Development engineers prepare to test an engine in a computer-linked test cell to establish the optimum settings for best performance, economy and emission levels. With the increasing emphasis on performance with economy, computers are used...

Full-size models A full-size clay model is begun when the scale model has been satisfactorily modified. It is constructed in a similar way to the scale model but uses a metal, wood and plastic frame called a buck. The clay is placed on to th...

Once the initial designs have been accepted, scale models are produced for wind tunnel testing to determine the aerodynamic values of such a design. These models are usually constructed of wood and clay to allow for modifications to be made...

If a crash does happen, secondary safety designshould protect the passengers by 1 Making sure that, in the event of an accident,the occupants stay inside the car 2 Minimizing the magnitude and duration of the deceleration to which they are...

This refers to the features designed into the vehicle which reduce the possibility of an accident. These include primary design elements such as dual-circuit braking systems, anti-lock braking systems, high aerodynamic stability and efficie...

With regard to bodywork, the vehicle designer must take into account the safety of the driver, passengers and other road users. Although the vehicle cannot be expected to withstand collision with obstacles or other vehicles, much can be done...

Ergonomics is a fundamental component of theprocess of vehicle design. It is the consideration ofhuman factors in the efficient layout of controls inthe drivers environment. In the design of instru-ment panels, factors such as the drivers r...

Styling Styling has existed from early times. However, theterms stylist and styling originally came intocommon usage in the automotive industry duringthe first part of the twentieth century. The automotive stylist needs to be a combinationof...

The planning, design, engineering and development of a new motor car is an extremely complex process. With approximately 15 000 separate parts,the car is the most complicated piece of equipment built using mass production methods. Every maj...

The idea of a self-propelled vehicle occurs inHomers Iliad. Vulcan, the blacksmith of the gods,in one day made 20 tricycles which self-movedobedient to the beck of the gods. The landmarks inmore modern motor vehicle history are as follows:1...

When the first motor cars appeared, little atten-tion was paid to their appearance; it was enoughthat they ran. Consequently the cars initially sold to the public mostly resembled horse-drawn car-riages with engines added. Henry Ford launche...

The first motor car bodies and chassis frames, madebetween 1896 and 1910, were similar in design tohorse-drawn carriages and, like the carriages, weremade almost entirely of wood. The frames were generally made from heavy ash,and the joints...

In the history of the motor car there has been someambiguity in the names used to describe varioustypes of body styles, built by coach builders fromdifferent countries. The following terms relate tothe vehicles produced during the period 189...

There are many ways in which motor vehicles maybe classified into convenient groups for recognition.Much depends on such factors as the manufacturer,the make of the car, the series and the body typeor style. Distinctive groups of passenger v...