Brake horsepower per cubic centimeter or (bhp/cc) is a figure of merit that is used to indicate the 'state of tune' of an internal combustion engine. It is defined as the ratio of the engine's net power output to its displacement, the internal size. Power is measured at its rated speed and full throttle.
The same measurement may also be stated in units of kilowatts per liter (kw/L). This term was first used by André Erasmus and Morné Basson.
It is also termed specific power, although this should be qualified as volume-specific power. A similar measurement of power to weight ratio is also important, but takes into account the weight of the engine. Power density may also be considered similar, although this is usually stated in terms of the engine's external overall size, rather than its internal.
A 'typical' car engine, of around 1980, would be considered 'highly tuned' if it delivered more than 100 bhp/litre.
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are the imperial horsepower as in “HP” or “BHP” which is about 745.7 watts, and the metric horsepower as in “CV” or “PS” which is approximately 735.5 watts.
The Lotus Elise is a sports car conceived in early 1994 and released in September 1996 by the British manufacturer Lotus Cars. A two-seater roadster with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the Elise has a fibreglass body shell atop its bonded extruded aluminium chassis that provides a rigid platform for the suspension, while keeping weight and production costs to a minimum. The Elise was named after Elisa Artioli, the granddaughter of Romano Artioli who was chairman of Lotus and Bugatti at the time of the car's launch.
Caterham Cars Ltd. is a British manufacturer of specialist lightweight sports cars established in Caterham, England, with their headquarters in Dartford, England. Their current model, the Caterham 7, originally launched in 1973, is a direct evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman. In the 1990s the company made the Caterham 21, a two-seater soft top alternative to the MG F and Lotus Elise,. A track-only car, the SP/300.R, a joint project with Lola was released for customer testing in 2010 and was scheduled for release in 2013.
Engine tuning is the adjustment or modification of the internal combustion engine or Engine Control Unit (ECU) to yield optimal performance and increase the engine's power output, economy, or durability. These goals may be mutually exclusive; an engine may be de-tuned with respect to output power in exchange for better economy or longer engine life due to lessened stress on engine components.
Overdrive is the operation of an automobile cruising at sustained speed with reduced engine speed (rpm), leading to better fuel consumption, lower noise, and lower wear. The term is ambiguous. The most fundamental meaning is that of an overall gear ratio between engine and wheels, such that the car is over-geared, and cannot reach its potential top speed, i.e. the car could travel faster if it were in a lower gear, with the engine turning at higher RPM.
The Porsche 997 is the sixth generation of the Porsche 911 sports car manufactured and sold by the German automobile manufacturer Porsche between 2004 and 2013. Production of the Carrera and Carrera S coupés began in early 2004, all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S began to be delivered to customers in November 2005, the Turbo and GT3 derivatives went on sale in late 2006 and the GT2 in 2007. In addition to the coupé and cabriolet versions, Targa versions of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S were also available, which carry on with the "glass canopy" roof design used since its first application on the 993 until the 991, which reverted to the classic targa top layout used on the early 911 Targas.
A dynamometer or "dyno" for short, is a device for simultaneously measuring the torque and rotational speed (RPM) of an engine, motor or other rotating prime mover so that its instantaneous power may be calculated, and usually displayed by the dynamometer itself as kW or bhp.
The Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) was the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter and was marketed under various nameplates worldwide – including the Transporter or Caravelle in Europe, T25 in the UK but technically incorrect, Microbus and Kombi in South Africa/Brazil/Australia, Kampeerauto in Netherlands, Combi in France and Vanagon in North and South America.
The Ferrari 308 GTB berlinetta and targa-topped 308 GTS are V8 mid-engined, two-seater sports cars manufactured by the Italian company Ferrari from 1975 until 1985. The 308 replaced the Dino 246 GT and GTS in 1975 and was updated as the 328 GTB/GTS in 1985. The similar 208 GTB and GTS were equipped with a smaller, initially naturally aspirated and later turbocharged, two-litre engine, and were sold mainly in Italy.
Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD), also known as Toyota Hybrid System II, is the brand name of Toyota Motor Corporation for the hybrid car drive train technology used in vehicles with the Toyota and Lexus marques. First introduced on the Prius, the technology is an option on several other Toyota and Lexus vehicles and has been adapted for the electric drive system of the hydrogen-powered Mirai, and for a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius. Previously, Toyota also licensed its HSD technology to Nissan for use in its Nissan Altima Hybrid. Its parts supplier Aisin offers similar hybrid transmissions to other car companies.
The BMC C-Series is a straight-6 automobile engine produced from 1954 to 1971. Unlike the Austin-designed A-Series and B-Series engines, it came from the Morris Engines drawing office in Coventry and therefore differed significantly in its layout and design from the two other designs which were closely related. This was due to the C-Series being in essence an enlarged overhead valve development of the earlier 2.2 L Straight-6 overhead camshaft engine used in the post-war Morris Six MS and Wolseley 6/80 from 1948 until 1954, which itself also formed the basis of a related 1.5 L 4-cylinder engine for the Morris Oxford MO in side-valve form and the Wolseley 4/50 in overhead camshaft form. Displacement was 2.6 to 2.9 L with an undersquare stroke of 88.9 mm (3.50 in), bored out to increase capacity.
Power density, defined as the amount of power per unit volume, is a critical parameter used across a spectrum of scientific and engineering disciplines. This metric, typically denoted in watts per cubic meter (W/m3), serves as a fundamental measure for evaluating the efficacy and capability of various devices, systems, and materials based on their spatial energy distribution.
The Suzuki GSX-R750 is a sports motorcycle made by Suzuki since 1984. It was introduced at the Cologne Motorcycle Show in October 1984 as a motorcycle of the GSX-R series for the 1985 model year.
The Grinnall Scorpion is a small-series sports car built by Grinnall Specialist Cars in England since 1992. Two models are available, the three-wheeled Scorpion III and the four-wheeled Scorpion IV, with the Roman numerals referring to the number of wheels rather than being mark designators. The III is fitted with BMW motorcycle engines, while the IV is typically equipped with automobile engines from Audi.
The Proton Satria R3 is a 3-door hatchback introduced in late 2004 by Malaysian automaker Proton. It was conceived as a run-out model of the successful Satria GTi, and was positioned at the top of the Satria range. Original Stage 1 R3s utilises the same Mitsubishi-sourced 1.8-litre, engine as the Satria GTi, producing 140 bhp (105 kW) and 168 nm of torque. Power is channelled to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission, also sourced from the GTi.
The Fiat 519 was a model of car produced by Italian automotive company, Fiat between 1922 and 1927.
The Caterham Seven CSR is the latest model from sports car manufacturer Caterham Cars. The CSR is the most heavily modified Caterham, though it still retains the basic look of the Super Seven. The CSR has two engine options based on the same Duratec block, though modifications and power output differ. The entry level engine produces 200 bhp (149 kW), with a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time of 3.7 seconds. The upgraded engine produces 260 bhp (194 kW), with a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time of 3.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h).
Motorcycle testing and measurement includes a range of more than two dozen statistics giving the specifications of the motorcycle, and the actual performance, expressed by such things as the output of the engine, and the top speed or acceleration of the motorcycle. Most parameters are uncontroversial and claims made by manufacturers are generally accepted without verification. These might include simple measurements like rake, trail, or wheelbase, or basic features, such as the type of brakes or ignition system.
The Audi RS 2 Avant is a high-performance version of the Audi 80 Avant estate car, manufactured from March 1994 to July 1995. Collaboratively designed as a joint venture between Audi AG and Porsche and based on Audi's B4/8C platform, it received the internal designation of P1. It featured the most powerful version of Audi's inline-five cylinder turbocharged engine. It represents Audi's first "RS" model, and the first of their high-performance Avants.
The Michel engine was an unusual form of opposed-piston engine. It was unique in that its cylinders, instead of being open-ended cylinders containing two pistons, were instead joined in a Y-shape and had three pistons working within them.