Page 667 - Automotive Engineering Powertrain Chassis System and Vehicle Body

CHAP TER 2 0. 1 Vehicle refinement: Purpose and targets

Table 20.1-1 Some Vauxhall executive cars (small) 1979–1999

Peak power Peak torque Estimate of real
Vehicle (bhp @ rpm) (Ibfti @ rpm) Weight (kg) Cost new cost in 1999
1979 Royale (Ref. a) 140 @ 5200 161 @ 3400 1402 £8354 £28832*

1989 Senator 2.5i (Ref. b) 140 @ 5200 151 @ 4200 1465 £16528 £28333*
1999 Omega V6 2.5 CD (Ref. c) 168 @ 6000 167 @ 3200 1480 £21145 £21145
1999 Vectra V6 Gsi (Ref. d) 193 @ 6250 193 @ 3750 1431 £21700 £21700

Source: Autocar & Motor magazine
* An estimate of what the real cost of that particular vehicle would be in 1999 relative to the cost of other goods included in the Retail Price Index. It has been calculated by
scaling the cost when new by data obtained for the percentage change in Retail Price Index in the period 1979–1999, shown in Fig. 20.1-4.
References
(a) Vauxhall Royale – Star road test
Motor Magazine, 13 January 1979
(b) Vauxhall Senator 2.5i – Test extra
Autocar & Motor, 21 September 1988
(c) Vauxhall Omega 2.5I V6
Autocar & Motor, 1 June 1994
(d) New cars – Vauxhall Vectra GSi
Autocar & Motor – 14 July 1999

This comparison of scaled historic costs with the costs 2. The real cost of buying an executive class (small)
in 1999 for new vehicles (99MY denotes the 1999 model Vauxhall car that has been commended for its
year) is shown in more detail in Fig. 20.1-5. refinement dropped significantly after 1979 – Table
The above comparisons tell us something about vehi- 20.1-1 suggests that this drop might be as large as 25%
cle refinement over the twenty-year period 1979–1999, by 1999. The drop seems to have occurred in the years
although any conclusions drawn apply strictly only to the between 1989 and 1999 (the scaled cost of the 1979
development of one series of vehicles produced by one model year (79MY) Royale matches almost exactly
manufacturer on sale in one territory. It can be seen that: the 1989 retail price for the Senator, but the scaled
cost of the Senator is much greater than the 99MY
1. The term ‘Refinement’ has been used by motor
journalists since the 1970s (and indeed probably Omega). During that 10-year period, the perfor-
quite sometime before that). Therefore, the term has mance of the vehicle increased significantly in terms
been placed in the mind of the consumer as being of specific engine torque and power (Table 20.1-1). In
a relevant factor in the decision-making process of addition, vehicle emissions dropped because of
buying a car for a generation. tougher legislation. The 99MY cars are more refined

16
14
12
% change in RPI 10 8 6

2 4
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year

Fig. 20.1-4 Change in Retail Price Index in the UK.
Source: www.bizednet.bris.ac.uk University of Bristol.

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