Soul Cars: The 'driving emotion'

For Drivers Only!

People who use and see their cars as a means of daily commute and consider it as a commodity need to look away, this one is for the true drivers who love to drive their machines! Or love to collect them! Cars have always inspired emotion in the hearts of petrolheads all over the world. Each new car release is done with some pomp and show and the enthusiasts wait for new models excitedly every year! Then there are a few, who can actually afford to 'buy' all the new desirable cars or their variants which are offered every year. Jay Leno, for example.

1966 Lamborghini Miura

Jay Leno's Duesenberg Collection!

Soul Cars

When I say the word 'soul' cars, it actually does not exist. It has been concocted by people who adore certain cars. They treat those cars as though they are actually living things, which can communicate with their owner. Sounds crazy? Allow me to expand!

A 1931 Duesenberg

The story of any  car begins with a plant, where its various components are assembled. Now, until Henry Ford came up with the idea of an 'assembly line' to aid mass production of cars, people used to make them by 'hand'. Each and every car was put together by mechanics and technicians in a plant. Due to this 'human element', each car was unique as human beings do not display the consistency of machines (an automated assembly line). Sheets of metal were sculpted by hammer and wooden dies in some extreme cases, where the required lines on the body of the car were simply not possible to make with machines. Or perhaps just for the heck of it! (certain modern cases).

The Jaguar E-type: the best ever?

The automobile shown above, a 1961 E-type is considered to be the most beautiful automobile ever created! And you can see why, the curves are simply mesmerizing. That long bonnet gives the car its typical stance, which has made it a legend. In fact, metal workers at famous auto manufacturers became legends, like Sergio Scaglietti who worked at Ferrari in Maranello. Ferrari named their 612 as the Scaglietti in his honour!

Ferrari 612 'Scaglietti'

Some of Ferrari's racing cars possessed a character, which is hard to match by their current range.

1967 Ferrari P330

Not to mention, the legendary 250 GTO!

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

And the Dino!

1974 Ferrari Dino GTS

No discussion about 'soul cars' is complete without Alfa Romeos in it! So here is one:

Alfa Romeo 8C

Alfa Romeos are notoriously renowned for their terrible resale value, rust and reliability issues and sometimes are even terrible to drive! Yet, each and every Alfa finds itself close to the heart of every petrolhead in the world, because look at it....and keep on looking at it! Its beautiful, fantastic, superb. People who made it really knew a thing or two about aesthetics. That's not all, even the engine bay is something to behold.

The chromed pipes on a GT

How many cars have you seen that have chromed pipes beneath the bonnet! None, right? That's Alfa Romeo for you, distinctively Italian. Its not much of an auto'mobile' as it is a work of art! No wonder people love it.

Yet, you may ask why people chose this particular car when there were many other slightly better looking ones?

The fact is, that question has many answers. And they re as varied as the people themselves. How a car appeals to a person lies deep in the psychological aspects, which I can't really delve into. But the superficial things are obvious to everyone. The looks, sound, interiors and in some cases, ergonomics (which was nt really there in earlier cars like the E-type, they were difficult to get into, and get out!). What's more, that long bonnet meant coming out of a tight bend, a 'T' would be impossibly scary as one can't see what's coming the other way. But who cares when you have got a car that looks like this!

E-type: The domesticated cat

Curiously, in many cases, the more a car behaves in an erratic manner, the more people become attached to it! People are nt looking for machines which are ruthlessly efficient and never break down, they want something that has to be taken care of. I own a Royal Enfield and it breaks down all the time (mostly the clutch wire, its hopeless!) but I love it as I would love a family member. Why? Because I like it and liking a motorcycle or a car has got nothing to do with its efficiency or quality or anything else. That is where the 'emotion' aspect of an automobile reaches the 'driving' part.

The 'Driving Emotion'

Again, I will stress upon the fact that whatever I am going to say will make sense only to the people who don't consider cars as a commodity!

We experience various types of emotions everyday. Happiness, anxiety, sometimes sadness etc. But there's none quite like the one one experiences while driving his/her car (or motorcycle for that matter). Leisure driving is very limited in modern life style, one generally drives for some 'purpose', something serious, to 'complete' an activity.

Not many consider 'driving' in its purity, like a drive along a beach, on an empty stretch on the highway or in the city (generally after midnight, when the streets are mercifully less crowded). The sheer pleasure of driving an automobile can be explained as conducting a symphony, only not with musical notes and instruments, but with various parts of an automobile itself! The engine, gearbox, pedals, the gear stick (sorry, no paddle shifts here) are operated in harmony and coordination and its a pleasure to see the instrument cluster's various meters and gauges respond to your inputs.

Speedometer on an Audi R8 V10

Then comes the slightly focused stuff-track days, karting and the like. Enthusiasts with all sorts of cars turn up at a track to gauge their capabilities. The less fortunate ones go to the karting tracks and test their skills with smaller, but nimble go-karts. Karting can in fact be called as 'mini-track' racing where one can visualize himself/herself as a real pro racer without actually being one.

Go-karts can be good fun!

The responses of any car make up most of what it 'feels' like. Good sports cars respond at the slightest prod of the throttle, their engines growl as if straining on a leash. The driver likes to anticipate the reactions of an automobile. However, some sports cars are notoriously 'twitchy' i.e. over responsive to inputs. These cars are generally given a wide berth by the enthusiasts.

Koenigsegg CCX: You have been warned!

The Koenigsegg experience: Dark forces at work

But then again, it is more rewarding if you can control beasts like the one shown above. Supercar owners have varied preferences or everyone would just turn up and get a 911 or a F430. There are certain beasts, which are hilariously tail happy, like the CLK-AMG Black series or the XKR. These things were meant to slide around the bends and plaster a big grin on their owner's face. Most of the Ferraris sometimes fail to achieve this, because they re too good! And because their drivers know the capability of those Ferraris, they drive it seriously and the fun bit goes out of the window.

The CLK-AMG Black packs brutal punch

Jaguar's XKs have always been tail happy

I ve always wondered why drop tops appeal to people? A roof above the head is much better! Firstly, it makes the car more rigid so that it does not flop around during hard cornering and secondly, it looks much better with the roof! Drop tops are primarily meant for posers, for people who want to cruise on boulevards with the sun shining down on them or something like that. I do respect the emotion they experience, partly due to the blaring engine which is either ahead of the windshield or behind the cabin in mid/rear-engined cars.

For me, the proper layout for an automobile is a longitudinally placed engine ahead of the windshield and rear wheel drive with a decent weight distribution. Mid-engined cars are too focused, even though they have an excellent weight distribution, but somehow I can't imagine an engine being 'behind' me!

The Ultimate 21st Century Supercar: McLaren P1 or Porsche 918 Spyder?

Prologue

When you talk about the 21st century supercars, how do you judge them? Sheer outright straight line speed? No. Engine size? No. It's all about the dynamics of the car around a track, the usable power band and ultra-light weight tech like carbon fiber monocoque, titanium this and magnesium that, ultra quick shift times through a semi-automatic 7 speed transmission. Some of today's supercars have pushed the boundaries far beyond what was imaginable only a decade ago. And I am going to talk about two of them:

The Porsche 918 Spyder and the McLaren P1.

The McLaren P1 (top) and the Porsche 918 Spyder (bottom)

Both of these machines have redefined the term 'supercar', in the sense that they are as 'contemporary' as it is possible for a supercar to be in terms of technology used inside them.

McLaren P1: the undisputed aero-king

Formula 1 world champs McLaren had a lot to live up to when they announced they will be making the ultimate supercar, after legend Gordon Murray came up with the legendary and still very fast by modern standards 'McLaren F1'. It came out in 1992, with a ludicrous price tag and oozing with high technology parts like full carbon fiber monocoque, McLaren's proprietary 'Ground Plane Shear Centre' double wishbone suspension geometry, a unique central driving position for perfect weight distribution and a V12 sourced from BMW's MotorSport or 'M' division.

Gordon Murray wanted 550bhp from the V12, but when the weight of the finished F1 came out to be greater than targeted, he was nt complaining when he heard that the V12 will produce 626bhp. The finished car ultimately did 384kph on the famous VW owned test track 'Ehra-Lessien' in Germany, which was used to test secret cars in the '30s.

McLaren F1's various versions: a) The long tail (farthest) b) The F1-GTR (middle) and c) F1

There were two projects for McLaren's automotive division-the more subdued sports car MP4-12C and the one we are discussing-the P1 supercar. Ron Dennis left as head of the McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 team and started heading the automotive division.

An exploded view of the MP4-12C

The P1 project's chief designer was Dan-Parry Williams. He used the same M838T twin-turbo V8 in the P1 as in the MP4-12C, but with more power-730bhp. A hybrid system was conceived to aid the performance of the turbo charged V8 and also enhance the P1's 'green' credentials. The question was not of going 'hybrid' just for the sake of it, but was 'should the P1 be hybrid if it makes it slower'? And the answer was-No.

The McLaren M838T engine with rear transaxle

The hybrid system aids the engine by smoothing out the torque at various revs by providing the 'delta' torque required at those revs and also providing thrust as a stand alone power supply unit. This also aided Williams to fit bigger turbos to the engine as the 'lag' would be minimized by the battery pack's energy supply. Energy is stored in a battery pack located just behind the cockpit and above the fuel tank. The location was the best 'compromise' situation for the P1, given the packaging, cooling and other constraints. To keep the center of gravity as low as possible, the V8 features a dry sump. Also, the P1 could maintain its 'squat' stance as a result.

Sculpted too perfection-the P1 is truly breathtaking

The electric motor is bolted directly to the engine and acts as the starter motor as well, thus removing the need for a separate alternator motor.

The McLaren P1 powertrain layout

The air-flow management around the P1 is an active process as the car constantly keeps adjusting to the driving conditions by deploying the rear wing to aid traction. Also, the bonnet features slots to vent out the air from underneath the fron end and channels it along the side of the P1 and through its rear wing to maximize its aero efficiency and make it as slippery as possible, yet maintaining the required levels of downforce and minimizing drag.

The P1 is car which feels 'alive'

Porsche 918 Spyder: spiritual heir to the Carrera GT

Porsche's iconic sports cars have always evoked passion among the hearts of the automobile enthusiasts and fans across the globe. Their cars always have been engineering benchmarks and somtimes, works of art. One such work of art was the Carrera GT, which came charging from the gates of Zuffenhausen in 2004 and blew its opposition into pieces, with the exception of the Ferrari Enzo.

The Carrera GT was conceived from a failed NASCAR engine program. Porsche then decided to build a sportscar around the 5.7 litre V10 engine.

The Carrera GT

An inside view of the engineering marvel that is the Carrera GT

The 918 Spyder literally took off where the Porsche Carrera GT ended. Its wheelbase is exactly the same as the Carrera GT and looks the same as well!

The 918 Spyder

Porsche once again went for the open top configuration for a true sports car driving experience. It features a unique powertrain layout. The 918 features two electric motors, one sandwiched between the engine and transaxle and the other one on the front axle. So it is a 4WD set up, till speeds reach 93mph. Beyond that, only the rear wheels are driven, so the set up is optimal when the aero grip is less at low speeds, around tight corners and during initial acceleration. Consequently, when speeds are high and mechanical grip is aided by aero, the rear tyres can provide adequate traction.

The total power output of the powertrain stands at 887bhp, with 603bhp coming from the 4.6 litre V8 gasoline engine and the remaining 284bhp coming from both the motors. The battery consists of 312 Li-ion cells dispensing 6.8kWh of energy, so the total weight is a meaty 1800kgf. However, the centre of gravity is at wheel hub height, so handling is not compromised. Also, thanks to the 47/53 weight distribution, the change of direction is blindingly quick. The wheelbase of the 918 is same as that of the Carrera GT and hence the rear wheels are also brought into the equation both at low and high speeds to aid turn.

The Porsche 4.6 Litre V8 'hot-V'

The initial protoypes used side exiting exhausts but were found to be over heating the batteries, so a 'hot-V' configuration was used and hence the later prototypes used top exiting exhausts.

The side exhaust outlets were replaced with top exiting ones

Hot-V: Top exiting exhaust look really cool and are made out of thin walled
inconcel, so the entire exhaust system weighs just 29kgs!

Similar to the P1, the 918 also features a rear wing that deploys to aid traction in low speed corners and modulate the downforce levels as required.

Rear wings forms an integral part of the aero-package on the 918, retracts when not required

The 918's track prowess was proved when it lapped the mighty 187 turn Nurburgring-Nordschleife in 7 min flat! That is almost 20 sec quicker than the Carrera GT! The 4WD trick doing the job perhaps. But, overall it is a fantastic piece of machinery from Zuffenhausen.

The Verdict

McLaren pulled of a masterpiece with the P1, but tech progress is making cars more and more geeky and devoid of a soul. The P1 is biblical on every level, yet it does nt evoke emotions as you get from a Porsche 962 or Ferrari P3/330.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is every bit as fast as the P1, but with more character as its an open top and the engine is normally aspirated, so the purity is still there in the elements. However, the 4WD layout thanks to the front mounted motor will make the handling quite predictable. And predictable is a word which is not preferred in supercars.

This seems to be with every hypercar and supercar coming out of the stables from Bugatti, Ferrari and Lamborghini. Audi seemed to have tamed the mighty bull, taken away its madness, Ferraris seem like computing machines and Bugatti's Veyron is extremely quick but sounds like a washing machine. The noise element in a supercar is definitely going down with the V12s being replaced by turbo V8s and V6s. So when it comes to the 'ultimate 21st century supercar', it is a lot less wild than it used to be.

I'd still call the Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari F40 and McLaren F1 the ultimate supercars!

'Downsizing'-The Irony and its future

The Irony

It starts off from various global summits regarding emission levels from automobiles around the world. The norms getting more and more strict every year, and with good reason. The ozone layer is at stake, so the CO2 levels have to be minimized. The anvil falls on the powertrain.

How ironic is it that the engines are being 'down'sized, yet the very cars and people which they have to tug are getting fatter. People want more power, comfortable seats, power-'everything', space in the boot, 'SUV' sized proportions....yet it should only sip fuel every now and then and never break down! Not to mention, meet the emission levels as well in the process. Hatchbacks are getting as wide as the streets themselves! How about downsizing vehicle dimensions as well? 'Kei' cars like the Toyota IQ and our very own TATA Nano should be the future if you don't want to spend half the day commuting!

Downsizing

How much is enough? How far can you scale down an engine and yet produce the same or yet more power than where you started from?
Welcome to the world of downsizing and forced induction everyone!

The idea that smaller engines using forced induction such as turbo or supercharger to produce more power and torque by burning the fuel efficiently using lots of air is not new.

The turbo, which was developed by Swiss engineer Alfred Buchi was used by the French to in their Renault powered aircraft during WWI. It has excellent altitude compensating ability, thanks to the compressor that forces compressed air in the engine cylinders. For reciprocating engines, it has been a boon ever since. Mechanically powered superchargers have also become popular for tuning cars and aircraft engines (reciprocating type).

Rolls Royce Merlin V12 Engine

However, 'inertia' has been the turbo's 'Achilles heel' since it is driven by the engine's exhaust gas stream and the turbine takes time to fully spool up (to start rotating at the rated rpm). Hence, it takes some time to actually provide some 'boost' to the engine i.e. air at the desired pressure for enhanced volumetric efficiency. The term 'turbo-lag' comes into the picture, which has been the anti-christ in the auto industry ever since the turbocharger was conceived.

Auto makers started using various techniques like 'Variable Geometry' (which directs the exhaust stream on to the turbine blades in a variable and adaptive manner so that the turbine responds more quickly to the throttle pedal) and 'smaller turbos', which have lesser inertia and hence spool up quickly.

Variable Geometry Turbo unit

Performance car manufacturers used the turbo to great extent to extract every ounce of power from the existing engines rather than building a bespoke engine (and incur the huge tooling costs). Supercars like the Jaguar XJ220 of the power crazed '80s is a perfect example. It used a twin-turbo V6 instead of a larger V8 or V12 as used by the Italians and the Germans. Even top level motorsport like Formula 1 used the turbos.

Jaguar XJ220

In the previous decade, however, things started to move quickly with auto manufacturers reducing the engine volumes and using forced induction to bring the emission levels down and increase the thermal efficiency of the powertrain. It all started with the Toyota Yaris 1.0L engine which won several engine of the year awards in 1999. It powered the hatchback Yaris which was a perfect example of a Japanese 'kei' car. The kei cars were a Japanese government initiative to produce shorter wheelbase city cars which could solve the traffic clogging problems faced in mega-cities like Tokyo.

VW was the first manufacturer to make significant in-roads in this field however, with the 'Twincharger' concept, which combines turbo and supercharging to optimize engine performance across the rev range for the 1.4L R4 gasoline engine. They called it 'TSi' and it is still the benchmark to which all the OEM manufacturers look up to even today. It comprises of a roots type supercharger which is driven by the engine at 1.5X speed and feeds to a turbo unit, which further multiplies torque at higher revs. This arrangement nearly eliminates turbo-lag at lower revs. At high speeds, the supercharger unit is disconnected by a clutch and the intake air is fed directly fed to the turbo unit, which provides the boost. Hence, the engine need not drive the supercharger and incur parasitic losses. Also, the fuel is directly injected in the cylinders through a high pressure common rail and special injectors for efficient charge ratio and induction. It operates at a lean setting for maximum fuel economy and is installed in various VW group vehicles.

VW 1.4 TSi engine

The Ford Motor Company recently brought the 'EcoBoost' engine to the market, which uses a 1.0L R3 turbocharged gasoline engine with cast iron block (to reduce engine heat up time) which also incorporates the exhaust manifold and an eccentric  flywheel to reduce the vibrations. The turbo helps achieve a high specific power output, comparable to larger displacement engines. It won six  engine of the year awards in 2013.

Ford 1.0L 3 cylinder EcoBoost engine

The valve arrangement in the EcoBoost cylinder head along with the fuel injector near the intake valves which enhance the swirl of the intake charge

In the performance car industry, BMW recently reduced the volume and cut two cylinders from its V10 which powered the E92 M5 and created a 'TwinPower Turbo' 4.4L V8, which had even more power and torque, expecially at lower rev range, with almost similar response time as the V10, yet with reduced emissions.

BMW 4.4L TwinPower V8

Also, when it comes to turbo-diesels however, BMW has been the benchmark through the years with its 2.0L and 3.0L turbo-diesels winning awards across the world. They also introduced the concept of a twin-turbo which has a small and a large turbine, each used at different engine revs to reduce the spool up time, to reduce turbo-lag. It delivers the torque figures equivalent of a medium-capacity V8.

BMW 3.0L R6 twin-turbo diesel

The Future

It is clear that emission levels and depleting natural resources will force the auto industry into re-thinking about powertrains on a completely different level. Alternate fuels like synthetic gasoline, bio-diesel, electric-hybrid power and fuel cells. Currently, the engine development centers are focusing more on enhancing the efficiency of the powertrain by using hybrids, primarily gasoline-electric. The key points are extended range, low emissions and better specific power output as well.

A classic case in point is McLaren's in-house developed 3.8L twin-turbo V8 which gives an output of 730ps and is coupled with a battery pack which boosts the output to a mind boggling 900+ps. They key aspect of this powertrain is that it uses the battery pack for multiple things (than for storing and delivering energy alone). It is also used to even out the torque across the rev range, acts as the alternator and removes the need for a separate battery source to start the engine! The emission levels are extremely low for an engine of this category.

McLaren M838T 3.8L V8 with KERS

The P1 is proof that even supercars of the future will use downsized powertrains with electric power boost for extended range and to lower the emission levels.