishi squad in the summer of 2002 before claiming his first win in the car category with the Pajero/Montero Evolution two years later. He is one of only two people to have won both the bike and car categories, the other being Hubert Auriol who was the first person to achieve that feat. The following year saw Peterhansel take his second win in a row and, after finishing 4th in 2006, the Frenchman took his third outright win in 2007. His co-driver is Jean-Paul Cottret (France), his long-serving right-hand man.

“The revised technical regulations will handicap the Pajero/Montero Evolution. We focused our efforts on further developing the car and the result of that work is improved handling and comfort. My win in the United Arab Emirates was a big boost to the team since the Desert Challenge is seen a full-scale dress rehearsal for the Dakar. It won’t be easy to extend the team’s run of consecutive wins but I will be co-driven by Jean-Paul Cottret, with whom I won in 2007, I will be driving a car that has a proven track record and will be competing with a highly experienced team. That combination could well give me an advantage and, along with our team-mates, we intend to give it our very best shot.”

Luc Alphand (France)

Born August 6, 1965*, in France. Alphand is a famous figure especially in Europe because he was the 1997 World Cup Alpine Ski Champion. Today, he has traded his skis for a successful career in motor sport, including participations with his own team in the Le Mans 24 Hours and with Mitsubishi in cross-country rallies, including the Dakar. He first contested the celebrated African marathon in 1998 and revealed his potential as a rally driver by winning the non-modified Road Car class the following year. He joined Mitsubishi in the summer of 2004 and won the Dakar at only second attempt with full factory backing in 2006 before finishing runner-up again in 2007. Alphand is more than ready to win the Dakar again in 2008 along with Gilles Picard (France) who has been his co-driver since 2006.

“Everyone is saying that the 2008 event will be tougher and more demanding than ever. There will be even greater emphasis on reliability but we have no intention of just sitting back and waiting for our rivals to hit trouble. It will be important for us to be up amongst the front-runners through Morocco before reaching the Mauritanian marathon stages which promise to be the most difficult part of the rally. The team’s fitness program means we are in good shape and it’s a pleasure to work with our team mates.”

Joan ‘Nani’ Roma (Spain)

Born February 17, 1972, in Spain. Like Peterhansel, Roma won the Dakar on two wheels before switching to the car category. After winning the European Enduro Championship in 1994, he contested the Dakar for the first time in 1996. Prior to being spotted by Mitsubishi in the summer of 2006, he won the bike category on the 2004 Dakar. His first drive for the team saw him finish 3rd overall, while his first attempt at the Dakar with Mitsubishi came in 2005 when he finished 6th overall before finishing on the podium (3rd) in 2006. His highly-experienced co-driver Henri Magne (France), who played an important role in navigating him across the desert reaches of northwest Africa, was tragically killed in an accident during the 2006 Rallye du Maroc, fourth round of the FIA Cross-country World Cup. For the 2007 Dakar, Nani had a new co-driver in the person of Lucas Cruz Senra (Spain) but the pair could finish no higher than 13th due to accidents. They now know each other much better and have set their sights considerably higher this time round.

“I still need more experience to win the Dakar, but I’m very pleased to have Lucas with me. We speak the same language and I can rely on him 100%. We form a strong team and we will do our best. Last year, the other co-drivers helped him a lot and that is one of the many reasons why the MMC team is so strong.”

The 2008 Dakar in brief

A total of 570 entries have been received for the 30th anniversary Dakar, including 245 bikes, 20 buggies, 205 cars and 100 trucks. This makes it the second biggest field since the 1988 Dakar (602 entries) and is sure to give this year’s landmark event a truly festive feel. Scrutineering and documentation take place in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, on Wednesday January 3 and Thursday January 4, 2008, before the official start on Saturday January 5. Participants are scheduled to arrive in Rabat, Morocco, before sunrise on Tuesday January 7 and will then begin their traverse of northwest Africa via Morocco and Mauritania. Survivors are due to reach the finish by the stunning Lac Rose, near the Senegal capital Dakar, on Sunday January 20. The total length of the 15-day marathon is 9,273km, including 5,736km of competitive stages which marks a significant increase over the 2007 event which totaled 4,300km following last-minute route changes. The 2008 rally will not visit the Republic of Mali where security is poor, leaving a greater competitive emphasis on Mauritania. The longer total distance means competitors will spend more time in their cars each day, as well as longer sand sections which promise to make the 2008 Dakar a tougher and more challenging prospect than ever. Competitors will enjoy a day of rest on Thursday January 13 in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania.

After completing two days of special stages in Portugal, crews will tackle the first African competitive section which will use gravel tracks through the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The first taste of dunes comes the following day as the terrain evolves rapidly from hard-packed dirt to sand. On arrival in Mauritania, crews will face a series of high-speed desert stages which promise to be the major battlefield of the 2008 event. The terrain will vary from soft sand and dunes to rough desert and camel grass which always represents a special challenge for competitors and machines alike. The traverse of Mauritania also includes two marathon stages near Atar (the first of two visits) and Tidjikja which will call for impeccable reliability and durability since, on these two occasions, outside servicing is not permitted in the overnight bivouac camps.

Outlander Team Support Car

Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart will deploy 13 support vehicles comprised of seven trucks, five Pajero/Monteros and one Outlander which is a newcomer to the support fleet. Based on the European version and powered by a 2.2-liter in-line four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the desert version of this car is equipped with additional safety items (roll cage, bucket seats) and special rally features, such as tuned suspension, heavy-duty tires and various protective guards. No hardware-related modifications have been made to the engine, transmission or electronically-controlled 4WD system. Only fine-tuning changes and adjustments have been made to optimize certain settings for the difficult task in hand. The additional fuel tank is required for the longer competitive sections. As was the case with the Delica D:5 used during the 2007 event, the Outlander will be driven by Ralliart contracted driver Katsuhiko Taguchi who will be accompanied by engineers and who will carry a wide range of service tools and spare parts.

Satellite Teams To Join the Major Effort Spearheaded by Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart

The MMC-backed Team Mitsubishi Ralliart China and Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Thailand operations will once again contest the Dakar Rally. Liu Bin (China) will drive the Chinese team’s Pajero/Montero (Modified Road Car class; 3.2-liter diesel). His last attempt was rewarded with 47th place overall and 2nd place in the Rookie category. The team’s Honorary Director is none other than film star Jackie Chan. The Thai team will run a Triton (Modified Road Car class; 3.2-liter diesel) for Mana Pornsirichad (Thailand). This will be the third start for Mana who finished this demanding event for the first time in 2007 (67th). The two teams jointly organized a test session in the United Arab Emirates under the supervision of Jean-Pierre Fontenay, winner of the 1998 Dakar in a Pajero/Montero. It is expected that this test program will be of significant benefit for their respective bids.

African Support Activities

Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart will continue its support program for Africa in 2008. The squad will participate in the ‘African Dakar’ initiative pun by event organizers ASO (AmaurySport Organisation), as well as by France’s SOS Sahel International. With the cooperation of Mitsubishi and other bodies, the operation is aimed at supplying the vast area of northwest Africa, which is seriously suffering from desertification, with plantation and anti-drought solutions, as well as helping to educate children to enhance their awareness of the importance of protecting the environment.

Mitsubishi’s support program does not stop here, since its cooperation extends to work with the Dakar Solidario Foundation which runs a variety of charity activities. The team’s title sponsor, Repsol, has supported the Foundation by supplying the people in the countries visited by the rally with medical equipment, medicine and other necessary supplies. They are delivered in the logistics vehicles carrying the administrative equipment and items. The Spanish oil giant also dispatches medical teams.

Source: Mitsubishi assembles Dream Team of drivers for Dakar

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Sam Abuelsamid
Filed under: Diesel, MPG, SMART

When the second-generation Smart ForTwo entered production earlier this year, its EU mileage ratings put it at the top of the heap for internal combustion engined cars by a pretty wide margin. On the EU combined cycle the diesel version was rated at 71.3 mpg (US) with CO₂ emissions of only 88 g/km. The Italian magazine Quattroruote decided to see if that was achievable in the real world. They laid out a 1,000 km route consisting of highways, traffic jams, mountain roads and urban settings in Rome, Balzano and Salzburg. The bottom line is that they consumed 33 L of diesel to cover the distance, matching the official ratings.

[Source: Daimler]

On a long journey of 1,000 km the Italian car magazine “Quattroruote” measured the fuel consumption of the smart fortwo cdi and confirmed the standard consumption of 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres.
The current December issue of the magazine carries a report of the test drive. The smart travelled 1,000 kilometres from Rome to Salzburgon a single tank of fuel to see whether the stated standard consumption of just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres could really be achieved.
The route chosen largely consisted of motorways, but there were also detours and traffic jams because of roadworks, long uphill stretches and city traffic in Rome, Bolzano and Salzburg.
The result: the smart fortwo cdi travelled the 1,000 km on a single tank of fuel. This corresponds to average consumption of just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres i.e. the standard consumption. According to “Quattroruote” this makes the smart fortwo cdi the vehicle with the lowest average consumption that the magazine has ever tested in the history of its road tests.
With standard consumption of just 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of just 88 grams per kilometre the smart fortwo cdi is the production vehicle with the lowest consumption and the lowest carbon dioxide emissions. For customers this means that at present there is no more economical and climate-friendly car than the smart fortwo cdi.

Source: Italian magazine verifies Smart ForTwo CDi mileage figures

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Simona Alina
Filed in: Abt Sportsline Volkswagen | suv | Volkswagen Touareg | car tuning

2002, the Touareg marked Volkswagen’s powerful way into the domain of SUVs. “Even for Abt, the car was absolutely new territory,” explains Hans-Jürgen Abt. Back then, the managing director of Abt Sportsline did in fact have doubts about the market opportunities of the heavy weight: “But the SUV has become a great success, and meanwhile the Touareg and the Audi Q7 belong to our success stories.”

"Of course, one reason for this is the fact that the Allgäu-based tuners particularly stress the “S” in “SUV”. Abt has also made the optically and clearly improved version of the SUV from Wolfsburg very sporty. At the moment, three diesel engines are available, and all of them come with a power increase. Especially remarkable is it when driving the popular 3.0 TDI which now, thanks to Abt Power S, offers 300 HP (221 KW) instead of the serial 225 HP (165 KW) and works with a torque of 600 Nm.The 2.5 TDI conduces to enter the segment of noble SUVs, getting from Abt, thanks to Abt Power, 195 HP (serial 174 HP) or 143 KW (serial 128 KW).

The creme de la creme again is the Abt Touareg VS10, a 10-cylinder Turbo diesel, acquiring its enormous power of 360 HP (265 KW) from five liter cubic capacity. This engine perfectly harmonizes with the Abt Touareg. Also the V8 with its capacity of 4.2 liters is perfect for the powerful appearance of the SUV made in Kempten: The Abt turbo charger replacement

Abt Power R offers 500 HP (368 KW) instead of the serial 350 HP (257 KW). The Abt Suspension, which is tailor made for the requirements of this extraordinary vehicle, guarantees that the enormous power potential of the Abt Touareg can be handled while driving. The comfortable air suspension with the innovative Abt Level Control (ALC) is also available for this version. Even in risky situations the Abt brake system bites with a firm grip and brings the car of 2.4 tons to a standstill.

Again, the tuners from Kempten designed an extravagant body kit for the SUV, just as they did for the first Touareg version: front spoiler lip, side skirts, fender extensions, rear wing, rear skirts and the 4-pipe exhaust system, typical for Abt, form a design unit which makes the car look extremely dynamical from every angle. The Abt Touareg is far lower and broader than its serial twin. And that suits him perfectly. Even when the car is standing, you know that it feels at home on every terrain and that it will be able to deal with all challenges. What excellently fits is the Abt BR-wheel in 19, 20 or 22 inch. The Abt Touareg is a power pack, an athlete in a tailor made suit. With this car, you are always adequately represented.

Source: Internal

Source: Abt Touareg

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Sebastian Blanco
Filed under: Ethanol, Manufacturing/Plants, North America

VeraSun Energy and US BioEnergy, two large American ethanol producers, have announced a merger agreement that should take place in the first quarter of 2008. The combined company will be called VeraSun. The boards of directors of each company unanimously approved the merger, so there shouldn’t be any executive challenges to the new company (anti-trust problems, if any, will become apparent later), which will have an annual ethanol production capacity of over 1.6 billion gallons by the end of next year.

Let’s hold up with that statement for now, because there is a little asterisk in the press release (read it yourself after the break) that anything beyond the 1.6 billion gallon number is “Assuming construction resumes in 2008, which will depend on market conditions.” As we all know, the ethanol market is not exactly in the strongest shape it’s ever been in these days. With the low prices and product glut and lots of criticism of corn ethanol, I’m sure at least some at the two merging companies are glad to be spreading around the risk with this deal.

[Source: VeraSun Energy Corporation]

VeraSun Energy and US BioEnergy Announce Merger Agreement

Combination Expected to Reach Ethanol Production Capacity of More than 1.6 Billion Gallons by End of 2008

BROOKINGS, S.D., and ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — VeraSun Energy Corp. (NYSE:VSE) and US BioEnergy Corp. (NASDAQ:USBE) today announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each company. The merger is expected to close during the first quarter of 2008, pending shareholder approval, anti-trust regulatory clearance and the completion of other customary conditions.

Under the merger agreement, 0.81 share of VeraSun common stock will be issued for each outstanding share of US BioEnergy common stock, representing a premium of approximately 11 percent based on November 23, 2007, closing prices. The existing VeraSun shares will remain outstanding and will represent approximately 60 percent of the shares outstanding after the merger.

VeraSun Chairman, CEO and President Donald L. Endres will remain CEO of the combined company, and US BioEnergy President and CEO Gordon Ommen will serve as chairman following the closing of the merger. VeraSun Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Danny C. Herron will become president of the combined company. The combined entity will retain the VeraSun name and trade under VeraSun’s existing NYSE ticker symbol, VSE.

“This merger is an opportunity for two leading companies in the renewable fuels industry to capitalize on synergies and provide value for shareholders,” said Endres. “It also underscores the commitment of each company to execute on its growth strategy to become a large-scale, low-cost ethanol producer. We are pleased with the opportunity to build a very unique industry platform.”

The merger is expected to create a stronger business platform by improving access to capital and allowing the combined company to leverage technology and operating experience across its entire plant fleet. The merger is also expected to be accretive to VeraSun’s earnings in the first full fiscal year of combined operations, and the combined company is projected to have a market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion.

Upon completion of the merger, the combined company will have nine ethanol production facilities in operation and seven additional facilities under construction. By the end of 2008, the company is expected to have a total production capacity of more than 1.6 billion gallons per year (BGY) and 16 facilities constructed by Fagen, Inc. and utilizing ICM process technology. Through the merger, the employees of both companies will be integrated into a combined work force.

“We’re excited about the merger because it brings together two talented and high-performing teams whose passion is to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil through the production of clean renewable biofuels,” said Ommen. “By harnessing the collective strength of both organizations, we expect to reach 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol production capacity by the end of 2008, making us a global leader in ethanol production.”

In connection with the merger, holders of a significant percentage of the outstanding shares of each company have agreed to vote in favor of the transaction.

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated is serving as financial adviser, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is acting as legal counsel for VeraSun in the transaction. UBS Securities LLC is serving as financial adviser, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is acting as legal counsel for US BioEnergy in the transaction.

Production Profile
Current Operating Facilities Owner Size Startup
(MMGY)
Aurora, South Dakota VSE 120 2003
Platte Valley, Nebraska USBE 100 2004
Fort Dodge, Iowa VSE 110 2005
Woodbury, Michigan USBE 50 2006
Albert City, Iowa USBE 110 2006
Ord, Nebraska USBE 50 2007
Charles City, Iowa VSE 110 2007
Linden, Indiana VSE 110 2007
Albion, Nebraska VSE 110 2007
Capacity in Operation 870

Planned Operating Facilities Owner Size Projected
Startup
(MMGY)
Bloomingburg, Ohio VSE 110 Q1 2008
Marion, South Dakota USBE 110 Q1 2008
Welcome, Minnesota VSE 110 Q2 2008
Hartley, Iowa VSE 110 Q2 2008
Dyersville, Iowa USBE 110 Q2 2008
Hankinson, North Dakota USBE 110 Q2 2008
Janesville, Minnesota USBE 110 Q3 2008
Reynolds, Indiana VSE 110 2009*
Capacity Under Construction or Development 880
Total Operating Capacity 1.75BGY
Upon Completion of all Facilities

* Assuming construction resumes in 2008, which will depend on market conditions.

About VeraSun Energy Corporation

VeraSun Energy Corporation (NYSE:VSE) , headquartered in Brookings, SD, is a leading producer of renewable fuel. Founded in 2001, the company has 560 million gallons per year (MMGY) of production capacity through five operating ethanol production facilities in Aurora, SD, Fort Dodge, IA, Charles City, IA, Linden, IN and Albion, NE. Four facilities are currently either under construction or development in Hartley, IA, Welcome, MN, Reynolds, IN, and Bloomingburg, OH. Upon completion of the new facilities, VeraSun will have an annual production capacity of approximately one billion gallons. The company also has plans to extract oil from dried distillers grains, a co-product of the ethanol process, for use in biodiesel production.

The company markets E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline for use in Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs), directly to fuel retailers under the brand VE85(TM). VeraSun now has approximately 150 VE85(TM) retail locations under contract in over a dozen states and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit VeraSun’s websites at http://www.verasun.com/ or http://www.ve85.com/.

About US BioEnergy Corporation

US BioEnergy Corporation (NASDAQ:USBE) , based in St. Paul, Minn., is a producer and marketer of ethanol and distillers grains. Founded in 2004, the company currently owns and operates four ethanol plants in Albert City, IA, Ord, NE, Platte Valley, NE, and Woodbury, MI. Four additional ethanol plants are currently under construction in Marion; SD, Hankinson, ND, Dyersville, IA, and Janesville, MN. Upon completion of these initiatives, the company will own and operate eight plants with combined expected ethanol production capacity of 750 million gallons.

Notes

In connection with the proposed transaction between VeraSun and US BioEnergy, VeraSun will file a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC. Such registration statement will include a joint proxy statement of VeraSun and US BioEnergy that also constitutes a prospectus of VeraSun, and will be sent to the shareholders of VeraSun and US BioEnergy. Shareholders are urged to read the joint proxy statement/prospectus and any other relevant documents when they become available, because they will contain important information about VeraSun, US BioEnergy and the proposed transaction. The joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents relating to the proposed transaction (when they are available) can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov/. These documents (when they are available) can also be obtained free of charge from VeraSun upon written request to VeraSun Energy Corporation, Attention: Investor Relations, 100 22nd Avenue, Brookings, South Dakota 57006, or by calling 605-696-7236, or from US BioEnergy, upon written request to US BioEnergy Corporation, Attention: Investor Relations, 5500 Cenex Drive, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota 55077, or by calling 651-554-5491.

This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any security holder of VeraSun or US BioEnergy. However, VeraSun, US BioEnergy and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of VeraSun may be found in its 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 29, 2007, definitive proxy statement relating to its 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on April 12, 2007 and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on July 3, 2007, August 31, 2007 and September 20, 2007. Information about the directors and executive officers of US BioEnergy may be found in its 2006 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 30, 2007, definitive proxy statement relating to its 2007 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on April 27, 2007 and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 13, 2007, October 3, 2007 (as amended) and November 6, 2007. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the interests of these participants will also be included in the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available.

This document includes or incorporates by reference financial estimates and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These estimates and statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially from these estimates and statements. Such estimates and statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the merger, including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of VeraSun and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties outside of its control.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those described in the forward-looking statements in this document: the ability to obtain governmental approvals of the merger on the proposed terms and schedule; the failure of VeraSun shareholders to approve the issuance of VeraSun common shares or the failure of US BioEnergy shareholders to approve the merger; the risk that the businesses of VeraSun and US BioEnergy will not be integrated successfully or as quickly as expected; the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the merger may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; disruption from the merger making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; and competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in VeraSun’s and US BioEnergy’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (”SEC”), which are available at the SEC’s Web site (http://www.sec.gov/). VeraSun is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: VeraSun Energy and US BioEnergy ethanol producers to merge

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In an internal memo released earlier this year by Martin Eberhard, Tesla's CEO and co-founder, Eberhard announced he would step down as CEO after a four-year reign, and today Tesla announced its new CEO. Ze'ev Drori will take over Eberhard's former position. Before takin