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This paper describes a program of coastdown and wind tunnel tests conducted with the objective of establishing a correlation between the aerodynamic drag force measured at the Lockheed-Martin Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) and that inferred from coastdown results on the test track. The result of this correlation establishes, in principle, the capability to project what the aerodynamic drag force inferred by a future coastdown test will be (for a future, as-yet unavailable property) based on a current database of wind tunnel results. The correlation is accompanied by a rigorous uncertainty analysis to assess the quality of the correlation and its supporting data.

This paper shows how the automotive product development process is handled on a simultaneous engineering basis for an international body project. BMW and The Budd Company formed an international alliance to build the X-5 vehicle in a domestic plant. All of the challenges created by this complex project are described. The important aspect of this paper is a complete description of the lessons learned on this successful project.

Managing regulatory content is a complex process for any industry, but particularly for the automotive industry, which is heavily regulated. Several approaches for managing content are discussed along with implications for the industry. The response of an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to the recent European Parliament End-of-Life Vehicle Directive (EU 2000/53/EC-ELVs)1 is discussed from a North American perspective as well as trickle down expectations for the automotive supply base. Design, sourcing and labeling issues associated with the ELV directive as well as domestic regulations are discussed.

The effect of forming strains on the fatigue behavior of an automotive mild steel, interstitial free steel, was studied after being prestrained by balanced biaxial stretch and plane strain. In the long life region, higher than 5×105 reversals, prestrain improves fatigue resistance. In the short life region, prestrain reduces fatigue resistance. At even shorter fatigue lives, the detrimental effect of prestrain diminishes. For plane strains, the fatigue behavior is anisotropic. In the direction perpendicular to the major strain, the steel exhibits much better fatigue resistance than in the direction parallel to the major strain.