|
|
|---|
Showing posts with label M3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M3. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Today is a day that ends in the letter "y" which means an Ebay search is inevitable. After checking the usual lust worthy subjects, I stumble upon a hallowed mark that has had some rough patches over the years, Maserati. To my surprise, it isn't the current Gran Turismo or Quattroporte that grabs my attention. It isn't even the sexy lines of a coupe or cabrio. It's this:
 |
| r3vlimited.com |
Considering this Maserati Biturbo is on Time magazine's list of 50 worst cars of all time, most of you probably think I'm crazy for liking it. It's inexplicable really. There was a Biturbo coupe on Ebay just a couple days ago and the lines looked so clean. Now, I see the sedan and it isn't far off the mark. It just exudes a kind of Italian style that is terribly hard to put into words.
Styling is nice but most of you are aware that I primarily like to talk about drivetrain and performance. Well, I won't disappoint today. Depending on year and trim, the Biturbo housed anything from a 2 to 2.5 liter V6 which made anywhere between 180 and 290 horsepower. The lower end of this range is comparable to an E30 M3! All the physical dimensions are within a stone's throw of the M3 also. In addition, it was naturally a rear driver.
So what's the catch? This isn't titled the The Rich Man's 3-Series for nothing! The reason behind it being on Time's worst car list is largely due to a plethora of service advisories and reliability issues. I'm sure after dumping a bunch of cash into the car, it's a sweet ride. Here's one on Ebay to get you started.
Monday, April 18, 2011
"I will build a car for the great multitude."-Henry Ford
In 1908, Ford Motor Company released the seminal Model T as a means to make the middle class more mobile in an affordable manner. It provided a kind of independence previously unknown to the general population. While there were many models in the Ford catalog after 1908, 1964 was the year that Ford solidified its position as a leading automaker that could bring youth, exuberance and freedom to the motoring population with the Mustang.
The Model T was the first car to be produced on a mass assembly production line which resulted in interchangeable components and lower wages for less skilled workers as opposed to the expensive skill set needed by hand made cars of the time. A mere $850 (~$21,000 today) could buy a brand new Model T outfitted with a 2.9 liter four-cylinder that put out 20 horsepower. That motor could get the Tin Lizzie up to 45 mph or achieve 13 to 21 mpg. This price was less than half what the competition expected for its cars. Ford had created a car of unequaled performance and value.
Fast forward about 100 years and Ford is still providing a car that has unmatched performance for its cost. The 2011 Mustang GT is by no means that "car for the great multitude" but it will work very nicely for the driver that craves performance while on a budget. This $30,495 pony comes complete with a 5.0 liter V8 pushing out 412 horsepower which is just two shy of the $60,575 BMW M3. While losing the horsepower war, the Mustang wins back territory with its 390 lb-ft of torque, 95 more than the Bimmer. In a test performed by Motor Trend magazine, the blue ovaled car matches or beats the M3 in every performance category and gets 17/26 mpg to boot.
 |
| get1car.com |
This isn't saying that the Mustang is the new form of basic transportation for the masses and the reincarnation of the Model T. However, the similarities of an affordable car for the working class man that can take the fight to cars costing twice as much can't be denied. Although, the Mustang could have been what Henry Ford was thinking all along when he said, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses."
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
When the CAFE regulations were passed last year, the automotive world was turned on its head. How could an auto manufacturer achieve an average fuel mileage of 35 mpg across its entire lineup? Recently BMW released its first salvo into the fuel mileage war and it comes in the form of a four cylinder.
 |
| caranddriver.com |
With BMW's release of the X1 xdrive28i, a new chapter is about to be written about "The Ultimate Driving Machine." This is the first car that will be powered by BMW's new 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-4. Everyone let out a sigh of relief because this motor isn't giving anything up to the 3.0 liter in the current 128i and 328i.
 |
| egmcartech.com |
 |
| netcarshow.com |
Sunday, December 5, 2010
 |
| autoworld.files.wordpress.com |
This year Porsche released their GT3 RS, which pumps out 450 horsepower from a 3.8 liter flat 6. This is the latest version of Porsche's horizontally opposed 6-cylinder range. It has evolved over the years more than a Pokemon. Any motor that produces 100 horsepower per liter of displacement is a marvel of engineering. Complete this thought with the fact that this motor doesn't have forced induction or direct fuel injection and this motor seems to be the pinnacle of Porsche's legendary engineering pedigree. Although, I can't help but think that the limits of the iconic 911 may be drawing near.
In the world of high performance cars, it seems like having about .5 liter of displacement per cylinder is the Holy Grail of engine design. This allows the pistons to remains small with an oversquare bore. An oversquare bore in itself contributes to an engine's ability to reach stratospheric rpm. Take for example the Honda S2000 and the current BMW M3. They each have a displacement of .5 to .6 liters per cylinder. The BMW hits its redline at 8400 rpm while the S2000 will shriek to a staggering 9000 rpm (in its 2 liter form). The skyrocketing rpm allows a small capacity motor to make great horsepower due to the equation:
Horsepower = (Torque X rpm)/5252
So, while these engines don't produce the torque of a small block Chevy or 8 liter Dodge Viper V10, they are still able to produce amazing horsepower numbers due to their ability to rev higher. What does this all mean in terms of Porsche's engineering?
 |
| 3.8 liter courtesy of cartype.com |
For the 2010 model year, Porsche developed a new motor to replace their aging 3.6 liter powerplant. The new motor displaces 3.8 liters and makes 450 horsepower without a supercharger, turbocharger, or, to a lesser extent, direction injection. As stated above, this is phenomenal! However, this is getting further and further away from that beautiful .5 liter/cylinder ratio. Not to pooh-pooh this motor, it is an award winning mill after all but I am hesitant to believe that this motor can evolve much past its current state.
The addition of direct injection will definitely improve combustion efficiency for better fuel mileage as well as horsepower. After that, the only solution to making more power is higher engine speeds to comply with the formula above or to bore out the cylinders to increase displacement and torque yet keep the oversquare cylinder ratio for high revs, which are a necessary trait for sports cars. Either way, a weight loss program needs to be enacted for everything from connecting rods to valves. To increase engine speed, lighter materials like titanium and magnesium need to be employed or the engine will tear itself apart due to the reciprocating mass. The same can be said about option 2, enlarging cylinder diameter. Increasing the bore would necessitate a bigger piston diameter as well as larger valves to accommodate the needed air, fuel, and exhaust flow. These larger parts would not change direction as easily as the smaller bore siblings and also require lightweight materials.
The lightweight approach would work but it would also cost a premium for the consumer. Maybe this new motor is part of a tiered approach to improving driving dynamics and efficiency. Take a step back and look at the whole picture. Perhaps the goal isn't to increase power but to maintain it in the most efficient manner while reducing the overall weight of the car. Reducing overall weight would maximize performance across the board as opposed to just acceleration properties.
Porsche has been a powerhouse in the automotive world for close to 80 years. I'm sure their engineering group has its wits about them. If not, they should call me for a job.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Note the sick mid-air rotation at 0:41, setting up entry for the next corner.
Happy Monday everybody!!
source: windingroad
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
