Autoblog UK

Carbon-fibre bodywork has the benefit of being lightweight but also works out rather expensive. That's why the material has so far been generally reserved for racing cars. Carbon-fibre components have played a vital role in helping Formula One teams keep their cars both light and stable. Nonetheless, the material has yet to prove its suitability for series production, as it is considered too expensive, too difficult to shape properly and too problematic to repair if damaged in an accident. For their part, however, BMW are convinced that they can make a go of it. The Munich-based carmaker has plans to use carbon fibre on a large scale in future vehicle production. In particular, they see it as perfect for use in a new generation of low-emission urban runabouts. BMW have got together with carbon specialists SGL Group from Wiesbaden to set up a joint venture for the production and processing of this super-light compound for the automotive industry.

If you've ever been a passenger on a car journey trying to surf the internet on your mobile, you'll know just how far removed the information highway is from the Queen's Highway. Now the automotive industry are trying to get a grip on the problem. Mercedes-Benz are claiming some degree of success with their web-based infotainment system myCommand. The concept behind the infostation currently being tested in the E-Class is the updating and maintenance of all data and functions via the internet.

In order to increase transmission speeds, the boffins in Stuttgart have got together with their opposite numbers at Nokia to develop fourth-generation radio technology referred to as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and capable of bandwidths of between 5 and 25 Mbps. This would be sufficient for the high-quality streaming of video material. Following extensive trials, the Daimler engineers have now reported excellent progress. At least as far as their remit is concerned: navigation, radio, telephony and additional services all functioned very smoothly. The missing component is Europe-wide availability of LTE, and that could take several years to put in place.

1. Can my car run on vegetable oil?

In theory, vegetable oil can be used in any diesel model. However, the engine would first need to be converted. Technical changes to the fuel injection pump and jets as well as to the fuel lines and combustion chamber should increase the fluidity and ignition quality of the vegetable oil. Basically, there are two possible engine conversions to consider: the single-tank and the dual-tank system. Both allow a car to run on diesel fuel, vegetable oil or a mixture of the two. Manufacturers are continually refining these systems to keep pace with developments in diesel technology. Which of the two is more suitable will depend primarily on your car's current fuel injection system. You will need to ask your car refitter directly whether your car engine is suitable for conversion. Sometimes, cars with fuel injection pumps made by particular manufactures are turned away, as certain systems are not suitable to be run indefinitely on vegetable oil. Depending on the extent of the conversion (for example, changes to the fuel injection pump, addition of a second fuel tank), a safety test equivalent to the MOT may be required. This should also be discussed in advance with the garage taking on the job. As yet, no manufacturer has approved an engine conversion that would allow a car to run on vegetable oil. It would therefore be very difficult to make a claim under the guarantee or in respect of material defects. You would also be unlikely to receive any compensatory gesture of goodwill in the event of engine damage.

1. What is autogas?

Autogas, also known as LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), is a liquid mix of propane and butane stored under pressure, which is a by-product of oil and natural gas extraction and the refining of crude oil. Campers use LPG for heating, refrigerating and cooking. It should not be confused with natural gas (CNG – Compressed Natural Gas).

1. What exactly is natural gas?

Natural gas, along with oil and coal, is a combustible organic raw material. It is a mixture of approximately 85 percent methane plus around ten percent nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide. The remainder is made up of higher hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane and butane. Natural gas is available as two types: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), which broadly maintains its natural state, and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which becomes a liquid when cooled to -164 degrees Celsius. The great advantage of LNG is its significantly higher energy density per volume as, in a liquefied state, it is reduced to 1/600th of its initial volume. However, CNG is the more common, since compressed gas is currently easier to handle than gas in the form of an extremely cold liquid. Natural gas should not be confused with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) which retails under the name of Autogas.

Previously, the police in the States always drove modified family cars, such as the particularly impressive Ford Crown Victoria. For police use, they are fitted with the customary blue light, radio equipment, tuned-up engines and a more agile chassis. In the case of high-speed pursuits however, it is not only in the movies that the American police often come in at second place. So the watchword now is "Buddy, we're gonna get you!" Previously, the US car constructor Carbon Motors concentrated on the construction of special vehicles such as the well-known Checker Taxi. But in future, the American police will also have the use of a 'customized' Carbon vehicle.

An aluminium space frame, co-designed by Lotus, will constitute the basic body of the five-metre long E7 and integrated crash and bulkhead elements are there to protect the passengers from hard encounters with the bad guys. The doors open backwards, so that suspects can be loaded with greater ease when handcuffed. Armoured doors protect against shots and there is a wall to separate the good guys from the bad guys. The siren and blue light are integrated in the roof and at the front there is a type of battering ram. The power pack is an economic 3-litre diesel engine that can reach a top speed of 155mph, getting the rear-wheel drive vehicle from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds.

The hefty price of 50,000 dollars per vehicle is justified by the equipment, according to the manufacturer. Apart from that, the vehicle is designed to handle a 'working life' of almost 250,000 miles, which is double that of its predecessors. Upon reaching its end of service, the E7 will not be put up for sale, since all of them will be returned to the manufacturer for dismantling and subsequent scrapping.

Those Dortmund-based master tuners at 9ff have set to work on a Porsche 911 GT2 and spawned a monster. An output of a 'mere' 530bhp has been boosted to a more than adequate 850, enabling the Porsche to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in three seconds flat – before the conversion, it had been a sluggish 3.7. Driving pleasure was previously limited by the top speed of 202mph but now you can simply specify your own ceiling: 215, 225 or 238. The magic threshold of 300kph (185mph) is reached in just 18.5 seconds. This power package with its BT2 prefix costs 285,000 euros.

At Mercedes, safety research has always been high on the agenda. A total of 31 ESF prototypes have been built at Daimler for this purpose, all based on series production models. Most of these were then destroyed in crash tests, though some survived to go on public display. The most up-to-date of all, the ESF 2009, is essentially a Mercedes S 400 Hybrid boasting more than a dozen safety innovations.

In recent years, this area of research has taken on increased significance. Who would have thought a couple of decades back that airbags would one day explode out of steering wheels to protect drivers from injury? Or that the cars of today would automatically keep their distance, have better night vision than humans and even apply the brakes by themselves? All of this would have sounded like science fiction. Now, the Mercedes research team have come up with a package of fresh ideas. The five major components of the latest ESF vehicle are 'Pre-Safe Structure' (for improved stability), 'Pre-Safe Pulse' (for side-on crash protection), 'Braking Bag' (auxiliary brake), adaptive full-beam light and vehicle communication.

Last year, former McLaren designer Jim Dowle presented his P1 prototype sports car to great acclaim. The response at the time was tremendous. This singularly striking vehicle was conceived as an affordable sports model and as a potential challenger to the Lotus Exige.

In the intervening period, Dowle has taken his initial design forward and the P1 has now become the P1-E. The letter E stands for the electric drivetrain and thus for the first sports car powered by an electric motor. By moving in this direction, its designer has bowed to current sentiment and lined his project up under the 'green car' banner. The drivetrain with its lithium-ion batteries and twin electric motors powering all four wheels doesn't exactly come cheap: the price is likely to be around the $75,000 mark. The acceleration figures are sensational: 0 to 60mph in 2.9 seconds. The range between recharges is 230 miles. The four-wheel drive provides the vehicle with maximum traction. A regenerative braking system on each wheel comes as standard.

Dowle says of the P1's further development: "Up to now, cars with electric motors have not exerted any great attraction for motoring enthusiasts. We set out to bring an affordable electric sports car onto the market, one that would combine all the advantages of a conventional machine with those of electrical drive technology, at the same time dispensing with all the disadvantages of both. In short, we wanted to build a car for the 21st century." The P1-E prototype is due to be presented some time this year; however, there are a few funding issues to sort out first.

Next year, US manufacturer Ford plans to fit its latest models with a new technological device. Under the unassuming name 'MyKey', they have come up with a system that should allow parents to sleep more soundly in their beds when the children are out and about in the family car late at night.

'MyKey' is indeed a car key – one that parents can program to their own specification. They can set the maximum speed – for example to 75mph – with the young driver getting an audible alert before this threshold is reached. The radio too can be preset to a maximum environmentally (and socially) responsible volume. And of course, there is also an automatic check on whether the seat belts have been done up.

Although motorised 'children' won't be all that keen on the idea, their parents will love it! Parent appeal: Ford demo 'MyKey'.