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Rudolf Diesel invented the compression-ignition engine almost 125 years ago. The full potential of this technology continues to elude engineers, although they've never been closer.

A large number of manufacturers dabbled in diesel over the last few decades, though few have taken this source of energy as far as Audi. The luxury brand, under the Volkswagen Auto Group umbrella, dove headfirst into diesel 25 years ago with their first production TDI-equipped car, the 1989 Audi 100. At the time, the 2.5L 5-cylinder mill developed 120hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. The engine featured turbocharging and direct injection.

The progress of diesel over the last 25 years has been staggering. From the aforementioned 100, engines grew in all regards relative to proficiency. Variable turbine geometry raised and flattened the torque curve making the whole of the driving experience more interesting. Common rail injection and cooled exhaust gases came next as did high-pressure injection (1350 bar injection pressure in the 1999 3.3L V8 TDI).

Audi got a little silly afterward, toying with the idea of mad power from their diesel mills. Enter the 500-horsepower and 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque from a 6.0L V12 TDI introduced in 2008. I actually sampled the engine in a period Q7. Mental.

From then on, Audi went into racing with their TDI technology with the results we all know. They've also right-sized their engine offerings to match their products.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Diesel, on the grand scale
The development of the TDI engine and its surrounding technology was brought on by the desire to lower fleet fuel consumption and to increase efficiency -- essentially to get more out of every drop of fuel.

To date, Audi has sold over 7.5 million cars shod with TDI mills. In 2013 alone, the four-ring brand delivered 600,000 TDI units worldwide. This is a clear indication that demand for this clean and efficient technology is on the rise. As a very important FYI, Audi owns a 40% share of all diesel powertrains sold in Europe. It is in fact the largest share and reach of any other manufacturer in the world.

Audi, altruistic to a fault or so it would seem, has the planet's well-being on its mind given the vast amount of financial resources it poured into developing green alternative solutions. Thankfully, many other carmakers are doing the same.

Today, there are 1 billion cars on the road. According to experts, that number is expected to increase to 3 billion cars by 2030. Factor in CO2 regulations that state that by 2020, manufacturer fleet averages must be 95 grams of C02 per kilometer and car manufacturers have a crap-load of work on their hands.

Audi's on the case.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Diesel is part of every solution
Compression-ignition engines are part of a large-scale strategy that Audi's forged out of the need to diversify energy sources for present and future automotive needs. Besides diesel, Audi's onslaught of solutions and alternatives includes the e-tron and g-tron technologies which both have enormous amounts of merit.

As traffic density continues to increase, Audi's plan is to right-size powertrains for each application. For example, the A4 sports a 2.0 TDI, the A6 and A7 get a 3.0 TDI and the flagship A8, a 4.2 TDI V8 with turbos and gobs of power. As a measure to keep efficiency and performance in line with the brand's image, Audi's also making more powerful iterations of the engines available. For example, the 3.0 TDI in the Competition edition A7 generates 346 horsepower and Everest-like amounts of torque.

Audi's TDI solution is all encompassing, as you can tell. On top of the miserly fuel numbers, the cars will remain just as engaging to drive as was demonstrated by my time behind the wheel of an A4 Avant TDI Ultra.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Ultra modularity
Modularity is key in creating many options and alternatives at reasonable costs. Volkswagen Group's modular diesel engine platform (MDB) is designed to combine electric motors with combustion engines, including TDI units. Audi's e-tron family is rapidly growing and we will soon come face-to-face with the A3 e-tron in showrooms. This hybrid technology will eventually be mated to a TDI and then we'll be talking serious talk.
The Ultra designation signifies that the powerplant located under the bonnet is engineered for the lowest fuel consumption and for maximum efficiency. Currently, Audi offers 23 Ultra models in the A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7. Of the lot, 15 are equipped with TDI engines that consume an average of 3.2L to 4.9L/100km (48 to 73.5 US mpg).

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Electric turbocharging
One of the many tricks up Audi's sleeve is the electric biturbo technology. The exhaust turbocharger works together with a supplemental, electric-powered compressor. This compressor uses a small electric motor, instead of a turbine wheel, to accelerate airflow. As such, it eliminates all lag under throttle at low engine speeds. Throttle response is thus spontaneous. The compressor wheel is bypassed under normal engine operation.

Diesel in the future
What's most impressive is that diesel technology continues to evolve and, when combined to Audi's plan of blending through modularity all of its technologies, I see no need to fear the coming of all the more demanding and stringent emissions laws.
Through my road tests of the A3 e-tron and A4 TDI Ultra, driving pleasure and performance remain. The only “loss” is in the environmental footprint I leave behind.

The German government is considering electric bikes as a medium-term replacement for trucks in local deliveries.

Reports indicate that the Transport Ministry is spending about €13 million on e-bike science and implementation projects through 2016.

There are about 1.6 million e-bikes on German roads today, many of them built by BMW and Daimler (smart).

The idea is to prevent traffic jams and help reduce pollution in the country. Emissions from transportation have more than doubled since 1970 and may rise at the fastest rate of all major sources through 2070, the United Nations said in April.

Source: europe.autonews.com

From GMM

Max Verstappen's father has played down reports his son will make his Formula 1 debut as a 17-year-old next March.

De Telegraaf newspaper claims the young Dutchman, newly signed up with Red Bull's famous driver development programme, will replace Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso in 2015.

Having stepped up from karts to Formula 3 this year, Red Bull gave the young Verstappen a taste of more horsepower this week with a private test in a Formula Renault 3.5 car at the Red Bull Ring.

"I had a great time," Max, whose father Jos raced in F1 until 2003, said. "My goal was to drive as much as possible, feel the car and adapt to high speeds, and everything went well."

Barely in his first season of car racing, Max Verstappen is already linked to a move to F1 (Photo: WRi2)

His father Jos, however, swerved reports his son is heading towards a grand prix race debut with Red Bull's second F1 team Toro Rosso next year.

"We will discuss it with Red Bull and see what is possible within the programme," said the former Benetton and Minardi driver.

But De Telegraaf cited a 'Toro Rosso source' as saying Verstappen will be the Faenza outfit's new race driver in 2015.

The newspaper said more will be revealed during the forthcoming Belgian Grand Prix weekend.

Today we take a closer look to the infamous fuel flow sensors; the device that led to the disqualification of Daniel Ricciardo and his Red Bull RB10 from the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

Racecar Engineering recently posted a very complete feature on that topic.

To limit the power of the new Formula 1 V6 Power Units, the FIA introduced two major new regulations this season: the fuel tank is limited to 100kg (220 pounds) of fuel, and the amount of fuel the V6 engine can swallow per hour, which is limited to 100kg.

In Formula 1, fuel load in F1 is calculated by mass (kg) rather than volume (litres).

Like in sportscar racing such as Le Mans' LMP categories, there is a restriction on how fast the fuel can be injected into the engine. In other words, it would be like if there was some kind of a funnel at the end of the fuel line prior to the motor.

Fuel rate varies constantly depending on various factors such as engine speed. However, at peak power, the fuel low in F1 cannot exceed 100kg/hour.



The above video shows how flow rate changes over a lap of the road course at Daytona International road course.

The simulated car is an LMP2 but the data is similar to what would be seen in an F1 car. The box on the top left shows the instant flow rate, the central box shows the same but in a cleaner form, whilst the top left shows the total fuel consumption.

In F1, the FIA mandates all cars to carry a spec fuel flow sensor. Generally it is installed inside the fuel cell area of the car. These sensors are made by Gill Sensors, a British company that specialises in devices used to monitor fluids.

Gill fuel flow sensor (Photo: Gill)

The Gill meter works using ultrasonic technology to calculate the flow rate.

The sensor uses the differential transit time principle to measure the velocity of fluid using ultrasound and time of flight technology, by detecting the time an ultrasonic pulse takes to reach one transducer from another.

Since the technology used the sensor has no moving parts, this solid-state approach means there is minimal interference to the flow path, resulting in higher accuracy, the company says.

FIA officials can monitor fuel flow in each car when it is out on the race circuit, and an alarm is set when the maximum flow of 100kg/hour is exceeded.

From press release

Enjoy a terrific evening of motorsports excitement on Canada's Toughest 1/3-Mile Oval with grandstand admission prices from the past.

Peterborough Speedway and Pepsi present the year's third and final Toonie Spectator Grandstand Admission/Fan Appreciation Night - Saturday, August 16th.

With only three point paying events remaining in the 2014 season, every driver in every division will be doing whatever possible to gain an advantage toward a point title and a strong night on the tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road, west of the Liftlock City could be the key that will help unlock the championship puzzle.

A highly competitive season has created tight battles across the board and fans have been rewarded with exciting shows every time the green flag flies.

Action on the track this weekend includes the Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock, Parry Spring Service Renegade Truck, Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model, Inex Ontario Legend and Ontario Modifieds Racing Series divisions. There will also be an on-track autograph session at intermission.

To make-up for a main event postponed by rain Saturday, July 19, the Inex Ontario Legends will run a pair of feature events. Fans and competitors are also advised of revised start times for the Saturday, August 16 event. Pit gates will open at 2 pm, with the spectator grandstands unlocked at 4 pm and racing getting underway at 5 pm.

Looking ahead on the schedule to Saturday, August 23 finds racing with the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Parry Spring Service Renegade Truck, Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car, Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model and Inex Ontario Legend divisions, with kid's barrel races at intermission.

From GMM

Felipe Massa says his new team Williams is locked in a battle with Ferrari, for whom he raced in Formula 1 for eight years until his ousting last year.

With Williams ending its slump this year but fabled Ferrari struggling in the first half-season of the new V6 turbo hybrid era, Brazilian Massa thinks he left the Maranello marque at the right time.

"I think so," he told Brazil's Sportv.

"It was very important for me. Sometimes a change does you good," said Massa, "I needed it even if some things did not all fit together yet.

"But it will (fit), and I think we can have a very positive future with this new team," he added.

Felipe Massa, Williams FW36 (Photo: WRi2)

Valtteri Bottas has been the real star of Williams' 2014 resurgence, but teammate Massa says he is happy to be involved in the fight to displace Ferrari as a top-three force in the constructors' world championship.

Williams lost its top-three place to the great Scuderia last time out in Hungary, but Massa insists: "Our fight now is with Ferrari.

"We were in front until the last race and Ferrari had a better race than Williams, but the chance to finish the year ahead of Ferrari is very large. That's what we want.

"To be able to come up in one year into the top three, ahead of a big team like Ferrari, is very positive," he added.

From GMM

New team boss Christijan Albers is not denying Caterham will axe the 2014 car's unseemly nose.

We reported last month that the distinctive solution at the front of this year's green-liveried car could be the popular victim of a development push by the team's new management.

In the wake of the unsuccessful Tony Fernandes era, Caterham is currently last in the constructors' standings, but new management headed by Albers and Colin Kolles have targeted rising above tenth place and securing about $20 million in official prize money.

Christijan Albers (left) is not denying Caterham will axe the 2014 car's unseemly nose (Photo: WRi2)

We reported in July that the team's mysterious new Swiss-Middle Eastern owners have approved a timely development push, involving sending a 60% car model into the state-of-the-art Toyota TMG wind tunnel in Cologne.

Speed Week now claims that the curious 'double nose' could have been replaced by an all-new solution when the season resumes in Belgium next week.

Italy's Omnicorse tips that the new Caterham nose will resemble the solution at the front of the impressive 2014 Williams.

Asked about the nose reports, Dutchman Albers said: "We will see at Spa-Francorchamps."

The reports also said the under-developed Caterham is set to be updated with reduced weight, a new floor, front and rear wings, sidepods and engine cover.

Caterham CT05 (Photo: Rene Fagnan)

The rising number of subprime auto loans doesn't represent a disaster waiting to happen, akin to the mountain of subprime mortgages that went bad and set off the Great Recession, Moody's says.

In an automotive era when vehicle lightweighting is all the rage and vehicle manufacturers such as JLR and Ford launching all-aluminium versions of mainstays of their product ranges it seems incongruous that diesel engine pistons are bucking this trend by increasingly moving to steel from aluminium.

Halla Visteon Climate Control Corp. (HVCC) has celebrated the opening of its first manufacturing facility in South America.

Ford today demonstrated its 'seamless sliding rear window' feature developed by Canadian supplier Magna International for the new 2015 Ford F-150 pickups.

An accelerating model momentum that includes product renewal and proliferation of the portfolio into an increasing number of new sub-segments has been and continues to be the key driver of the strong earnings growth at the BMW Group.

American Honda is consolidating its digital marketing business for both the Honda and Acura brands with a team drawn from Razorfish and siblings at Publicis Groupe.

Manheim, the largest auto auction company in the United States, has expanded its global operations into South America with the acquisition of Brazilian auction company CarBizz.

General Motors is investing $174 million in a new stamping line at its Grand River assembly plant in Lansing, Mich.

General Motors says it will start construction of a US$174m stamping facility that will create or retain around 145 jobs.

Muscle cars abound at the annual Woodward Dream Cruise outside Detroit -- and this year is no exception.

Chrysler Group today unveiled its second car that will be powered by its 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat engine, a 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.

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