Intensifying Design at Infiniti
To help provide more focus on the character of the Infiniti brand’s design, it has opened another brand-dedicated studio, this one in San Diego. Alfonso Albaisa was named Infiniti’s first executive design director in 2013. He had his start with the company in 1988, at Nissan Design America in San Diego. Previous Next Related: Automotive […]
Honda Accord: The Ninth Generation
Although the 2013 Honda Accord looks long and sleek, at 191.4-in. long, it is down 3.5 in. from the previous generation Accord, and the 109.3-in. wheelbase is 0.9 in. reduced. Dave Marek, division director, Automobile Styling, Honda R&D, in the California office, says that this is the “most-sculpted Accord ever made.†While most vehicle manufacturers […]
Honda Improves Its CAE Capability
This is what the Honda crash-test CAE results look like before they worked with 3DXCITE . . . . . . and this is what they look like after. Previous Next Related: Digital Domain Although the people at Honda R&D Americas, by and large, work on vehicle development, they recently went to work on developing […]
Honda’s Third Hybrid: The Accord
If you look closely, you can see that there are slight modifications to the ‘05 Accord Hybrid. It is being positioned as a top-of-the-line trim level. Although the engine is fairly similar to the one used in the standard Accord V6, there are some differences here, because the engine is attached to an electric motor. […]
How EGA Makes Better Dies
EGA uses formability siimulations like this one of the Acura TL front fender to catch possible deforms early in the die design process. Through extensive use of simulations, EGA was able to give the Acura TL’s stylists the deep-draw panels they needed for the car’s low and wide stance. Previous Next Related: Automotive Design Automotive […]
GM Detroit-Hamtramck: Slow Start but Gaining Speed
The Buick LeSabre is the newest vehicle in the GM Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center build mix, as they began building the 2000 model at the facility in 1999. Presently, it accounts for 39% of the production output, with the Cadillac DeVille accounting for 48% of the build and the Seville the remainder. As the Seville is […]
GM Names New Top Washington Lobbyist
Related: AutoBeat Group Posted: May 30, 2013 at 12:29 am General Motors Co. has promoted Victoria Barnes to executive director for federal affairs, The Detroit News reports. She will report to Lee Godown, vice president of global government relations. Barnes replaces Harry Lightsey, who has been named executive director for GM’s global connected consumer business, […]
Ford: Putting on the Top Hat
Related: Automotive Chassis For the past several years, automakers have been reducing product development and engineering costs through the reuse of parts and platforms. In several cases, this has resulted in products that look alike so there’s little differentiation between vehicle brands, save for interior trim packaging and optional equipment. But this has changed, in […]
Field Guide: GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms
The company GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms (Charlottesville, VA; www.gefanuc.com) supplies automation technologies and services. It started out in 1986 as GE Fanuc Automation Corporation, a joint venture created by General Electric and Fanuc. The company’s platinum anniversary gift to itself in October 2007 was a new name to reflect the way the business and the […]
FEV: Pursuing & Developing Powertrain Performance
Downsized, highly boosted engines, like Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost, will become more commonplace in the immediate future, as will more cost-effective hybridization. Gary Rogers, president and CEO of FEV, believes that to achieve better fuel efficiency, there must be a comprehensive integration of systems beyond just the powertrain. Today’s in-car information technology can only suggest alternate […]
