jeffm@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff McMeekin) (09/01/83)
According to Road & Track 1983 Car specifications the following qualify or are very close to qualifying for membership in the 1 horsepower per cubic inch of displacement club. Car cu in. hp ----------------------------------------- Alfa GTV 6/2.5 152 154 Aston Martin Lagonda 326 325 (est) Audi 5000 Turbo 131 130 Audi Quarttro 131 156 Ferrari 308GTSi 179 205 Ferrari Mondial 8 179 205 Fiat Spider Turbo 122 120 Thunderbird 2.3 Turbo 140 142 Lotus Esprit 133 160 Lotus Esprit Turbo 133 210 (!) Maserati Biturbo 153 180 Mustang 2.3 Turbo 140 142 (est) Capri 2.3 Turbo 140 142 (est) Saab 900 Turbo 121 135 Volvo GLT 130 127 I don't understand why the Mustang and Capri hp values are estimates. I assume they have the same engine as in the Thunderbird. Throw out the turbos and only the Alfa, Lagonda, Ferrari's and Lotus qualify.
ark@rabbit.UUCP (09/14/83)
It is not strange that 1hp/ci is routine for motorcycles and difficult for automobiles. Remember: auto engines tend to be 4-cycle and motorcycle engines are generally 2-cycle. Also, motorcycle engines are generally higher RPM.
tgg@hou5e.UUCP (09/15/83)
About 2 vs. 4 stroke motorcycles.... Not true! Most motorcycle engines are now going 4-cycle, at least for the street. Even diehard fin-ringing, blue-smoking manufacturers like Kawasaki and Susuki (anybody remember "Ram Air Cooling"?) have all converted to 4-cycle engines. I think the real reasons for 1hp/cc in bikes are: 1 - Peakier power curves on bikes than cars. 2 - Less durablility in bike engine designs than cars (they run closer to the "hairy edge"). 3 - Less pollution control as a whole for bikes than cars. 4 - Much more attention is paid to breathing, scavenging, etc. in bikes than cars. 4 - ? Tom Gulvin ATT ISL Holmdel, NJ
kurtk@tektronix.UUCP (Kurt Krueger) (09/19/83)
Seems strange that 1hp/ci is quite a big deal in the auto world but it is basic to motorcycles. In fact, less than 1hp/ci for a motor- cycle would relagate it to the gutless class.
jsf007@trsvax.UUCP (09/29/83)
#R:tektroni:-135500:trsvax:55200014:000:361 trsvax!jsf007 Sep 21 08:37:00 1983 ***** trsvax:net.auto / rabbit!ark / 5:38 pm Sep 13, 1983 It is not strange that 1hp/ci is routine for motorcycles and difficult for automobiles. Remember: auto engines tend to be 4-cycle and motorcycle engines are generally 2-cycle. Also, motorcycle engines are generally higher RPM. ---------- Motorcycle engines DO NOT tend to be 2-cycle anymore!!!!!!
philw@tekcae.UUCP (Philip White) (11/26/83)
The question "why can't they make car engines anymore
with over one horsepower per cubic inch?" was discussed
at length a couple of months ago in this net.
Someone pointed out that motorcycle engines routinely
produce over 1 horsepower per cubic inch these days,
even if cars don't.
I think I can explain why this is - the smaller
motorcycle engines rev higher.
HORSEPOWER = K * TORQUE * RPM where K is a constant.
If engines are compared on the basis of peak torque per
displacement volume, motorcycle and car engines of all
types are extremely close.
I looked at seven motorcycles from Cycle magazine, versus
seven cars from Road & Track. They were selected by
being the first seven I ran across. The bikes ranged from
.055 to .062 ft-lbs/cc (love those units), while cars
were between .051 and .060 ft-lbs/cc. The bike mean was
5% above the car mean, which is not much difference.
The bike engines were all smaller and therefore could
rev higher, with torque peaking at higher rpm than for the cars.
Therefore the average bike has more power at peak torque
than a car at its peak torque, per unit displacement volume.
It should then be no surprise that power at the power peak
rpm will also be higher for bikes than for cars.
Phil White Tektronix, Beaverton, OR
USENET: {allegra, decvax, ihnp4, ucbvax} !tektronix!tekcae!philw
(or) {cbosg, eagle, pur-ee, ucbvax} !teklabs!tekcae!philwjjd@bbncca.ARPA (James Dempsey) (11/27/83)
xxx It is not only motorcycles which can exceed 1hp/cu in. If you look at cars like the Boxer, Countach and Esprit Turbo I belive you will find they exceed this limit. In fact, my wife's car is a lowly Nissan Puslar Turbo and has 1.5l (90 in^3) and 100hp. This is over 1hp/cu in. Keep the hp coming! --Jim--
jjd@bbncca.ARPA (11/27/83)
References: <23@tekcae.UUCP> Relay-Version:version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site duke.UUCP Posting-Version:version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA Path:duke!decvax!bbncca!jjd Message-ID:<349@bbncca.ARPA> Date:Sat, 26-Nov-83 17:59:04 EST Organization:Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma. xxx It is not only motorcycles which can exceed 1hp/cu in. If you look at cars like the Boxer, Countach and Esprit Turbo I belive you will find they exceed this limit. In fact, my wife's car is a lowly Nissan Puslar Turbo and has 1.5l (90 in^3) and 100hp. This is over 1hp/cu in. Keep the hp coming! --Jim--