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Interview with Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, CEO of Adam Opel AG THE MOVING SYMBOL OF OUR 5 F O C U S Photos: © GM Company ›› THE AMPERA IS INNOVATIVE POWER ‹‹ ‹F›: By 2016, Opel will be launching three all-new engine families, renewing 80 percent of its propulsion system portfolio. What technologies does Opel place its spotlight on to optimize the internal combustion engine? ‹Dr. Neumann›: In all our measures, we have two major goals: to reduce CO2 emissions while achieving good value for money. To do so, we address the key drivers of fuel consumption – thermal efficiency, charge efficiency and mechanical efficiency. We make use of a combination of gasoline direct injection, variable camshaft adjustment and exhaust-gas turbocharging to achieve real downsizing, which obviously has a positive impact on fuel consumption. So far, we have replaced six-cylinder engines with four-cylinder engines, and four-cylinder engines with three-cylinder engines – without any loss of comfort whatsoever. On the other hand, we have been paying close attention to sound engineering measures (NVH, noise, vibration, harshness). Because only if customers come to accept and fully appreciate smaller engines will they buy one and contribute to greenhouse-gas reduction. And that’s also why we gave our threecylinder engine a balance shaft. ‹F›: In the same period, Opel will also be presenting a host of new manual and automatic transmissions. In what way can these transmissions contribute to enhanced efficiency – and also to improved driving comfort? ‹Dr. Neumann›: By making a series of improvements to transmission design and the gear-shifting mechanism in the new generation of five and six-speed transmissions, our engineers have managed to achieve outstanding gear shifting quality, setting benchmarks for competitors to follow. Almost all models currently being launched on the market – among them the ADAM, Corsa, Meriva, Mokka, Astra, Antara, Zafira and Insignia – have engines with more than 130 N.m. torque. For the ADAM and Corsa, a new automated manual transmission offering sequential-style manual gear shifting and start-stop functionality, as well as five-speed automatic operation, is currently under development. ‹F›: In early 2012, Opel added the Opel Ampera, an electric car, to its vehicle range. Tell us about your experience and what your opinion is on the future of the electric car over the next five to ten years? ‹Dr. Neumann›: The Opel Ampera is still the only electric car roomy enough for four adults and their lug-


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