July 7, 2008 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 19

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Temperature

We develop and manufac-

ture a diverse selection of

charge air hoses and lines,

smooth or corrugated,

for temperatures ranging

from –40°C to +210°C in

cars and up to +260°C in

commercial vehicles.

ContiTech development responsibility in automotive engineering Fluid Technology

Mündener Gummiwerk GmbH

D-34346 Hann. Münden

Phone +49 5541 701-0

Fax +49 5541 70 13 33

Responsibility for devel-

opment is the sign of the

times! The Fluid Technology

business unit is development

partner and original equipment

manufacturer for the automotive

industry and promotes customer-

and systems-oriented cooperation

in the form of simultaneous engineering,

resident engineering and key account

management. This allows us to create innovative

solutions. Straight and curved hoses, hose lines

and coupling systems for safe, comfortable and

earth-friendly mobility.

ContiTech Fluid Technology –

the connecting force

www.contitech-online.com/sy

One of the distinctive features on the second-generation Skoda Superbis its so-called Twindoor liftgate system. German supplier Edscha wascontacted by Skoda three years ago to create the system, which lets aperson open either the trunk lid or the entire liftgate. Alternating

between those settings is made possible by two switches on the edgeof the truck lid. The system was developed at Edscha’s Czech Republicplant, where the part is also produced. Hella provides the Superb’soptional adaptive front light system, which can be altered to provide

better visibility depending on driving conditions. At 90kph and above,a car’s light beam is raised to increase the stretch of illuminated road.

Steven Wingett

Edscha gives new Skoda Superb a trunk with a new twist

SHOCK ABSORBER BOOTS:CONTITECH

SOUND SYSTEM AMPLIFIER:BLAUPUNKT, LEAR

FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY:KAUTEX TEXTRON

SIDE MEMBER:TOWER AUTOMOTIVE

REAR AXLE BUSHING:TRELLEBORG AUTOMOTIVE

COLUMN & I-SHAFT:THYSSENKRUPP PRESTA STEERING

PISTONS:FEDERAL-MOGUL, MAHLE

COOLANT HOSES:TEKLAS KAUCUK

STEEL SHEETS FOR REINFORCEMENTS:U.S. STEEL KOSICE

SEAT MECHANISMS:FAURECIA

EXTERIOR TRIM CAPPINGS:DURA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS

DOOR PANEL PLASTIC:DOW AUTOMOTIVE

LICENSE PLATE LAMP:HELLA

WINDOW REGULATORS:ARVINMERITOR

WHEELS:ATS LEICHTMETALLRÄDER, UNIWHEELS

REAR CALIPERS:TRW AUTOMOTIVE

IP REGISTERS:OLHO

GEAR SHIFT:EISSMANN GROUP AUTOMOTIVE

STABILIZERS:THYSSENKRUPP BILSTEIN SUSPENSION

CARPET FASTENERS:EMHART TEKNOLOGIES

ANTENNA:LAIRD TECHNOLOGIES

FRONT BRAKE PADS:HONEYWELL TS FRICTION MATERIALS

TWIN-DOOR LIFTGATE SYSTEM:EDSCHA

SEAT PADS:F.S. FEHRER AUTOMOTIVE

WINDSHIELD:SAINT-GOBAIN SEKURIT

PD-HOSE FOR AC LOOP:MAFLOW

A/C COMPRESSOR:DENSO, SANDEN

ROOF DAMPING:STANKIEWICZ

DOOR PANELS:CADENCE INNOVATION

ENGINE ENCAPSULATION:CARCOUSTICS

DIESEL INJECTION SYSTEM:BOSCH

A-PILLAR GLASS BONDING:SIKA

PASSENGER AIRBAG:AUTOLIV

COUPLING [AWD VERSION]:HALDEX

CYLINDER BLOCK:EISENWERK BRUEHL

CRANKCASE VENTILATION TUBE SYSTEM:NORMA

DAMPER [1.8L TSI]:WINKELMANN POWERTRAIN COMPONENTS

CRANKSHAFTS:THYSSENKRUPP FORGING GROUP

RADIATORS:VALEO

STEERING COLUMN MODULES:KOSTAL

SUN VISOR PVC:BENECKE-KALIKO

DOOR CABLES:FICOSA DOOR AND SEAT SYSTEMS BU

STAMPINGS AND ASSEMBLIES:WAGON AUTOMOTIVE

ABS, ESC:CONTINENTAL

REAR LAMPS:MAGNETI MARELLI

TRANSMISSION COVERS:AB SKF, SKF SEALING SOLUTIONS

HEAT SHIELDS:LYDALL GERHARDI

FRONT HEAD RESTRAINT:GRAMMER

SIDE AIRBAG:TAKATA-PETRI

OUTSIDE MIRROR:MAGNA

DOME LAMP:CML INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Suppliers wanted: If you are a supplier and have questions or want your information considered for our cutaway features, contact Steven Wingett at automotivenews@supplierbusiness.com.

Car Cutaway

Magna eyes growth strategy:Powertrain-driveline modules

Robert Sherefkin Automotive News Europe

DETROIT �Magna International hasa new plan to package powertrainsand drivelines and sell them to glob-al automakers.

The Canadian company has a newtop executive for Magna Powertrain:Joachim Hirsch, who was given glob-al responsibility to exe-cute the strategy. He saysdemand for fuel efficien-cy will open new oppor-tunities for Magna.

Now Magna, of Auro-ra, Ontario, mainly sellsparts for engines, trans-missions, driveshaftsand other driveline com-ponents separately.

To succeed, Magnawill have to persuademany automakers tosubcontract engines,transmissions, drive-shafts and axles. The automakershave considered these parts core totheir identities.

“There will be significant changesin areas of what is core,” Hirsch, 56,told Automotive News Europe. He wasnamed president of Magna Power-train on April 25.

Magna does not sell engines now,but Hirsch said the company couldbuy and build more engine parts.

Hirsch, who is based in suburbanDetroit, brings a private equity disci-pline to the job. He entered privateequity in 2003 and by 2007 was CEOof Teksid Aluminum. He then soldsome Teksid assets.

Earlier, he was CEO of Textron Fas-

tening Systems and chief operatingofficer of Magna Europe. Hirsch,who was born and educated in Ger-many, returned to Magna in Septem-ber 2007.

One of his first tests looms atChrysler, longtime a major Magnacustomer. The automaker is decidingwhether to continue manufacturingand assembling gears, axles and oth-

er driveline parts or turnthe work over to suppli-ers such as Magna,American Axle & Manu-facturing Holdings orothers.

“We play in most ofthose fields already,”Hirsch says. “We arestronger in some andweaker in others. We aremoving from the com-ponents to the systems.That is our vision.”

Magna is a major Euro-pean driveline supplier.

Less complete are its North Americanoperations, which include four-wheeland all-wheel-drive systems, transfercases, manual transaxles, axle modulesand transmission parts. Magna is hir-ing former General Motors andChrysler powertrain engineers to de-velop design capabilities, says a sourcefamiliar with the changes.

Hirsch is re-examining MagnaPowertrain’s portfolio to decide whatgoes and what stays. When Magnalacks an expertise or technology, thecompany will acquire it or find a part-ner to get it. With gasoline priceshigh, Hirsch says he expects a bigmarket shift out of 4wd SUVs andpickups to awd cars. ANE

Hirsch expects MagnaPowertrain to buy andbuild more engine parts.

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