PAGE 22 · www.autonewseurope.com April 16, 2007 Getrag speeds up gear shifts in new Smart ForTwo AXLE SHIMS: EAGLEPICHER 5-SPEED AMT: GETRAG STEERING GEAR BOOTS: CONTITECH LICENSE PLATE LAMP: HELLA KGAA HUECK & CO. TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING : GATES STEERING COLUMN: THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA TIRES: BRIDGESTONE FASTENERS: A. RAYMOND SUNROOF MOTORS: NIDEC MOTORS AND ACTUATORS CARPET FLOOR COVERING: STANKIEWICZ BRAKE LINE SYSTEM FASTENING: EMHART TEKNOLOGIES GAS SPRING TAILGATE: STABILUS TRANSMISSION ECU: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION ALLOY WHEELS: BORBET REAR LAMPS: SCHEFENACKER ABDS MECHANICAL TENSIONERS: GATES POWER TRANSMISSION FIXED QUARTER GLASS: DURA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS SHOCK ABSORBERS: THYSSENKRUPP BILSTEIN SEATS: INTIER SEATING FUEL TANK: INERGY AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS Many people complained that the original Smart ForTwo’s six-speed automated manual transmission shifted gears too slowly. The new five-speed automated manual, which also is from Getrag, cuts shifting times in half. The gearbox also is equipped with a function that allows the driver to shift down two gears at once, eliminating overrevving and incorrect gear changes. Magna International subsidiaries make multiple contributions to the ForTwo. Magna Cosma operates the body-in-white assembly line and supplies the crash management sys- tem. Magna Intier Automotive Seating supplies the seats, Magna Clo- sures delivers the doors and Magna Donnelly provides interior mirrors. Steven Wingett BELT LOCK SENSOR CABLE HARNESS: HIRSCHMANN AUTOMOTIVE WINDSHIELD: AGC AUTOMOTIVE FRONTEND-MODULE-CARRIER: PLASTAL EXTERIOR MIRRORS: SCHEFENACKER RADIO: VISTEON OIL FILTERS: MAHLE CAMS (DIESEL ENGINES): NEUMAYER TEKFOR PISTONS: KOLBENSCHMIDT PIERBURG CLUTCH: ZF STARTER MOTOR: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION ENGINE COOLING MOTORS: NIDEC MOTORS AND ACTUATORS STABILIZER BAR FRONT: MUBEA VALVE STEM SEALS: SKF SEALING SOLUTIONS CATALYST: EMITEC FASTENERS: TRW ENGINEERED FASTENERS & COMPONENTS DIESEL TURBOCHARGER : BORGWARNER ESP: BOSCH ROOF MODULE: WEBASTO IMPAXX ENERGY ABSORBING FOAM: DOW AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSIONS SPRING: MUBEA SEAT BACK SUSPENSION: LEGGETT & PLATT AUTOMOTIVE GROUP INSTRUMENT PANEL: FAURECIA POWER WINDOW REGULATORS: BROSE Car cutaway Suppliers wanted: If you are a supplier and have questions or want your information considered for our cutaway features, contact Steven Wingett at [email protected]. Audi development chief pledges technical advances Audi’s product-line expansion will be accompanied by major technical advances, says Michael Dick, the carmaker’s devel- opment chief. Dick, 55, spoke with Automobilwoche Reporter Pia Krix. You want to expand your lineup to 40 from 22 vehicles by 2015. Can you maintain your “Vorsprung durch Technik” (German for “Progress through technology”)? Certainly. We will systematically ex- pand our lineup and demonstrate our technological edge with each new model. So we have resolved to continue to improve our (quattro) all-wheel drive. How will you improve quattro? We want to optimize the dri- ving dynamics, and increase driving safety in the process. Our goal is to complement our electronic stability pro- gram with a specific distrib- ution of propulsive force. In that process, precisely measured amounts of engine torque are di- rected to the rear wheels to achieve optimum road performance. In the future, understeering will be a for- eign concept. When will customers benefit from quattro’s further development? As early as next year. But all-wheel drive is one of many issues. We are devoting ourselves inten- sively to improving environmental compatibility. But all automakers want to be more environmentally friendly. We are not just concerned with en- gines, although we are quite far along in that area. With the launch of the new A5, all engines going into new vehicles for the first time will meet the Euro 5 standard. In these cases, the engines are still homologated to meet Euro 4 because the measuring procedures for Euro 5 haven’t been spelled out in detail yet. But we al- ready have the hardware on board. What environmental measures are you planning? We want to increase efficiency right through the whole parameter of ve- hicle effects. The engine consumes 50 percent of the energy needs of a car. To make reductions possible in the remaining 50 percent, we are deeply involved with weight reduc- tion and the accompanying im- provement in driving and friction re- sistance, along with intelligent ener- gy and thermal management. ANE Q & A: Michael Dick “We will demon- strate our techno- logical edge” Michael Dick AN_070416_22.qxd 12.04.2007 17:01 Uhr Seite 22