Top Gear!!

[Tp]

.......... he once said the Suzuki Wagon R should be avoided like "unprotected sex with an Ethiopian transvestite"

HAHAHAHA

[JimmyK]

Morgan also claims that Clarkson deliberately spilt a glass of water on him during the last flight of the Concorde in October 2003.

Yup, he admitted to it in one of his articles once, you can also get it in 'The World According To Clarkson' book

The new Mini should be made into a quintessentially German car with the addition of trafficators that mimicked Nazi salutes, a sat-nav system that directed the driver to invade Poland and a fan belt that lasted 10,000 years.

Is that what he was getting at the other day when he directed the new Merc S-Class' satnav to Warsaw?

[Tp]

I just think the whole process they went through to produce the car is 'wrong', ie designing the body then building the engine.

Also the engine seems to need a lot of boost to produce not much horsepower relative to its enormous capacity.

Don't get me wrong, I want to own a car worth over a million pounds, but when you consider it from an engineering perspective, I don't think it is that impressive.

We should thank VW for having the balls to make the car. I mean 1000Bhp!!! It doesn't matter that it came from a hhuuggeee engine, reaching this figure itself is a huge leap in engineering terms.

But like Jeremy Clarkson said the trivia about this car is astonishing.!!

Here's a few;
- The Veyron's 0-200 mph time is quicker than the McLaren F1's 120-200 mph time
- It will empty its 100 L fuel tank in just 12.5 minutes
- The Veyron will brake from 252 mph to a standstill in less than 10 seconds,
- A VW Polo will generate 0.6g if you stamp on the middle pedal hard. You get that from the air brake alone on a Veyron

Also Found this Jeremy Clarkson Obituary

[Scuderia_Russ]

That S Class Merc was something else.

[Ciro Pabón]

It doesn't matter that it came from a hhuuggeee engine, reaching this figure itself is a huge leap in engineering terms.

Yes, I agree, European automakers are slowly learning how to build real engines. Here in America, they build 1000 hp engines on their spare time. F1 used to do this, years ago. Not anymore. For example, the "folks at Speed-O-motive garage" can provide this... this thing or monster or whatever, for your '55 Chevy:



You should look figures for boost at http://superchevy.com/tech/0403sc_fairground/. There you can find the instructions to build it. They call the engine "impressive". Hard to impress folks, I guess. They mention they use a crank "... similar to those used in motors producing over 1,200 hp".

It has 540 cubic inches displacement, which should be around 0.88 european decaliters. You can notice they still have no chassis for it and they don't mind. Nice supercharger, you could add.

[JimmyK]

Yes, I agree, European automakers are slowly learning how to build real engines. Here in America, they build 1000 hp engines on their spare time.

Hold steady, Ciro! I'm willing to put European engines in just as high a class as American ones

F1 used to do this, years ago. Not anymore.

...yes, when the regulations weren't stopping them producing too much power

For example, the "folks at Speed-O-motive garage" can provide this... this thing or monster or whatever, for your '55 Chevy: Wink

An isolated example. And it's a bit harsh when compared to a Bugatti Veyron, as that is still a kinda mass produced engine, that would probably last longer than that Chevy thingy and must be just as durable as a standard engine.

In conclusion, I'm right cos I always am

[Scuderia_Russ]

Yes, I agree, European automakers are slowly learning how to build real engines. Here in America, they build 1000 hp engines on their spare time. F1 used to do this, years ago. Not anymore. For example, the "folks at Speed-O-motive garage" can provide this... this thing or monster or whatever, for your '55 Chevy:

Slowly learning how to build real engines? Did I read that right? Why do Americans always think if it isn't bigger it isn't better? I tell you what Ciro... you look after your big, 500kg, appocalyptic engines, and we will look after handling and vehicle dynamics 'eh?

[NickT]

=; OK lets also look at fuel effiency and bhp per litre

I would be very interested to know it any of these motors in normally aspirated form come close to 100bhp/l and I bet there isn't a single US production engine that even comes close [-X Ferrari, Porche and Honda have been exceeding it for years

These big block US motors are impressively powerful but they are steam hammers being used to drive in a nail living antiques in terms of technology and dinosaurs when it come to fuel consumption

[walter]

the "big american three"s engines are crap, they are weak, and usually dont last too long either. these companies are putting products out there mainly in order to make money on the streets, not make any racetrack worthy designs(except a rare few)

all arrows point to euro and japanese engines, BUT there is one advantage that american big block engines have and that is their simplicity. You dont have to take them to special dealers just to change the oil and filter, or to change the sparkplugs.

[Tom]

the Japanese have this increadable attention to detail which means that their engines are increadably reliable, American engines are big and frankly --- when reliability is concerned, as well a fuel consumption, Europe are OK in all departments.

NickT said:

OK lets also look at fuel effiency and bhp per litre

careful there, roaming far into boy-racer term country.

[dumrick]

European automakers are slowly learning how to build real engines. Here in America, they build 1000 hp engines on their spare time.

You can notice they still have no chassis for it and they don't mind. Nice supercharger, you could add.

I'm pretty sure that Ciro was being sarcastic... right?

[West]

Corvette and Dodge (Chrysler) have dominated their class at Le Mans for years. Don't give me this sh*t about American cars being heavy and underpowered.

As far as racing is concerned, bhp per liter doesn't mean sh*t. Said car companies ran 7.0 and 8.0 liter cars. Fuel consumption might affect race pace but setup changes can lessen the effects of that.

Honda can make a 100 bhp per liter car... BUT I WOULDN'T BUY IT. What good is that if it's a no-torque, front wheel drive car?

Forgot to mention that a Z06 can easily compete and even beat an F430 at any track... getting better fuel economy while at it, and FOR CHEAPER. Don't give this sh*t about the Ferrari being nicer and whatever; in the end it's a sports car and if can't beat a "lowly" Corvette at a track, it's pretty hard to defend a Euro at that point.

[Ted68]

The GM Eco-Tec 4-cyliders and LS-series V-8's are both capable of 1000 bhp. They are both fine engines with race wins under their belt. They represent both ends of the spectrum in making power. Small capacity, lots of revs and little torque with highly stressed components, and low revving understressed torque monsters. Choose your flavor. They both get the job done.

Russ's comments on vehicle dynamics are crap. When costs are ignored, any manufacturer can make Ferrari like performers. The Viper, Corvette, Ford GT and Saleen S7 show that. And there is a wide range of prices there, too. The more you spend, the more refinement you get. Off the rack $45k Chevy to the tailor-fit $400k Saleen. Just like in Europe.

That Seven style roadster he's building will not have the refinement of a Caterham. But so what, it won't have the cost, either. And it will be damn good fun to boot. The same argument applies to the Corvette Z06 and the Ferrari F430. They both get around Spa in nearly the same time. The Chevy does it for less than half the price, though. Without service hassles and with greater reliability and usefulness. So which is better? It depends on your wallet. No matter which continent you're on.

[NickT]

Just had a look at this very interesting and impressive but.....

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusi ... A5482.html

The Family II is a straight-4 piston engine that was originally developed by Opel in late 1970s for use in the Opel Ascona B and Opel Kadett D. Overtime, the engine block has evolved to include many modern features such as DOHC and fuel injection. Many General Motors subsidaries, including Holden, GM do Brasil and recently GM Powertrain have adopted this design. EcotecEcotec name was adopted in 2000 for the new generation of Family II engines. The name was already used for the Opel Family 1 and Family 0 ranges. GM intends for this new Ecotec to become its global 4-cylinder.

.....I guess you can't get away from its European origins

[NickT]

As I have already said in another thread...

If you saw 5th Gear a couple of weeks ago you would know that Tiff rates the car very highly and that its suspension setup was honed at the Nurburgring and laps faster than anything this side of £150,000

Corvette Z06 the only American sports car that actually handles well complet with is "light weight" 7 litre V8

....its a truely great car but one you had to race in Europe for years to understand and develop the handling to get it this good