RE: New 300bhp 1.8 For Alfa Romeo

[ChrisPap]

Genuinely suprised by the amount of trolling and sarky posts going on here. I've had several Alfas and still have a couple. To me they've always been relitively trouble free and certainly no worse than any other brands. Not like my mates '98 M3 where the top of the strut tower rusted out or my mates 2002 AMG that filled it's arches and tailgate with rust and was plauged by electrical gremlins! I'm sure some peole have had lemons, but far too many people just enjoy the storys and reputation from 30 years ago with no real first hand experience.

There are better cars out there in the eyes of many, and objectively that's probably true, But the Alfa I've had have alway been better value and given me more joy as an experience that other brands.

Anyway, OT, Manufacturers are working on F1 engines at the moment that will deliver 700hp for a 1.6 petrol turbo, and they will do that for 4000kms flat out without rebuilds or even tinkering (by the rules). That's 437hp per liter in something that is very reliable and long lasting as far as racing engines go.

So to think by that time a manufacturer will be launchung a road car to do 166hp/litre with reasonable emmissions and reliability is surely no suprise. Many are currently close. And with variable timing and lift of both camshafts (multiair) and modern turbo tech, I'm sure that engines like this will be in everything before long.

Though great as it is technologically, I will be holding onto my favorite configuration, and my favorite Alfa Engine, the Busso V6, forever!

Edited by ChrisPap on Thursday 6th October 08:59

[Raitzi]

I agree with the previous poster. There seems to be a mental barrier which gives us the notion "it can not be done" until somebody just builds it . Nobody believed that there could be a 240 Hp Na 2.0l road car engine until Honda built it. 300 Hp from 1.8 turbo is very easy nowadays. Tuners now that with right parts you can easily get 400 Hp from 1.8 200sx.

And advice for alfa. Put the 300Bhp engine in 4C. Lightness only gets you so far and you need power to be competitive on larger tracks. Example of light car with 200hp engine is VX220 turbo. It is not very high on www.fastestlaps.com. Also it is so easy to put a button to a turbo car to reduce power but nowadays legislation in some countries(like here in Finland) will ban(or make it very difficult) increasing power with tuning. In short Alfa should to go "balls out" to compete with lotus and porsche.

[YsterSwart]

Lotsa nonsense posted here on something thats still in the making...

People moan.. We want rear wheel drive Alfa's! Yes the 8C was rear wheel but not exactly affordable or mainstream.

Alfa announces the 4C will be rear wheel drive! And more affordable! Great!

People moan, we want a stronger engine! Alfa announces a 300bhp engine! People bh! and bh some more!

Get over the fact that its not gonna be a V6 or bigger displacement engine!

Alfa can and will make the 1.8l sound raspy and sporty! Its not hard to do! And with this engine this car will go like STINK!

Turbo lag? Please there is NO turbo lag in the current 1750TBi 173kw Giulietta! So the stronger 1.8l engine shouldnt be any different!

[XitUp]

Was with you up until the last line, which was absolute rubbish. ALL turbo charged cars have turbo lag, unless they are running anti-lag, which you shouldn't really be doing on the road.

[YsterSwart]

Have you driven the 1750TBi? I assume not?

It has a scavenging system that eliminates the so called "turbo lag"?

I own a 1.4 MultiAir 125kw Giulietta and yes my car has a little bit of turbo lag, but the bigger brother the 1750TBi doesnt have the lag my car has... If it has "lag" its so short you wouldnt even notice it

[otolith]

"raspy and sporty", maybe, but it isn't going to sound glorious like the V6 did. It's a great pity, but that's the way of the world.

[vit4]

otolith said:

"raspy and sporty", maybe, but it isn't going to sound glorious like the V6 did. It's a great pity, but that's the way of the world.

:nods:

I must admit that coupled with a decent exhaust it's possibly my favourite sounding mainstream engine of all time.

[XitUp]

YsterSwart said:

Have you driven the 1750TBi? I assume not?

It has a scavenging system that eliminates the so called "turbo lag"?

I own a 1.4 MultiAir 125kw Giulietta and yes my car has a little bit of turbo lag, but the bigger brother the 1750TBi doesnt have the lag my car has... If it has "lag" its so short you wouldnt even notice it

Nope. I've not. But it will have lag.
The scavenging system reduced, but does not eliminate the lag.

[AndrewSV]

ok, i want one already... replacement for my 159 perhaps

[k-ink]

Just to add I've had some 100% reliable old Alfas. Not spent even 1p on repairs. Shame I cannot say the same about my VW experience, but hey ho. Just to counterbalance some of the (usual predictable) nonsense.