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BMW 3 Series Compact
The BMW 3 Series Compact is a 3-door hatchback version of the BMW 3 Series, which was produced from 1993 through 2004. Initially based on the E36 platform, it switched to the E46 platform in 2001. The launch models were powered by four-cylinder petrol engines, with the range expanded over the years to include a four-cylinder compressed natural gas engine, four-cylinder diesel engines and six-cylinder petrol engines. Unlike most hatchback competitors, the 3 Series Compact uses rear-wheel drive (instead of front-wheel drive). In 2004, the 3 Series Compact was replaced by the 1 Series. The 3 Series GT, introduced in 2013, is not a successor to the 3 Series Compact, despite also using a hatchback rear opening. First generation (E36; 1994) Launched in 1994, the E36 3 Series Compact (model code E36/5), was BMW's first hatchback since the 2002 Touring model was discontinued in 1974. From the front bumper to the A-pillar, the E36/5 is identical to the E36 saloon. From the A-pil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Compact Executive Car
A compact executive car, also known as a compact luxury car, is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car. Compact executive car is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. An executive car generally needs to be comfortable and well-equipped while also being cheap to run as a company car. They may have performance features and are often viewed as status symbols. A high percentage of the "executive cars" market share consists of corporate-owned cars, or vehicles provided by a firm for the business and sometimes private use by employees. Cars related to the term by country United States The "compact executive car" description is not often used in the United States, but it describes certain models imported from Europe. The Cadillac ATS has been described as a compact executive car. The ATS was succeeded by the Cadillac CT4. Before the ATS, a heavily badge engineered version of the Saab 9-3 was sold in Euro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BMW M52
The BMW M52 is a straight-6 DOHC petrol engine which was produced from 1994 to 2000. It was released in the E36 320i, to replace the M50. The BMW S52 engine is a high performance variant of the M52 which powered the American and Canadian market E36 M3 from 1996 to 1999. In 1998, the "technical update" (M52TU) upgrades included adding variable valve timing to the exhaust camshaft. The M52 was replaced by the M54 in the year 2000. The M52 and S52 engines were on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list from 1997 to 2000. Design In most markets, the M52 switched from the M50's cast iron engine block to a lightweight aluminium engine block. However, most M52 engines produced for the United States and Canadian markets (except for those used by the BMW Z3 roadster) retained the M50's cast iron engine block, while other cars used the new aluminum M52 block with iron sleeves. The largest version of the M52 is 2.8 litres, compared with 2.5 litres for the M50. As per the later versi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inline-six Engine
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balance, resulting in fewer vibrations than other designs of six or less cylinders. Until the mid-20th century, the straight-six layout was the most common design for engines with six cylinders. However, V6 engines became more common from the 1960s and by the 2000s most straight-six engines had been replaced by V6 engines. An exception to this trend is BMW which has produced automotive straight-six engines from 1933 to the present day. Characteristics In terms of packaging, straight-six engines are almost always narrower than a V6 engine or V8 engine, but longer than straight-four engines, V6s, and most V8s. Straight-six engines are typically produced in displacements ranging from , however engines ranging in size from the Benelli 750 Se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inline-four Engine
A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the exceptions of the flat-four engines produced by Subaru and Porsche) and the layout is also very common in motorcycles and other machinery. Therefore the term "four-cylinder engine" is usually synonymous with straight-four engines. When a straight-four engine is installed at an inclined angle (instead of with the cylinders oriented vertically), it is sometimes called a slant-four. Between 2005 and 2008, the proportion of new vehicles sold in the United States with four-cylinder engines rose from 30% to 47%. By the 2020 model year, the share for light-duty vehicles had risen to 59%. Design A four-stroke straight-four engine always has a cylinder on its power stroke, unlike engines with fewer cylinders where there is no power stroke occu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oversteer
Understeer and oversteer are vehicle dynamics terms used to describe the sensitivity of a vehicle to steering. Oversteer is what occurs when a car turns (steers) by more than the amount commanded by the driver. Conversely, understeer is what occurs when a car steers less than the amount commanded by the driver. Automotive engineers define understeer and oversteer based on changes in steering angle associated with changes in lateral acceleration over a sequence of steady-state circular turning tests. Car and motorsport enthusiasts often use the terminology more generally in magazines and blogs to describe vehicle response to steering in a variety of maneuvers. Vehicle dynamics terminology Standard terminology used to describe understeer and oversteer are defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in document J670SAE International Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice, "Vehicle Dynamics Terminology", SAE Standard J670, Rev. 2008-01-24 and by the International Organization ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BMW Z3
The BMW Z3 is a range of two-seater sports cars which was produced from 1995 to 2002. The body styles of the range are: * 2-door roadster (E36/7 model code) * 2-door coupé (E36/8 model code) The Z3 was based on the E36 3 Series platform, while using the rear semi-trailing arm suspension design of the older E30 3 Series. It is the first mass-produced Z Series car. M models were introduced in 1998 in roadster and coupé body styles and were powered by the S50, S52, or S54 straight-six engine depending on country and model year. The M models came with a 5-speed manual transmission. Production ended on June 28, 2002, with the Z3 line replaced by the E85 Z4. Development and launch Development on the roadster began in 1991 and was led by Burkhard Göschel. The exterior was designed by Joji Nagashima, being completed in mid-1992 at 39 months before production and the design was frozen in 1993. Design patents were filed on April 2, 1994, in Germany and on September 27, 1994, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Multi-link Suspension
A multi-link suspension is a type of vehicle suspension with one or more longitudinal arms. A wider definition can consider any independent suspensions having three control links or more multi-link suspensions. These arms do not have to be of equal length, and may be angled away from their "obvious" direction. It was first introduced in the late 1960s on the Mercedes-Benz C111 and later on their W201 and W124 series. Typically each arm has a spherical joint (ball joint) or rubber bushing at each end. Consequently, they react to loads along their own length, in tension and compression, but not in bending. Some multi-links do use a trailing arm, control arm or wishbone, which has two bushings at one end. On a front suspension one of the lateral arms is replaced by the tie-rod, which connects the rack or steering box to the wheel hub. The solid axle multi-link system is another variation of the same concept, and offers some advantages over independent multi-link, as it is sign ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BMW 3 Series (E30)
The BMW E30 is the second generation of BMW 3 Series, which was produced from 1982 to 1994 and replaced the E21 3 Series. The model range included 2-door coupe and convertible body styles, as well as being the first 3 Series to be produced in 4-door sedan and wagon/estate body styles. It was powered by four-cylinder petrol, six-cylinder petrol and six-cylinder diesel engines, the latter a first for the 3 Series. The E30 325iX model was the first BMW to have all-wheel drive. The first BMW M3 model was built on the E30 platform and was powered by the high-revving BMW S14 four-cylinder petrol engine, which produced in its final iteration. The BMW Z1 roadster was also based on the E30 platform. Following the launch of the E36 3 Series in 1990, the E30 began to be phased out. Development Development of the E30 3 Series began in July 1976, with styling being developed under chief designer Claus Luthe with exterior styling led by Boyke Boyer. In 1978, the final design was approve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trailing Arm
A (semi) trailing-arm suspension, sometimes referred to as (semi) trailing-link is a vehicle axle or wheel suspension design in which one or more horizontal arms (or "links"), perpendicular to and forward of the axle, are connecting the axle or wheels with pivot joint(s) ahead of them, on the structure (unibody or chassis) of a motor vehicle. These are typically used on the rear axle or wheels of a vehicle, but also found in aircraft landing gear. Leading arms are similar horizontal arms, perpendicular to the axle, but connecting the wheels to the vehicle structure via pivot joints ''to the rear'' of them. These are typically used on the front axle or wheels, as on the Citroën 2CV and its derivatives, and on the Citroën DS, as well as on the M422 Mighty Mite jeep. Types Trailing-arm Trailing-arm designs in live axle setups often use just two or three links and a Panhard rod to locate the wheel laterally. A trailing arm design can also be used in an independent suspen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MacPherson Strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Earle S. MacPherson, who invented and developed the design. History Earle S. MacPherson was appointed the chief engineer of Chevrolet's Light Car project in 1945. He was tasked with developing a new, smaller car for the immediate post-war market, an effort that led to the Chevrolet Cadet. The Cadet was poised to be a groundbreaking vehicle, and the three prototypes that had been built by 1946 displayed a wide range of innovations. One of these was a revolutionary new independent suspension system that featured what is now known as MacPherson strut. The Cadet was slated to be the first production vehicle with MacPherson struts, but the project was cancelled in 1947 and never saw commercial production. This was in large part due to GM's conce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Facelift (automotive)
An automotive facelift (also known as mid-generational refresh, minor model change or minor model update, life cycle impulse) comprises changes to a vehicle's styling during its production run – including, to highly variable degree, new sheetmetal, interior design elements or mechanical changes – allowing a carmaker to freshen a model without complete redesign. While the life cycle of cars hovers around six to eight years until a full model change, facelifts are generally introduced around three years in their production cycle. A facelift retains the basic styling and platform of the car, with aesthetic alterations, e.g., changes to the front fascia (grille, headlights), taillights, bumpers, instrument panel and center console, and various body or interior trim accessories. Mechanical changes may or may not occur concurrently with the facelift (e.g., changes to the engine, suspension or transmission). __TOC__ History In the 1920s, General Motors under th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Model Year
The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. Automobiles United States and Canada Automobiles in the United States and Canada are identified and regulated by model year, whereas other markets use production date (month/year) to identify specific vehicles, and model codes in place of the "year" (model year) in the North American make-model-year identifier. In technical documents generated within the auto industry and its regulating agencies such as the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and United States Environmental Protection Agency and Transport Canada and Environment Canada, the letters "MY" often precede the year (as in "MY2019" or "MY93"). Even without this prefix, however, in the North American context it is usually the model year rather than the vehicle' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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