Gallery: LA 2009: Orange Audi e-tron

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Audi e-tron concept

REPORT: Audi twists e-tron concept's 3319 lb-ft torque rating originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Honda discovers 3.5L V6 more powerful than first thought

Honda discovers 3.5L V6 more powerful than first thought originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pull my dyno - Automobile puts the IS-F on the rollers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

More powerful than a locomotive? That's what the folks over at Diesel Power are predicting for the future of trucks. Cars and trucks have become more powerful over the years, with today's torque figures dwarfing the 420 ft.-lbs. of torque figures commonly seen in trucks in the mid-1990s. While many factory numbers hit above 500 ft.-lbs. and aftermarket parts can launch drivers above 1,000 ft.-lbs., we have to be nearing the threshold of how big and bulky the transmissions can get and still be efficient, right?

Here's where Diesel Power caught our interest -- a hybrid-electric diesel, except not the kind you're probably thinking of. Something a little more conventional, just not in the automotive world. The idea is that the diesel engine will power an electric motor on each wheel, putting out close to 2,000 lb.-ft. at 0 rpm. Like a locomotive engine, the diesel engine would run at a near-constant speed -- circumstances that run the engine at its most efficient. It may not be technology that will hit the streets anytime soon, but it's certainly something to watch out for.

[via Diesel Power]

Hybrid diesel trucks with no transmissions in our future? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Round-up: Detroit's big new diesels for next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 09:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BMW's turbocharged 335i is rated by the manufacturer at 300 HP and 300 lb-ft of torque at the crankshaft, which seemed a bit low to us considering the 255 HP rating of its naturally-aspirated brethren. Sure, the turbo system was designed to maximize the usable powerband instead of creating moonshot-like peak power, but a mere 17% bump in the power ratings just didn't compute.

Investigating the matter further, Automobile Magazine strapped down a 335i to a Dynojet chassis dyno. Such a device measures power at the rear wheels, and translation into crankshaft numbers requires that one account for drivetrain losses. Taking into account the loss of 15% or thereabouts that we'd expect to see from a Dynojet run (don't get hung up trying to determine a precise "loss" number, because there is much more to it than just an estimation of friction), something in the neighborhood of 255 HP would be expected at the rear wheels from 300 HP at the crank - but that wasn't the case. The 335i instead laid down 276 HP, as well as spinning the rollers with 300 lb-ft of torque as measured at the rear wheels. That's about 37% healthier than the 330i.

So, what's up? Yes, the new SAE J1349 dyno standard is supposed to eliminate this sort of rating tomfoolery, but it's only accurate under one specified set of conditions. Dynometers, such as the Dynojet, attempt to correct the results back to a set of conditions, but they're slightly different than those used for J1349. That likely accounts for only a few percentage points of difference, though. More likely is that the Bimmer's engine management system, rather than simply establishing a limit for boost, is constantly attempting to maximize airflow while controlling detonation. Such a system cannot easily be corrected, and putting such a vehicle on a dyno under optimum conditions (usually with particularly cool ambient air temps) can yield results well in excess of the manufacturer's ratings, and this likely explains why the measured torque peak is disproportionate to the horsepower peak.

All this power - accessible at nearly any engine speed, judging by the broad torque curve - gives the 335i performance that nearly rivals that of the previous-gen M3, with the quarter-mile disappearing in 13.6 seconds and with a trap speed of 104 MPH. That sort of performance puts it in the running as Sleeper of the Year.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

BMW 335i lays down fat dyno numbers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Aug 2006 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Conventional wisdom says that continuously- or infinitely-variable transmissions (CVT and IVT, respectively) are destined to toil away under the hoods of compact cars, but Torvec is having none of it. The manufacturer recently installed its hydraulic-based IVT behind the Cummins turbodiesel of a 2004 Dodge Ram 2500 as a proof-of-concept demonstrator. While the primary application for the Torvec IVT is said to be school buses and other medium-duty vehicles - especially those engaged in a heavy amount of stop-and-go usage - the company is also enthusiastic about the transmission's prospects in the booming diesel heavy-duty light truck market.

A diesel engine is particularly well-suited to the characteristics of a CVT or IVT due to its relatively narrow powerband, but the torque limits of units based on belts or toroids have remained a problem. Of course, a hydraulic unit such as Torvec's may prove to have some drawbacks as well. Efficiency could be a problem (this has been an issue with the hydrostatic drives used in industrial vehicles and agricultural tractors), and of course keeping the hydraulic unit sealed for the average expected service life of a vehicle might be tricky. These are issues that can probably be overcome with some clever engineering, though, so we're not betting against Torvec.

[Sources: Autoindustry.co.uk; Torvec]

Torvec targets medium-duty market with new infinitely-variable transmission originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Aug 2006 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Weber Automotive, a leader in the manufacture of engine blocks and crankshafts (many of the magnesium VW Beetle engine blocks were cast by Weber), has designed a small V4 engine in an attempt to provide an alternative to inline fours in emerging markets such as China.

The V4 configuration has had its fair share of success in the realm of high-performance motorcycles, and Weber claims that its cube-like shape makes it well-suited to compact cars as well. Not only is the 70-degree bank angle said to offer a packaging advantage, but it's supposedly up to 75 lbs lighter than a typical 2.0L I4 of similar power.

Fans of the Yamaha VMax and Honda VFR may also be glad to hear that a 90-degree crank is used. This gives the engine a firing order that effectively is like two 90-degree V-twins which run 180 degrees out of phase, and thus leads to an exhaust noise that can best be described as that of a miniature V8.

The company has posted some specifications on its site, and if they are to be trusted, this engine might be rather interesting, indeed. If someone wants to toss this into a decent sport compact, we'd be more than happy to thrash it around for a while.

[Source: Automotive Design and Production]

Weber looks to bring V4 engine to the masses originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jul 2006 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.