Design the fastest possible vehicle
Discussion
smithyithy said:
If I designed one it'd have a 2 stroke engine. Twice the power of a 4 stroke for the size.. smaller engine = less weight = better power to weight, which is the most important factor.
Only reason we don't have them in cars / bikes now is the emissions laws!!
Two-strokes don't take well to forced induction though, and a similar-sized four-stroke with blower will make far, far more power.Only reason we don't have them in cars / bikes now is the emissions laws!!
jon- said:
Not sure why this isn't just taken as the end of the thread? 
They asked this question to Adrian Newey, who probably knows a little bit more about it than we do, and the above is what he came up with. It's rather fast.
SturdyHSV said:
jon- said:
Not sure why this isn't just taken as the end of the thread? They asked this question to Adrian Newey, who probably knows a little bit more about it than we do, and the above is what he came up with. It's rather fast.
Unless Gordon Murray posts, Newey's design is the answer 
If a human driver would be kept, what could be done to make him stay concious through the high g forces?
I am thinking a swivelling cockpit might help so the g's are always downwards on the drivers body not sideways on the neck.
Also a very flat prone sitting position, head first.
An electric pump to assist the heart pumping blood might also help.
I am thinking a swivelling cockpit might help so the g's are always downwards on the drivers body not sideways on the neck.
Also a very flat prone sitting position, head first.
An electric pump to assist the heart pumping blood might also help.
tharriso said:
If a human driver would be kept, what could be done to make him stay concious through the high g forces?
I am thinking a swivelling cockpit might help so the g's are always downwards on the drivers body not sideways on the neck.
Also a very flat prone sitting position, head first.
An electric pump to assist the heart pumping blood might also help.
All discussed on xkcd.I am thinking a swivelling cockpit might help so the g's are always downwards on the drivers body not sideways on the neck.
Also a very flat prone sitting position, head first.
An electric pump to assist the heart pumping blood might also help.
PW said:
robbieduncan said:
http://what-if.xkcd.com/116/That link, for when it's updated and an article to do with spaniels or the moons of Jupiter takes its place.
robinessex said:
The theoretical maximum speed on any circuit is quite simple really. You're in 1 of 3 states at any given moment. Accelerating at 4-5g. Braking at 4-5g. Cornering at 4-5g.
Don't forget though that drag increases with the square of speed, so a theoretical car that pulls 4g in acceleration at a given speed will pull less at a higher speed. The resultant equation would still be possible though of course.RobM77 said:
on't forget though that drag increases with the square of speed, so a theoretical car that pulls 4g in acceleration at a given speed will pull less at a higher speed. The resultant equation would still be possible though of course.
Might be a bit more complicated if it has aero and is traction limited?Also, I think the point was that you would need a 4g limit to protect the driver.
t.robinessex said:
The theoretical maximum speed on any circuit is quite simple really. You're in 1 of 3 states at any given moment. Accelerating at 4-5g. Braking at 4-5g. Cornering at 4-5g.
Or a combination of any two of the three.It was explained to me many years ago thus: Take a circuit. Draw a line around it which represents the 'perfect' line, maximising corner radii and blending one corner to the next. Apply the maximum amount of force to that line at any point, so power to the point of wheelspin in a straight line, maximum brake force when not accelerating, diminishing braking during turn-in, increasing power out of corners to perfectly match the traction available.
The difficult bit is achieving that in real life.
littleredrooster said:
otolith said:
Lots of ships powered by massive forced induction two strokes.
I think you'll find that you wouldn't get a lot of power in a heavy-oil two-stroke diesel in a size which would fit a car... littleredrooster said:
Two-strokes don't take well to forced induction though
I would like to see autonomous high speed racing in the coming years... either on the ground or even in vacuum tunnels.What about this as well as the Red Bull X-Car.
Also found this on a different site just for fun.
Wacky Races Overall Winner:
Formula 1 rules between 1960 and 1992 awarded 9 points to the first driver to cross the line, 6 to the second, 4 to the third, 3 to the fourth, 2 to the fifth and 1 point to the racer in sixth place.
So in the overall wacky standings, the Ant Hill Mob finish third on the podium with 74 points.
Lumberjack Rufus Ruffcut and his beaver buddy Sawtooth logged 79 points, taking the Buzzwagon to second place overall.
But the ultimate champions with 87 points, thanks to an unbeatable eight second-placed finishes. the champions of Wacky Races are cavemen Rock and Gravel Slag. In their Boulder Mobile the hirsute.
Also found this on a different site just for fun.
Wacky Races Overall Winner:
Formula 1 rules between 1960 and 1992 awarded 9 points to the first driver to cross the line, 6 to the second, 4 to the third, 3 to the fourth, 2 to the fifth and 1 point to the racer in sixth place.
So in the overall wacky standings, the Ant Hill Mob finish third on the podium with 74 points.
Lumberjack Rufus Ruffcut and his beaver buddy Sawtooth logged 79 points, taking the Buzzwagon to second place overall.
But the ultimate champions with 87 points, thanks to an unbeatable eight second-placed finishes. the champions of Wacky Races are cavemen Rock and Gravel Slag. In their Boulder Mobile the hirsute.
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