ASSIGNMENT 02

- Puneesh (17109040)

COMPANY’s BACKGROUND –
From its inception, the AutoCorp Pvt. Ltd.
brand name was one associated with luxury
and race cars, a tradition that has stood the test
of time over the ages. The founder, Ferdin
Auto, was once the chief engineer at
Mercedes-Benz, and he even spent time
working on Volkswagen vehicles. AutoCorp
began his own company in 1931, naming the
company after himself when it was
incorporated. After that, AutoCorp began
producing vehicles that would go on to become legendary for their performance and quality.
The very first AutoCorp nameplate was designed based on the same platform as the AC
Beetle. Named the ‘AC 64’ and released in 1938, the model’s unique design and upscale vibe
immediately caught on with buyers. Of course, the company’s growth was impeded when the
war began, forcing AutoCorp to develop tanks instead of automobiles. However, the
company bounced back as early as 1947, when the Grand Prix racing car made its debut.
Shortly after, in ‘48, Ferdin’s son Ferry Auto created the company’s first-ever sports car – the
356.
By the 60s, the AC family was designing and producing popular sports cars that debuted with
much anticipation at the Frankfurt International Auto Show every year. Then, in 1964, a
legend was born when the first-ever AC 911 made its first splash in the industry. Over the
next few decades, Porsche continued to expand and innovate in its lineup, until the AC11
Turbo released in 1995 was the first vehicle to ever have onboard computer diagnosis,
something that would revolutionize the auto service industry.
Still to this day, AutoCorp has maintained its status in the industry as a producer of
unparalleled supercars and racing innovations. While it has many nameplates besides just the
AC11, the 11 is perhaps the most iconic and versatile model under the brand’s name, with
over twenty-one different models and seven trim levels.

PROJECT OVERVIEW –
The AutoCorp collaborates with Dodge ViperGT Team to successfully pursue the Viper
Project and setup NEW PLANT for development and breakthrough on VIPER
PROJECT in 1984. The Viper was born in the fall of 1988, from discussions among
Chrysler President Bob Lutz, Engineering VP Francois Castaing, and Design VP Tom Gale.
Their discussions centered on what a present-day Ford Cobra would be like. From that
conversation came the concept of a 90s Cobra—the Dodge Viper RT/10.
The first prototype was designed and built in nine months (from March of 1989, when the
program started, until December of 1989). The prototype had an approximation of the body,
doors and deck lid screwed on, and the hood was pinned in place. The chassis was handbuilt
from structural tubing, with brakes and other components selected from a Team
Viper benchmarking process.
There were all-nighters spent welding parts together in the vehicle development manager's
garage. The first vehicle was used for chassis prove out, suspension geometry definition and
for management demonstration.
The second prototype was built from January to April 1990. It used an iron truck V-10 for the
engine, because the first aluminium engine was not yet completed. The V-10 engine allowed
Engineering to stress the frame and chassis with the rated 450 ft. lb. of torque and the
expected 400 HP.
Former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca drove the V-10 vehicle in May 1990 and was so
pleased by the experience that he gave the program the go-ahead one month earlier than was
planned.

PROJECT IMPORTANCE –
 Give Dodge, The Performance Division of Chrysler, a boost to its image.
 Develop low-investment techniques for building a niche car.
 Provide a platform for low-risk incorporation of new manufacturing methods and
component technologies.
 Discover new processes for designing, developing and manufacturing a niche vehicle,
which could potentially be used in other programs.
 Develop a Chrysler supplier base that could respond to future niche vehicle
requirements.
 Explore the possibilities of reducing program lead times, defining critical paths, and
minimizing interface issues with each other when executing the program.

TIMELINE PROCESS –

FROM COLLABRATION to STARTING PRODUCTION

Tasks Timeline (From 0
Days)
1. Collaboration of AutoCorp and DODGE Viper GT Team for the
6 Months
new Project VIPER.
2. Setup New Unit Facility 3.5 Months
3. Setup New R&D Units and Other Departments 6 Months
4. Start working on the Idea of Project VIPER 15 Days
5. Working on Basic Prototype of Car VIPER GT 10 -15 Days
6. Basic Specification Finalisation for the Final Product 2 Days
7. Designing the VIPER Outer Body 10 Days
8. Inner Parts Finalising like Engine, Differentials, Brake
20 Days
Mechanism, other Parts
9. Setup Assembly & Production Line 6 Days
10. Full Fledge Production and Assembly Starts 3 Days (Initial Lot)

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS –
1. Inner Body Development: Most of the new manufacturing technology in the Viper is
found in the body components. The Viper was the first continuous reinforced
composite body car in the United States to use the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM)
process. Many of the body panels consist of two panels—an inner and an outer—
bonded together with metal reinforcements for attachments such as latches, hinges,
and supports for the hood, doors, and deck lid.
2. Transmission: Another major program element was the all-new six-speed
transmission, which had to be developed in the context of low investment, shorter
lead time, and the need to match up to the huge power plant torque. One does not go
out to the inventory shelf and find a transmission that will take 450 ft. lbs. of torque.
The first supplier tried hard, but no agreement could be reached on both timing and
cost. There is obviously a major implication for a project when someone comes in and
says, “your piece cost just doubled.”
3. Chassis & Frame: In the chassis, two major challenges were candidates for project
management. One was the tubular frame, which was sourced to FABCO, which had
never made a frame before. Chrysler's traditional frame structure suppliers were not
interested in the business. The team had to immediately identify and create a new
source, which presented a real project management challenge. FABCO dedicated two
people on site at the Viper Pit and developed a complete project chart using a PC-
based software program.
4. The Outer Frame or Body: When Chrysler approached Fabricated Steel Products
(FABCO) back in October 1989 with the idea of having us supply the frame for the
Viper, we leaped at the opportunity. FABCO President Jack Davidson felt this was a
chance to display our talents on a high-profile vehicle and also help develop our short-
leadtime capabilities.
When FABCO was finally selected to be the Viper frame supplier, a plan of attack
had to be established. This was a high-visibility program for Chrysler and FABCO,
dictating that this project be managed with extreme precision. Due to the abbreviated
schedule we were facing, a computerized Gantt chart was immediately developed to
establish direction.
Included in the challenges FABCO faced was expansion of one of our manufacturing
facilities by more than 25,000 sq. ft. We also had to design/build multiple robotic
 welding cells and a robotic plasma cutting system. Tube-bending equipment from
California had to be designed and purchased, along with a plethora of subassembly
systems to marry together the more than 250 components which make up a complete
frame assembly—all within an n-month time frame. Vendors had to be located to
supply FABCO with over 175 of the subcomponents that were chosen to be purchased
outside, and with volumes of only 5,000 units per year-low by automotive standards-
many suppliers were reluctant to quote.
Wallace Birtch, the project engineer assigned to oversee the frame manufacture, used
a variety of tools to complete the project on schedule. Birtch said, “The Gantt chart
was an extremely useful tool for tracking the equipment builds and the building
expansion. It gave me the ability to check the project status at a glance and its
simplicity made it excellent for presentation purposes.”

PROJECT OBJECTIVES –
The Viper was a “back to basics” car like the Cobra. The team even bought a Cobra replica
and performed some restoration work on it. There were occasions in meetings when people
would deviate from basics by going into a complex field. As engineering progressed, they
had to constantly re-challenge themselves to stick to the basics. Again, the process was vision
first, followed by a simplistic mission, back to basics, people empowerment, and reduced
monitoring and feedback.
The Viper truly was program management by objectives. The approach was to keep
objectives simple and to go to the actual objectives that were the most important to Viper
customers . . . performance objectives. First was the time to go from zero to 100 MPH to
zero. The team benchmarked against the Cobra and other vehicles such as the Ferrari F40,
which runs that in about 15.7 seconds. So, they set out to establish an American “production
car” speed record for zero to 100 to zero in less than 14.8 seconds. This effort required
considerable collaboration between the Kelsey Hayes brakes and the engine, transmission,
and drive train.

CONCLUSION –
The project management techniques help to develop the GT more efficiently and effectively.
An example of a payoff for using PM was the Viper Indianapolis 500 experience. This was
truly management by task. The Dodge Stealth was originally selected, but it did not seem
appropriate to have as the pace car for the seventy-fifth Indy race. The team was asked to
provide the Indy Pace Car for 1991. The team only had three months’ notification before the
big Memorial Day race, there was not a pace car built and the team did not know how the car
would run on the Indianapolis speedway. A time line was developed to show how the team
could get a Viper pace car on time. They were able to determine quickly who had the
responsibility for the components and what activity had to be performed to get this car built
and delivered to Indy on time. At the same time, they also had to understand the implications
on the basic program test and development schedule of reallocating material. This was a
moment of chaos management. Chaos may be driven by management, by public relations, or
by external events, as in this particular case, where the plan had been to have the Stealth as
the pace car. And so the team got last-minute direction and performed outstandingly.
The team ascertained pace car requirements by going to Indy early in April to work out such
things as the TV transmitters and strobe-light electrical packaging (approximately 60 pounds
added in the trunk). One of the lighter moments was having reknowned race car driver
Carroll Shelby there. He had just completed his heart transplant surgery and amazing
recovery. He took a lot of people for rides and scared the heck out of several of them because
he drove with one arm on the door and the other arm on the wheel at 140 miles per hour! He
put over 2,000 miles on the car and had a lot of fun.
In the initial plan, the Viper was to be used for just the start of the race. It performed so well
during the time trials, that Carroll drove it whenever a pace car was needed through the entire
race. The Indy Viper, which is now in the Indianapolis Raceway Museum, ran for over 1200
miles at speeds up to 140 mph with absolutely no problems. The Viper is one of two
prototype cars that have been used as pace cars in the history of the Indy race. The other
prototype was also a Chrysler product—the 1940 LeBaron Newport.
The Viper has been pulling away from the pack ever since Indy. Not in recent times has there
been such astir caused by so mighty a vehicle developed by so few dedicated people in such a
cooperative, cross-functional tear-dike approach. Project management knit the task, team
members, and suppliers together to achieve a truly unique and history-making product.
Project management was the tool of choice for a truly lean, fast product program.