RE: PH Blog: (em)motive power

RE: PH Blog: (em)motive power

Wednesday 5th December 2012

PH Blog: (em)motive power

Engines are getting dull and losing their soul - Dan celebrates those that still have it



We car nuts don't half spend a lot of time anthropomorphising human qualities onto our machines. Cripes, even Mercedes boasts of more 'emotional' gearshifts in the press material for the new SLS AMG Black Series. What exactly does that mean? Does it get huffy if you muddle your upshift? Weep if you mis-time your downshifts? I'm not sure I want an emotional gearbox. Mechanical will do just fine, thanks.

Just don't ask where the tech came from
Just don't ask where the tech came from
Engines, on the other hand. Now there's a device where 'emotion' is a more desirable trait. In an age where the differences in character between diesel and direct-injected/turbocharged petrol engines (well, it's been a couple of weeks since we last discussed it... ) are blurring it's easy to get a little misty-eyed about engines boasting qualities we can engage with.

Which got me thinking. What's my favourite engine? Ever?

A humdinger, eh?

My shortlist starts with ... the direct-injected straight-six from the 300SL Gullwing. It's a great looking engine for starters, canted over on its side with that huge intake plenum on the other. And that mechanical fuel injection overfuels at start up and tickover, meaning lots of spluttering and clouds of black smoke. But by heck, when it gets going. It could only be German too, the Deutschland Uber Alles bellow, the sound of a nation of engineers emerging from a dark cloud and devoting their considerable expertise to something much more worthwhile. The 300 SLS roadster I once drove with straight-through side exhausts was just amazing too.

Just kicked in, yo, etc
Just kicked in, yo, etc
But I need to consider an in-line four too. A twin-cam. The twin-cam in the Lotus Cortina is pretty special; the Cosworth-headed BDA that followed in RS Escorts pretty appealing too. But I think I'll go a bit more up to date and instead opt for the manic buzz of VTEC Honda four. The S2000's, I think. Am I allowed a fruity induction kit with that? My blog, my rules. So yes. Exhaust noise is for show-offs - induction noise is cooler. Different - very different - but just as beguiling, a flat-four turbo Subaru engine deserves a place on the shortlist, especially one of the more exotic high-revving JDM STI ones like that in the Impreza Type-RA R I once drove. And if we're doing flat-fours, I can't ignore the Alfasud's either, the rasping engine note of my grandpa's awakening the first stirrings of petrolhead yearning in a very young Dan. I didn't know what the noise was. But I knew it was different from mum and dad's Escort, and I liked it.

AMG's M156 - not bad for its first self-built effort
AMG's M156 - not bad for its first self-built effort
You'll notice I've not mentioned a V8 yet. Or a V12. I've probably not spent enough time with older ones of the latter, though the 599's is pretty raw and feral. Better than current direct-injection Ferrari engines, which sound as charismatic as a sewing machine at tickover. But it's impossible to ignore a V8 and, if I have to pick one, it's AMG's M156 6.2. It just feels immense, unburstable and brimming with self confidence and charisma, especially in the old CLK63 Black Series in which it was originally developed, but also in its most extreme form in the SLS.

Can you see where this is going, though? You've probably already guessed. I know, I'm sorry. There's no little Porsche love to be found in the PH editorial team but if I have to pick just one engine it's going to have to be a flat-six from Stuttgart. Naturally I'll pick the most exotic - the last of the line Mezger four-litre from the GT3 RS 4.0 - but the beauty of this selection is that any naturally aspirated Porsche will give you a taste of the same, be it a basic Boxster or 911 with a plank on the back and interior full of roll cage. Old carb-fed ones sound fabulous. New direct-injection ones still do too. And it's that sense of inertia-free balance that seals it, especially the howl that builds, builds, builds and then hardens into a searing, hollow scream beyond 5,000rpm. And it's the same whether you're accelerating onto the M25 on your morning commute or pinning it up Kesselchen on the way up to the Karusell.

Motoring hack 'likes Porsche best' shocker
Motoring hack 'likes Porsche best' shocker
Ach, it's just an engine, a collection of bits of metal churning away. The emotion bit is just us projecting onto it. But there's something about that sound and sensation that sets those good to be alive endorphins flowing.

There's my shortlist anyway. What's yours? It can include non-German engines too, for what it's worth...

Dan

Author
Discussion

RINGMEISTER

Original Poster:

154 posts

180 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
V10 winner gotta be the Lfa nurburgring

How about the Mazda 787b for rotary lovliness or are racing cars not allowed?




AER

1,142 posts

269 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
LS2 V8 at full noise

K-series VVC as it unexpectedly hits the rev limiter

Merlin XX that unfortunately I don't have hidden in the back of the garage... frown

The Orbital 2.0L I6 two-stroke as fitted in the BMW E36 demonstrator was also a hoot, but precious little info available on the web these days.

Edited by AER on Wednesday 5th December 10:09

GranCab

2,902 posts

145 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Maserati's 4.7 V8 in my GranCab is pretty special smile

pattieG

194 posts

148 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
S1 Quattro with all the B spec trimmings

loudlashadjuster

5,081 posts

183 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
I'd also give props to the 2.0 Alfa inline 4 that powered the 155. Not sure if their current petrol engines still sound as magical (for a 4) as I've only driven a diesel Alfa recently, but this engine just sang and I became very attached to it, surely the definition of emotion?

mrclav

1,278 posts

222 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Porsche Carrera GT V10? Lexus LFA V10?

Fish

3,974 posts

281 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
A sorted TVR speed six 4l has to be up there, it doesn't have soul it has an entire personality, off days good days etc.

stevesingo

4,848 posts

221 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
BMW S14 with Carbon Airbox.

radlet6

736 posts

173 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
1974 Porsche Carrera 3.0 RS with Bosh Fuel Injection to be precise (just something about the reverb and the induction on that model).

What no V6's? Used to love the note on my Capri (RS2600), and surely Alfa's V6 should be mentioned too?

And yes the V-Tec from Honda is great in all its high revving loveliness, but the 'in-line 4' prize surely has to go to Alfa's twin spark.

No mention either of Audi's 5 pot. Like an in-line 6 but just not quite the same - just so quirky.

Edited by radlet6 on Wednesday 5th December 10:23

ghibbett

1,900 posts

184 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
The main reason behind the purchasing of my C63 AMG. Last chance saloon to enjoy these amazing engines cry

matbat

772 posts

244 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Has to be a Rolls Royce Merlin, not a car engine I know (and John Dodds 'The Beast' had a Meteor so that doesn't count!)

Even just hearing one start is a magical experience.

LordFlathead

9,641 posts

257 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
No Porsche love? I think they 928 V8 is a special engine and it sounds fantastic.

matbat

772 posts

244 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
radlet6 said:
What no V6's? Used to love the note on my Capri (RS2600), and surely Alfa's V6 should be mentioned too?
^^^^ This!

The the Alfetta 2.5 GTV6 FTW!

The Don of Croy

5,975 posts

158 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
My 1992 Civic Vti - the noise over 5500 rpm. Frantic but worth it (if you wanted to make progress).

Also liked muchly the 2.0 Nissan Almera Gti, even the same lump in a repmobile Primera 2.0GL was lovesome thing.

Never got my hands on any exotica - just 'humdrum' everyman motoring. Still liked that Nissan though...

Sport Coupe

415 posts

197 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
This blog post is flawed.

Not even a mention to one of the best engine builders - BMW M GmbH.

Just drive any cylinder configuration, S14, S38, S62, S85, S70 and you know its something special.

Eddh

4,656 posts

191 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
I own an S2000, mainly because of the engine. It is fantastic.

sday12

5,053 posts

210 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
3.6 air cooled varioram Porsche.
3.2 S50 BMW

George29

14,706 posts

163 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Aston's V12 for me. Not the best engine by any means, but the noise is just phenomenal. It's an occasion every time it starts up.

In close second would be the supercharged 5.5 V8 from AMG. I prefer it to the 6.2 V8, but no idea why.

Uncle John

4,267 posts

190 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Just a few that I have been lucky enough to experience....

Toyota 4-AGE
Alfa 1.5 Boxer
Fast Road Cosworth block Pinto
Focus RS inline 5 turbo

Will need to dabble with some AMG goodness soon!!





80085

160 posts

143 months

Wednesday 5th December 2012
quotequote all
Metro 6R4
Mclaren F1
Audi 5cyl
Koenegsegg agera R
Corvette ZR1
Too many to choose from!