Is the engine the most important part of the car for you?

[ewand]

This debate reminds me of the project management / quality management triangle:



(in software development, you might replace Scope with Features - ie you can have all the bells and whistles, but if you want it on time it'll cost a fortune... or if you want to deliver quality on time and in budget, you may need to sacrifice features...)

I'd maybe even break out transmission as a separate thing - a great engine in an OK chassis can be ruined by a bad gearbox.

There are cars with so-so engines but the chassis makes up for it - eg Lotus Elise
There are cars with great engines whose chassis & gearbox badly let them down - eg a good many Maseratis of the last 15 years
There are cars with great engines and questionable dynamics that can still be a lot of fun on their day - eg Morgan Aero 8
I can't think of any car with a bad engine which is redeemed by anything else, at least not from a driving enjoyment point of view (I had a diesel 4-pot Honda Accord estate which was well equipped, modestly expensive, superbly practical but ultimately boring to drive)

Now let's transplant the same thought to electric cars - I've had conversations with Tesla drivers who are Apple-level evangelical about how great their cars are. I've been in a few, and they seem nice enough inside but not exactly leaps ahead of the best of the traditional manufacturers. I'm sure it's the ownership experience (running costs, the gadgets) and the power delivery that make all the difference.

When the new Tesla Roadster comes to the UK, you can bet it will be >£200K OTR. Now, will the insane performance and electric manners put it in serious competition with the F8 Tributo or McL 720s? Will the build quality and interior and everything else match up to the headline figures from the power unit?

Edited by ewand on Wednesday 29th May 07:39

[PATTERNPART]

Mr Tidy said:

You need to try the next generation 3 Series 330i (E9* Series) with the N52 engine - they produce 258 bhp at 6,600 rpm and have a 7,000 rpm red-line, but are just so smooth!

Although I believe a V12 is as well-balanced as a straight 6, I won't be having one anytime soon - OK, make that ever!

But your Imp sounds like a great little car - is it a road or race car?

It's a road car with competition ideas above its station. I do help to prepare a real race Imp with about the same power but stronger internals and a much lightened shell. I'll copy some of the features of the racer as my Imp is only for occasional blasts so some creature comforts can be forgotten. There weren't many to start with. I have a one piece fibreglass Tillett seat installed and Jensen Healey wheels.

The engine really is its heart. A little Coventry Climax SOHC jewel with 3 main bearings. All alloy with steel crank and rods as standard. I can lift and carry the engine for short distances.

[rayyan171]

I think many brands out there are starting to make the engines not as important for the car, mainly due to it being that the market dictates an efficient engine with little problems and cheap running costs. Nicer engines, albeit more complicated, will simply abandon less. It looks like Audi have been doing this recently. They had been making the supercharged V6 for many years until 2017, with it being the common engine for the newer Audi's in the states, but ultimately it is a rather complicated engine, which is a tad bit sensitive, and so they shifted to the turbo V6 petrol, which makes up many of their normal cars and even now the S cars of the states.

All the manufacturers make hot cars of each class that does appeal, with somewhat interesting cars. The 5 cylinder engine for the RS3 is much more interesting in its segment than others, same goes for the M140i (RIP) etc. But, the manufacturers are now making simpler engines for all of them, in the name of saving money and ultimately causing less hassle for the consumer and manufacturers. Audi have outright given up, putting small engines in their A4 nowadays. whereas the brand new 3 series still gets the 330d in standard form, as well as the M340i (Audi went diesel in the other hand). Even mercedes have half decent engines in their small saloon cars. But, ultimately, they are all taking the modular approach, as they know that they can make cooking engines that deliver, but use the same blueprints for the smaller white goods cars. Even BMW are guilty for this, the only engine that isn't modular anymore is the N63 in the 50i/M5 of today, and it will be a challenge for BMW to make a modular V8. They probably will stretch it out significantly until they have to succumb to downsizing, especially as the latest M5 uses the same engine from the last M5.

[Mr Tidy]

PATTERNPART said:

It's a road car with competition ideas above its station. I do help to prepare a real race Imp with about the same power but stronger internals and a much lightened shell. I'll copy some of the features of the racer as my Imp is only for occasional blasts so some creature comforts can be forgotten. There weren't many to start with. I have a one piece fibreglass Tillett seat installed and Jensen Healey wheels.

The engine really is its heart. A little Coventry Climax SOHC jewel with 3 main bearings. All alloy with steel crank and rods as standard. I can lift and carry the engine for short distances.

Brilliant - I hope I can read an update somewhere. The Climax engines are just amazing!