GM Sets New Standard For Quality In Automotive Industry

Dyadem announced that General Motors has chosen Dyadem’s Stature proposal to run quality across its engineering and manufacturing divisions worldwide. Dyadem is among the leading groups in Quality and Risk Lifecycle Management. Stature will let GM to influence an ordinary DFMEA and PFMEA structure. The Stature QLM solution will aid companies spectacularly develop quality by aggressively enhancing designs based on teachings learned and diminishing the communication space between departments and organizations.

“We wanted to take our quality FMEAs to a new level and Dyadem’s unique approach was exactly what we needed. Dyadem understands that quality needs to be managed at an enterprise level. Dyadem has an excellent intuitive Web-based platform that our entire company could standardize on,” says Kirk Gutmann, Global Information Officer, GM Manufacturing & Quality Information Systems & Services.

Stature allows GM to carry out quality preparation by means of a Web-based platform that employs a general documentation across the entire divisions and all regions which allow improved visibility into quality and the integration of updates generated in manufacturing back into design. Worldwide manufacturing models necessitate a Quality key that guarantees communication and data sharing across divisions, geographies and departments.

“GM understands the importance of addressing quality planning through a global approach. Many companies attempt to correct design issues at the manufacturing stage but fail to fully integrate quality throughout the product lifecycle. GM is leading the way by unifying its entire global engineering and manufacturing community on the Stature platform, giving them a shared quality specification that can be managed from product concept through product retirement,” said Kevin North, President and CEO, Dyadem.

RR4 Sketches Revealed

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, makers of the world’s most exclusive and luxury vehicles, revealed the first design sketches of its next new model known as RR4. The upcoming new model is a car scheduled to be launched in 2010 and will stay along with the Phantom model line-up. RR4 will appear smaller than Phantom and it will be power-driven by a new engine which is rare for the Rolls-Royce brand.

The design of the RR4 was signed off in 2007 and engineering expansion is on its full swing today. The Goodwood manufacturing facilities are being fully rearranged to contain the RR4, with comprehensive paint, wood and leather shops and also a second assembly line. The company will jump into a two shift system by 2009 as it prepares for full production of the latest model.

“Effortless performance and standard-setting levels of comfort and efficiency, executed with the utmost care and attention, remain fundamentals of Rolls-Royce design. The RR4 has a more informal presence than the Phantom models with a greater emphasis on driving. In design terms this is expressed through its slightly smaller dimensions and more organic form, yet with powerful, purposeful proportions. It is a true and uncompromising Rolls-Royce in every sense,” says Chief designer, Ian Cameron.

“RR4 will mark a milestone in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The business continues to go from strength to strength and the introduction of this new model will expand the appeal of the brand. We look forward to this next chapter with anticipation and confidence,” added Chairman, Ian Robertson.

2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles

Going for a road trip? You may consider a great vehicle to go along with your driving escapade with absolute fun and convenience. Kelley Blue Book has the best recommendation for every new car shoppers who are looking for the best new road trip vehicles.

Editors and specialists from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com announced their selection for this year’s Kelley Blue Book’s Top 10 Best New Road Trip Vehicles. According to reports, Memorial Day weekend guides the start of the summer driving season, and record gas prices will play a significant role in trip-planning this year. Americans are still likely to hit the road in droves for summer road trips even with gas prices reaching $4 per gallon.

The kbb.com editors assessed all concrete and insubstantial attributes that would improve any long drive, such as fun-driving experience, passenger convenience, cargo space and of course, fuel economy in choosing this year’s Best New Road Trip Vehicles.

“The concept of ‘the perfect road trip’ means different things to different people so our 2008 Top 10 Best New Road Trip Vehicles list includes vehicles that can accommodate as many as eight with the requisite level of style, comfort and convenience. While the current high fuel prices did influence our list, we also included a couple of cost-no-object choices,” says Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.

Here are the 2008 Best New Road Trip Vehicles selected by Kbb.com.

Audi S5
Bugatti Veyron
Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
Dodge Grand Caravan
Ford Flex
Infiniti EX35
MINI Cooper Clubman
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Eos

Ford Honors Three Metaldyne Plants

Ford has been a recipient of various awards and recognition for over the years. Now it’s time for them to return the favor. Yesterday, three Metaldyne powder metal facilities in three different countries were recently acknowledged by Ford for exceptional supplier delivery performance, according to Metaldyne Corporation.

According to the Auto Channel, Metaldyne Sintered Components Espana received recognition from Ford of Europe for five years of 100 percent supplier delivery performance to the automaker’s production plants.

…”hard to reach and requires professionalism and a lot of effort such as the correct use of the Ford systems, direct and effective reaction to problems and good communication.” The automaker thanked the plant for “having met our requirements in such an extraordinary way,” stated in a letter to the plant in Valencia, Spain.

Metaldyne facilities in Ridgway, Pa., and Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, were honored by Ford’s Engine and Fuel Tank plant for superior quality as well. Both achieved zero defects for 2007. The plants were also recognized in a letter from the company. The names of both plants will be displayed in Dearborn, Mich., at Ford’s Engine and Fuel Tank plant’s main lobby and quality control office.

“Metaldyne continually strives to meet and exceed our customer requirements. We are pleased Ford has recognized the Valencia, Ridgway and Ramos Arizpe plants for its hard work and diligence. It takes tremendous teamwork and attention to detail to attain these flawless results. All of the employees should be very proud,” says Tom Chambers, president and COO.

Four Straight For BMW

Over the past decades, the German auto manufacturer has become one of the world’s most admired brands. They were recognized as the architect of quality and modern cars that some of us have been dreaming to own and drive. That’s why it’s inevitable that BMW is an achiever, a real winner in every aspect that is.

Yesterday, BMW has proven the industry once again how great they are. The German carmaker has been named the absolute winner of the International Engine of the Year (IEotY) awards for four consecutive years. TheAutoChannel.com reported that a international set of judges awarded the top honor to the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol engine. It powers the 1 Series, 3 Series and X6 in the 135i, 335i and X6 xDrive35i models in that order. Both BMW and MINI went home with five category wins between them to govern the awards this year.

BMW’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine thrashes an imposing list of powerplants from close competitors to claim the entire award. The BMW 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine also notched ‘Best engine 2.5-litre to 3.0-litre’. The 5.0-litre V10 powerplant, which is the previous International Engine of the Year recipient, won its category of ‘Best engine above 4.0-litres’.

“To win the International Engine of the Year is an immense achievement and underscores the technical expertise and dedication of BMW’s engineers and designers. But to win it four years in a row in such a convincing fashion is unprecedented. BMW Group’s winning engines were, in many of the categories, competing against our own products for top position,” says Klaus Kibsgaard, Managing Director of BMW (UK) Ltd.

sQuba: Explore The Underwater

Splash. Take a swift plunge. Okay, somersaults might work as well. Swiss have invented a car that runs on land and underwater. Watch out, the car will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

It’s called the “sQuba,” and conjures up memories of James Bond’s amphibious Lotus Esprit from “The Spy Who Loved Me.” That fictional vehicle traveled on land and, when chased by bad guys in a helicopter, plunged into the water and became an airtight submarine — complete with “torpedoes” and “depth charges.”

The concept car — which unlike Bond’s is not armed — was developed by Swiss designer Rinspeed Inc. Company CEO Frank Rinderknecht, a self-professed Bond fan, said he has been waiting 30 years to recreate the car he saw Roger Moore use to drive off of a dock. The sQuba can plow through the water at a depth of 30 feet and has electrical motors to turn the underwater screw.

You’ll have to break out the wetsuit, however. The car has an open top, meaning that the two passengers are exposed to the elements. “For safety reasons, we have built the vehicle as an open car so that the occupants can get out quickly in an emergency,” said Rinderknecht, 52.

Passengers will be able to keep breathing underwater through an integrated tank of compressed air similar to what is used in scuba diving.

The sQuba’s top speed on land is about 77 mph, but it slows down to 3 mph on the surface of the water, and 1.8 mph underwater.

Working with engineering specialists, Rinspeed removed the combustion engine from a sports car and replaced it with several electrical motors. Three are located in the rear — er, aft — with one providing propulsion on land and the other two driving the screw for underwater driving.

“We always want to do cars that are outrageous, which nobody has done before. So we thought, ’Let’s make a car dive,”’ said Rinderknecht, whose innovative company has made transparent, flying and voice-activated cars in previous attention-grabbing displays at the Geneva Auto Show.

The company calls the sQuba the first real submersible car. Unlike military amphibious vehicles, which can only drive slowly on a lakebed, the sQuba travels like a submarine — either on the surface or submerged.

[credit: MSNBC]

New Gadgets For Your Car

Today’s new cars already come with a lot of features. There are features which are designed to keep the passenger safe. There are also features which makes it easier to integrate other electronic gadgets into the car’s sound system for example.

But consumers still want more. Or some of them want more. Thus, different companies have come up with new products to make driving a whole lot better. Here are some of them I found while surfing the web:

First is the Car Camera Recorder Pro. This nifty gadget allows you to record anything that happens behind your back. That is behind your car. It is a rearview car camera which automatically starts to record once you turn on the ignition switch. It comes with a 1 GB SD memory card. This of course can be removed so you can easily transfer the recorded video into your PC or laptop.

Another cool car gadget is the PowerStation TravellerRecorder Pro. This is essentially an extension for your cigarette lighter. With this, you can charge as many as three devices simultaneously. This is really convenient for those who carry a lot of gadgets around.

The Solar Powered Digital Tire Gauge is also another cool gadget you can use. It is essential to keep your tires inflated as it helps you save on fuel. This nifty little gadget can read your tire’s pressure in bar, KPA, PSI, and kilogram per meter squared. This is equipped with an LCD screen so it is easy to read. It is also solar powered so you will at least be earth-friendly by using this.

These gadgets are really cool and I think I may buy one of those solar powered tire gauges.

Survey Shows Even Cars Deserve Affection

February 15. Just a day after Valentine’s Day. As expected, no more phone greetings, no more flowers and chocolates and other sweet gestures of expressing love. As if love is meant to be celebrated in just one day. If people can do that to their fellowmen who are sentient beings, how much more to their cars?

Well, I may be just one pessimistic soul, for according to a survey conducted by Jiffy Lube International, more and more divers nowadays consider owning a car as having a relationship that needs to be nurtured and protected.

In AutoChannel yesterday, it was reported that according to the survey, 44 percent of women and 44 percent of men claimed that they open about expressing gratitude to their cars for being such great partners at some points in their lives. Most qualities that car owners are most thankful for about their cars are their dependability, appearance, performance and handling.

If some couples express their love for one another through public display of affection, some car owners also do that. Not the typical holding hands while walking that’s in your mind though. For cars, it’s as simple as rubbing the dashboard.

If some people find saying “Sorry” as the hardest thing to do on earth, would you believe that some drivers don’t hold those words back from their car? The study revealed that 24 percent of drivers expressed regret to their car after running-in with a speed bump or any circumstance that almost damaged their car.

According to Lisa Carlson, Global Director of Marketing for Jiffy Lube International, expressing affection should not be limited to our loved ones alone but also to our vehicles.

“For most of us, our vehicles are far more than just another line-item on our list of assets. They are so integral to our daily lives because we constantly count on them to safely and dependably get us where we need to be. They deserve affection and attention too,” she added.

About 509 men and 507 women compose the survey sample. The survey was done via telephone by Jiffy Lube International, an auxiliary branch of Shell Oil Company.

Even cars deserve affection. Not just on Valentine’s Day.

Environmentally Friendly Pickups Will Flock

Automakers think green. But the commitment is not limited to compact cars. This time around, automakers find ways to wipe gas-guzzling pickups, sport utilities, and minivans threat to the environment.

Pickups from General Motors will take center stage – GMC Sierra and GMC Denali XT – at the Chicago Auto Show this coming Wednesday.

The Detroit automaker said the crew cab Sierra hybrid can tow 6,100 pounds and is equipped with the new two-mode hybrid system for a 40% raise in city fuel economy and 25% improvement in overall fuel economy.

The Denali XT concept, meanwhile, features new chassis, the hybrid system and a new direct-injected 4.9-liter, 326hp version of the V8 engine. The automaker said that would give it a 50% raise in combined city/highway fuel economy versus small trucks.

“It’s very eye-catching,” said Product Chief Russ Clark, GMC. “A portion of the pickup market could be attracted to vehicles like the XT. There are some folks who want the advantages of a pickup bed but don’t need all the towing and payload capability of our other pickups.”

“It looks fabulous,” said analyst Rebecca Lindland of Global Insight in Lexington, Mass. “It’s definitely a GMC, but it could appeal to people who don’t want a big, old-style truck.”

“GMC has to broaden its lineup for fuel-economy reasons,” said analyst Stephanie Brinley of the AutoPacific. “There’s no reason for the Denali XT not to happen.”

What to see in Chicago

Ford Edge: Sporty model with new engine and transmission.

Ford Transit: The Transit Connect, a European-built delivery van, debuts.

GMC Denali XT concept and Sierra two-mode hybrid pickup: Fuel-efficient truck technology in a sporty concept and full-size pickup.

Hummer H3T: Hummer’s midsize SUV gives birth to a brawny new pickup.

Hyundai Sonata: A new interior and more powerful and fuel-efficient engines highlight the face-lifted version of Hyundai’s midsize sedan.

Suzuki pickup: Suzuki’s first pickup in the United States is a midsize model based on the Nissan Frontier and features the biggest, shiniest Suzuki badge you’ll ever see. The pickup’s name will be revealed in Chicago.

VW Routan: VW’s new minivan is based on and built alongside the Chrysler Town & Country. Watch to see how VW makes the van its own and whether it gets all the nifty features the Dodge and Chrysler models offer.

[via: Freep.com]

AutoWeek’s “Most Significant” Vehicle In The 2008 NAIAS…

If you missed a lot of updates from the most recent and hottest show in the planet, you better listen to this!

The 2009 Ford F-150 earned the “Most Significant” vehicle at this year’s North American International Auto Show at the Design Forum which took place in Detroit last Thursday evening. Editors from the popular automotive publication AutoWeek magazine picked the winner for the said award.

“From the Explorer America, a unibody-constructed, friendlier sport/utility vehicle, to the Verve, the best-looking small car Ford has built for America in generations; the F-150 is Most Significant for what it means not only to the company but to the American ethic. The F-150 is Ford tough – and so was this decision among quite an impressive lineup of products Ford has on display.” This was according to the AutoWeek Magazine.

“We’re very pleased that AutoWeek’s selected our new 2009 F-150 as this year’s most significant vehicle at the show. It’s exciting to begin the launch of the new F-150 with media honors, and it further recognizes the work we put into understanding our customers and always delivering the best truck on the market,” says Patrick Schiavone, the design director for Ford Trucks.