My 5 cylinder turbo diesel gets me there and back.
The Tata Nano
Posted on 08/14/2010 2:15:22 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
CARS around the world are making do with fewer cylinders to save fuel; the engine of the Tata Nano, to cite one extreme case, has just two.
Yet this is America, land of cheap gasoline and home of the brave V-8, a country where 4-cylinder engines have mainly populated rental fleets and econocars. So the question nags: how low are we willing to go in the cylinder count, especially for models that stake their images on power and prestige?
Ford has already made waves with the announcement that its EcoBoost 4-cylinder will be available in the redesigned Explorer. But cowboys, urban and otherwise, might swallow their Skoal if they see 4-cylinder engines in a new, smaller pickup that carries an F-Series badge, an idea that Ford has said it is considering.
Chevrolet has tested a turbo 4 in its muscle-car Camaro. Efficient power aside, that might spark bad flashbacks to the Iron Duke, the notorious 90-horsepower 4-cylinder that came in the Camaro beginning in 1982.
Jesse Toprak, vice president for industry trends at TrueCar.com, a shopping site, said that automakers will largely test America’s small-engine appetite in safer categories.
“If you’re looking at a starter Camaro, there might be merit in offering a powerful 4-cylinder,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
My 5 cylinder turbo diesel gets me there and back.
The Tata Nano
Dang, I was ready to argue until I found out you were talking about engines and not V-8 juice. Oh well..
People who buy those things should be sterilized, lest they reproduce similarly defective offspring.
:-)
I'm not worried about the tires, I'm worried about the poor build quality that sometimes allows a Nano to spontaneously combust while being driven home from the dealership for the first time.
4 cyl, 5 speed , 60 mph Tachometer = about 3500 to 4000 rmp
V8, 5 speed or automatic, 60 mph, tachometer about 2000 rpm.
That says it all. V8s can go 300,000 miles, 4 cyl. 150,000 miles.
I will always drive a V8, or nothing.With a rig job and a head plane, valve job, that same V8 will go anoteh 150,000 miles.
4 cyls are commuter vehicles, they are mot made for the vast distances Americans need to drive.
;-/
Geez, now the New York Times is starting to hate V-8 eight cars.
What will they do next?
Start kicking the little puppies?
FWIW, over the years I've gone across the country and back in 4 cyclinder vehicles. They've done just fine :)
The reality is that the US government makes more per gallon of gas sold than any other entity in the world. Ain’t gonna happen..even if this could be a reality....
http://www.slashgear.com/zap-x-suv-is-644bhp-electric-monster-303661/
99% of all taxi’s in NYC are V8 powered and the Crown Vics run 300-400,000 miles or more .. I have nothing against 4 cylinder engines .. The problem is torque ,, you can’t go much above 2.2 or 2.4 liters in a 4 before you get unacceptable vibration ,, even with a turbo that won’t move a heavy vehicle well.
My car has a 4 cylinder, but it also has 16 valves, a turbo and 240 HP :)
Also can’t tow much with a 4 cyl.
“4 cyl, 5 speed , 60 mph Tachometer = about 3500 to 4000 rmp”
You must have seen some bad 4 cylinder manual transmissions...I know the hyundai accent has one that does that(though I think they’ve improved them). The Yaris does 2200 rpm at a cruising speed of 70 to 75 in a manual transmission in 5th gear and I know the 90 thru 97 ford escort manuals did the same or better. Great gas mileage in the Yaris as well. My 4 cylinder automatic Cobalt gets 38 miles on the highway and its cruising speed 60 mph rpms are just under 2000. I think some of your data are a little out of date. I do think you are correct about 4 cylinders being more short drive commuter type cars with only one or 2 people in them at a time on average. Longer commutes or frequent long trips are better suited for 6 or 8 cylinder vehicles where comfort is maintained and gas economy is maximized by the long, little stop and go traffic, highway travel.
Yes they o just fie, but you 4 cycl will shiot the bed at 150 tousand miles, while mI in my V8 will still be driving acros coutry while you have to go out and buy another vehicle.Its a know fact.
You can spend 20 grand on a 4 kicker, or you can spend 20 grand on a new V8. If both are serviced according to their minimum requirements equally, the V8 be still going down the road long after the 4 is a rusting junk pile.This is a secret learned by our military during WWII.
The V design is one of the best innovations of the reciprocating internal combustion engine.Its how US won the battle of Britan using Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 enginies in Spitfires while the Germans bit he bullets with their smaller fuel injected Messerschmitt engines.And it is the reason that Harley Davidson uses it.
So far its not worth the difference you pay in fuel consumption cost to buy a 4 kicker over a V8, but with the Obamaniacs in power, they will have us all back to riding on horses before long.I’ll never pay 42 grand for a vehicle, let alone a Chevy “Dolt.” LOL.
What are the corresponding tach speeds in your references? Is there a reason they did not have tachometers? Think about that.LOL.
Nothing like the art of the spin.
I wouldn't think of hitching a trailer to my 67 Mustang!
I’ve never understood Detroit’s obsession with V-8’s. I’d rather have an I-6 any day. I still think one of the best engine ever made was the Ford Industrial 300ci I-6. Torque a-plenty, well balanced and good for way more than 300K miles.
The evidence that Detroit has their heads up their butt is that if they can’t make a V-8, they immediately revert to a I-4. No consideration of an I-5 or 6.
In Some Classes, Buyers Are Not Ready to Give Up Their V-8s
I like my Chrysler 300C and its 5.5 liter engine gets over 30 mpg highway. That’s better than many of the “economy” cars.
150,000 on a Detroit, Government motors 4 cylinder perhaps. Most Chrysler 4 cylinders are lucky to make it to 150..
I own a honda with 305,000 miles on the original 4 cylinder. I use to service a fleet of Ford Focus’ that all had 325,000 or more on them.
I still like the 350 V8 in my suburban better though ;)
If some amazing engineer can make a 4 cyclinder that can do that... I'd buy it.
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