For the truly insane: 1800-horsepower Mosler MT900S
Click above for a high resolution image
The standard Mosler MT900S is a supercar by anyone's standards. It's got a sleek body made of carbon fiber, a 7.0-liter V8 with 550 horsepower, and can hit 60 mph in just over three seconds. But for one of Mosler's customers it just wasn't enough. The owner of this MT900S enlisted the help of Nelson Racing Engines in Chatsworth, CA to build the ultimate motor for his supercar: a twin-turbo 427ci V8 producing up to 1800 horsepower on race fuel and around 1100 horsepower using 91 octane. To help make the car more streetable, boost can be controlled every 100 rpm in each gear. The first few gears are limited to around 6-8 psi, while higher gears can take full boost -- over 30 psi! We recently got the chance to see the car in person at the NRE facility where they were doing final testing on the engine. The dyno run we witnessed netted nearly 1600 horsepower before the intake collapsed from the pressure. We were told that the car should be completely finished in the next couple weeks and that we could come back for a ride. We'll be sure to take them up on the offer!
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
aman 8:43PM (7/09/2008)
This Mosler is like the Lotus Elise. Just 10 times as powerful
Reply
Yar 9:12PM (7/09/2008)
SBC > (Insert any other engine here)
Reply
Christian 4:23PM (7/10/2008)
SBC < Ford 4.6-5.0 DOHC (Koenigsegg, etc.))
SBC < Ford 7.0 OHV (S7tt, etc.)
Yar 7:41PM (7/10/2008)
SBC (SSC Ultimate Aero 6.2L 1183hp) > Any engine you just listed.
GM FTW
Ford FTL
Ed 9:40PM (7/09/2008)
What's the top speed on this thing? Could probably make a decent estimate knowing the figures for the standard car. I don't suppose it'd be eligible for a production car record.
From the web, it seems the car can do 211mph with 600bhp. With 3 times the power, it shoot be able to go the 3rd root of 3 times faster - 300mph!
Reply
torch0 12:09AM (7/10/2008)
3rd root of 3x faster?
211 x 3 is 633. The cube root of that is 8.586...... Where did you get 300 mph?
torch0 12:24AM (7/10/2008)
Drag increases with the square of velocity so you need to multiply your horsepower by 8 to go twice as fast. If the drag coefficient on the modified is the same as the stock one (aka they haven't changed anything on the outside) and it has an approx. 0.25 drag coefficient. I'd approximate the top speed at around 260-270. Still faster than the Veyron though. They could see a few more mph if they ripped off the mirrors and windshield wiper and definitely putting on thinner tires. 300 mph probably not but maybe close
why not the LS2LS7? 1:28AM (7/10/2008)
For the math impaired:
3rd root of 3 is 1.44. So he's saying if you triple the power it should go 1.44x as fast as 211mph, or 304mph.
I can't say whether he's correct.
Seoultrain 2:07AM (7/10/2008)
you guys must have fallen asleep in high school too often.
torcho is right in saying that aerodynamic drag increases with the square of velocity. (But the square of 2 is not 8)
So assuming ed's research is correct, a car with 3x the power could go root(3) times faster. 1.732*211mph = 365mph. Yeah.
But theoretical calculations mean nothing. This calculation assumes that no other forces are acting on the car. With things like mechanical drag and rolling resistance from the tires, we know that doesn't hold up in reality.
Once a car gets up to these speeds, aerodynamics are much more important than horsepower. Even gearing is more important than (peak) horsepower.
AkulaX1 9:57PM (7/09/2008)
MOSLER OWNAGEE! :)
Reply
Mobius_1 10:07PM (7/09/2008)
wow, don't crash it Autoblog
Reply
innoc3nt 10:18PM (7/09/2008)
This is absolutely insane.
With close to double the power of the Veyron and almost half the weight, that's approaching the 1lb/hp mark. And half the drive wheels, I wouldn't get into this thing without a life insurance policy.
Reply
Yar 10:38PM (7/09/2008)
I would consider a life insurance policy to be too little too late, considering you have to die to get any money.
A helmet, however, would be a sound investment.
Dan 10:41PM (7/09/2008)
What a ridiculous monster. Diminishing returns on horsepower fellas.
Reply
guy 5:58PM (7/11/2008)
This better have some heavy duty tires.
Reply
Ozzy13 11:14PM (7/09/2008)
This car is going to be insanely quick and at full power would certianly make a Veyron it's pup. In fact due to its power to weight ratio it will probably beat any car in its league. Proof here (and this is just the stock model):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvaQdoOLyS8
My only issue with US built super cars is the lack of focus on fit and finish. This car admittedly is quick but admittedly looks like a cheap hot wheels toy. This is why people still by the European cars over the USDM, because they are NOT the total package.
Reply
why not the LS2LS7? 1:25AM (7/10/2008)
What? The car looks fine. It looks LESS like a toy than a Pagani Zonda. The interior on this does look like a race car interior, but that's probably because it's a race car.
davido 11:17PM (7/09/2008)
Back in the seventies there was an Indy Car driver named Danny Ongais. Ongais owned one of the early 911 Turbos.
A fan asked him how he managed to drive the boosted Porsche fast through corners. Ongais replied that he didn't drive it fast through corners. Something about snap oversteer.
Dude obviously had no idea.
This reminds me of something Jeff Goldblum's character said in "Jurassic Park;" the question isn't can you do it, the question is should you?
Reply
RJ 12:11AM (7/10/2008)
??? What the hell is this post suppose to mean?
In any case, I doubt it was a real tale. If you could pilot an open-wheeled racecar in the 70's, be it an F1 or Indy, chances are "snap-oversteer" in a street car is about as exciting as stall parking at the mall.
Donpella 8:51AM (7/10/2008)
Lame!!!!!!!!!! And the reason why I say this is, when or what is enough horsepower? Truthfully we already have cars that produce more than enough horsepower. I personally think when the Buggatti hit the 1001 hp mark that was it. I'm starting to not even get impressed until I see a car that flies like the Jetsons, now that will be impressive.
Reply