Evo Arrives in Oz!
The eagerly awaited rally-born and bred Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution VI has finally hit Australian shores. Only 100 Evos have been brought into the country, and according to importer Ralliart Australia, most have owners' names on them already. All are Tommi Makinen Editions. Powered by a two litre DOHC 16-valve intercooled turbo engine, the special edition Evo VI also has a redesigned airdam, specially tuned suspension, plus enhanced aerodynamics and engine cooling. The engine develops 206kW of power and 373Nm of torque, giving the Evo VI blindingly fast times at top revs and super quick acceleration off the line. For example, 0-100 km/h takes just 5.8 seconds, with the standing 400m flashing by in 14.3 seconds.
Handling and stopping power are just as impressive, with the surefootedness of fulltime four-wheel drive enhanced by the inclusion of Active Yaw Control, which comes into play via the rear differential to improve overall driveability and cornering capability. To match the go and ensure the whoa, the Evo VI is fitted with Brembo brakes; front ventilated discs with four-pot aluminium calipers up front and rear ventilated discs with 2-pot aluminium calipers in the rear.
To complement the aggressively styled body kit and striking 17-inch light alloy wheels, interior treatment features a leather bound Momo steering wheel, leather-accented gear shifter and dedicated, logoed Tommi Makinen Recaro sports seats. As well, dual airbags, electric windows, aircon, power mirrors and central locking come standard. Aluminium is used for specific sections of bodywork, such as the bonnet and front over-guards.
"We're tremendously excited to now be able to offer the EVO VI to an enthusiast Australian public," said Ralliart's Chief Engineer Bob Riley. "The Evo is a car with a long and successful rallying history; one that not only offers proven scorching performance, but has heaps of street cred as well. The legend has landed."
Available in four different colours - Scotia White, Satellite Silver, Passion Red and Pyrenees Black - the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution VI is now on sale at the following selected Ralliart specialist dealers:
- Sydney: Northshore Mitsubishi (Crows Nest) and Sutherland Mitsubishi (Kirrawee).
- Melbourne: Southern Mitsubishi (Moorabin) and Eastside Mitsubishi (Nunawading).
- Adelaide: Yorke Motors.
- Perth: Skipper Mitsubishi.
- Brisbane: Nundah Mitsubishi.
- Townsville: Geoff Pickering Mitsubishi.
Price is $79,990.
Specifications/Dimensions
| DRIVE SYSTEM |
| Type |
Full-time 4WD |
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT |
| Overall length |
4,350mm |
| Overall width |
1,770mm |
| Overall height |
1,405mm |
| Wheelbase |
2,510mm |
| Track |
Front |
1,510mm |
|
Rear |
1,505mm |
| Ground clearance |
140mm |
| Cabin length |
1,805mm |
| Cabin width |
1,430mm |
| Cabin height |
1,175mm |
| Kerb weight |
1,280kgs |
| Seating capacity |
5 people |
| Turning circle |
11.0metres |
| ENGINE |
| Type |
16 valve DOHC intercooled with titanium aluminium turbine |
| Displacement |
1,997cc |
| Bore and stroke |
85.0 X 88.0mm |
| Compression ratio |
8.8:1 |
| Maximum power |
206kW@6,500 |
| Maximum torque |
373 Nm@3,000 |
| Fuel supply system |
ECI-MULTI |
| Fuel type/capacity |
PULP/50 litres |
| TRANSMISSION |
| Type |
5-speed manual |
| Gear ratio |
1st |
2.785 |
|
2nd |
1.950 |
|
3rd |
1.444 |
|
4th |
1.096 |
|
5th |
0.825 |
|
Reverse |
3.416 |
|
Final |
4.529 |
| STEERING |
| Type |
Rack and pinion (power assisted) |
| SUSPENSION |
| Front |
McPherson strut with inverted-type shock absorbers, stabiliser bar and aluminium suspension arms. |
| Rear |
Multi-link with stabiliser bar, aluminium suspension arms. |
| BRAKES |
| Front |
BREMBO braking system 17" ventilated discs(4-pot aluminium calipers). |
| Rear |
BREMBO braking system 16" ventilated discs(2-pot aluminium calipers). |
| TYRES & WHEELS |
| Tyres |
225/45ZR17 |
| Wheels |
17 X 7.5JJ alloy |
Clio Renault Sport Takes to the Streets
Renault's highly sought-after limited edition hot-hatch, the Clio Renault Sport, has arrived in Australia. Since it was first sighted at the Melbourne Motor Show in March, the Clio Renault Sport has attracted plenty of attention with its combination of fast-forward sportiness and deep-seated elegance, all delivered within one compact vehicle.
At the heart of this exciting hot-hatch is a potent 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine developed by Renault's motorsport arm, Renault Sport.
Strong demand for the Clio Renault Sport in Europe has meant that Renault Australia will initially only have 85 examples available and these will be launched as the 'Renault Sport Clio Cup' Limited Edition models. Each model will bear the Limited Edition title and number on a badge mounted on the overhead console inside the vehicle and on a plate mounted in the engine bay. The original retail owner of the vehicle will receive a certificate of authenticity after purchasing the vehicle. A long list of standard features includes leather and Alcantara upholstery, suede leather bound steering wheel, aluminium gearshift knob, drilled-aluminium pedals, air conditioning, power windows, single in-dash CD player and remote central locking.
Standard safety features include four airbags - two front airbags and two front seat-mounted side airbags - anti-lock brakes, seat belt pretensioners for the front seats and outboard rear seats, three-point seat belts and headrests for all occupants.
The Renault Sport engine belongs to the 'F' family of engines. This unit benefits from the very latest innovations from Renault: valve timing using roller cam followers to reduce friction, tubular camshafts for an 800g weight saving and compactness thanks to redesigned accessory mountings. This engine also incorporates two-position inlet valve timing. The system provides two settings for opening and closing the inlet valves and enhances both cylinder filling and torque output at mid-range speeds, without affecting power output at full load and at high speed. Renault Sport's engineers achieved the power gains in the 2.0-litre engine by enhancing the flow of gas in the air intake manifold. The goal was to enable cylinders to inhale the largest possible quantity of air/petrol mixture, in order to increase the engine's specific power output.
To increase the performance of the base 2.0-litre engine Renault Sport's engineers made the following modifications:
- The aluminium inlet manifold has been increased in length with a plenum volume increased from 3 to 4.8 litres to match the high speeds achieved by this unit.
- The profile and section of the cylinder head ducts were machined by Mecachrome.
- The valves, made from Nimonic (75% Nickel, 25% Chrome and Titanium), retain their former dimensions but offer resistance to high temperatures.
- The platinum electrode spark plugs ensure more reliable spark generation and better mixture ignition. The life of the plugs is extended to 120,000 km.
- Valve timing has been changed. Valve overlap is increased to achieve greater power output at high speed, while the reduced overlap permitted by the variable valve timing at low speeds increases flexibility and idling stability.
- A special four-in-one tubular exhaust manifold feeds into two catalytic converters mounted side by side. This speeds the flow of gases through the stainless steel exhaust sytem and avoids back pressure as they exit the engine.
With a capacity of 1998cc, this engine develops its maximum power of 124kW at 6,250rpm, with maximum torque reaching 200Nm at 5,450rpm. To ensure smooth, pleasurable driving, 85% of maximum torque is available in a range extending from 2,500 to 6,500rpm and 95% of maximum power kicks in at 5,800rpm, with little power loss beyond 6,250rpm. The drive is taken through a manual JC5-type 5-speed manual gearbox. Closer gear ratios linked to the wide spread of engine torque contribute to the sporting performance of this version.
The Clio Renault Sport has the same style of suspension as all other Clios, with a MacPherson type front axle and a flexible H-form torsion beam with trailing arms at the rear. However, the spring rates, anti-roll bar stiffness and damper calibration are regulated to meet the requirements of both performance and ride comfort. Sitting on a widened track with the wheels positioned close to the four corners of the vehicle gives the Clio Renault Sport excellent stability and agility without compromising ride comfort. Backing up the performance of the Clio is a powerful braking system designed to stand up to intensive use. The front disk brakes are large 280mm ventilated brakes and at the rear there are 228mm solid disks. For extra security, the Clio has the latest generation ABS system.
Subaru launches Impreza RV
Subaru has expanded its small car range, launching the Impreza RV, a flexible cross-over vehicle combining the agile road performance of Impreza with the great outdoors styling of Outback. Impreza RV uses Subaru's trademark All-Wheel Drive system and a compact 2.0 litre horizontally opposed engine. Available exclusively as a hatch, Impreza RV features a distinctive two-tone colour scheme, including grey opal bumpers, wheel arches, door rub strips and special badging, underlining its distinctive character. Standard are 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, dual front air bags and four wheel ABS disc brakes. The two-tone theme continues inside with black and grey dashboard and door trims and durable grey fleck seats, reflecting the cars functionality and fun. Impreza RV is available with automatic and manual transmissions. The manual also has dual range.
Other standard features include AM/FM radio with single in-dash CD, cruise control, dual trip meters, front and rear fog lights (single rear), rear spoiler, remote central locking, integrated with hazard lights for visual recognition; Super Seat Lifter height adjustable driver's seat and variable intermittent windscreen wiper control.
It becomes a permanent part of the Impreza range, joining the GX, RX and WRX sedans and hatches that collectively won Wheels magazine's 2000 Car of the Year award.
Originally called Outback Sport when displayed in concept form at this year's Melbourne International Motor Show, the name was changed following feedback from customer clinics, indicating some confusion with the larger Subaru Outback.
| Impreza RV manual |
$29,990 |
| Impreza RV automatic |
$31,980 |
Megane Cabriolet
The Megane Cabriolet is the image vehicle of Renault Australia's model line-up, with its distinctive wedge shaped profile and striking proportions. This stunning cabriolet is in a class of its own in Australia, where it can lay claim to being the best value four-seater cabriolet on the market. While the Megane Cabriolet shares its platform with the popular compact "monospace" Scenic, its more compact body gives it the agility and dynamic feel of a smaller vehicle. Powering the Megane Cabriolet is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine which produces 79 kilowatts at 5,750rpm and a maximum torque of 148Nm at 3,750rpm. This sophisticated 16-valve engine emerges as lively and easy to drive, progressive in its response and free from hesitation or flat-spots at low or medium engine speeds. The engine can be matched to either a five-speed manual or four-speed Proactive automatic transmission.
GM's 'Displacement On Demand' Technology
General Motors in the US plans to begin equipping its large trucks and sport-utility vehicles with innovative "Displacement-on-Demand" engines to boost the fuel economy of these vehicles by about 8 percent, based on an EPA testing procedure, and up to 25 percent in certain real-world driving conditions. The engines will debut in 2004 as part of GM's Vortec V8 engine family.
Displacement on Demand saves fuel by using only half of the engine's cylinders during most normal driving conditions. The system automatically and seamlessly reactivates the other cylinders when the driver needs the engine's full capabilities for brisk acceleration or load carrying. The engine is always started on eight cylinders. But once the vehicle is moving, the powertrain control module activates Displacement on Demand.
Displacement on Demand marks a dramatic evolution in this engine technology GM pioneered 20 years ago. In 1981, GM implemented a cylinder deactivation technology that was limited by a cable throttle, mechanically controlled transmission and a fraction of the computer power currently available. Today's engine computer is a 32-bit machine (versus 8 bit) that has an internal clock that is roughly 25 times faster, 50 times the computing power and 100 times the memory of the 1981 controller. Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) and electronically-controlled transmissions are now available, all proven technologies that allow seamless Displacement-on-Demand operation. Together, these devices permit precise engine torque control at all times and more accurate information used by the transmission for shift-point selection and actuator control settings.
With Displacement on Demand, the vehicle's powertrain control module determines load conditions based on inputs from vehicle sensors. When loads are light, the control module automatically closes both intake and exhaust valves for half of the cylinders, thus cutting off the air and fuel supply to those cylinders. The valves are reopened to provide all-cylinder operation when the driver needs it for brisk acceleration or for hauling heavy loads. Sensors tell the powertrain control module what the engine is doing at any point in its cycle - for example, which cylinder has fired and where the valvetrain is located at that particular point. The module interprets the information in order to control complex functions such as fuel injection, electronic spark control and electronic throttle control.
Using the same information already provided to the control module, Displacement on Demand adds algorithms to manage the cylinder deactivation and reactivation process. The powertrain control module monitors driver commands, several engine sensors and mathematical models to determine the right time in the engine cycle to initiate the process. It then controls spark advance, fuel injectors, electronic throttle and four valvetrain control solenoids in precise coordination to achieve seamless transition between V4 and V8 operation.
The sequential reactivation of cylinders to increase engine output happens so quickly that there is an immediate increase in engine output.
Displacement on Demand also leverages an existing oil pump system to provide hydraulic pressure to activate the system. The mechanical actuators are special hydraulic lifters, each with a spring-loaded locking pin that deactivates the cylinders. In normal operation, when the camshaft rotates against the hydraulic lifter, it opens and closes either an intake or exhaust valve.
The special lifter, developed by Eaton Corp., is designed so that one section can collapse, or telescope, into the other section. The two sections can be either coupled or uncoupled to each other by means of the locking pin. When cylinder deactivation is initiated, hydraulic pressure is used to dislodge the locking pin and collapse the lifter, thus closing the valve. In reactivation mode, the removal of hydraulic pressure causes the locking pin to return to its latched position to restore the lifter's normal function.
The activated state of the special lifters is the default mode, and the engine is always started on eight cylinders.
In V4 mode, every other cylinder, in the firing order, is deactivated. In a V8 engine, this means the process would affect the outer two cylinders on one bank, and the inner two cylinders on the opposite bank.
The cylinder deactivation-reactivation operation is accomplished in a fraction of a second, making the transition seamless and transparent to the driver.
Quickies
- Eaton is predicting a shift in demand towards automated transmission technology in Australia with the introduction of its AutoShift, "shift by wire" transmission. Eaton's AutoShift, "shift by wire" automated transmission technology offers the convenience of automated shifting with the efficiency and durability of a manual transmission. The AutoShift totally eliminates manual lever shifts with the clutch only required when starting and stopping the vehicle. The AutoShift concept has been highly successful in the huge US market, where automated transmissions now make up more than 20 percent of the heavy vehicle market. Eaton believes that the trend will grow here in Australia where safety, occupational health and efficiency demands give the AutoShift a clear advantage.
- PSA Peugeot Citroën and Ford Motor Company have presented the first direct injection diesel engine developed under their co-operative agreements. The first phase of the co-operation focused on designing small 'featherweight' diesel engines offering features and performance never before achieved in engines of this size. Using advances in common rail diesel technology and compact engine design, the aim of the project was to address three priorities: reduced fuel consumption, unparalleled driveability and significant improvement in passive vehicle safety. Marketed as the HDi 1.4 by PSA Peugeot Citroën and the Duratorq TDCi 1.4 by Ford, the first engine in the family is a 1398cc version that delivers advanced fuel economy, driveability and environmental benefits. At the same time, its new generation common rail combustion and fuel injection technology significantly enhances performance.
- The Saab brand is set to be visualised through a series of exciting concept cars in the months and years ahead, with Saab's design department determined to sharpen the company's brand values. "Saab cars have always been perceived as unique and I believe that we should move on in that direction," says Michael Mauer, head of Saab design. That's why we're going to design strong image carriers beside the basic programme. You'll soon see creative models that underscore the Saab values and bring forward the characteristics of the brand. I see lots of opportunities, a strong image, a strong heritage, a reputation for safety and performance and, what's more, unique design within Saab of today," he says.
- For over 10 years, Mario Pancione of Autotechnique in the outer eastern Melbourne suburb of Rowville has been restoring concourse standard HDT and other Commodores. Recognition of this recently came with the appointment by HDT head office in Sydney for Autotechnique to be an authorised HDT stockist. Additionally, Autotechnique are dealers for HPC coatings and products, Castle Auto Electrics and Pro Stroke Engines. The company is currently involved in an expansion program which will see them move to a vastly larger facility in which there will be a well stocked showroom, 'clean' engine room and, well, everything one would expect of a concourse builder. Autotechnique is located at Factory 3, number 2 Seismic Crt, Rowville. Victoria. 3178. PO Box 2730, Rowville. Vic. 3178. Phone: 03-9763 1195. Fax: 03-9763 1959.
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