Oerlikon bows torque infill transmission

Oerlikon Graziano’s OGeco torque infill hybrid transmission will be one of the main attractions at the 2014 CTI exhibition in Berlin from 8 to 11 December.

Prius production set for Brazil?

Toyota may add production of the Prius hybrid to its facility at Sao Bernardo do Campo in Sao Paolo (Brazil), according to South American news reports.

The facility currently builds components to supply Toyota's main assembly plants in Sorocaba and Indiatuba, Brazil.

Land Rover expands V6 diesel use

New uses continue to be found for the Ford V6 diesel engine built at Dagenham, UK, the latest being the Range Rover Hybrid Long Wheelbase unit launched at the Beijing motor show. 

Together with the Range Rover Sport Hybrid, this will be the first diesel hybrid model from any manufacturer to be offered in China.

Toyota launches Auris estate car in UK

Toyota today marked the official start of production of the new Auris Touring Sports at Toyota Manufacturing UK's (TMUK) Burnaston car plant.

The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, UK Secretary of State for Transport, joined Didier Leroy, president and chief executive officer of Toyota Motor Europe, at a ceremony to see the new car off the line at the Derbyshire factory.

Welcoming Toyota's continued investment in British jobs and manufacturing, McLoughlin said: "Toyota's on-going investment in Burnaston is a huge vote of confidence in our thriving car manufacturing industry, proving again Britain's ability to make world class cars that appeal to a global customer base. It is thanks to the support of manufacturers like Toyota that we are encouraging more young people to pursue an engineering career. This is an industry that is helping generate the jobs and wealth we need to secure the UK's place in the global economic race."

Rolls-Royce considers hybrids

Rolls-Royce will not be able to continue growing once capacity is reached at its factory at Goodwood.

Chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: "We made more than 3,500 cars last year but eventually we will be restricted in expansion because the factory is in a conservation area.”

He said there were “no plans” to open another plant in the UK so ultimately volume will be determined by the size of the plant.

“There is no chance that we will build the cars anywhere else because it is not what our customers expect," he said.

Müller-Ötvös became head of Rolls-Royce in April 2010 and admitted the job has been “quite a challenge” being the custodian of a brand that has become a generic term for quality and luxury. The best of almost anything is referred to as being "the Rolls-Royce".

Müller-Ötvös has been with parent group BMW since 1988.

He said the added expense of making a Rolls-Royce motor car, besides meeting customers’ bespoke needs, came from the bespoke, hand-made craftsmanship that went into the cars at Goodwood. Each car takes 450-500 hours to make and with bespoke work this can grow to 800 hours.

Finding workers with the ability for fine craftsmanship is becoming increasingly difficult.

He said: "When we first started at Goodwood we were lucky that we were able to call on some very talented people who had been involved in boat and yacht-building or furniture making but these are becoming harder to find. Whoever we take on spends a minimum three months training before they can touch one of our cars. We do offer apprenticeships and we currently have 40 at the factory."

Hybrid power trains are on the agenda although Müller-Ötvös claimed that a Rolls-Royce does have best-in segment emissions, a segment in which he includes the likes of Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini.

"We have to be mindful of legal and emissions requirements around the world, particularly in China, now our biggest market and where the rules are getting tougher all the time.

"A plug-in hybrid would be a sensible solution but once again, whatever we do with powertrains, there can be no compromise - the customers simply would not accept it."∎

Kia unveils hybrid at Geneva

Kia’s Prova concept car launched at the Geneva Motor Show this week opens up new possibilities for the future. It contains the company’s first seven-speed double clutch transmission (DCT) gearbox.

The 3.88m-long vehicle also uses an ingenious Smart 4WD power train. The four cylinder turbocharged 1.6-litre GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine develops 204PS or the equivalent of 127.5PS/litre.

Engine also benefits from a regenerative-powered electric motor driving the rear wheels either automatically when required (during cornering or rapid acceleration) to give a power boost of 45PS, or in a button-activated ‘creep’ mode at low speeds to avoid generating emissions in city traffic or when ‘stealth’ is required.