Wörthersee meeting see's a double premiere from Vw and Students, from fuel to electric.

• Premiere 1: Golf GTI First Decade combines 410 PS (300 kW) petrol engine with 12 kW electric motor for rear and all- wheel drive
• Premiere 2: Apprentices from Saxony present their Golf GTE Estate impulsE with 165 kW hybrid system rating

Wednesday saw a very special Golf GTI is to make its world debut at the Wörthersee meeting. 13 apprentices from Volkswagen and Sitech are waiting anxiously as they will be presenting the first GTI that also features electric propulsion: the Golf GTI First Decade. 

The name indicates that this show car is the 10th apprentices’ GTI to be presented by talented young people from Wolfsburg at the traditional GTI fans’ meeting in Austria. 

The Golf GTI First Decade was created in slightly less than nine months on the basis of ideas provided by apprentices in six vocations. In the interior and exterior design, the five women and eight men were inspired by the many and varied blue tones of water and sky on the Wörthersee.

The Golf GTI First Decade combines a 410 PS (300 kW) petrol engine driving the front wheels with a 48-volt electric motor that drives the rear wheels with a maximum output of 12 kW. The two drive systems can be used separately but also work hand-in-hand when required. 

The car can be operated conventionally (front-wheel drive), in purely electric mode (rear-wheel drive) and in combined mode (all-wheel drive). The mild electric propulsion system offers the benefits of zero-emission, silent driving during parking manoeuvres and for short distances in residential areas or in stop-and-go traffic (electric mode). Through the recovery of braking energy (regenerative braking), two batteries in the rear of the vehicle are charged. 

This energy allows further carbon-neutral driving in electric mode. On more demanding surfaces, the combination of front and rear-wheel drive for starting assistance (electric all-wheel mode) comes into its own. The modes can be selected and controlled from a tablet PC using an app or from the infotainment display via Mirror Link. 

“During the creation of their dream GTI, our apprentices learn about the complexity and future challenges of automobile production. They gain further experience in the use of digital technologies, the application of system technology and electro-mobility,” says Peter Christ, Head of Automotive Technology Training in Wolfsburg. 

“This is why we choose our strongest talents and offer them the opportunity to learn from experienced instructors and experts from the entire company at an early stage.” This year, the departments concerned included Design, Group Research Drive Systems, Technical Development, the pilot hall, the seat center, plastic parts production and the paint shop.

Highlights of the Golf GTI First Decade (selection):

Exterior: the two-door sports Golf is painted in Atlantic Blue Metallic and the doors and rear side panels also feature large areas of foil in the contrasting color of Satin Ocean Shimmer. Stripes of glossy blue chrome foil underline the racing design. 

Rally stripes on the bonnet and roof take up the composition of three blue tones with contrasting foils. The sporting presentation is underlined by the high-gloss black paintwork of the honeycomb radiator grille, Clubsport rear spoiler and 20-inch alloy wheels. The wheel rims from mb-Design are decorated by hubs painted in Ocean Shimmer. The starting number 10 on the C-pillars and the “First Decade” logo on the tailgate signal that this show car is the 10th Wörthersee GTI from the Wolfsburg talent factory. 

Interior: GTI drivers in the two-seater benefit from top sports seats. The driver’s seat can be adjusted electrically using an app on a smart phone or tablet. 

The seat offers several back massage profiles with a memory function. The sports seats are handmade: titanium black nappa leather/Alcantara combination with decorative blue stitching. Punched Alcantara sections have a blue background and the central section is decorated by an embroidered “10” at the top. 

The racing design of the exterior is taken up in a more restrained way in the interior of the vehicle. Decorative strips painted in Ocean Satin Shimmer surround the air outlets and the instrument cluster. The steering wheel clasp and the decorative trim strips on the sides feature the same colour, with the starting number 10 in Atlantic Blue. 

The dark blue trim above the glove compartment bears the “First Decade” logo in Satin Ocean Shimmer. Instead of rear seats and a luggage compartment, the rear of the vehicle accommodates a high-end sound system with 1,690 watts from 11 loudspeakers and a subwoofer as well as a special rear HIFI installation with LED lighting on a carbon- covered base plate. The batteries and control electronics for the electric rear-axle drive system are installed under the base plate. 

For the “First Decade”, the 18 to 23-year-old apprentices completed part of the work rapidly and efficiently using digital technologies. Designs were created on graphic tablets; special components were designed on CAD computers and produced using advanced 3-D printing technology. In the course of the project, the apprentices from six vocations gained considerable specialist knowledge and expertise and grew together to form a strong team around project manager Holger Schülke. 

The Golf GTI First Decade is the latest of 10 show car projects since 2008. Each unique car bears witness to the high level and practical character of vocational training at Volkswagen. 

The2017 Wörthersee Team members (by training vocations): 

Motor vehicle mechatronics technicians: team spokesperson Eric Miguel Lehrach (21), Marvin Bömeke (23), Janik Kelm (20), Götz Riechmann (19) and Joshua Schilling (23), vehicle interior fitters: Ronja Schönfisch (18) and Sarah Isabel Schorle (18), vehicle paint technicians: Kevin Hoffmann (22) and Michelle Schmerse (21), media designer: Yasmine Weinhold (20), technical product designer: Nils Lennart Fröhlich (21), process technicians specializing in plastic and rubber engineering: Laura Hein (21) and Alexander von Czacharowski (21) as well as Holger Schülke, Project manager, and Martin Nobbe, Project coordinator and controller. 

Sarah Isabel Schorle is training with Sitech in Wolfsburg, Laura Hein with Volkswagen at the Brunswick plant, and all the others at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg. Sitech is the Volkswagen Group company specializing in the development and production of vehicle seats. 

TheWörtherseeGTIs2008 – 2016 and their highlights (selection):

2008 Golf GTI Performance: gull-wing doors, wide body, three-seater, air suspension 2009 Golf GTI Street: two-tone color scheme with decorative foil

2010 Golf GTI Yellow Pearl: exclusive paintwork with matching interior

2011 Golf GTI Reifnitz: two-seater, seamless multicolor paintwork, alu gear shift knob 2012 Golf GTI Black Dynamic: decorative foil, embossed GTI logos on doors and tailgate

2013 Golf GTI Cabrio Austria: red- white-red paintwork, air outlets with honeycomb pattern

2014 Golf GTI Wolfsburg Edition: Wolfsburg silhouettes on doors, inside and outside 2015 Golf GTI Dark Shine: exhaust system with spectacular sound and valve control

2016 Golf GTI Heartbeat: two color scheme, contrasting foil, heartbeat and honeycomb symbols

2017 Golf GTI First Decade: two-seater, electric motor for rear axle and all-wheel drive, three-color scheme with matt foils and glossy chromium decorative strips, 1,960-Watt sound system

Second premiere: Golf GTE Estate impulsE from Zwickau

Today, apprentices from Volkswagen Sachsen are also unveiling a Wörthersee show car, the Golf GTE Variant impulsE. This year, the 14 apprentices from the Zwickau vehicle plant, the Chemnitz engine plant and the Transparent Factory in Dresden focused on e-mobility together with their mentors. For them, it was important to combine dynamism, sporting character and skilled craftsmanship with hybrid vehicle technology. 

A highlight of the show car is the prototype battery with a capacity increased from 8.8 to 16.8 kWh. This doubles the car’s range in electric operation. In terms of appearance, the Golf GTE Variant impulsE also breaks new ground: Its five-tone matt paintwork in Oryx White, Apassionata Blue, Anthracite, Hallmark and St. James Red makes the Golf GTE Variant “impulsE” from Saxony a real eyecatcher. Another fascinating detail is the bonnet with its ventilation slats. The color scheme for the interior harmonizes with the exterior. The decorative trims are painted and the steering wheel, central console, selector gaiter and door trim feature blue decorative stitching. The animated, app-controlled ambient lighting in the door trim, the indirectly lit panorama sliding roof and the leather/ Alcantara bucket seats with decorative blue stitching, “impulsE” logo and customized buckets round off the interior design. 

Hyundai unveils further infomation on the new hybrid model called the IONIQ.

• Hyundai Motor reveals technical innovations underpinning its evolved hybrid system
• Lightweight, high-strength architecture delivers a fun, responsive drive
• Next generation drivetrain efficiencies achieve class-leading fuel economy
• Electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrains available in a single body type, a world first

Following its unveiling to domestic media at Hyundai Motor’s Namyang R&D Center in South Korea, details have been confirmed of the IONIQ - the next generation of hybrid vehicles.

Rag Jung, Head of Project Management Division at Hyundai Motor R&D Center said, “IONIQ embodies Hyundai Motor's new thinking and bold ambitions for the future. This world-class dedicated hybrid will be the starting point of our future mobility.”

Lightweight engineering from a dedicated design

Built on a chassis created specifically to carry the world’s first choice of three efficient and ultra-low emission powertrains, the IONIQ boasts 53% Advanced High Strength Steel combined cleverly with lightweight aluminum. 

The new model saves 12.6kg (45%) of weight by casting non-structural bodywork from aluminum, such as the hood, tailgate and suspension components. 

Where crash structure or energy absorption is necessary, the structure features Advanced High Strength Steel that can withstand significant collision forces.

The new model was created with dynamic ride and handling at its core, a characteristic that sets the IONIQ apart from other hybrid vehicles. Positioning the car’s batteries low and forward achieves a low center of gravity that enables highly responsive, stable cornering. The IONIQ furthers its handling prowess with dual lower arm multi-link suspension fitted at the rear.

Inside IONIQ: the evolved hybrid system

The full IONIQ range will feature a choice of electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid powertrains, a world first for a single model. At the unveiling in Korea, details were shared for the first version to come to market – the hybrid.

With the world’s highest thermal efficiency (40%), the new 1.6-liter Kappa GDi engine developed exclusively for Hyundai Motor’s hybrid engines, combines with the permanent magnetic electric motor to deliver maximum outputs of 105ps and 47ps –engine and motor respectively.

Within the engine, class-leading thermal efficiency of 40% is achieved, while the head and block is split for optimized cooling. Plus, the 200 bar high pressure 6-hole direct fuel injector further improves fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

Alongside this, the Lithium Ion Polymer Battery delivers outstanding charge and discharge performance, optimizing output from the high voltage motor and allowing for rapid regeneration. Controlling power distribution is a hybrid-exclusive Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which presents a dynamic driving experience unique to IONIQ. 

Class-leading power transmission efficiency of 95.7% delivers a prompt response, acceleration performance and smooth gear changes to delight drivers with handling alongside the hybrid’s efficiency.

Ferrari Gives "V12 LAF" number plate to The Henry Surtee's Foundation, to auction to raise funds.

Perfect private plate for LaFerrari

Ferrari North Europe is pleased to announce a very special auction to benefit the Henry Surtees Foundation, with the unique personalised registration “V12 LAF” going to the highest sealed bid submitted before the end of November. 

The personalised registration is obviously the perfect number plate for a LaFerrari, the Prancing Horse’s ultimate hypercar with a 963hp hybrid drivetrain which includes an 800hp V12 engine and an additional 163hp KERS hybrid system.

The Henry Surtees Foundation was named in honour of the son of 1964 Ferrari F1 World Champion, John Surtees OBE. Inspired by Henry, his experience, and in celebration of his life, the Foundation’s primary aim is to assist people with brain or physical injuries caused by accident to return to community living by the provision of support for equipment and facilities.

“We are truly honoured that Ferrari has chosen to donate the proceeds of this auction  to the Henry Surtees Foundation. The work we are doing is absolutely critical to help save the lives and provide emergency support for those who sustain serious head injuries and I know that Henry would have been very proud to hear of Ferrari’s continued association with the Surtees family name, more than 50 years after I drove for Il Commendatore,” commented John Surtees OBE.

Interested parties should submit a sealed bid in an envelope marked as follows:

“HSF Charity Auction”

Ferrari North Europe

275 Leigh Road

Slough SL1 4HF

Closing date for bids is Monday 30 November 2015.

The Henry Surtees Foundation was named in honour of the son of 1964 Ferrari F1 World Champion, John Surtees OBE. Inspired by Henry, his experience, and in celebration of his life; HSF aims to:

• assist people with brain or physical injuries caused by accident to return to community living by the provision of support for equipment and facilities;
• provide education and training associated with motorsport-related programmes in technology,  engineering, and road safety instruction for two and four wheels;
• act as a resource for young people up to the age of 18 by providing advice and assistance and organising programmes of physical, educational and other activities in order to:- advance young people in life by helping them to develop their skills, capacities and capabilities so that they can participate in society as independent, mature and responsible individuals;
• advance their  education; and
• relieve unemployment.

FRANKFURT - Nissan launches A new breed of sporty compact crossover for a new, younger generation.

Dramatic 2+2 takes Crossover concept to a new level

• A new breed of sporty compact crossover for a new, younger generation
• Inspired by classic desert rally cars and racing bicycles
• Packed with EV technology, based on Series hybrid system ‘Pure Drive’ e-Power
• Introducing ‘emotionalgeometry’ design language from Nissan
• Built in ‘dashcam’ cameras take Nissan’s safety technology to a new level

Crossover pioneer Nissan has revealed a new concept car which points to an innovative new future for the marque. Conceived by designers in Europe and Japan, the Nissan Gripz Concept blends the ability and practicality of a compact crossover with the excitement and performance of a sports car.

Infused with an exciting and adventurous feel, thanks to its radical design and advanced powertrain concept - theNissan Gripz Concept is Nissan’s next move as a game changer, and is a glimpse of how a future compact crossover from the pioneer of the segment might look.

The Nissan Gripz Concept is designed as a car with a dual personality; a vehicle that can handle the day-to-day commute and deliver a genuine adventure at the weekend.

In the same way a cyclist will use a bike to get to work and then head out on that same machine for an adrenaline fuelled ride when the working day is over, so too can the driver of the Nissan Gripz Concept tackle the city streets during the week before enjoying a drive over a mountain pass on a day off.

Inspiration

Although maintaining a similar footprint to a compact crossover, the Nissan Gripz Concept has the silhouette of a sports car with a raised ride height, equipped to conquer more challenging driving conditions.

The result pays homage to one of Nissan’s first ‘crossovers’ - the iconic Safari Rally-winning Nissan 240Z. In the 1970s these sports cars were re-engineered using expertise gathered from Nissan’s 4x4 range to cope with the demanding conditions of the Baja Peninsula, the open plains of Kenya, Uganda and present day Tanzania. These rally racers featured a raised ride height, toughened suspension and sported a matt-black finish for the bonnet and trunk set against a deep red-orange body colour.

The Nissan 240Zs were proof that sports cars didn’t have to be low to the ground to be fun. The Nissan Gripz Concept proves this again - incorporating Nissan’s expertise in crossovers, 4x4s, sports cars, and to bring it fully up to date for the new generation, electric powertrain prowess. 

Powertrain

The Nissan Gripz Concept is equipped with an EV technology based Series hybrid system ‘Pure Drive e-Power’. An efficient petrol engine is used to power the electric motor found in the Nissan LEAF.

The powertrain combines Nissan’s various control technologies from its years of experience developing EVs. This configuration delivers smooth, swift and linear acceleration in near-silence, with supreme efficiency. As a result, the Nissan Gripz Concept offers a smooth, refined and exhilarating driving experience with outstanding fuel efficiency.

Design

The Nissan Gripz Concept is seen as a design statement rather than a replacement for an existing model, although it does feature cues from Nissan’s new ‘emotionalgeometry’ design language.

The Crossover concept incorporates four key design elements first seen in Europe on the Nissan Sway, one of the stars of the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. As with Sway, Gripz features a V-motion grille, boomerang lamps front and rear, a floating roof and a kicked-up C pillar.

However, the similarities end there. While Sway hinted at a possible direction for a compact hatchback, the Nissan Gripz Concept is quite the different proposition.

“Nissan pioneered the idea of the compact crossover, and this is reflected in the enormous popularity of Qashqai and Juke and the resulting growth of the market segment as other manufacturers play catch-up.”

“While the Nissan Gripz Concept is not seen as a direct replacement for either of those two iconic vehicles, it does show the extremes to which the compact crossover can be pushed,”said Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer.

Created through collaboration between Nissan Design Europe in London and Nissan Global Design Center in Japan, the exterior of the Nissan Gripz Concept is guided by the ‘emotional geometry’ body sculpting concept which depicts strong contrasts through the dynamic, tensional, yet edgy surface.

Dual Personality

Taking the high-tech simplicity – two apparent contradictions – of a racing bicycle as inspiration, the concept features a carbon frame over which expressive body panels are placed, like armoured cladding.

Exposed carbon elements spear through the design, accentuating features such as the boomerang-shape given to the leading edge of the front door structure. Gripz has four doors – with deep dihedral front doors that swing out and up when opened, and a pair of rear-hinged half-doors behind. There is no B-pillar, allowing easy access to the 2+2 interior.

The front end is dominated by Nissan’s V-motion grille, mounted low and framed by rectangular lamps housing high and low beams.

Embedded in the lamps are forward-facing cameras that record every journey, just as a helmet-cam is used by cyclists. Using a live feed, adventures through great roads can be beamed around the world, allowing for friends to follow the car’s progress on their computer, tablet or smart phone in real time.

Boomerang-shaped running lights sit above the lamps, on top of the front fenders and denote the demarcation line between the matt-black bonnet and the red-orange main body colour.

More matt-black can be found on the extended wheel arches, the pinched and indented triangular sill – raised to increase ground clearance – and the A-pillar leading to the floating roof. The roof features a central glazed panel with bullet grey-coloured composite panels on either side over the seating areas.

These reduce in width as they flow towards the rear of the car and blend into the rear lamps, which mirror the boomerang shape of the front running lights and wrap themselves around the rear three quarters of the car.

At the rear, a dramatic truncated matt-black Kamm tail gives the concept a ‘codatronca’ effect while beneath the tailgate sits a pair of chromed trapezoidal exhaust pipes.

The three-spoke 22-inch wheels are also inspired by racing bicycles - lightweight yet strong wearing comparatively thin high-pressure tyres, especially constructed for the concept by Bridgestone. Red and white graphics found on the sidewalls are replicated on the car’s steering wheel.

While the exterior was created in Europe, a dedicated team based in Japan designed the interior. Like the exterior, functional simplicity is the key to the design.

Again featuring a mix of matt-grey and the deep red-orange colours, the interior underlines the car’s Tour de France inspiration with exposed tubes, moulded bucket seats and layered features echoing the cladding effect found on the exterior.

The seats and centre console are directly inspired by bicycles, as are the door pulls that are shaped like saddles from a racing bike. The three-spoke steering wheel, meanwhile, replicates the car’s road wheels, right down to the special graphics found on the tyre sidewalls.

Like the Nissan Sway Concept and recent production cars, the Nissan Gripz Concept has a ‘Gliding Wing’instrument panel. This elegantly thin design combines strength with simplicity and perfectly echoes the ethos of the concept.

“What influence this Concept’s design has on the next crossover generation from Nissan remains to be seen, though we are keen to gauge public reaction when it appears at the Frankfurt Show,”Nakamuraadded.

Nissan Gripz Concept Dimensions (mm)

Length              4,100

Width               1,890

Height              1,500

Wheelbase        2,580

USA RECALL #7 - MAZDA - Motor Electronics Coolant Pump Failure

RECALL Subject : Motor Electronics Coolant Pump Failure

Report Receipt Date: SEP 10, 2014 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V552000 

Component(s): HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 

Potential Number of Units Affected: 423 

Manufacturer: Mazda North American Operations

SUMMARY:

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2008 Mazda Tribute Hybrid vehicles manufactured October 10, 2006, to May 23, 2008. The coolant pump for the hybrid system may fail, resulting in the hybrid electronics overheating.

CONSEQUENCE:

If the hybrid electronics system overheats, it may shut down the powertrain, resulting in a stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a crash.

REMEDY:

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the original Motor Electronics Coolant (MEC) Pump with an improved brushless pump, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November 3, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5000. Mazda's number for this recall is 7814I.

NOTES:

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.