22 December 2002

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTSBY PAUL WEISSLER

Innovative technical features of the importclass of 2003, including a high-capacity CVTand a W8 engine, promise fresh challengesfor independent repair shops.

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTS

The Honda Accord is such a best-seller thateven if it were the only all-new import name-plate for 2003 it would be significant. Howev-er, there’s a lot more, of course, including thenew Mercedes E-Class and CLK, the Saab 9-3, the Mazda 6 and the Subaru Baja. There’s

also a revival of the Nissan Z, an Altima-based Nissan Mura-no SUV, plus three Infiniti rear-drive models.

Under the hood are the first W-shaped engine, the W8

Volkswagen W8 Engine

Saab 9-3

23December 2002

Mercedes E-Class

Nissan 350Z

Honda Accord

from VW in the new Passat, and lotsof new engineering in the Jaguar S-Type. Toyota’s only new 2003 cars,the Corolla and Matrix, came out inFebruary, and were covered in thesepages last year. Its new 4Runner andLexus GX 470 will be covered nextmonth in our new-truck report.

High-speed CAN (Controller AreaNetwork) for powertrain control, andeven low- or medium-speed CANnetworks for accessories are comingin on a number of imports. Most op-erate through gateways built into spe-cific modules, so the cars continue touse current OBD II diagnostic lan-guages. However, updated softwarewill be required for scan tools. Withothers, you may need a CAN-capablescan tool or CANdi-type device, as isbeing released for GM’s Tech 2. For aCAN review, go to www.motor.com,and check the July 2001 article onmultiplexing and last month’s domes-tic car report.

Let’s take a look and see what’snew with the imports for 2003—nameplate by nameplate.

HONDAThe 2003 Accord has a look some-where between the Acura RSX andVW Passat, but under the hood it’spure Honda, with a lot that’s new for’03 in both the four and V6. The en-gines were turned around, so the belt-driven accessories are on the passen-ger’s side. Why? Turning the four(which represents about 70% of Hon-da’s sales) puts the exhaust manifold atthe rear, shortening the exhaust, whichresults in faster catalytic converterwarmup. This also smooths out exhaustflow, which doesn’t hurt performance,either. The ignition distributor andtiming marks are gone, replaced by acoil-on-plug system.

The four now is 2.4 liters, up from2.3. That may not sound like much,but it’s really a newer engine with

chain-driven double-overheadcamshafts replacing the timing belt.This engine was introduced by Hon-da last year in the CR-V, which firstused the 180° engine repositioning.Power is up from 150 to 160 hp,torque from 152 to 161 ft-lb, and atlower rpm (4500 vs. 4900). The en-gine has continuously variable timingand two-position variable lift on theintake camshaft, and uses a two-lobesetup per cylinder—one low for low-speed (staged opening of the intakevalves, to produce a swirl of the in-take mixture), one with increased liftfor higher rpm.

The 2.4 four has a single serpentineaccessory belt, not the two-belt systemwith manual tensioners previouslyused on the Accord. The California au-tomatic transmission four-cylindermeets Level 2 SULEV (Super UltraLow Emission Vehicle) standards withthe addition of a mass airflow sensor,upgraded catalytic converter and low-

24 December 2002

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTS

Honda’s new 2003 engine is a 2.4L four that’s rotated 180° so the intake is on the front side of thetransverse engine and the accessory belt drive is on the passenger side. The distributor is gone.

Ph

otos

: Pa

ul W

eiss

ler

sulphur fuel (available only in Califor-nia at this time).

The electronic/hydraulic enginemount long used by Honda fours andlocated at the rear now is on the frontside, apparently in part because of theengine’s 180° rotation. The entiremounting system, however, also wasreengineered.

As part of Honda’s across-the-boardimprovements in emissions control,however, all four-cylinder engines andthe redesigned V6 have the more pre-cise linear air/fuel ratio sensors, not theconventional toggling-voltage type.

The V6 still has a timing belt, butthe engine has been extensively re-worked in other respects, and pro-duces 240 hp, up 40 from 2002 mod-els. It has a three-lobe variable-lift set-up on the continuously variable intakecamshaft. This arrangement, which hasbeen used on high-performance mod-els in the past, permits tailoring bothintake valves’ lobes more precisely for

low- to mid-rpm operation, and thenlocking them to a third lobe with ahigh-performance profile.

One of the novel aspects of the V6 isintegration of the exhaust manifoldswith the cylinder heads. It not onlyeliminates a gasket joint, but improvesengine packaging and helps with closecoupling of the primary catalytic con-verters, for low emissions. The V6 alsohas an electronic throttle and coil-on-plug ignition.

The four-speed automatics are gone,replaced by two five-speeds. The onefor the 3.0 V6 is not the same as theone coupled to the four-cylinder, butit’s very similar to the transmission inthe Acura TL with the 3.2 V6, withmodifications to use the electronicthrottle to torque-manage the shifts forsmoothness.

There’s a new lightweight five-speedmanual, plus a six-speed adapted fromthe one in the Acura CL with the 3.2V6. This box uses a hydraulic clutch

mated to a dual-mass flywheel.The new Accord is a “CAN” car—in

fact, it has both high-speed and low-speed CANs. The gateway module forboth CANs is located in the instru-ment panel. According to Honda ser-vice training, the early report is thatOBD II diagnostics will continue to bedisplayed on generic scan tools.

If you want to take the plunge intogasoline-electric hybrids, the first Hon-da “mainstream” car is out—the CivicHybrid. The electric powertrain is amodified version of the one in theHonda Insight, but the engine is a new85-hp, 1.3L four-cylinder, comparedwith the 67-hp, 1.0L three-cylinder inthe Insight. Horsepower goes up to 93on the Civic (73 on the Insight) whenthe Integrated Motor Assist electricdrivetrain comes in. Both Honda hy-brids offer a choice of five-speed man-ual or a CVT (continuously variabletransmission), similar to what has beenoffered on the regular Civic for several

25December 2002

The rear-side top cover of the 2.4L four is removed in this photo, showing the coil-on-plug ignition.

years. The Civic Hybrid joins the Toy-ota Prius as a “real” car (as opposed tothe minimalist Insight).

NISSAN/INFINITINissan and Infiniti are getting wide useof the 3.5L V6, produced in variousstages of tune from 240 to 287 hp.You’ll find it in every transverse front-drive from the Altima to the Maximato the Infiniti I35. For 2003, it’s beenreworked for rear-drive, so you’ll alsosee it in the 350Z sports car and thenew G35 sports sedan and sportscoupe. Although there may be a largenumber of interchangeable parts, natu-rally, there are differences in intakeand exhaust systems and electroniccontrols because of tuning differencesand orientation. The higher numbersare for the rear-drives.

The Z car is rated at 287 hp and 274ft-lb, the G35 sport coupe V6 veryclose at 280 hp (260 ft-lb of torque).

The G35 sport sedan V6’s numbers are260 hp/246 ft-lb. The transverse-front-drive Altima V6 is 240 hp/246 ft-lb; theMaxima and Infiniti I35 both are 255hp/246 ft-lb.

You also may notice a pair of under-hood decals on the new rear-drives.The one on the V6 warns against thecommon practice of pulling the dip-stick while adding engine oil. Reason:The oil dipstick is in one of the oildrainback channels, very close to theoil fill neck of the No. 2 (driver’s side)cylinder head. If there’s residualcrankcase pressure after engine shut-down, pulling the stick with the fill capoff could result in oil burping out ofthe dipstick tube, creating a mess.

The other—on the rear-drive auto-matics—notes that the rear-driveRE5R05A five-speed automatic trans-mission in the G35 series is factory-filled with Type J fluid, a new fluidwith tailored frictional characteristics

to smooth out and also ensure goodengagement of the torque converterclutch. It may be similar to some of theother special fluids designed for thatpurpose, but no one at Nissan can sayfor sure. In the meantime, other Nis-san automatics use Type D fluid, forwhich a premium Dexron/Mercon flu-id is an acceptable substitute, accord-ing to Valvoline’s Scott Wieland.

The new Nissan Murano has anumber of clever interior features, butthe most interesting technical develop-ment is a CVT (continuously variabletransmission) that can transfer thetorque of a 240-hp, 246-ft-lb version ofthe 3.5 V6. The 3.5 V6 is the highestoutput engine ever to be mated to aCVT, yet it’s a very conventional lookinggearbox of its type. That is, its designseemingly is the same as the CVT usedin the Honda Civic, Saturn Vue andeven the old Subaru Justy. I thoughtthat design, with its steel link belt,

26 December 2002

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTS

Honda’s “fast CAN” network exchanges signals at 500kB/second between the engine/fuel injection comput-er (FI ECU), traction control computer (TCS ECU), navigation system and gateway module in the instrumentpanel “combination meter.” “Basic CAN” exchanges information at 33.33kB among body control modules.

FAST CAN

BASIC CAN

TCS Unit FI ECU Combination Meter Assembly Navi Unit Assembly

Center Module (Auto A/C Only) Combination Switch AssemblyRelay Module Multiplex Unit Power Window Switch Assembly

couldn’t handle much torque. So dideveryone else, which is why it’s beenmatched up with low-performancefour-cylinder engines in the past.

However, Nissan put oil pressuresensing and hydraulic clamping on bothsets of split-pulleys, and wired a pres-surized oil control valve setup to a CVTcomputer. That computer is connectedby a CAN link to the engine computer,which sends continuous torque calcula-tions. The CVT computer uses thetorque information to adjust clampingpressures against the belt on both setsof pulley halves, so there’s no belt slip-page when torque is high.

The Murano’s torque transfer cou-pling for the all-wheel-drive system issimilar to the electronically controlledmultidisc clutch in the Acura MDX.

Infiniti’s flagship Q45 gets a stable-mate for ’03, the M45. They share the4.5L V8, which, at 340 hp and 333 ft-lbof torque, is substantially more power-ful than the previous 4.1L V8. The en-gine has variable intake timing and astaged intake air system. The coolingsystem has an infinitely variable fan set-up, using a hydraulic motor fed fromthe power steering. No doubt you’re fa-miliar with this approach from its useon the Lexus LS, Ford Thunderbirdand even some editions of Jeep GrandCherokee and Toyota Camry.

VOLKSWAGENThe W-shaped engine in the Passat is afirst. VW created it by melding two ofthe narrow-angle, single-head V6s it hashad for many years, and eliminating onecylinder per bank row. Actually, it wasdone by adding a cylinder per bank rowto produce a W16, then slicing the en-gine in half. Those eliminated cylindersare not forgotten; they’ll be back to pro-duce a V12 engine in the upcoming VWPhaeton, VW’s ultra-luxury model beingintroduced in the U.S. next year.

The narrow-bank 4.0L (244 cubes)W8 has a cylinder bank angle of 15° inthe single head; the angle between thetwo heads is 72°. So it almost looks likea conventional V8 except for the factthat there are two rows of cylinders oneach head. Yes, this design would beprone to vibration from primary imbal-ance forces, so there are counterrotat-

ing balance shafts in the oil pan to can-cel them. Each double-row bank ofcylinders has its own exhaust systemthrough a primary (close-coupled) cat-alytic converter, so there are four oxy-gen sensors.

The 270-hp engine has four valvesper cylinder with continuously variable

valve control on the intake camshaft.The exhaust camshafts are variable, butonly between two positions—advanceand retard. That’s good enough to elim-inate the need for an EGR valve. Theupcoming W12 will have continuouslyvariable exhaust camshaft timing.

There’s a lot of new technology in

27December 2002

Notice in the top photo that the engine oil fill is very close to the dipstick onthis 3.5L V6 in the Infiniti G35. Above is the label that warns against pulling outthe dipstick (“oil level gauge”) while adding oil. The proximity of the oil fill tothe dipstick tube can lead to oil burping out of the tube.

Ph

otos

: Pa

ul W

eiss

ler

this engine in addition to the configu-ration. The cooling system is electroni-cally controlled, as the powertraincomputer regulates current flow to aheater circuit in the thermostat valve.Actual thermostat operation is conven-tional, even if it’s not based on wax pel-let reaction to engine coolant (see theillustration on page 38). The computerheats the stat, based on both coolanttemperature sensor signals of actualcoolant temperature, and software thatuses engine operating conditions to de-termine what the coolant temperature

should be. Removing a defective ther-mostat is tough; it’s under the intakemanifold, which must be removed.

The serpentine ribbed belt takes acomplex route, so it requires three idlerpulleys, one of which incorporates thetensioner and a hydraulic damper.

There are conventional precut gas-kets except for the joints between thelower and upper timing case covers,which have a liquid, cure-in-placesealant. But forget the “squeeze out abead of RTV” stuff. The parts are firstbolted together, then the specialsealant is injected into a groove in thegasket surface through a zerk fitting(with excess extruding from an open-ing at the end of the cover). This novel

system previously has been used on afew low-volume performance cars.

VW/Audi has used CAN for a longtime, and the VW powertrain is no ex-ception. However, diagnostic informa-tion for 2003 was not available at presstime.

MERCEDES-BENZThe E-Class is a key product (25% ofsales) in the Mercedes lineup, and the2003 edition pulls some importanttechnology from the much more ex-pensive SL roadster. Although the base

engine is a 221-hp version of the 3.2LV6, the V8 is the 302-hp 5.0L, replac-ing the 275-hp 4.3L engine.

The braking system is the electron-ic/hydraulic system pioneered by theSL. It has an electrically operated hy-draulic pump and a high-pressure ac-cumulator, so the brake lines are al-ways charged with enough pressure forpeak brake application. A computeroperates modulator valves that open toactually control brake pressure to eachwheel. This system has sophisticatedsensing to ensure straight-line brakingunder virtually all conditions. Normallythe brake pedal is just one of the sen-sors but, if necessary, it can work withthe hydraulic system to the front

28 December 2002

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTS

If the chartat right ismissing,please

circle #9on theProduct

InformationCard onpage 65.

If the chartat right ismissing,please

circle #9on theProduct

InformationCard onpage 65.

The label on the passenger side of the Infiniti G35 sedan warns against usingother than Type J fluid in rear-drive, five-speed automatic transmissions.

Ph

oto:

Pa

ul W

eiss

ler

wheels to serve as a backup in case ofan electronic/electrical failure.

The V8 model also comes with Air-matic Dual Control (optional on theV6), an electronically controlled airsuspension system. Sensors monitorroad conditions, driving style and cor-nering forces to adjust the air springsand shocks continuously.

Dual control means the electronicscan vary the pressure both in the airspring and the shock valving, depend-

ing on road conditions and corneringforces. That makes it very close tosemiactive suspension.

The CLK sport coupe is an imagevehicle (not that Mercedes needs animage boost). But its no-visible-B-pillarprofile is a rarity for such a safety-con-scious company. However, there arepartial B-pillars out of sight that pro-vide good side-impact protection. A215-hp version of the 3.2 V6 is the baseengine, the 302-hp, 5.0L V8 optional.

Although Mercedes has used CANfor powertrain and other controls sincethe late 1980s, MOTOR was told thatthe 2003 models still have the ISO-standard diagnostics. So a generic scantool should display trouble codes andserial data for OBD II.

JAGUARThe Jaguar S-Type gets a majorfreshening up, primarily under thehood. The 4.0L V8 has been stroked,

37December 2002

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTS

The Infiniti G35 is a new model designed to compete with European sports sedans and coupes. Both the sedan andcoupe are rear-drive models powered by the 3.5L V6, but with different horsepower and torque numbers.

The Nissan Murano is based on the Altima platform, but it has sport/ute characteristics. The transmision is a CVT thathandles more torque than any other, from the 3.5L V6 (240 hp, 246 ft-lb). The CVT’s torque transfer coupling is similarto the electronically controlled multiclutch design seen on the Acura MDX.

so the square engine (3.39x3.39 inch-es) goes long-stroke (to 3.56 inches),increasing displacement to 4.2 liters.This, along with continuously variablevalve timing, boosts torque from 287to 303 ft-lb and horsepower from 281to 294. Almost 90% of the torque isavailable from fast idle on. The 4.2V8 is more than just a longer strokeand the variable cam timing. Thecylinder heads were reworked andthere’s a new exhaust manifold. Andin its recent (largely successful) questfor upper-rung quality, Jaguar re-designed the gaskets and surfaces forbetter oil sealing.

The 3.0 V6 actually has 5 lesshorsepower and ft-lb of torque (235hp, 216 ft-lb), but 0-to-60 times are ahalf-second better than the 2002(about 7.3 to 7.5 seconds). Fuzzymath? No. The new engine also getsvariable valve timing, the intake man-ifold is smaller for better driveability

and the three-stage intake system iscalibrated for improved driveabilityand acceleration.

For those who want more perfor-mance than even the new V8 can de-liver, there’s a supercharged R modelthat offers 390 hp and 399 ft-lb oftorque, and a 0-to-60 time of 5.3 sec-onds.

The S-Type also becomes the firstso-called midluxury car to get a six-speed automatic, introduced just acouple of months earlier on the con-siderably more expensive BMW 7-Se-ries. And the S-Type, like the LincolnLS, has an electronically controlledparking brake.

The car gets a magnesium cross-car beam, which provides a solidstructure for the dashboard/cowlarea. Does its size impact underdashservice? We’re sure MOTOR readerseventually will let us know.

Jaguar’s S-Type has high-speed

CAN, Ford’s first U.S.-market prod-uct with the network for powertraincontrol. It even has a fiber-optic net-work called D2B (digital data bus) forthe radio, audio, navigation and cellphone systems. However, all the datafrom CAN and D2B go through elec-tronic gateway modules, which trans-late. So for now, all the diagnosticsare conventional OBD II—eitherISO 9141 or Ford’s SCP (StandardCorporate Protocol).

SAABCan the 9-3 restore sales volume tothe Saab lineup? The new modelgoes up against the BMW 3-Series,Audi A4 and Volvo S60, three potentcompetitors. It’s powered by two tur-bo versions of the 2.0L four—a low-pressure turbo that produces 175 hpand a high-output version that devel-ops 210 ponies.

A five-speed auto is available, but

38 December 2002

TECH PREVIEW: THE 2003 IMPORTS

An electronically controlled cooling system thermostat on VW’s W8 engine is opened and allowed to close bycomputer, which can operate a thermostat heater. The computer uses signals from the coolant tempera-ture sensor on the radiator. The thermostat is located under the intake manifold, so it’s tough to reach.

Heating Resistor

WaxThermocouple

Lifting Pin

“real drivers” will pick a five-speedmanual (with the 175-hp engine) or asix-speed manual with the 210.

Saabs are known for their so-calledintelligent quirks—things that Saabdoes differently that show realthought. For example, when the wash-er fluid level is low, the headlampwashers are deactivated to save fluidfor the windshield. When the 9-3 istraveling under 12 mph and thewipers are on delay, there’s an extrasweep every eight seconds to clearresidual streaks. And if the driver hitsthe wiper stalk once with the keyfobpulled out, the wipers park vertically,making it easier to position a wind-shield cover or free frozen blades.

The 9-3 has GM’s application ofCAN diagnostics, using the CANdimodule for the Tech 2, as describedfor Saturn Ion in these pages lastmonth. The info/entertainment sys-tem has a fiber-optic network, using

the European standard called MOST(see MOTOR’s July 2001 report onmultiplexing). Info/entertainment in-cludes audio, navigation, warningmessages on the instrument panel,OnStar and any remote devices com-patible with the Bluetooth communi-cations standard.

SUBARUThe Subaru Baja is really an Outbackwith a stubby “pickup bed” and a pass-through opening into the rear of thefour-door model. Under the hood,though, is still the familiar four-cylin-der powertrain.

MAZDAThe Mazda 6 invariably outperformsits “raw numbers.” The base engine isa 160-hp version of the 2.3L four,which is similar to, but more powerfulthan, the ones in the California FordFocus and Ford Ranger. Mazda devel-

oped the engine with this car in mind,however, in which it develops 160 hp.The Ford 3.0 Duratec V6, which de-velops 220 hp, is optional. What makesa Mazda just feel better on the roadthan its performance numbers mightsuggest? How about extra-rigid brakecalipers and fluid lines and a zero-lossvacuum brake booster as an example.

So that’s what you have to look for-ward to—technologically speaking—inthe 2003 imports. The carmakers con-tinue to up the ante with new vehicledesigns and features, and we’ll contin-ue to provide you with the informationyou’ll need to keep them running, longafter the warranty has timed out.

39December 2002

The new Mercedes E-Class has an electrohydraulic braking system, first seen on the SL. Computer-controlled modulator valves provide straight-line braking under almost all conditions, and the frontsystem can be applied manually as a safety backup in case of electronics failure.

Visit www.motor.com todownload a free copy of this

article. Copies are also availableby sending $3 for each copy to:

Fulfillment Dept., MOTOR Magazine,5600 Crooks Rd., Troy, MI 48098.

EngineInteriorDISTRONIC

Front Left Brake Front Right Brake Rear Left Brake

Pedal-travelSimulator

Rear Right Brake