Carz Arena

Maserati cars evoke a strong emotional reaction from customers, says Marti Eulberg, CEO of Maserati North America, who has some quasi-scientific evidence to support her contention.

With previous management posts at BMW, Volvo and Jaguar, Eulberg, 44, knows U.S. luxury buyers. She has been head of Maserati's North American unit since June.

Maserati cites a study by British insurance company Hiscox on the reaction of men and women to the sound of car engines being revved. The saliva of 20 men and 20 women, ranging in age from 22 to 61, was tested before and after they listened to a Lamborghini, a Maserati, and a Ferrari, as well as the Volkswagen Polo subcompact.

"One hundred percent of the women showed a significant hormonal increase," when listening to the Maserati, Eulberg says.

Science? Maybe not. But you get the point.

And it isn't just the noise a Maserati makes. "The difference in Maserati styling and performance--the package you are able to give that customer--it evokes a reaction," Eulberg says.

At least, that's the goal. Eulberg says that the ability to stand out at the country club, the big-bucks restaurant or the posh hotel is a major reason Maserati is holding its own in a tough environment. Maserati's U.S. sales are up 1.9 percent through the first 11 months of this year.

With just two cars, both over $120,000--the GranTurismo coupe and the Quattroporte sedan--Maserati sales rose from 853 units in 2002 to 2,520 last year.

Eulberg expects a flat 2008, a consequence of the economic meltdown and lack of consumer confidence. Despite the sales, Maserati is expected to make a profit in the United States this year, she says.

The prediction for next year isn't as gloomy as that of a volume or near-luxury maker. Eulberg expects 2009 sales "to be about even."

From Texas to Maserati

Eulberg, who speaks with none of the drawl you'd expect from a Texas native, was previously executive vice president of sales and marketing for Jaguar North America. Before that, she was vice president of sales in Europe for Volvo Car Corp. She spent 10 years at BMW of North America in various sales and operational jobs before going to Ford's Premier Automotive Group in 2001.

Last spring she was wooed by Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Maserati parent Fiat, to replace James Selwa, who left after his three-year contract expired.

Compared with the more staid Ford-owned companies, at Fiat and Maserati meetings in Italy, "there is a lot more passion," Eulberg says. "The things that drive the company are styling and performance."

She also has had to get used to Maserati's small advertising budget. Maserati limits national spreads to publications such as the The Wall Street Journal and GQ magazine.

GQ currently is doing a joint campaign with Maserati. Those viewing the Maserati ad in the December issue of GQ can take a picture with their cell phones and download that engine sound as a ring tone.

Those kinds of interactive campaigns as well as Internet and direct-mail are primarily how Maserati markets its vehicles, Eulberg says. Dealers also partner with local various businesses in event marketing to get buyers in the showroom for a test drive, which Eulberg considers key to selling a Maserati.

"These cars have a racing heritage," she says. "The handling and performance are key."

More models?

How long can Maserati survive with just two cars? Eulberg isn't willing to talk about future product. Maserati has a technical alliance to share technical components and platforms with Fiat sister-brand Alfa Romeo. If Alfa Romeo shares a rear-wheel-drive platform, Maserati could get a smaller sedan and coupe. That isn't likely to happen until 2011, at the soonest.

Seven Maserati dealers are selling 84 units of the limited-edition Alfa 8C Competizione in the United States. They are expected to be among the first Maserati dealers to get Alfa franchises when the brand returns here.

But talk of Maserati dealers selling a new generation of Alfa Romeos in the United States has turned to a whisper as the date for relaunching that brand here keeps getting pushed back. The latest target is 2011.

Eulberg says she's focused on Maserati and refers Alfa Romeo questions to Italy.

Maserati has a comfortable number of dealers now, she says. With the addition of three new points in 2008, it has 58 dealerships in the United States, of which 37 are paired with Ferrari (also a Fiat brand). Only two are stand-alones.

"What we want is sustainability in today's market. We have to be careful on how fast we grow and what we do," Eulberg says. She adds that "the relationship with the dealer market, how we go to market and the one-to-one relationship, is very much a boutique operation."

UPDATE: To see a YouTube video of Ford's Active Park Assist in action, click on this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW-MhoLImqg

Are you the type who will circle the block several times or drive an extra few blocks to avoid having to parallel park? Ford has an answer for you--at the push of a button.

The Lincoln MKS sedan and upcoming MKT crossover will be the first Ford products to get the Active Park Assist technology.

The system uses ultrasonic sensors at the corners of the vehicle to measure the size of the parking space and guide the vehicle into the slot, while also watching out for oncoming traffic. The driver still works the throttle and brake pedals, but the system does all the steering.

Ford says its ultrasonic system is more accurate than camera-based self-parking systems, such as one available on the Lexus LS sedan.

The key component to Ford’s system is the electric-power-assisted steering. The steering system also helps boost fuel economy by up to 5 percent, Ford says, since there is no load on the engine from a belt-driven hydraulic pump.

The Lincolns get the self-park system next summer. And Ford plans to spread the technology throughout its lineup quickly after that.

All you need to do is remember to carry some change to feed the parking meter.

The color craze has been matte for quite a while now. More and more people are ordering their new cars in a matte color or a matte wrap, given that painting in matte is time consuming. After seeing matte black and matte white we received a matte grey Lamborghini today!

The Lamborghini we are referring to was spotted in the East European country, Hungary. It's becoming an everyday thing that we see amazing spots from countries like these, where the difference between the rich and the poor are enormous . The Gallardo Superleggera in question comes from Austria and is most likely just visiting the capital city of Hungary, Budapest. We've never seen the Superleggera in matte grey before, but it does look rather nice. Just like matte white, matte grey is not as noticeable as for instance matte black, you really have to look twice before you can see which color it is. For our spotters the matte color is positive because they wont have the annoying gleam in the paint of the car while they are taking pictures of it. Since we can now add a matte grey Gallardo Superleggera to the list of matte cars, one question remains, when will the first matte orange Lamborghini be spotted?

To help meet its goals of improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions, Hyundai has completed the development of an all-new six-speed automatic transaxle that will boost fuel economy by more than 12.2 percent.

Designed for transverse engine applications in passenger cars and SUVs, the new compact transaxle puts Hyundai into an elite class of auto manufacturers who have designed their own six-speed automatic (after Toyota and a GM/Ford joint venture), demonstrating Hyundai's advanced powertrain engineering capabilities.

"The strength of our design is its completely unique layout, which makes it smaller, more compact and lighter than any other six-speed on the market today," said Hong-Min Kim, the project manager of the transaxle at Hyundai R&D Centre. In fact, the design is so unique and so advanced, Hyundai has applied for nearly 300 patents related to the technology.

The transaxle will first arrive in the new Hyundai Grandeur equipped with a 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine. In this application, it delivers a 12.2 percent gain in fuel economy and is 2.5 percent quicker in zero to 62mph (100km/h) acceleration times (7.8sec versus 8.0 sec). It also delivers an 11 percent improvement in 60km/h to 100km/h overtaking performance (4.0 sec versus 4.5 sec).

The unit is also maintenance-free: the gearbox is 'filled for life' with automatic transmission fluid and needs no topping up, reducing servicing costs.

Developed over a four-year period, this new six-speed automatic gearbox offers numerous technical merits. Despite the extra gear, it is 12kg lighter than the five-speed it replaces. It is also 41mm shorter and considerably simpler having 62 fewer parts, which is a key to increased durability and lower cost.

When it comes to gearsets, more is definitely better. The addition of a sixth gear enables closer spacing between ratios providing a better balance of performance and fuel economy, while the wide overall gear ratio helps deliver strong acceleration.

The gearbox has three planetary gearsets whose hallmark is simplicity of design and a unique flat torque converter, which shortens the unit's overall length by 12mm. Four pinion differentials improve durability and further minimise size.

Another example of engineering ingenuity is to be found in the design of the hydraulic pressure control unit. There are always slight manufacturing deviations from one solenoid valve to the next, which cause fluctuation in the hydraulic pressure and affect shift precision and quality. To rectify this, the transaxle features cleverly integrated adjustment screws in the valves which enable each of the eight valves to be calibrated at the factory.

This novel feature ensures stable hydraulic pressure at any shift point, which facilitates a high degree of precision and control needed to deliver ultra-fast, smooth and precise shifts throughout the engine speed range.

The new six-speed went into production this month (December 2008). A total of five variants of the transaxle will be produced to accommodate a wide range of petrol and diesel engines. A total of 16 different Hyundai models will get this transmission including a redesigned Santa Fe, which is due to arrive in late 2009 and early 2010 in some markets.

Plutocrats take heed! Ingolstadt readies its next-gen flagship, and you’re going to want one

udi is charging ahead with its third-generation A8, set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show in the fall of 2009. Once released, it will battle a slightly face-lifted Mercedes-Benz S-class, expected to be unveiled next spring, and BMW's all-new 2009 7-series. But unlike the rather conservative 7-series, which backed away from the audacious styling of its predecessor, the next Audi A8 will show a new look and carry the brand forward stylistically.

Audi's chief designer Stefan Sielaff explains: "The first generation was very dogmatic and product-design-like. With the second generation, the theme was 'elegance'—softer, flowing lines. The upcoming third generation will be stronger, sharper, and more precise."

Highlighting the Technology Within




While the design of the current, second-generation car is pleasing to our eyes, you could argue that it doesn’t properly convey the advanced chassis technology under the skin—the A8’s all-aluminum structure is lighter and stronger than those of its steel-intensive competition. The next A8 continues to use an aluminum space frame and aluminum exterior panels, all of which bring weight down compared to a conventional steel design. Sielaff says that the next-gen Audi A8’s styling will play up that distinction. "It will highlight the aluminum aspect, and it will have a strong three-dimensional theme. In that respect, the next A8 will be the first of a new styling language at Audi. We are entering a new phase with a clear top-down strategy."



The A8 will be futuristic, but it will also have enough chrome to please customers in emerging markets such as Russia and China. There will be both short- and long-wheelbase versions, the latter to be launched in mid-2010. The A8 uses Audi's new modular longitudinal architecture, introduced on the A5, A4, and Q5. Compared to the current A8, the front axle is shifted forward.

The A8 will keep the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, but an entry-level front-wheel-drive version is again possible if the market demands it. In Europe, such a model is currently offered as an especially fuel-efficient alternative. Initial engine offerings will likely include a 4.2-liter gasoline V-8 and a 4.2-liter V-8 turbo-diesel, both equipped with an all-new, ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic (a gearbox which will simultaneously go into the BMW 7-series). Audi will also offer its 3.0-liter V-6 turbo-diesel, an extremely popular engine in Europe, and the supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 from the A6 and S4. And even though the current W-12 engine is no more than a footnote in the A8's European home market, expect Russia and China to demand a successor of the prestigious powerplant. Audi could also offer a version of the V-12 turbo-diesel introduced in the Q7, although modifications would be required to fit this big and heavy unit into the A8's engine bay.

We expect the next S8 to become available sometime in late 2010 or early 2011, and it will use the turbocharged V-10 found in the high-performance, Euro-only RS6. It will likely be even more powerful than the RS6, though, which could mean 600 hp—or more.

A Fantastic Interior Gets Better, the Dance Moves Get Sportier



Audi engineers tell us to pay special attention to the interior, which they say represents as much a step forward as does the exterior. A large center screen and a new MMI architecture will be "more innovative" than the current system. We hope Audi won't tinker too much with MMI, a system we’ve always liked.



On the road, we expect the A8 to give the BMW 7-series a fight for the title of sportiest offering in the segment. The A8's all-wheel-drive system will be rear-biased, and it will be available with the same torque-vectoring system ("sport differential") that we found impressive during our drive of the latest S4.



In Europe and China, the current A8 has caught up with the 7-series and S-class in terms of sales and image. With the next generation, Audi may be able to pull off the same trick in North America.

With fatigue causing more than 100,000 crashes and 1,500 deaths annually on roads in the United States, Mercedes-Benz has rushed to make the world’s first drowsy-driver detection system standard on next year’s new E-class sedan.

Mercedes, which has been working on the system for more than 10 years, accelerated its development and will reveal it at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.

Mercedes claims its system is an independent judge of fatigue, constantly monitoring a driver’s behavior to send warning chimes and flare a coffee-cup sign when it senses a serious drop-off in alertness levels.

“Studies show that after just four hours of driving, the risk of an accident doubles,” Mercedes-Benz Attention Assist expert Jorg Breuer said. “It increases eightfold after six hours, and drivers often fail to recognize drowsiness early enough.”

To identify the point when drivers slip from awareness to weariness, engineers fitted almost 600 drivers with brain-wave-monitoring skullcaps. They figured out that there were 70 parameters that would give a better measure of fatigue than proposed camera-based systems. But the key was steering inputs.

As a result, while other safety innovations such as airbags have meant major engineering changes, the E-class’s Attention Assist demanded just one new mechanical part: a more accurate steering sensor. In addition, the system monitors braking, acceleration, the time and road conditions to judge a driver’s behavior.

Breuer noted further benefits of the system: “It is also sensitive to distracted drivers who are on the cell phone or talking to the kids in the back seat. They will get a warning, too.”

He added, “The effects of alcohol are very, very similar to the effects of drowsy driving, and we would assume it would work for that, too.”