Cars and Motors
Car if money not an object:
- McLaren F1
Practical but fun cars:
- Mini Cooper S
- Subaru Impreza WRX
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
- Honda Civic Type R
- BMW 330i Performance Package
Realistic 5-10 yr. future car:
- Lotus Elise
Requirements:
- Manual Transmission
- Lightweight
- Few technological frills
Would Like:
- Rear wheel drive
- Non-viscous limited slip differential
- Under 2500 lbs
- Normally Aspirated
- Well thought out engineering and ease of maintenance
List of Standard Transmission Vehicles
BMW:
Understanding:
Technology:
- Variable Valve Timing - Honda VTEC, Toyota VVTi, BMW VANOS. All vary the timing of the intake and some the exhaust valves. VTEC utilizes a dual profile cam, VVTi inserts a shim between the cam lobe and rocker arm at higher rpms. VANOS is a hydromechanical system. Basically there are are a set of sprockets and gears that act upon the camshaft and are activated hydraulically by the ECU depending on engine speed. There are also more advanced variants such as i-VTEC, and Double VANOS. In addition there are also other technologies such as Yamaha EXUP that vary the size of the exhaust valve for better fuel economy and low end power.
- Valvetronic - A BMW technology that allows continuously variable valve timing and in addition, variable lift. This allows the throttle valve to be eliminated. An extra set of rocker arms act upon the intake valves to vary the intake charge. More info can be found here.
- Desmodromic - a Ducati developed technology that does away with valve springs and instead uses the cam profile and another rocker arm to close the valve. Eliminates valve float at high rpm. Limited applications outside of Ducati.