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John Mellor's GoAuto Green Green issues in the auto world SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.mellor.net Green A p r i l 16, 2008 Page 24 Custom Fleet Part of GE Commercial Finance GoAuto Green is brought to you by Custom Fleet Plastic fantastic Continued from previous page “Our customers need to save fuel but they also want to do designs that previously were not possible.” Sabic is also pushing plastic fenders as a weight-reduction solution and already up to 25 models use them, including the Hummer, Renault Clio and Laguna, BMW 6 Series and a forthcoming Ford model. Why just fenders? Well, mainly because of the savings associated with pressing dies, which cost millions of dollars, and the fact that up to five are required for pressing increasingly complex fenders whereby only one is needed to injection-mould a plastic fender. Mr Mooijman said that plastic fenders are ideal for production runs of 50,000 to 100,000 units a year. However, they are not suitable for cars with fenders more than one metre in length because the plastic expands too much under the normal 200-degree online painting process. BMW gets around this by painting the 6 By TERRY MARTIN MERCEDES-BENZ has announced that a new generation of four-cylinder diesel engines – claimed to “outstrip all previous benchmarks for performance, torque, emission properties and, most notably, fuel economy in their segment” – will be introduced across a number of model lines, beginning with the Cclass later this year. Compared to the current 220 CDI 125kW/400Nm 2148cc oilburner, the range-topping Euro V-compliant 250 CDI 2143cc twin-turbocharged diesel delivers 150kW and 500Nm but is claimed Series panels offline, but that can create paintmatching problems for volume producers. Sabic is working on new materials capable of withstanding the baking process. “Plastic fenders have been done in Europe for more than 10 years, with real large sales the last eight years, and for some it’s a nobrainer. If it’s a new model and it’s a somewhat smaller car with a good volume, they will do it,” said Mr Mooijman. Sabic’s new recycled – or “upcycled” – plastic is said to overcome the problem of other recycled plastic losing 40 per cent of Gutsy, green 250 CDI headlines new Mercedes four-cylinder diesel family to burn “substantially less” fuel and, as a consequence, reduce emissions by as much as 13 per cent. When installed in the C-class, an updated version of which is due in Australia next year, the 250 CDI returns 5.4L/100km – 0.5 litres less than the current 220 CDI – and 143g/km of CO2. It can also accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds, and overtake from 60- 250 CDI 100km/h in 9.4 seconds. Codenamed OM651 and marking the fourth generation of Mercedes common-rail diesels (now with 2000 bar maximum rail pressure, up 400 bar), the new powerplant can be installed both lengthways Vehicle Advisory Consultant Do you talk cars all Day? Due to further growth, AVC is seeking the services of a well-researched car enthusiast to join our market leading vehicle advisory division. In the role of Vehicle Advisory Consultant you will service clients nationally from our St Kilda Road, Melbourne office. You will assist our fleet, corporate and salary packaged clients with advice on their vehicle options, and co-ordinate the vehicle procurement process via our national dealer network. Using your extensive knowledge of the vehicle market, you will deliver balanced and objective opinions to guide our clients through the maze of vehicle options. Ideally you will have experience as a quotations officer, novated consultant or fleet administrator. Excellent communication, time management, motivational and administrative skills are core requirements of this role. A salary package commensurate with experience will be offered to the successful applicant. To apply, or to request a position description please email: hr@vehicleconsultants.com Lightweight headlamp housing its properties by extracting the oil from old bottles and using it to produce what is actually a fresh material. “The message is, it’s a new material,” said Mr Mooijman. “What we do is take a polymer (back) to its individual bits again and we rebuild these bits into a new polymer. It’s a new product, but it’s made out of landfill. “This polymer is a lot greener and in the automotive industry you can make body panels out of it, connectors, a lot of bezels in lighting, many underhood applications, doorhandles, parts for the mirror – these are all possible.” and crossways and is envisaged for AWD as well as rear-drive vehicles. It can be supplemented by the BlueTec emissions control system and is also earmarked for use in forthcoming diesel-electric hybrid applications. Two other variants of the diesel engine, all of which now have a compression ratio of 16.2:1 (down from 17.5:1) are planned for use in passenger cars: an updated 220 CDI (still with 125kW/400Nm) and a 200 CDI single-turbo unit producing 100kW/330Nm. “This takes our new four-cylinder unit into a realm which has so far been the preserve of three-litre six-cylinder diesel or large V8 petrol engines – all combined with exemplary fuel economy,” said Mercedes- Benz R&D chief Thomas Weber.
John Mellor's GoAuto news Dealer Principal Major Manufacturer EQUITY BUY IN OPPORTUNITY HIGH PROFILE MOTOR VEHICLE DEALER Location Melbourne Our client, a large multi-franchise motor dealer group, seeks the services of a ‘profit driven’ Dealer Principal with a proven track record. Excellent remuneration package, expenses, etc., including 2 vehicles. Responsibilities include: • Total dealership operations. • People development & training. • Financial performance of the dealership. • Manufacturer’s target achievement & customer satisfaction benchmarks. The successful candidate will require endorsement from the manufacturer for the position. Opportunity for Equity following qualification period. For further information phone Colin Brown on (03) 5968 6811 or email your resume to cj@weron.com.au Weron automotive group Up Up Up Close Close Close on on on Personnel Personnel Personnel SUBSCRIBE FREE: www.mellor.net A PRIL 16, 2008 Page 25 Up Close on Personnel motor staff Brought to you by Motor Staff - The Motor Industry’s No1 Recruitment Specialist sales•service•parts•admin FORD STREAMLINES GLOBAL ENGINEERING AND PURCHASING By TERRY MARTIN THE Ford Motor Co has outlined its plans to eliminate duplicate engineering and purchasing “efforts” in its subsidiaries worldwide, which looks to be a precursor to possible changes facing Ford Australia as the American auto giant decides upon the location responsible for its forthcoming global rear-wheel drive platform. As GoAuto reported last week, Australia still has a fi ghting chance to win the contract but it looks increasingly likely that America will get the nod. The decision could hinge on talks between Ford Australia management and global product development group vicepresident Derrick Kuzak, who visits Australia early next month. According to a statement released by Ford headquarters, global purchasing group vicepresident Tony Brown has been working with Mr Kuzak to “more closely integrate the two organisations and eliminate duplications in how vehicles are created, engineered and sourced”. Under this new structure, Ford is designating global product development “leads” for different vehicle segments, one of them being large cars. At the same time, according to Ford, the company is assembling joint product development and purchasing teams around the world with responsibility for the company’s core engineering and purchasing functions. Teams in North America will be responsible for electrical and body (interior and exterior) engineering for vehicles worldwide, as well as select powertrains such as V6 and V8 engines, hybrids and automatic transmissions. Teams in Europe will be responsible for chassis engineering, and certain powertrains, including four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, and manual transmissions. In Asia Pacifi c and Africa, which includes Australia, “engineering and purchasing resources will be integrated into Ford’s global core engineering and purchasing groups in Europe and the Americas. APA will remain responsible for specifi c global Derrick Kuzak product development programs and all regional programs”. What this means for the future of Ford manufacturing in Australia is still to be determined. While Dearborn has said that certain vehicle systems will continue to be developed on a regional basis – Ford Australia’s role in the global compact pick-up truck development program being a case in point – it has also emphasised that “there will be closer co-ordination on a core engineering and commodity purchasing level to improve effi ciency and eliminate duplication of work”. With North America moving to RWD for large cars, there appears to be no room in this structure for both the US and Australia developing cars with the same “common DNA” and each using a large number of unique components. Product development cycles are also being dramatically reduced – by 35 per cent in North America alone by next year. According to Ford, the organisational changes supporting the new structure will begin this month and continue as new vehicle programs are started. It claims they will not result in layoffs or large-scale relocations. “This is a crucial part of the plan that we started more than a year ago,” said Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally. “We need product development and purchasing organisations that are aligned on a global scale. This is an important step in fostering a ‘One Ford’ approach that leverages our global resources and expertise.”
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