Rolls-Royce recalling 2010 Ghost over possible engine fires

Vehicle Make / Model: ROLLS ROYCE / GHOST
Model Year(s): 2010
Manufacturer: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTORS, INC.
Mfr's Report Date: OCT 20, 2011
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V522000
NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO-CHARGER
Potential Number of Units Affected: 589

Summary

ROLLS-ROYCE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 GHOST VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2010, EQUIPPED WITH TURBOCHARGED ENGINES, BECAUSE THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP CAN OVERHEAT.

Consequence

THIS COULD LEAD TO A SMOLDERING OF THE PUMP OR AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT OR VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy

ROLLS-ROYCE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ROLLS-ROYCE CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND SERVICES AT 1-877-877-3735.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

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2014 Range Rover Mule has Jaguar Dial Shifter—and Possible Diesel-Electric Hybrid Powertrain

With us since the 2006 model year, Land Rover’s current Range Rover flagship is palatial and iconic and capable. But we expect its replacement within a couple of years, likely with simple evolutionary styling changes covering a slew of new technologies—including some intended to help it slurp less fuel. This particular Range Rover–bodied mule, snapped at a facility of a technology partner, contains at least a few of those technologies, the most obvious of which is the dial-type electronic shifter like that used by its sister brand, Jaguar. It certainly isn’t the sportiest shift device in the world, but it is rather in keeping with the Range Rover’s wafty personality.

It’s clear that much more has changed beneath that current-gen Range Rover body, and there are a few possibilities as to what this vehicle might actually be. Among them is a new, super-high-performance version of the Range Rover, a swan-song model with a unique front clip for, say, the 2013 model year. More likely is that this is a powertrain/chassis mule for the next-gen Range Rover, due for 2014, with the fender flares hinting at increases in front and rear track width. Though we can’t see any of it here, a more aerodynamic body likely will need to be adopted if Land Rover hopes to raise fuel economy from “atrocious” to “just plain awful.” Also telling are the twin outboard bumper intakes, which show off what appear to be grilles for twin intercoolers, suggesting that a turbocharged engine—likely a diesel-powered V-6 or V-8— sits up front.

A close look at a mysterious box located between the mufflers suggests one further exposition: that this mule is testing Land Rover’s new “Range_e” plug-in diesel-electric hybrid system announced at this year’s Geneva auto show, with the box presumably containing some of the battery components. Intended for Land Rover’s larger vehicles, Range_e was shown installed in the Range Rover Sport and combines electric power with a 3.0-liter diesel V-6 and an eight-speed automatic. It surely will work in the larger Range Rover, too, although we shudder to think of the curb weight of a Rangie with a heavy diesel engine and a battery pack containing enough energy capacity to propel it 20 miles on a single charge.

Land Rover has said in the past that a diesel hybrid will be ready by 2012 and on sale by calendar-year 2013—just in time to debut in the 2014 Range Rover.

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Mercedes-Benz Definitely Planning A-class AMG, 300-Plus-HP Turbo Four Possible

April 26, 2011 at 11:33am by Justin Berkowitz

It’s not just twin-turbocharged V-12s that demonstrate the hunger for power that gnaws at AMG engineers—it’s also the way Mercedes-Benz’s performance sub-brand massages virtually everything the company makes. Even the Geländewagen and its humble, militarized 1970s-era architecture is turned into the G55 AMG. With Benz’s A-class concept presaging a production model, we’ve received confirmation from Mercedes insiders that it, too, will be treated to a trip to the AMG spa.
The upcoming third-gen A-class—which we recently reported will be sold in the U.S. in sedan, crossover, and three- and five-door hatch forms—will be the first ever A to get the treatment. (Word is that executives didn’t think the wobbly econobox deserved an AMG badge in the past.) We expect the engine will be a highly tuned four cylinder. It’ll likely spring from the same family of four-bangers as the 2.0-liter found in the concept’s engine bay, and should make substantially over 300 hp with the aid of forced induction.
Although the new A-class will, like the first two generations, utilize front-wheel drive, Merc’s engineers have told us that the platform is being prepared for all-wheel drive; we expect that layout to be exploited in most performance models to banish any worries about torque steer. Given the sad reality that AMG has never built a volume production model with a manual gearbox, you can bank mortgage money on the A-class AMG having a strictly two-pedal setup. That said, we’d be surprised if it weren’t a dual-clutch automatic.
Answering the two most prominent questions that surround the new A-class—”When?” and “How much?”—is even more of a fool’s errand with respect to the AMG version. The simple answer is that we anticipate the AMG A-class to come at least a year after the regular A does, and that it will cost significantly more. Think about the premium commanded by the BMW 1-series M and you’ll probably be on the right track. You didn’t think a new Mercedes-Benz would be cheap, did you?
Tags: AMG, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz A-class, Mercedes-Benz A-class AMG |
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