AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Turbos at Geneva

14th March 1981, Page 19
14th March 1981
Page 19
Page 19, 14th March 1981 — Turbos at Geneva
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

. VISITOR more used to commercial vehicle shows could be forgien for leaving this year's Geneva Motor Show (which closes on larch 15) with the impression that car engine manufacturers have nly just discovered what the many cv manufacturers have known rr a long time — that turbocharging is a relatively easy way of nproving engine efficiency.

There was hardly a stand at ie Show which did not have an Kemple of at least one turboiarged engine, diesel or petrol.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles fere also much in evidence with ew models on display from atsun, Portaro, Toyota and IMM, and vying for attention fah the many Mini Metros on le British Leyland stand was an ttractive Monteverdi four-door Jrbocharged Range Rover.

Mercedes-Benz had several utaway models of its car en ines on display including one f the five-cylinder, three-litre urbochaged diesel which owers the 300TD estate car —

-itroduced to the UK towards -le end of last year. CM recently

overed 800 miles in a fully laen 300TD at a very high averge speed and a remarkable verage fuel consumption of 1.1 lit/100km (25.5mpg).

With low interior noise level, II the usual Mercedes-Benz re nements, a vast amount of lug ;age space and cruise control, ie 300TD is a fine car in which o travel long distances in cornort. The retail price in the UK is 11,600.

Being shown for the first time t Geneva were Mercedes' latest afety features for drivers and ront passengers in the new 5lass models.

This involves a trigger unit itted underneath the car which ,enses "g" force. An airbag is itted in the hub of the steering vheel, and the passenger's ;afety belt has a tensioner fitted o it. In the event of a head-on :ollision with a stationary object it a speed above 15-18kmh (91mph) the trigger unit activates gas propellant, inflating the )ag in less than a thirtieth of a iecond. On the passenger side at the same time a gas capsule is ignited, the gas activates a plunger which in turn releases a fluid which flows onto the blades of a turbine wheel mounted on the axle of the belt's reel.

The reel turns and the belt is pulled tight against the front passenger's body, but without enough force to injure the passenger.

Research done by DaimlerBenz has shown that in serious accidents, even if the front passenger is wearing a conventional seat belt, his body can be thrown far enough forward for his head to hit the dashboard.

The optional extra package of airbag and belt tensioner costs about £300, and re-installing the equipment after it has been activated will cost almost as much.

Tags

Locations: Geneva

comments powered by Disqus