Lincoln's Continental concept

A strong horizontal emphasis defines the Lincoln Continental concept, with the front incorporating remote-light generator technology and large LED lamps at the rear.

After nearly two years of development, Lincoln Mercury President Brian Kelley and Design Director Gerry McGovern unveiled the Continental concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The car is intended to preview how the next generation of Lincolns may be designed while recalling the marque's past, with features such as center-opening doors. The flagship study is sized appropriately; it is 5444 mm (214 in) long, 1950 mm (76.7 in) wide, and 1500 mm (59 in) tall, on a long 3470-mm (137-in) wheelbase. It debuts in "a pivotal year in Lincoln's long-term growth strategy," according to Kelley. Lincoln is launching three new products this summer—the Town Car, Navigator, and Aviator; however, the first vehicles to embrace the Continental's design philosophy will debut by mid-decade.

"Continental embodies the qualities that define the design direction Lincoln has chosen: elegance, simplicity, precision, and an overall restraint," said McGovern. "Someday, a flagship like Continental could join Lincoln's showroom," he added. "But the emphasis on package efficiency, the approach to surface development and detailing, and certain Continental design cues absolutely will see production." Two important goals of the Lincoln design team were to maximize interior space and optimize ingress and egress. This led to the centering of the Continental's large cabin within its wheelbase.

One of the inspirations for the 2002 Continental concept was the 1962 Lincoln Continental.

A strong horizontal emphasis defines the front of the car, its Lincoln grille incorporating four round headlamps that employ innovative remote-light generator technology developed by Ford Motor Co. in partnership with Philips Lighting. Light generated by a single source is transferred to each lamp by fiber-optic cable. The technology requires less power than conventional halogen bulbs but produces two and a half times more light. The horizontal emphasis continues at the rear of the car, where the Lincoln badge divides large LED lamps.

The Continental's powered center-opening doors are triggered by remote or by touching the flush aluminum door "handles." Articulating hinges allow the doors to open 90°, with a ring frame adding structural rigidity to a pillarless opening almost 1.8 m (6 ft) wide. The hydraulically powered decklid opens to maintain its horizontal orientation and allows for easy access to the three sliding storage drawers of the 580-L (20.5-ft³) trunk. A large luggage tray can slide out of the trunk to present Zero Halliburton luggage and golf-club cases.

The Continental has powered center-opening doors and a hydraulically powered decklid.

Inside, fiber optics in each door panel and the headliner provide lighting. The instrument panel houses reconfigurable displays for car functions and features including telematics and a THX-certified audio system. The car's concierge service allows passengers to check the weather, make restaurant reservations, seek route assistance, or get personalized financial market updates. The telephone functions are hands-free, and a mouse is built into the console for control navigation. The center console also houses controls for the windows, power door openers, and other functions. The upper section is for audio controls, and includes radio, CD, and DVD source selection. The central section is for the dual-zone climate control. (The rear compartment has its own dedicated dual-zone climate and audio controls.)

The cockpit displays use organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology developed with Pioneer Electronics Corp. Current is passed through the OLED's light-emitting polymer film by a matrix of electrodes to illuminate individual pixels in green, blue, orange, and yellow. System response time is fast, so the displays can be changed quickly. Other benefits of OLEDs include high visibility in direct sunlight, a viewing angle up to 160°, and low power consumption.

The Continental's interior features OLED reconfigurable displays, fiber-optic lighting, and highly adjustable seating for four.

The front seats are adjustable for height and rake, and have fore and aft travel of 250 mm (10 in); the rear seats adjust 200 mm (8 in) fore/aft and can be reconfigured into beds by folding down the center portion of the front seatback. Built-in laptop tables stow in the rear console, and case holders built into the front seatbacks fold down to allow an attach to be opened without removing it from the sleeve. A cabinet between the rear seats houses crystal and a drinks dispenser, and compartments can be personalized—the Continental is fitted with cigar humidors.

The four-passenger Continental is powered by a 6.0-L V12 engine producing 309 kW (414 hp) at 6000 rpm and 560 N•m (413 lb•ft) at 5270 rpm. Its six-speed automatic transmission links to rear-wheel drive. For the chassis, the aluminum and composite body-on-frame construction is covered in a composite outer skin. The multi-link independent suspension features driver-selectable electronic damping, and steering is a variable-assist, speed-sensitive four-wheel type. The brake system has vented 405-mm (16-in) front and 395-mm (15.5-in) rear discs, six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, and electrically actuated parking brakes. The wheel/tire package features large 22- x 9-in front and 22- x 10-in rear wheels wrapped by Continental 275/45 front and 295/40 rear tires with pressure monitoring.

- Kevin Jost

Vectra heralds GME direction

Introduced as a four-door sedan, the Vectra will be available in hatchback GTS form later this year with a roofline that gives the car a coupe-like profile.

General Motors Europe's new Opel/Vauxhall Vectra, which has just entered production, made its public debut at last month's Geneva Motor Show. Its technology includes electrohydraulic power steering with electronic map control, a new multi-link rear axle, an IDS (Interactive Driving System) chassis with ESP^Plus, and increased use of aluminum to reduce unsprung weight. Magnesium is also used. The car's styling, which bears clear links to the company's Signum concept, is said by GME to characterize the appearance of Opel/Vauxhall cars in the future.

Introduced as a four-door sedan, the Vectra will be available in hatchback GTS form later this year with a roofline that gives the car a coupe-like profile. Engines for the new Vectra embrace a mix of gasoline—including a 3.2-L V6 producing 155 kW (208 hp)—and turbodiesel. A first for the Vectra is a CVT (continuously variable transmission) option, and an automatic transmission with manual shift is also offered. Other body styles will follow during the next 18 months.

Of the new car's technology, GME is emphasizing the significance of its IDS chassis system, with ESP^Plus making its debut on the new Vectra. GME says that, unlike most conventional ESP systems that prevent severe understeer by braking the rear wheel on the inside of a corner, the new system applies the brakes of up to three wheels. GME describes the resultant corrective stabilization action as "more progressive and effective."

GME's new Vectra navigation system monitor is positioned between ventilation outlets.

Like most other manufacturers, GME continues to strive for stiffer structures. Compared to its predecessor, the new Vectra's torsional rigidity has increased by an extraordinarily high 74% to 18,000 N•m/° (13,300 lb•ft/°), with bending rigidity up by 62%. High-strength and extra-high-strength steels have been used in the new car's structure. The percentage of these materials applied to the previous Vectra was 9%; for the new car the figure has jumped to 52%. Conventional steels for vehicle construction have a yield strength of 140-220 MPa (20-32 ksi), but high-strength and extra-high-strength steels are considerably stronger. The strongest of these on the Vectra at 1.2 GPa (175 ksi) is boron alloy steel, used in the B-pillars to enhance side-impact safety. In all, 15 different types of steel are used for the Vectra.

High-strength and extra-high-strength steels are mainly used in heavily stressed components that are of significant importance for safety, according to GME. The car's side sills are of dual-phase (DP) steel, giving a mass advantage of 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) per vehicle. DP steels are even stronger than bake-hardened or high-strength steels, but can still be shaped and processed relatively easily. Tailored blanks are used where appropriate, such as the front and rear parts of the chassis. Sections under high stress are 1.95 mm (0.08 in) thick, but 1.45 mm (0.06 in) where less stress is experienced. This results in 1.8 kg (4.0 lb) less mass for the rear chassis alone—and without any impairment in function, says GME.

Aluminum is used in the structure of both bumpers, saving around 14 kg (31 lb), and for the hood, where it achieves a 45% mass saving compared to conventional steel. Aluminum is also used for suspension components, including axle journals, wheel carriers, and brake calipers. Magnesium is used for the crossmember in the instrument panel connected to the A-pillars; it has a mass of 6.2 kg (13.7 lb), saving about 4.3 kg (9.5 lb) compared to a steel component. It contains important components such as the steering column, instrument panel, heating/air-conditioning ducts, and passenger airbag.

The new Vectra's wheelbase is increased by 60 mm (2.4 in) to 2.7 m (8.9 ft). The car is also slightly wider, while the roof is raised 52 mm (2 in). GME paid great attention to aerodynamics to achieve a Cd of 0.28. The car's aerodynamic aspects include a flexible front bumper lip, lower windshield wipers, underbody spoiler, and aerodynamically optimized sills. A variety of wind tunnels were used to refine the Vectra's aerodynamics, with Cd measurements taken at the University of Stuttgart. Passive safety systems include front, side, and full-size curtain airbags, GM's Pedal Release System (PRS), and a further development of its active head restraints.

The Vectra's chassis technology includes ESPPlus, the latest-generation electronic stability program.

The attention to detail in the Vectra's chassis design, including the new stability program, is part of the company's continuing concentration on safety. It describes the electronic stability program, ESP^Plus, as being the heart of its IDS system. It includes a flow-optimized ABS/ESP pump, plus a newly developed brake fluid from BASF called Hydraulan 404. The fluid has hydraulic properties that remain constant across a wide temperature range, and it keeps its viscosity even at extremely cold temperatures so there is no impairment to the system reaction speed, according to GME.

The mechanical elements of the new Vectra's suspension include an improved MacPherson layout at the front and a four-link rear axle. GME has extensive experience in the use of hydroformed subframes, and the new Vectra uses the technology for the front suspension, linked to the body via a large-volume four-mount system. It provides precise wheel control and high lateral strength. There is one hydraulic bearing bush per transverse link that has high radial absorption to help reduce both rolling noise and any effects of wheel imbalance. The removal of spring and absorption forces by so-called "two-phase" strut bearings and the slight curve in the spring axis make the system insensitive to lateral forces, improve shock-absorber response, and give more room for fine tuning. Three transverse and one longitudinal link are used for the rear suspension. Its compact design contributes to improved handling and allows for greater trunk space.

Steering is map-controlled electrohydraulic, assistance increasing at low speeds, decreasing as speed increases. Steering response time is put at 0.3 s. Tire pressures are constantly monitored using sensors on the inner side of the wheels, which trigger a warning lamp on the dashboard if pressure drops.

- Stuart Birch