Just two weeks after we learned that Honda had suspended plans to introduce a new V10 NSX sports car in 2010 comes word that we may see the car anyway. Sort of. The production program is still dead, but it is being reported that the previously scheduled "concept" will appear at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in a couple of weeks. In typical Honda fashion, a concept version of a new model appears a few months for the street edition. In this case, the NSX was set to debut next fall at the Tokyo Motor Show with the conceptual preview at the Detroit auto show. Since the concept was already prepared before Honda made the decision to scrap the program, they will show it anyway. Honda's presence in Cobo will still be low-key however, with its press conference having been canceled. The NSX and the production Insight will simply appear on the show floor.
What the heck's an Isuzu test mule doing banging around the Midwest? There's no hope that this D-Max, based on the GMT 355 platform, will ever see a North American showroom, since the company recently folded up its tent and left. What's most likely is that an OEM is doing some development work on the big 3.0-liter four pot turbodiesel. Pickuptrucks.com speculates that Bosch or AVL's Detroit-area outposts might be fiddling with the engine under the ill-fitting hood, as the vehicle has been seen going to and fro some engineering facilites. So, while the idea of a GMT 355 with a torque-tacular turbo-diesel is exciting, it's likely not likely that consumers here will ever get the chance to buy one. Darn.
Turning road cars into race cars and then back into road cars seems to be Reiter Engineering's new specialty. The factory-supported Lamborghini race team, which also recently built a street-legal variant of their Murcielago R-GT that competes in the FIA GT1 and European Le Mans Series, is now offering a road version of their Gallardo GT3 racecar. Based off the standard Gallardo with the 5.0L V10, the "Strada" features carbon fiber bodywork including fenders that have been widened 60mm, a new front fascia with "shark" style air ducts, side skirts and a large carbon fiber wing at the rear. A single large center-mounted exhaust system reduces weight by nine kg and added an extra ten horsepower, while new three-piece alloy wheels are wrapped with ultra sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 2 rubber. The interior stays relatively stock, although the stock seats have been replaced with leather-covered racing units. While we wouldn't say the result is subtle, it's definitely one of the cleaner designs we've seen.
The benefits of motorsports usually have a way of trickling down to road cars, although in this particular case the connection is fairly direct. Reiter Engineering, the factory-backed motorsports company that competes in the FIA GT1 and GT3, recently unveiled a street legal version of its Murcielago R-GT racecar at the Essen Motor Show. The supercar features race-oriented modifications including a carbon fiber front spoiler and rear wing, OZ Racing wheels, and upgraded brakes and suspension components. Reiter also added a new rear fascia, and moved the exhaust system up towards the rear deck lid. Apparently the show car is a one-off, although word has it that it can be had for the right amount of money, and the individual components on the car are also available for purchase.
We've been enamored with the idea of stuffing a Suzuki Hayabusa-derived V8 engine into an appropriately light and sporty four-wheeled conveyance since we first learned of such a powerplant's existence last Spring. The task of creating a 'Zuki-powered sled is set to become significantly easier now that Hartley Engineering has managed to rework the 'Busa block a bit. An entirely new crankcase has been designed and hewn from a huge chunk of 6061 T6 aluminum. It may not be a V8, but this new inline-four engine, known as the H2, is a diminutive powerhouse that can bolt right up to a standard automotive transmission. Why is this a big deal? Motorcycle gearboxes generally don't have a dedicated reverse gear and usually output their high-revving power via a chain. Now, the prospect of a 140-pound engine with over 200 horses powering something along the lines of a Super 7 has us salivating once again. Those with equally imaginative minds can now begin plotting their next projects, as the H2 is expected to be ready for purchase in early '09.
Ferrari doesn't make motorcycles. At least, not officially... but that fact hasn't stopped a number of custom cycle makers from taking matters into their own hands. Perhaps the most famous Maranello-inspired two-wheeler was made by Arlen Ness, but that one's not all that practical in conception. We would imagine a Ferrari motorcycle to be a truly sporting machine, equally as comfortable on the race track as the street, or, more realistically, being shown off in one's garage. Ferrari seems to agree, as the only cycle ever created that bears an official Ferrari chassis number -- SF-01M -- has true sporting pretensions. Built by David Kay Engineering and completed in 1995, this one-and-only Ferrari motorcycle sports a DOHC engine displacing 900cc and putting out 105 horsepower at 8,800rpm. The only styling choice we take exception with are the Testarossa-style strakes on either side, but nothing's perfect, right? So, what's the only officially official Ferrari bike worth? We'll find out for sure when the auction ends on the 20th, but the expected price is between 325,000-375,000 Swiss francs, or around $300K in U.S. dollars.
Ward's Auto has released its annual list of Ten Best Engines for the new year, and our first assessment is that it's just as interesting for what isn't present as for what is. First of all, let's get the official list out of the way:
* Audi AG: 2.0L TFSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (A4 Avant)
* BMW AG: 3.0L turbocharged DOHC I-6 (135i Coupe)
* BMW AG: 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel (335d)
* Chrysler LLC: 5.7L Hemi OHV V-8 (Dodge Ram/Challenger R/T)
* Ford Motor Co.: 2.5L DOHC I-4 HEV (Escape Hybrid)
* General Motors Corp.: 3.6L DOHC V-6 (Cadillac CTS)
* Honda Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.5L SOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe)
* Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.: 4.6L DOHC V-8 (Genesis)
* Toyota Motor Corp.: 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)
* Volkswagen AG: 2.0L SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Jetta TDI)
Take a good look. Nissan's ubiquitous VQ, which up to this point, was the only engine series that had made Ward's Ten Best ever since the list's inception in 1995, is conspicuously absent. That's a big deal. We also note a couple of turbodiesel engines, one in BMW's favored inline-six configuration and one that powers VW's Jetta TDI. Ford's updated 2.5L hybrid four cylinder is also recognized, rounding out this year's trio of green powerplants. We also note that there's only one American V8 engine, the redesigned HEMI from Chrysler. More snubs? How'd they miss the amazing powerplants that sit under the hoods of the Corvette ZR1 and the Nissan GT-R?
Honda's departure from Formula One came down to a singular factor: cost. The amount of cash required to campaign a team (or two) in the top tier of open-wheel motorsports has been on an upwards trajectory for as long as we can remember, and combined with the current economic downturn, it was just a matter of time before a manufacturer questioned whether or not it was worth the expense. That's a tough pill for enthusiasts to swallow considering all the knowledge gleaned from F1 -- not to mention WRC.
However, in an attempt to get costs in check, the FIA announced earlier this year that it would pursue a tender to supply an engine and transmission package to teams for the 2010 season and beyond. F1's governing body announced today that Cosworth has been tapped to provide the new "low-cost" drivetrain, that requires an up-front payment of 1.97 million Euros and then an additional 6.42 million Euros each season during the three-year contract. While 20+ million Euros might not seem like a bargain, it's a pittance compared to what automakers invest developing their own engine. If they opt out of the unbadged Cosworth engine, teams can use their own de-tuned version of the current 2.4-liter V8. Transmission choices are still up in the air, as Cosworth negotiates with Xtrac and Ricardo.
"You've got to have the right tool for the job." "You can't bring a knife to a gun-fight." Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. We've heard it all before. Honda makes some excellent engines, there's no doubt about that, from small displacement four-pots that rev through the roof to gloriously smooth and reliable V6 units. Unfortunately, the fun stops there, as the Japanese automaker has steadfastly stuck to its guns, not building an eight-cylinder engine when it can do just as well with fewer pistons.
Regardless of how competent its six may be, nearly all of Honda's competitors offer V8 engines in their top-level models, and Acura fanatics have been begging for a range-topper to compete with the likes of Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz for years. They may soon get their wish, as Honda's CEO Takeo Fukui has stated once and for all that Acura will indeed be getting an eight for its next top-level sedan.
What good is a beefy engine if you can't get the power to the ground? A big, heavy V8 engine over the front tires is a recipe for a horribly unbalanced front-driver, and Honda realizes this. So expect the aforementioned sedan to get rear-wheel-drive to go along with its newfound infusion of displacement. When? Not until 2015 according to some industry sources. That's a veritable eternity in the auto biz, so we have to wonder if Fukui has let the cat out of the bag a bit prematurely.
After two decades of normally-aspirated high-revving engines shoehorned under the hoods of its M cars, BMW is changing direction and will begin to offer direct-injection turbocharged powerplants in its future high-performance flagships. The German automaker is blaming tough environmental emission standards and the soaring manufacturing costs of the specialty-built V8 and V10 engines found in today's M3, M5, and M6 models for its decision. We also suspect the fact that both Audi and Mercedes-Benz have successfully offered torque-laden forced-induction powerplants for years on their performance models may have something to do with it (also keep in mind that an aftermarket-tuned version of BMW's own twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 can easily match the power output of the M3's normally-aspirated 4.0-liter V8). The first new M model to carry the turbocharged honor will be the X6 xDrive M, with a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 reportedly making 500 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. That same engine is reportedly going into the next F10-chassis M5 due in late 2010.
