Omnivore

[rev-erend]

Dictionary says : able to eat both plants and meat.

Seems Lotus and Jaguar have gotten together to develop a radical new engine - which is a radical step change from anything that went before it.

Two stroke for starters, Variable compression ration, direct injection, mono block (head and block are one piece). It claims to be able to use any fuel : petrol, alcohol, diesel maybe..




Read more here :

http://jalopnik.com/5160933/lotus-completes-omnivo...

and here :
http://jalopnik.com/400401/the-lotus-omnivore-a-pi...

In my mind - thermal efficency is one thing but unless it's combined with light weight cars .. well Chapman would be turning in his grave (not at Lotus cars per se .. but cars in general). At the point we started allowing the huge continental trucks into the UK (44 tons up from 36 - I believe ) the future of small light cars was gone. In it's place came ever heavier cars that needed more strenght, crumple zones and numereous air bags .. oh almost forgot. Weight .. loads of it.

[Pigeon]

Why have they headed the second article with that pic? That's a four-stroke fixed-compression top end.

[rev-erend]

Pigeon said:

Why have they headed the second article with that pic? That's a four-stroke fixed-compression top end.

No poppet valves.. so are you sure ?

[Mr2Mike]

rev-erend said:

Pigeon said:

Why have they headed the second article with that pic? That's a four-stroke fixed-compression top end.

No poppet valves.. so are you sure ?

I can clearly see a poppet valve in the picture above. It's a direct injection 4 stroke head, e.g. like the Mitsubishi GDI engine.

[Pumaracing]

Well the twin overhead cams, inlet valves, exhaust valves, separate head and block and no 2 stroke ports are somewhat of a clue that it isn't the right pic.

[rev-erend]

Looks like the article cheated and got it wrong..

Still - is an interesting concept.

Doubt it will see the light of day though.

[Pumaracing]

I have a severe aversion to two-strokes at the best of times. A Suzuki 250 of mine developed an air lock in the oil feed to the crank bearings, seized it and spat me down the road at 60 mph one night. Luckily nothing coming the other way because I spent about 50 yards sliding down the oncoming side of the road at a very gradual angle until I ended up unceremoniously in the grass on the far verge. Also handy it was raining so not too much friction against the road surface so it barely wore through my jeans.

Then a year or so later my Suzuki 380 had a clutch bolt come out, jam against the inside wall of the crankcase, lock the engine up and spit me down another road, a dry one unfortunately this time, up a high kerb and into a brick wall. Would have been better if A) the bike hadn't come down on my left leg and wore the kneecap away against the tarmac and B)if the bike hadn't followed me up the kerb and squished me against the wall after I'd finished colliding with it. Ho hum.

Actually maybe my aversion should just be to Suzukis. Had no problems ever after with Honda 4 strokes.

[Mr2Mike]

My old Suzuki X5 (200 twin) spat me off when it seized whilst trying to keep up with a friend on his GT185. Still like two strokes though, as long as they have at least two cylinders and preferably three.

[900T-R]

Pumaracing said:

Would have been better if A) the bike hadn't come down on my left leg and wore the kneecap away against the tarmac and B)if the bike hadn't followed me up the kerb and squished me against the wall after I'd finished colliding with it. Ho hum.

I'll keep on using four wheeled contraptions to get me down the road thanksverymuch