RE: 1.0-litre Formula Ford laps Norschleife in 7:22

[AnotherClarkey]

8vFTW said:

What kind of MPG would it get in something with doors and a roof?

Lots of power for such a small engine but do Ford really expect these to last as long as a equivalent, larger capacity, N/A setup? Surely your going to be forever melting bits and blowing up turbos?

About 42mpg seems to be the real world average.

[Mark-C]

Hmmmm .... two litre V6? Go on Ford .... do it! And then bolt it into an F3 chassis and get yourselves back to the Ring ....

[Spiike]

StottyZr said:

Spiike said:

If Ford actually built these and put them out at a reasonable price (considering the lack of interior and technology) they would sell superbly well IMO.

Ariel would be pretty peeved.

I agree, even though I love Ariel their cars are starting to get too expensive, if Ford brought this out at £20k or less it would be perfect, can't imagine they cost too much to build.

[pw32]

interfacezero said:

Wonder if / when we will see the engine in a Caterham instead of the sigma block?

If Roelant had his way probably sooner. Keen UK Caterham racer until a couple of years back.

[marctwo]

I wonder how fast it would get around the TT circuit?

[PanzerCommander]

I have and always will be a big displacement kind of person but I cannot fail to be impressed by these new engines. As long as they prove strong and reliable over the years to come I imagine it will find its way into all sorts of kit cars. I assume this unit has a good weight saving over a 1.6 n/a four pot?

[RobCrezz]

900T-R said:

OK,

Buy well used Formula Ford £ 5-10K
Engine install £5K?
IVA stuff (lights, mirrors, cycle wings etc) - £3K?

Sounds a 'cheap' way to get into an extreme track day toy...

I reckon 5k is optimistic for that engine + install. But its a good idea!

[mk1fan]

Down force on a Formula Ford, really?

[Spiike]

This would be the perfect engine for any kit cars if it proves reliable enough, which I would imagine if they brought it out mainstream. http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/ford-10...

[djone101]

PSBuckshot said:

Any footage? I see the GoPro on the car...

There's some footage of the both the build and the lap here

[Prof Prolapse]

marctwo said:

I wonder how fast it would get around the TT circuit?

Not as fast as a bike.

[suffolk009]

Car's like this excite me greatly. Small, lightweight, affordable performance. It is the future.

[ewenm]

Prof Prolapse said:

I don't get it. Where's the catch?

It won't have achieved 57mpg on the fast lap. Economy for day-to-day coupled with performance (if your car is light and slippery enough ) for the days you want it. Sounds like a good combo to me, but I'm biased towards small, light sportscars anyway.

[The Black Flash]

StottyZr said:

interfacezero said:

Wonder if / when we will see the engine in a Caterham instead of the sigma block?

I was just thinking that. A breathed on ecoboost in a Caterham, 500kg (I'd expect its ligher than the current engines) ~150hp and 50mpg. Yes please.

They'll start finding their way into kits as soon as people start writing off enough focusii that there are some available, I'd guess. That said they are up against the BMW 3 series and MX5 which are the donors du jour.

Their popularity will probably hinge on how easy the things are to transplant, and how complex they are - will it need to "see" the gearbox, instruments, all the other stuff on the CAN? If so it will take longer, but being that it's a ford, I'm sure the usual aftermarket ECU makers will come up with standalone maps for them, and gearbox adaptors etc will no doubt be available off the shelf.

[kambites]

I think engines like this will struggle in the kit-car market because their only big advantage over more conventional engines is their economy, and who really cares about economy in a Seven? Once you take economy out of the equation, what does it really offer? It's never going to be cheaply tunable to massive power, it's probably not all that light, it's never going to have the throttle response of a good N/A engine,... I just don't really see the appeal in something that doesn't have to get through type approval.

[fathomfive]

Prof Prolapse said:

I don't get it. Where's the catch?

It doesn't come with Sat-Nav, electric seats and cupholders?

[julian64]

Hmmmm.

500Kg, and only 200hp. I think that equals the fastest motorcycle that runs about 200bhp and weighs about 170kg.

Can I be the first to say don't believe it.

[ewenm]

julian64 said:

Hmmmm.

500Kg, and only 200hp. I think that equals the fastest motorcycle that runs about 200bhp and weighs about 170kg.

Can I be the first to say don't believe it.

Figures including 75kg of rider/driver? I'd guess the difference would be cornering speeds.

[Prof Prolapse]

ewenm said:

Prof Prolapse said:

I don't get it. Where's the catch?

It won't have achieved 57mpg on the fast lap. Economy for day-to-day coupled with performance (if your car is light and slippery enough ) for the days you want it. Sounds like a good combo to me, but I'm biased towards small, light sportscars anyway.

I know that... Article says it averages 57mpg at 75mph, not 105mph

[8vFTW]

doogz said:

8vFTW said:

What kind of MPG would it get in something with doors and a roof?

Lots of power for such a small engine but do Ford really expect these to last as long as a equivalent, larger capacity, N/A setup? Surely your going to be forever melting bits and blowing up turbos?

205bhp/litre?

I know Evos, Sierras, Escorts, Imprezas, etc that run that daily, and whilst they require regular servicing, aren't 'forever melting bits and blowing up turbos'

I just asking about the reliability of these new small capacity, high output engines because I've never owned anything like that. Genuinely curious as to their reliability. If they do turn out to be decent then I'm all for them. Less tax, less petrol, more power. Everybody wins.