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Glossary
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Euro-Glossary
AAR: Automatic air recirculation, senses the quality of air being drawn into the passenger compartment and temporarily closes off the intakes if required. ABC: Active Body Control, an electro-hydraulic suspension control system introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1999, to reduce body-roll during cornering, while keeping a supple ride. Since then has been emulated by others, with various names. ABS: German initials for anti-blocking-system, now universally used for anti-lock brakes. By rapidly releasing and re-applying brake pressure, ABS prevents total brake lock-up in emergency situations, minimizing stopping distances while retaining steering control. A/C: Air-conditioning, cools and dries the incoming air for improved comfort in the summer heat and improved demisting in the damp of winter. ACD: Active Centre Differential. The differential control used between the front and rear wheels on Mitsubishi’s Evo VII, to optimize four-wheel drive power-split when driven hard. Again, other manufacturers have their own versions. ACIS: Acoustic Control Induction System. Lexus’s system for varying the length of the intake air’s path, in set steps depending on engine speed and throttle opening. The result is to improve intake efficiency and therefore improve low to medium speed flexibility. Other manufacturers have similar systems under other names. ALR: Automatic locking retractor, Also known as emergency locking retractor (ELR). Most seat belts have an emergency locking retractor where the webbing can be pulled out freely in normal use, but locks in the event of a crash. Automatic locking means that, once pulled out, slack is taken-up by a locking ratchet mechanism. ALR helps when installing child restraints using inertia reel belts. Where both ELR and ALR are available you will either have to pull the webbing all the way out or operate a switch to change from one mode to the other. ASSYST: Mercedes-Benz’s variable service interval system. Auto: Automatic transmission, no clutch and no manual selection of gears. You simply select 'drive' and press the accelerator – the transmission automatically selects the most appropriate gear ratio based on load, throttle position and road speed. Engine power is transmitted to the road wheels via a device called a torque converter, a sort of fluid filled clutch that allows the car to stop in 'drive' without stalling the engine. AWD: All-wheel drive, most cars are two-wheel drive with the engine driving through either the front wheels or the rear wheels. Driving all the wheels (four-wheel drive) gives improved traction off-road or in snow/ice but at the expense of increased fuel consumption. AYC: Active Yaw Control, as
used by Mitsubishi on later Evo models to sense and inhibit excessive understeer
or oversteer - or yaw. A form of stability control by any other name. BIK: Benefit in Kind taxation. The tax imposed on company car users for the notional value of being supplied with a car. Complex scale takes into account value of car, mileage driven and emissions rating. Brake Assist: increasingly
common system which senses emergency brake applications and artificially
produces maximum braking effort CATS: Computer Active Technology Suspension. Jaguar’s sophisticated, electronically-controlled variable damping system, which responds to feedback from road and car to enhance ride comfort while optimising body control. CBC: Conering brake control, A refinement facilitated by ABS, CBC allows you to brake while cornering with the electronics controlling brake effort at each wheel for improved stability. C/C: Cruise control, you set the speed you want to maintain and the system automatically adjusts engine power to maintain that speed. You can override the system at any time by braking or accelerating. CD-ROM: Compact Disc-Read Only Memory. Until the arrival of DVD, the favoured option for storing large amounts of data, from music to digital maps for navigation systems. CO2 Emissions: official figures for the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by an engine under a specific test cycle, and quoted in grammes per kilometre. The lower the figure the better, for the environment and for the tax band related to it. COMAND: Mercedes-Benz’s combined navigation and audio system. CONNECT: Fiat’s new generation multi-functional control, information and communications system, introduced on the Stilo CRDI: Common rail direct diesel injection, With conventional diesel engines fuel is fed at low pressure to the injectors where it is pressurized and squirted into a combustion prechamber. With common rail, the fuel is fed to the injectors via a common pipe (the rail) at enormous pressure and the 'injectors' simply act like valves, opening and closing to allow fuel directly into the combustion chamber. Common rail allows much more precise control of fuel injection giving reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions and improved performance and reduced noise/vibration. CRS: Child-restraint system, a general term for a child's car seat, booster cushion and booster seat. CVT: Continuously Variable Transmission, an increasingly popular form of automatic transmission which has either no steps at all (unlike a ‘conventional’ automatic) or a number of fixed steps with steplessly variable ratios between them. DDI: Diesel direct injection, diesel fuel is squirted directly into the combustion chamber at extreme pressure. Allows more sophisticated control giving much improved performance, fuel efficiency and noise/vibration. DIN: Deutsches Institut für Normung - the German Institute for Standardization, similar to BSI, British Standards Institute, or the US ANSI. Widely used in motor industry for everything from horsepower ratings to the standard-sized slots for your audio. DME: Digital motor electronics, another name for Electronic Engine Management that controls ignition, fuel injection and other systems for optimum performance, emissions control and efficiency. DOHC: double overhead camshafts, one each for inlet and exhaust valves, and normal wear for most high performance engines. Drive-by-Wire throttle: throttle control by a system of electrical or electronic signals and sensors rather than by the conventional mechanical linkage of rods or cables. DSC: Dynamic Stability Control. Another of the descriptions used for a system which uses a combination of sensors to interpret what the vehicle is doing in corners, and a combination of reducing the power and selectively applying gentle braking to restore stability. DSP: Digital Sound Processing. Leading edge control for audio output, controlling every variable from sound balance to ‘ambience’, even automatically adapting to the number of people in the car. DSTC: Dynamic stability and traction control system, Combines electronic stability control and traction control. Traction control adjusts engine power and sometimes applies brake force to limit the amount the driven wheels can slip when you try to accelerate hard. Stability control senses steering wheel input and car body movement to detect the onset of sliding or spinning. Automatically applies braking effort to individual wheels and adjusts engine power to restore stability. DVD: Digital Versatile Disk (or
Digital Video Disk). To date, the most concentrated way of storing information
on a CD-like disk. Features vastly more capacity and faster accessibility than
CD, and can store everything from music to film to Europe-wide SatNav data.
EBD: Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, a system for balancing braking effort between front and rear wheels, mainly to prevent the rear wheels from locking up as weight transfers forwards - to retain stability and control during hard-braking on poor surfaces. EC official fuel consumption figures: Urban, Extra Urban and Combined - but what do they actually mean? The Urban cycle is performed from a cold start, with a series of accelerations, decelerations and periods of steady speed running and engine idling. The maximum speed attained is 31mph, with an average of 12mph. The Extra-Urban cycle is performed immediately after the Urban test. Approximately half comprises steady-speed driving, the rest is a series of accelerations, decelerations and engine idling. Maximum speed is 75mph, average is 39mph, over a distance of 4.3 miles. The Combined figure is an average of the other two, weighted to take into account the different distances covered in those tests. ECC: Electronic climate control, Automatically maintains a preset temperature within the car by either cooling or heating the incoming air. Some models allow you to set two different temperature zones, one for the driver and one for the passenger. ECT: Electronically Controlled Transaxle. Lexus’s four-speed automatic transmission, plus variable four-wheel drive functions, as used in the RX300 off-roader. The driver doesn’t have to do anything, the system automatically sends power where it’s usable. Others have similar systems, or mechanical alternatives. ECU: Electronic Control Unit. Also known as electronic engine management: The modern, integrated, solid-state electronic way of controlling functions such as fuel metering and delivery, and ignition. Embedded ‘mapping’ and microsecond responses to information from a series of sensors allows the management to provide optimum settings for all conditions at all times. EFI: Electronic Fuel Injection. Nowadays by far the most common way of getting fuel into a petrol engine. EGR: Exhaust Gas Recirculation. A system which recirculates a proportion of exhaust gas back into the combustion chamber, to lower combustion temperatures and reduce emissions, particularly of harmful oxides of nitrogen. ENCAP: European New Car Assessment Programme. The stringent European vehicle testing programme whose safety ratings are topped by the much sought after five stars. American NCAP is the North American equivalent. EON: Enhanced Other Networks. Radio function which will sense loss of signal for selected station and if it cannot find another version of same station will find next best broadcasting similar content - such as news, popular music, classical music, talk, or whatever. ESP: Electronic Stability Programme. Systems which typically use a series of sensors to analyse a vehicle’s cornering stability, and where necessary reduce power and/or selectively apply gentle braking (using the ABS system) to correct understeer or oversteer and restore the intended cornering line. Famously added to the A-Class by Mercedes-Benz after the ‘elk-test’ controversy, but most sporty manufacturers have a version by one name or another. FHC: Fixed-head coupé, coupé describes a car with two doors and two seats. A fixed-head coupé has a roof that you can't fold down or remove. FSH: Full service history, evidence of servicing according to manufacturer's service schedule plus MOT certificates, repair invoices and other documents giving a comprehensive view of the way the car has been used and maintained. FSI: Fuel Stratified Injection. Volkswagen’s first version of petrol direct injection, for improved power with reduced consumption and reduced emissions - but like similar technology is fuel sensitive, in that it needs ultra-low sulphur content. 4WD: Four wheel drive, most cars are two-wheel drive with the engine driving through either the front wheels or the rear wheels. Driving all the wheels (all-wheel drive) gives improved traction off-road or in snow/ice but at the expense of increased fuel consumption. 4WS: Four-wheel steering, the rear wheels are turned electronically to give improved stability and manoeuvrability. At higher speeds the wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels. At low speeds the wheels turn in the same direction.
Gatso: common name for the most common roadside speed cameras, named after former rally driver Maurice Gatsonides, who invented the system, ironically to help him practice where he could go faster. GDi: Gasoline Direct injection. A highly efficient petrol injection method originally devised by Mitsubishi (some way ahead of VW’s FSI and others), which improves both power and economy by using different combustion modes for different engine load conditions, and by varying injection timing. GPS: Global Positioning System. The use of satellite-generated information to calculate a vehicle’s precise position, usually to within a few feet, almost anywhere. The essential reference point for satellite navigation systems.
HDC: Hill Descent Control. Land Rover’s system for automatically limiting the speed of a four-wheel drive vehicle on steep downhill terrain, by electronically controlling throttle and brakes. HDPE: High Density Polyethylene. A modern, lightweight, high strength composite material which can be moulded into complex shapes such as space-saving fuel tanks. Hybrid fuel: a new generation of high-efficiency, low-emissions vehicles typically combining a small petrol or diesel engine with electric motors, used interactively. Sophisticated electronics are used to control which element is providing more power at any time (depending on road conditions and how the car is being driven) and to use engine power or braking energy to recharge electrical batteries. i-Drive: BMW’s controversial multi-function control system, introduced on the new 7-Series. Motoring equivalent of a computer mouse, i-Drive selects functions displayed on information screen, and operates numerous systems through a combination of compass-directional movements, twists and ‘clicks’. Intelligent Cruise Control: Also known as Adaptive Cruise Control. Combines the functions of c ruise control to maintain a set speed, plus distance sensing to reduce that speed if necessary - for instance, if approaching slower traffic on a motorway. IDI: Indirect diesel injection, rather than being squirted directly into the combustion chamber, the fuel is injected into a pre-chamber. Now largely overtaken by common rail direct injection (CRDI) giving more precise control of fuel injection, reduced fuel consumption, reduced emissions, improved performance and reduced noise/vibration. See also common rail direct injection. I/R/S - Independent rear suspension, this means that each rear wheel is mounted and able to move in isolation from the other wheel. This type of suspension can improve comfort and handling compared with dependent or linked rear suspension where both rear wheels are attached to a common axle. ISOFIX: ISO is the International Organization for Standardization, and ISOFIX is the name for its standard, built-in, fitting for a child restraint system, or child seat restraint system.
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display. Thin-screen display technology which is far more compact than older types and is used for most in-car information systems, including SatNav and TV. LED: Light Emitting Diodes. Super-compact, high intensity, fast reacting light source, used for many things from alarm system indicators to high-intensity stoplights. litres/100km: the metric way of expressing fuel consumption. To convert the metric figure to miles per gallon, take 282.5 and divide by the figure for litres/100km. To convert mpg to litres per 100km, divide 282.5 by the miles per gallon figure. LPG/Dual Fuel: Liquified Petroleum Gas as an alternative fuel to petrol or diesel - or in Dual Fuel mode, as a switchable ‘part-time’ alternative depending on conditions or availability. LSD: Limited slip differential, the engine drives the gearbox, the gearbox drives the differential and the differential drives the wheels. The term differential comes from the fact that it has to allow the driven wheels to turn at different speeds – as you go round a corner the outer wheel travels further so has to turn faster than the inside. When driving off-road this 'slip' can result in a complete loss of traction if one driven wheel leaves the road or can't gain grip. A limited slip differential allows slip in normal driving but locks the drive shafts when excessive slip is detected.
MD: Mini Disc. Another alternative to CD, smaller, with similar storage capacity, but almost exclusively used for audio function. MET paint: Metallic paint, metallics hold their value better than cars with a flat finish. MPV: Multi Purpose Vehicle. Or more commonly, people carrier. MRRP: Manufacturer’s Recommended Retail Price. Just what it says, but nowadays, always feel free to haggle. . . Multi-function steering wheel: It does what it says on the packet - depending on whose it is, it might carry controls for the audio system, cruise control, satellite navigation, telephone, or more. NCSR: New Car Security Rating. The truth about how easy your car is to break into, and to drive away, in figures. NVH: Noise, Vibration and Harshness. Every engineer spends design and testing time trying to eliminate them, every road tester spends just as much time listening and feeling for what they missed. OBC: On-board computer. They’ve come a long way from the days of average speed and outside temperature. Now look for estimated times of arrival, overall and intermediate fuel consumptions, range remaining, time to next service, whatever you want to know. OCD: Occupant detection systems, a feature of advanced airbag protection systems. If the system can detect that there's no front seat passenger present then the airbag won't deploy in a crash. If the system can determine the size and position of the occupant then the deployment of the airbag can be tailored to give maximum protection. OHC: Overhead camshaft, A camshaft is a revolving rod with offset lobes that open and close valves allowing air into the combustion chamber and exhaust gases out. These shafts run across the top of the engine above (overhead) the valves. OHV: Overhead valve, valves allow air into the combustion chamber and exhaust gases out. Overhead valves run above the engine. OTR: On The Road prices, to include all taxes, including the initial period of road tax, plus delivery and even number plates - much of which used to be tacked on as extras to the ‘list’ price. Paddle-shift: ‘one-touch’ gearshift controls more usually (but not always) found on high-performance or at least sporty cars. Echoes F1 use of small levers behind steering wheel sequentially controlling up or down shifts through clever electronics, with protection against making inappropriate changes. Can be mated to either full automatic gearboxes or clutchless manual ones, and some manufacturers perform similar tricks with buttons rather than ‘paddles’. PAB: Power-assisted brakes, All braking systems are 'assisted' so that the pressure you apply with your foot on the brake is magnified by a device called a servo using engine vacuum. PAS: Power Assisted Steering. No longer a luxury item, now likely to have variable levels of assistance depending on road speed, and can be electrically powered as well as the traditional hydraulic type. PDC: Park Distance Control. Sensors look for obstacles, audible or visible signals (or both) tell you you’re getting close, or too close. Platform: in engineering speak, what used to be called the chassis - typically the basic floor and suspension pick-ups on which the car is built. And the same platform might be the basis for closely related cars with subtly different badges within the same manufacturing group. It’s good to share, sharing cuts costs. PRND: traditional layout of automatic gearshifts - Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive. Always likely to have L for Low (or 3,2,1) slots too, now likely to have + and - one-touch option as well. RDS: Radio Data System: Dual FM receiver layout in which one receiver provides a signal for the chosen station while the other continuously searches for a frequency providing a stronger signal for the same station. Can also display the names of all receivable stations, in order of signal strength. Recon engine: Reconditioned engine, a used engine that has been dismantled, checked and reassembled with some new parts. Worn surfaces will normally be reground/machined and new bearings fitted though the extent of re-manufacturing varies between suppliers. SatNav: Satellite Navigation. GPS tells you where you are, SatNav tells you how to get to where you’re going next, normally by using detailed mapping information stored on either CD or DVD, and giving either audible or visible instructions, or both. SBC: Sensotronic Braking Control. Mercedes-Benz’s innovative ‘brake by wire’ electro-hydraulic braking system - a world’s first as fitted to the latest SL, but still with a conventional safety net. SIPS: Side-impact protection system, a system developed by Volvo to give increased protection in side impact. It combines reinforcement of the door and B-pillar with side airbags and structural members running across the car that direct the crash forces away from the occupants. Seatbelt pretensioners: spring loaded or possibly powered by a tiny explosive charge, and controlled by sensors, pretensioners instantaneously reel in any seatbelt slack in the event of an accident, to hold the occupant firmly back in their seat. Selespeed: Fiat’s variation on the theme of automatically controlled manual gearbox, offering electronically powered shifts without the use of a conventional clutch pedal. In theory, the efficiency and performance benefits of a manual gearbox with the two-pedal convenience of a true automatic. SMG: Sequential Manual Gearbox. BMW’s take on the same theme. SOHC: Single Overhead Camshaft. One camshaft to operate both inlet and exhaust valves, so simpler than DOHC, but usually less sporty. Space-saver spare: the skinny high-pressure wheel and tyre combination that takes up far less boot space than a full-sized spare wheel, but only to get you as far as a replacement for the punctured real tyre, and at limited speed. SPECS: infra-red speed cameras. You won’t see the flash, so you’ll hardly know you’re nicked. SRS: Secondary, supplementary or safety restraint system, when airbags were first introduced they were referred to by some manufacturers as secondary or supplementary to the normal seat belt which was considered the primary restraint. Safety restraint system refers to the combination of belts, bags, pre-tensioners and any other devices designed to hold and protect the driver and passengers. STC: Stability and traction-control system, combines electronic stability control and traction control. Traction control adjusts engine power and sometimes applies brake force to limit the amount the driven wheels can slip when you try to accelerate hard. Stability control senses steering wheel input and car body movement to detect the onset of sliding or spinning. Automatically applies braking effort to individual wheels and adjusts engine power to restore stability. SUV: Sport Utility Vehicle. Usually a 4x4, sometimes a go-anywhere estate car, or nowadays perhaps a ‘lifestyle’ pick-up. Or create your own crossover from any or all of the above. TA: Traffic Announcements (or TP, Traffic Programme). Interrupts normal programme with broadcast traffic information. TDi: Turbo-diesel injection/Turbo-direct injection, a turbocharger is a fan driven by the flow of exhaust gases that forces more air into the engine's cylinders. More air means that more fuel can be burned giving a significant increase in power and performance. TFT: Thin Film Transistor technology. Overlaying an LCD display, the wafer-thin pressure-sensing TFT film allows touch-screen control of multiple functions. Thatcham Category 1: Top of the shop for security ratings, with implications for insurance groups, as laid down by the British Insurance Industry’s Criteria for Vehicle Security. The Motor Insurance Research Centre at Thatcham, in Berkshire, is where all locking, alarm and immobiliser systems (plus much more) are independently evaluated and rated. Traction Control: increasingly common system for high performance cars which senses the onset of wheelspin under hard acceleration and gently backs off the power to regain traction. TNT: Taxed and tested, the car has current road tax and an MoT certificate. TPMS: Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. Increasingly common system for continuously checking individual tyre pressures while vehicle is being driven. If system sense a decrease in pressure which may signal the start of a serious tyre deflation, it gives an audible and/or visual warning to enable the driver to slow down or stop. Transponder key: the sort of thing that Thatcham loves, and helped to push the development of. The key talks electronically to the car, with complexly coded signals from embedded chips. If key and car don’t recognise each other, no-one is going anywhere. VIN: Visible Identification Numbers. Another front-line security safeguard. Individual coded numbers for each car are etched or stamped onto numerous components, from bodyshell to windscreen and side windows to major mechanical assemblies. They can be seen without taking the car to pieces - in some cases without so much as opening the bonnet - and they’re very difficult to disguise or change. Vtec: Honda-speak for variable valve timing, and shorthand among enthusiasts for engines with exceptional top-end fizz. VVT-i: Variable Valve Timing - intelligent. this time the Lexus acronym, their spin on variable valve timing, and how it’s controlled. WHIPS: Whiplash protection system, Volvo's solution to reduce the risk and severity of whiplash injuries if your car's hit from behind. The movement of the seat back and head restraint are controlled to reduce the load on the neck and the amount of movement. Xenon/Bi-Xenon: the 21st century equivalent of halogen headlamps, the bright ones of their generation. High-intensity discharge Xenon produces more than twice as much light as a halogen system. Zetec: Ford’s front-line performance-enhancing engine technology, and by extension the badge for Ford’s sportier alternatives. |