September 29, 2008 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 33

Car Cutaway

POWERTRAIN MOUNTS:TRELLEBORG AUTOMOTIVE

PISTONS:FEDERAL-MOGUL, KOLBENSCHMIDT PIERBURG

LANE-CHANGE WARNING:HELLA

DOOR HANDLE ILLUMINATION:APAG ELEKTRONIK

LOAD FLOOR LAMINATION ADHESIVE:SIKA

VARIABLE GEOMETRY TURBO[3.0D, 185KW]:HONEYWELL TURBO TECHNOLOGIES

CAMSHAFT:THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA CAMSHAFTS

STARTER:DENSO

COOLING FAN MODULE:BROSE

ALUMINUM STEERING KNUCKLES:HIRSCHVOGEL UMFORMTECHNIK

BODY UNDERSHIELDING:RÖCHLING AUTOMOTIVE

B-PILLAR REINFORCEMENT:LINDE + WIEMANN

B-PILLAR WELDING SEAM SEALS:TESA TAPE

REAR AXLE BRAKING PADS:HONEYWELL FRICTION MATERIALS

SEAT PADS:F.S. FEHRER AUTOMOTIVE

NOISE REDUCTION INSERTS:JSP

6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

SOUND DEADENERS:AKSYS

MIRROR ACTUATORS:MAGNA EXTERIOR & INTERIOR SYSTEMS

BRAKE HOSE ASSEMBLIES:FLEXITECH

RETRACTABLE TOW BAR SYSTEM:WESTFALIA-AUTOMOTIVE

INSIDE DOOR HANDLE:ITW AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS

CRANKSHAFTS:THYSSENKRUPP FORGING GROUP

HEAD-UP DISPLAY:NIPPON SEIKI

FOOT CONTROL SYSTEM:WOCO

NIGHT VISION/PEDESTRIAN DETECTION:AUTOLIV

HEATING SYSTEM:CATEM

FASTENERS FOR UNDERBODY NOISE SHIELD:SOUTHCO

CABIN AIR FILTER:FREUDENBERG NONWOVENS

FRONT DOOR:NOVEM CAR INTERIOR DESIGN

FRONT BRAKE PADS:ITT

ALUMINUM HOOD:NOVELIS

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER:BLAUPUNKT

CUP HOLDER:CULTRARO AUTOMAZIONE ENGINEERING

ANTI-ROLL SYSTEM SEALS:TRELLEBORG SEALING

DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER:FAURECIA

STEERING PUMP:IXETIC

ENGINE BRACKET:VOESTALPINE EUROPLATINEN

ALUMINUM WHEELS:BORBET

TORSIONAL VIBRATION DAMPERS:WINKELMANN POWERTRAIN

ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE:KÜSTER AUTOMOTIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS

LUMBAR SYSTEMS:KONGSBERG AUTOMOTIVE

REAR-DIFFERENTIAL COVER:FONDERIE MARIO MAZZUCCONI

FUEL TANK CAP:MAGNA STEYR FUEL SYSTEMS

ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED AIR SUSPENSION:WABCO

FRONT-END MODULE STRUCTURAL PARTS:HYDRO

ROOF GRAB HANDLE:OLHO

CLIMATE SYSTEM CONTROL:PREH

CENTER CONSOLE:DRÄXLMAIER

SUNROOF SEAL SLIP-COAT:G.B.I.E.

Autoliv makes BMW 7 series pedestrian friendlyAutoliv supplies the new BMW 7 series with an optional nightvision/pedestrian-detection system. This is the first worldwide launchof pedestrian detection on a production car. Using a grille-mountedhigh-resolution infrared camera, a computer alerts the driver that there

are pedestrians at risk of being hit by the vehicle. The 7 series also is thefirst BMW to feature both lane-departure warning, from Continentaland vision specialists Mobileye, and a blind-spot warning system, fromHella. The lane-departure warning uses a camera to monitor road

markings. If the vehicle drifts out of the lane, the system vibrates thesteering wheel to alert the driver of the problem.

Steven Wingett

Suppliers wanted: If you are a supplier and have questions or want your information considered for our cutaway features, contact Steven Wingett at automotivenews@supplierbusiness.com or through www.supplierbusiness.com

Mazda2 might cannibalizeMazda3 US sales, boss says

Hans GreimelAutomotive News Europe

HIROSHIMA, Japan � Mazda Presi-dent Hisakazu Imaki says the compa-ny is holding off from a US launch ofits Mazda2 small-segment car out offear it might cannibalize sales of thelower-medium Mazda3.

Dealers have been clamoring forthe Mazda2, which is the automak-er’s top seller in Europe, as NorthAmerican drivers switch from bigcars and SUVs to more fuel-efficientcars.

The Mazda2, known as the Demioin Japan, would be a natural com-petitor for the Honda Fit, which iscalled the Jazz in Europe, and Toy-ota Yaris, two cars that have helpedhelp those companies’ results in a

down US market.“The Mazda2 is a very good prod-

uct, and we’ve received very strongrequests from dealers. But it is stillunder study,” Imaki said about a pos-sible North American debut. “But Imust also say that I don’t regret thatwe haven’t been able to supply the carthus far.

“One of the biggest factors the de-cision hasn’t been made is that theMazda3 is still enjoying strong sales,”Imaki said.

The concern is that the Mazda2might eat into that success or be ig-nored by car buyers as gasolineprices fall in the US, he said.

The Mazda3 is the company’s best-selling car in the US. Still, sales weredown 0.6 percent at 84,227 unitsfrom January to August. ANE

Inchcape sells Volvo dealerships in UKJohn RevillAutomotive News Europe

Inchcape has sold five of its six Volvo dealerships in the UK for £3million (about ¤3.77 million).

“This disposal is in line with thegroup’s strategy of streamlining theUK business,” Inchcape CEO AndreLacroix said in a statement.

Inchcape has sold the dealershipsto Mill Garages North East, a dealer-ship group in Yorkshire, northernEngland. Earlier this year Inchcapesold five Vauxhall showrooms in the

UK for £14.3 million.Its UK strategy is now to concen-

trate on the premium segment of thecar market, which Inchcape servesthrough its Lexus, BMW, Mercedesand Audi franchises.

In the first half of the year, Inch-cape’s pretax profits increased 8.6 percent to £130.3 million.

The company’s strong growth inemerging markets compensated forworsening trading conditions in theUK and Belgium, Inchcape said in July.

Lacroix said the money from the sale would be invested in the

company’s overseas operations,which increased revenue by 54.3 per-cent in the first six months of 2008.

Earlier this year the dealer groupspent £100.3 million to buy a 75 per-cent stake in the Musa Motors Groupin Russia.

Lacroix said in the statement: “Wewill re-allocate the proceeds into ourfast-growing emerging marketsbusinesses.”

Inchcape has 140 dealerships inthe UK and 300 globally in countriesincluding Russia, Belgium, Greece,China and Australia. ANE

The Mazda2 small-segment car is the automaker’s top seller in Europe.

Honda to debut around-view cameraHans GreimelAutomotive News Europe

TOKYO �Honda Motor has rolled outtwo new safety technologies that willdebut in cars by the end of the year,as well as a more lifelike crash dum-my to reduce pedestrian injuries.

Honda’s new camera system givesa bird’s eye view of the car to helpwith parking and improves visibilityat intersections. The system uses fourwide-angle cameras and will be avail-able in the redesigned Odyssey medi-um minivan that goes on sale nextmonth in Japan.

The technology is similar to thatdeveloped by Nissan Motor, but theHonda solution also can be used to

navigate tight quarters and seearound corners at intersections.

A computer synthesizes imagesfrom the front and rear cameras tocompile the aerial view.

Separately, Honda has developed anew driver’s side airbag that deploysin controlled stages, instead of oneexplosive burst. The idea is to in-crease the deployment speed and theamount of time the bag remains in-flated to reduce bodily impact.

The new i-SRS airbag will debut inJapan in November in the Lifeminicar. It uses a spiral-shaped seamand gas release valve to ensurespeedy, but controlled inflation.

It was unclear when either ofthese technologies will be intro-

duced overseas.Honda Executive Vice President

Koichi Kondo says safety and the en-vironment underpin all future prod-uct plans: “These two elements willdetermine the direction that needs tobe pursued.” ANE

Honda will start offering a multiviewcamera system in Japan next month.

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