#1782821 - 08/23/07 02:23 PM
This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
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GNN60GT500
Post Master Sr
Registered: 05/17/02
Posts: 3761
Loc: So Cal
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Chrysler to cut weight on new vehicles by 13%
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/BUSINESS01/708230428/1014
Using advances in high-strength steels and new design techniques, Chrysler LLC expects to improve fuel efficiency by reducing vehicle body structure weight by 13% over the next three to six years, a company executive said Wednesday. The reduced weight -- 120 pounds from the vehicle's skeleton -- should improve fuel efficiency by 1%, said Bill Grabowski, Chrysler's director of body core engineering. The method also will improve vehicle safety by strengthening its structure, the company said. The move comes as Chrysler takes other steps to improve fuel efficiency, such as investing $3 billion in more efficient engines, axles and transmissions. "In this whole fuel economy-safety debate, it's generally a powertrain-air bag systems conversation," Grabowski said. "In reality, at least from a body engineer's perspective, we think it all starts with great body design."
Source: Detroit Free Press
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#1782903 - 08/23/07 02:40 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: GNN60GT500]
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johnso2.6
350Z enthusiast
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Registered: 06/05/00
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For him to be happy, they would have had to be producing a vehicle that was nearly light already.....where this would put said vehicle into scootergeek territory. 
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#1783228 - 08/23/07 04:04 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: allan r]
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Impulsive
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 11/28/99
Posts: 82494
Loc: Edmonton
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how many people remember the thread i started a year or so ago asking you to use your imaginations and think of new ways to cut weight which will allow better performance and efficiency? i think that the car lounge met it with more resistance than SvA, but in both places the group think was generally "it can't be done."
IIRC, you were talking about a bit more drastic cut than 100+ lbs.
I still think as long as cars keep getting bigger, they will keep getting heavier. The new Accord is almost as big as a 300.
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#1783278 - 08/23/07 04:17 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: scootergeek]
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aerosaaber
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Registered: 06/29/02
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Loc: Pittsfield, MA
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shifting your own gears FTW
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#1783580 - 08/23/07 05:28 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: Impulsive]
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allan r
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Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 15724
Loc: the land of cheese
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how many people remember the thread i started a year or so ago asking you to use your imaginations and think of new ways to cut weight which will allow better performance and efficiency? i think that the car lounge met it with more resistance than SvA, but in both places the group think was generally "it can't be done."
IIRC, you were talking about a bit more drastic cut than 100+ lbs. I still think as long as cars keep getting bigger, they will keep getting heavier. The new Accord is almost as big as a 300.
i was, i think i said 500lbls. same line of thinking. 100 here, 50 there, we can design or invent anything if we just put the time and effort in. the problem is no one really wants to do this. they'd rather design overly complex hybrid systems or something
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#1783733 - 08/23/07 06:03 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: Impulsive]
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allan r
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Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 15724
Loc: the land of cheese
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not china, NOOOO!!! 
well seriously, thats part of what i do is to reduce material (or parts) costs. you trim the fat, refine your processes, put low production items or processes into high production, find different venders who aren't charging you more than they should or negotiate with the ones you have. i've been working on a contract bid for the company i work for thats worth a billion dollars. we got all of the parts we need quoted and then we worked to reduce our cost, which we did by more than 10% in a couple of months. thats a large dollar amount.
it doesnt matter, i'm just saying that theres a way to do it if you want it done. dvd players cost like $800 when they first came out, now you can get one for like $40! henry ford halved the cost of a car, or more, by changing the assembly process. when people say it cant be done what they really mean is they dont want to do it.
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#1783917 - 08/23/07 07:06 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: Impulsive]
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allan r
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Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 15724
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Allan, you don't think automakers are on the leading edge of production efficiencies and cost reductions?
There are very few windows they likely haven't explored. Certainly they've gone beyond what your or I could suggest.
ford of the last 20 years is the perfect example of how to do things wrong by cutting costs the wrong way. volkswagen has considerably high manufacturing costs right now, the golf is stupid expensive to build. theres all kinds of examples. this is getting off the point though. just the amount of resistance in this thread proves me right! if you want it done, you can do it, and you dont have to go to china either. look at the article that started this thread - they are going to save 100lbls per car and still keep it strong, and they didnt mention costs but i dont think chrystler of all companies is trying to make their cars cost more. and even if it does cost more right now, in time that will go down. maybe down the road they'll save another 100lbls by going to fiber optics instead of copper wire or something, and reduce costs since copper is so expensive lately.
where theres a will theres a way. and thats all i have to say about that /forrest gump.
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#1784430 - 08/23/07 09:33 PM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: allan r]
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Impulsive
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 11/28/99
Posts: 82494
Loc: Edmonton
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Dude, you're spouting feel good sayings now. Practically, real weights savings won't likely be done until cars shrink in size or with the use of more expensive materials. Obviously, as they become mainstream, they will become more cost effective, but show me a generation of car that went down in MSRP.
Obviously, not every company is running lean and mean, but the GM's, Ford's of the world are attemping to become more efficient to match Toyota's methods. There isn't some mystery they don't know about.
Sure, they will evolve, new methods will be invented etc. We all know the weight reduction of cars is materials related more than anything.
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#1785505 - 08/24/07 08:21 AM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: Impulsive]
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allan r
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 15724
Loc: the land of cheese
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Dude, you're spouting feel good sayings now. Practically, real weights savings won't likely be done until cars shrink in size or with the use of more expensive materials. Obviously, as they become mainstream, they will become more cost effective, but show me a generation of car that went down in MSRP.
Obviously, not every company is running lean and mean, but the GM's, Ford's of the world are attemping to become more efficient to match Toyota's methods. There isn't some mystery they don't know about.
Sure, they will evolve, new methods will be invented etc. We all know the weight reduction of cars is materials related more than anything.
there have been cars that went down in msrp in recent past; i can't pick one off the top of my head right now but feel free to look. and the only mystery is how to find the desire to do the task. you aren't listening to what i am saying: if they wanted to do it, they could. chrystler wants to do it, they just deleted, what, 3% off? subaru just lost 50lbls on the new impreza yet made it bigger and it costs the same as the last one.
course if they dont want to, or just dont want to make the effort, it wont happen. to flat out say it cant be done it'll cost too much is assinine. EVERY new piece of technology was expensive at first. you know what? if they didnt spend all that money to develop a new material or design to lighten cars, theyd spend just as much money to develop something else. every company has a NPD budget, just depends what they want to spend it on.
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#1785816 - 08/24/07 10:25 AM
Re: This should make Scootergeek happy- Chrysler to cut weight-
[Re: NOT spotch...]
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FCobra94
Post Master Supreme
Registered: 10/22/01
Posts: 19689
Loc: MD
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I think it's kinda stupid to say 120 pounds is insignificant... cars didn't balloon overnight, the pounds are usually packed on 100-200 per generation and over time it adds up. If chrysler can remove 120 for starters that's a huge step in the right direction. Most importantly, it shows that they're actually thinking... TRYING. To see a domestic manufacturer address the issue of weight on non-performance vehicles is pretty huge IMHO. Next thing you know Ford will take a step back and realize that they should test for fire hazards BEFORE they sell 5 or 10 million spontaneously combusting cars.
Seriously though, kudos to chrysler for making an effort to do what the big 3 should have been doing much more of since the 70s.
Agreed.
It really sucks how people complain of heavy cars today and they end up being even MORE heavier the follwing year (Mustang, etc.)
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Moderator: auxilary, The Mad Paki
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it's starting and i hope the trend keeps on going.
