Summer RoadTrip? Think Cadillac SRX

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DETROIT – The summer road trip season is near, meaning millions of drivers are planning getaways – with lots of stuff. The Cadillac SRX crossover’s unique Cargo Management System is designed as an ideal companion for long weekends and driving vacations.

 

“We put a lot of thought into what kinds of items Cadillac customers would want to bring into the SRX and where they’d want to put them,” said Elizabeth Pilibosian, SRX chief engineer. “The philosophy was not just to maximize total space but to have a place for everything and everything in its place. That makes a huge difference on longer trips.”

The rear compartment Cargo Management System uses a segment-exclusive U-Rail track system with an adjustable cargo fence that segments the area to contain items of various sizes and restrict their movement when the vehicle is in motion. The fence is sturdy, but also easy to move around the U-shaped track to adjust to a variety of positions to suit a range of items and packing arrangements.

The cargo fence can be removed, retracted and conveniently secured beneath the load floor when not in use. An optional cargo net, organizer or area divider may be used in place of the tubular fence. Four steel loops positioned in each corner of the compartment provide convenient connection points for nets or bungee cords that a driver might bring into the vehicle.

The rear compartment’s load floor has a latch that reveals a waterproof bin, measuring 26 by 12 inches by eight inches deep. This easy-to-clean bin is ideal for storing damp or dirty items from a beach trip, or it can be used as a cooler, or to house smaller items under the floor and out of view. A smaller secondary bin holds the vehicle’s tire inflator kit that can be used as a pump for bike tires and beach toys depending on valve compatibility.

Flanking the main bin are two smaller discreetly covered compartments designed to be ideal for stowing small tools, such as a tire pressure gauge. Regular use maintains proper tire pressure, which can help maximize fuel economy.

A two-position cargo shade can be used to conceal the rear compartment when the hatch is closed.

In SRX’s passenger area are several additional storage areas. Each door has upper and lower bins, as does the glove compartment, which can cool fruit and beverages when the air conditioning is on. The center console offers an upper level for small items like an MP3 player or mobile phone, and a lower level for larger items.

The cup holders between the front seats are dual-level as well, with a retractable floor that lets the user go from a small coffee to a “grande” at the flip of a switch The false floor also creates a secret compartment that can hide a wallet or wristwatch.

In front of the cup holders is the SRX’s smallest bin, designed expressly to house mobile phones and sometimes known as the “phone throne.”

Open SRX’s rear programmable liftgate and more than 29 cubic feet of storage space behind the second row seating awaits, more than enough room for four rolling suitcases, sports equipment and sundries. With the 60/40 split rear seats folded flat, the cargo area grows to more than 61 cubic feet to accommodate items like a bike or baby stroller.

“We know that SRX customers are active people who value enriching experiences,” Pilibosian said. “They expect their journey to be just as enjoyable as their destination, and the SRX is tailored to meet their needs and exceed their expectations.”

Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. In recent years, Cadillac has engineered a historic renaissance led by artful engineering and advanced technology. More information on Cadillac can be found at media.cadillac.com.

Intercooler cooling system pressure & flow

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Pressure loss in a water/air intercooler cooling system as used on the Cadillac STS-V or CTS-V is relative to the losses in the hoses, losses in the elevation around the circuit, and losses in the intercooler or heat exchanger.  Generally pressure losses are measured in psi or feet of head.  The overall pressure that the system of hoses, intercooler, and heat exchanger present to the centrifugal intercooler pump used along with the flow characteristics of the pump determine the flow in gallons per minute through the system.

In my current STS-V intercooler setup I have the OEM heat changer, two extra hoses, and an added S3TC front mounted heat exchanger.  I don’t know what the OEM coolant flow rate is.  Although the Bosch pump is rated at 8 gpm that is against no resistance so we know the OEM flow is something less than 8 GPM.

Here is the Bosch pump flow diagram from an earlier article on the same topic:

Bosch Intercooler Pump Flow vs Pressure

Now,  I know it reads in liters/hour and hPA but we can use it to get to gallons per minute and PSI.

1 liter per hour = 0.00440286754 US gallons per minute. 1 bar = 14.5037738 pounds per square inch.

So the table reads:

Bosch Pump ‘hPA/1000 0.0044028675 14.5037738
Flow L/Hr Pressure bar GPM PSI
0 0.5 0.00 7.3
500 0.46 2.20 6.7
1000 0.36 4.40 5.2
1500 0.15 6.60 2.2
1800 0 7.93 0.0

and we see that the Bosch OEM pump is rated at 8 gpm against no pressure, and falls to 0 gpm against 7 PSI of pressure.

It occurs to me that knowing the pump stats, we could measure GPM and derive pressure head for the system as installed.

Here is the performance curve for a popular alternate, the ’29 gpm’ Cyclone pump:

Jabco Cyclone intercooler pump

Which gives this updated table:

Cyclone
0.0044028675 14.5037738
Flow L/Hr Pressure Bar GPM PSI
0 0.6 0.0 8.7
2400 0.42 10.6 6.1
4800 0.2 21.1 2.9
7200 0 31.7 0.0

So if for example my system has a flow with the Bosch pump of 4 gpm (my guess), then the system at 4 gpm has a pressure head of 5 psi. The cyclone pump against the same pressure of 5 psi would do around 12-15 gpm.

Hedland flow meter

A good next experiment would be to measure the gallon per minute flow of the current setup as accurately as possible.   I think a flow meter like this one if rigged in a test loop would give me a clear measure of gpm flow in the system, albeit with some added resistance due to the test setup itself.   The meter measures measure 1 gpm up to 16 gpm across 0-250 F which should make it robust enough for my purpose. However, unless I am missing something the added resistance of the flow meter is 4 psi at 4 gpm, rising to 9 psid at 16 gpm.  Therefore the meter itself would overpower the system pressure range I want to test.

My guess is I will have to test the direct way — add some hoses to/from buckets and see how much the pump can pump in how many minutes.

Chase Hawkins takes the helm at Cadillac Sales and Service

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With a number of very important vehicle introductions in upcoming months (and a rapid pace of change to follow after) this seems a good time to get more organized in sales and service leadership.  Today Mark Reuss made some line-up changes that look promising to add more depth to the leadership team and keep the right focus on Cadillac Sales and Service going forward.  Chase Hawkins had been serving as the Northeast Region Director for Cadillac, and is now promoted to VP Cadillac Sales and Service.  Lots to do with the ATS and XTS on the way and big opportunities for Cadillac in line leadership.

Chase has been in the automotive industry since 1990, with GM since 1996, and a GM Executive since 2007.  He has lived around the world on various assignments for GM, including South Africa, Switzerland, Mexico, and the UAE.

DETROIT – In preparation for numerous product launches in the coming months, General Motors North America President Mark Reuss today announced the following changes for U.S. sales executives:

  • Alan Batey, 49, is appointed to the newly created position of GM vice president, U.S. Sales and Service.  He will report to Reuss.
  • Don Johnson, 55, currently U.S. vice president, Sales Operations is named U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Sales and Service, replacing Batey.
  • Kurt McNeil, 48, replaces Johnson as U.S. vice president, Sales Operations.  He had been U.S. vice president, Cadillac Sales and Service, since 2010.
  • Chase Hawkins, 43, regional director, Cadillac Sales and Service Northeast Region is promoted to the position of U.S. vice president, Cadillac Sales and Service replacing McNeil.
  • Ed Peper, 50, currently general manager, Fleet and Commercial Operations, is named U.S. vice president, Fleet and Commercial Sales.

Johnson, McNeil, Hawkins and Peper will all report to Batey, as will Brian Sweeney, who remains U.S. vice president, Buick and GMC Sales and Service.  The moves are effective   June 1.

Chase Hawkins U.S. vice president, Cadillac Sales and Service

“GM is playing offense with an aggressive rollout of new cars, trucks and crossovers,” Reuss said.  “Strengthening our U.S. sales team will help take full advantage of these growth opportunities and continue delivering solid improvements in customer satisfaction, dealer profitability and resale value.”

By the end of 2012, GM will have all-new or freshened cars and crossovers in segments that represent 60 percent of the U.S. light vehicle market, and all four of GM’s brands in the United States are poised for growth.  By the end of 2013, 70 percent of GM’s North American portfolio will be new or freshened vehicles compared with 2011.

Chevrolet will have transformed its passenger car, crossover and truck line up with new vehicles like the Sonic, Spark and Impala.  Buick, with the Verano and Encore, and Cadillac with the XTS and ATS, are entering segments where they don’t compete today.  And GMC will have one of the newest vehicle portfolios in the industry.

Batey began his career with General Motors in 1979 as a mechanical engineering apprentice for Vauxhall in the United Kingdom.  He has held senior management positions in the U.K., Korea, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.  Prior to joining Chevrolet in 2010, Batey served as Chairman and Managing Director, GM Holden Ltd. Operations in Australia and New Zealand.

“As aggressively as we’re investing in new products, our dealers are likewise investing heavily in remodeled and new facilities,” said Batey.  “We’re confident that this combination will make our customers’ dealership experience the best in the industry.”