The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX is Beautifully Engineered
Many machines on Ix. New machines. Better than those on Richese.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral. All use two litre, turbocharged engines and four-wheel drive systems.
Mitsubishi introduced the Lancer Evolution IX in Japan on March 3, 2005, and exhibited the car at the Geneva Motor Show for the European market the same day. The North American markets saw the model exhibited at the New York International Auto Show the following month. The 2.0 L Mitsubishi 4G63 engine gained MIVEC technology (variable valve timing), and a revised turbocharger design boosting official power output at the crankshaft to 291 PS (214 kW; 287 hp) and torque to 392 N·m (289 lb·ft).
The USDM Lancer Evolution IX models: standard (Grand Sport Rally or “GSR” in some markets), RS (Rally Sport), SE (Special Edition) and MR (Mitsubishi Racing) varied slightly in their performance capabilities. Subtleties unique to each model accounted for variations in acceleration, handling and top speed.
The IX MR retained the features of the Evolution VIII MR, like Bilstein shocks, a 6-speed manual transmission, a rooftop vortex generator, BBS forged wheels, HID xenon headlights, foglights, accessory gauge package, “zero lift” kit, special badging and an aluminum roof. All models continued to sport Recaro bucket seats, Brembo brakes and Momo steering wheels. Additional revisions from 2005 included a closer gear ratio for the 5-speed manual transmission, new lighter Enkei wheels on non-MR models, a redesigned front end with a more efficient air dam (the most noticeable feature are the two small oval ducts to cool the intercooler pipes), and a new rear bumper with a diffuser undersurface to smooth out the airflow coming out of the car for non-US models.
The US versions of the Lancer Evolution IX did not come with the AYC but the ACD was still present. The drivers can select from three different driving modes, “Tarmac” “Gravel” and “Snow”, and the car’s computer system relatively promotes the active center differential to change the differential locking which, eventually changes the front/rear power distribution to increase traction, thus providing an optimum driving experience. Although the US versions did not come with the AYC, it did come with a rear 1.5way clutch type LSD (limited slip differential)which, limits the slip from both rear wheels causing less traction loss of the rear wheels. The most common setup is the 1.5 way LSD, locking on throttle and partially locking on braking. In racing, Lancer Evolutions are not equipped with AYC or ACD because it is believed that better lap times are achieved by pure driver skill without any computer based assistance systems.
One of the changes from the previous iteration of the Lancer Evolution, was the change in the engine, the new 4G63 came with MIVEC, Mitsubishi’s variable valve lifting technology, which drastically improves the fuel consumption by changing the valve timing on the intake cam. The MIVEC system is similar to Honda’s i-VTEC system only that it doesn’t change valve lift, only intake valve timing.
Three trims were available for Japan, Asia and Europe. Although all models used the same 291 PS (214 kW; 287 hp) engine, the torque differed from one model to another. In Europe, however, the Evolution IX was advertised to have 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp). The GSR produced 400 N·m (295 lb·ft) of torque, while the RS and GT produced 407 N·m (300 lb·ft).
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Source: Wikipedia
The BMW M550d Engine is Beautifully Engineered
Compound-triple-turbo diesel wizardry - 3 liters outputting 546lb-ft
“Six-cylinder in-line diesel engine with M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology, aluminium crankcase, three turbochargers (high-pressure, with variable turbine geometry), common-rail direct injection with piezo injectors, maximum injection pressure: 2,200 bar.
Displacement: 2,993 cc,
output: 280 kW/381 hp at 4,000 — 4,400 rpm,
max. torque: 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) at 2,000 — 3 000 rpm,
specific output: 93.6 kW/127.3 hp per litre of displacement.
Acceleration [0 — 100 km/h (62 mph)]: 4.7 seconds,
top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph),
average fuel consumption: 6.3 litres/100 kilometres (44.8 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 165 g/km, exhaust standard: EU6.”
Video: Animations explaining X550d engine and turbo operation
The Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R Nismo Z-Tune is Beautifully Engineered
The 500hp, $160,000 swan song of the R34; only 20 were built.
Nismo was given the approval from Nissan to build Z-tune models for the Nismo anniversary. Nismo then purchased 20 used R34 GT-R V-Specs, each with less than 18,000 miles (29,000 km) on the clock, they were then completely stripped and were resprayed to a “Z-tune Silver,” a special color exclusively for the Z-tune. For each of the 20 production models, the 2.8L engine was revised to allow it to reach 8000 rpm. The turbochargers were supplied by IHI in Japan. The engine is advertised as making as much as 370 kW (500 hp) (for warranty reasons). This second revision of the Z-tune engine is called the ‘Z2’. The ‘Z1’ engine was built for the Z-tune prototype car and was tuned to 600hp, however, Nismo engineers revised the engine specification for greater reliability and re-named it the Z2.
The bodywork is designed with the same functional components used in Nismo’s GT500 racing cars, such as engine bay vents on the hood and fenders, as well as wider fenders for wider wheels. The Z-tune is also improved with an aggressive suspension setup from Sachs, and a specially designed Brembo e brake system.
The entire car is essentially handmade, with the car being completely stripped and re-built from the chassis up. Engineers reinforced and stiffened the chassis seam welding in key areas such as the door seams and door frames and added carbon fiber to the strut towers and transmission tunnel and the engine bay, completely redesigning the suspension, drivetrain, engine, gearbox and other components so as to work at maximum efficiency and reliability as is expected of a road-going vehicle. Although Nismo planned on building 20 cars, they ceased production on only 19 (including 2 prototypes). The Z-tune is often regarded as the most expensive (prices for some have been known to exceed US$180,000) street legal GT-R ever built.
Click here for the complete and detailed list of modifications
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Source: Wikipedia
BMW S63 sans block/head castings
BMW say the S63Tu in the new M5 is rated at 560hp. However, it is probably much closer to 600hp.
Why?
The non-Tu (technical update) S63 in the X5M and X6M is rated at 555hp, and runs 17psi of boost and a 9.3:1 compression ratio. The S63Tu motor runs 22psi of boost and a 10:1 compression ratio, employs a Valvetronic system instead of throttle bodies, and has much larger intercoolers.
A 5hp gain for 5psi more boost, almost a point of compression, less intake restriction and cooler intake temperatures? I think not. Try 50+hp.
-B.E.
Source: mines-wave.com
2011 Porsche 911 Turbo
Photo by Alireza Behpour
Source: Flickr / alirezabehpour
944 Turbo and Turbo S
A lot of people have probably seen these before, but I really like them.
Tomei Genesis RB26DETT
The Venturi 400 GT is Beautifully Engineered
408 hp, Carbon brakes as standard. The best car you’ve never heard of.
The first Venturi came out in 1984, created by Claude Poiraud and Gérard Godfroy, two former engineers at Heuliez. The goal was to present the only “Grand Tourisme” French car capable of competing with the Italian Bugatti, the Italian Ferrari, and the German Porsche. The headquarters of the company were located in Couëron, Pays de Loire, where almost 750 cars were produced in 20 years.
A limited edition 400 GTR was built for racing homologation requirements and later used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Venturi was also briefly involved with the Larrousse Formula One team. The team’s 1992 car, which bore the Venturi name, was designed and built by Venturi Larousse UK, a British company formerly known as Fomet 1, which had previously designed the 1991 Fondmetal Formula One cars.
The 400 GT remains one of the best performing French cars ever produced, and it is in fact the very first car in the world to have standard carbon brakes. True to that claim, the Atlantique 400 GT with a 408 hp V6 3.0 24v DOHC twin-turbo delivered excellent performance to put it on par with Ferraris of the early 90s. The 400 GT could hit 62 mph in 4.7 seconds and 181 mph top speed.
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Source: Wikipedia
