Car Nerd

WTF is boost creep!?!?

It’s basically when the wastegate on a turbo car can’t flow enough air.

Causes are typically exhaust flowing too much air , coming in the form of downpipe upgrades or general exhaust upgrades.

Solutions include making the wastegate bigger (not advised), return exhaust to stock or putting in what is called a ‘restrictor ring’ to restrict the boost pressure to 1.2 bar or whatever.

Example here : http://www.envyperformance.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2149&CFID=58951&CFTOKEN=33816903

In a nutshell, young 18 year old and friends board M5, driving it up and down an airstrip, lose control and hit a tree, all sadly killed.

Full story : http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Columns/articleId=124526

It seems that Toyota are moving towards V8s and V6 NA power plants. 

Gone are the days of over-engineered 2JZ-GTE engines, renown for being able to run up to 800hp without rebuild or 550hp reliably.  It’s no surprise 15 year old Supra twin turbos with 2JZ-GTE blocks are still running today without a rebuild.

The 2JZ-GTE 3.0 engine was made as the ultimate in turbo charging and tuneability from Toyota.  The Mk.iv version was the pinnacle of their success, with VVti being standard with twin turbos.  The turbos for Japanese spec were typically ceramic for faster spin-up.  These turbos could take a safe 400hp with boost increase from it’s factory 280hp spec.

The twin turbo setup was in fact a small turbo and a larger one to create a 2-stage power delivery….removing the dreaded turbo lag.  The 3.0 litre block gives the car enormous torque and top speed has been one of the 2JZ-GTEs strong points, with the Jun Supra clicking in at 250mph GPS speed and factory Supra’s doing 180mph.

The passing of the 2JZ-GTE with it’s tuning options to make you jump for joy, will be sad indeed.  Emmissions requirements have put an end such amazing engines, that last and last.  Instead we are left with the 1JZ type engines which suffer from oil sludge and do not have the reliability of the 2JZ-GTE.  Even the RB26 from Nissan is no longer available.

Instead the German’s are leading the way with the 650hp Audi V8 turbo engines. 

But still, a 2JZ-GTE is THE engine and running gear to have.

The Prodrive P2 is in fact a 2-seater Impreza sporting some excellent credentials

1100 kilos

full interior, 6 speaker stereo

4WD

350bhp per tonne (that’s like a heavy 600hp saloon car)

It comes all ready to go on track and road legal….

Wet days it has 4WD, where 2WD drives will be spinning and losing traction, the P2 will keep on going.

Long drives to circuits are more comfortable than a Lotus or Ultima due to the full interior and stereo.

The amazing diff setup is claimed to knock 6 seconds off the non-diff setup on the Top Gear circuit.  That ensures it will go thru corners extremely quickly.

Price tag £40K.

The Audi S4 was nominated by Sport Compact Car as the best street car 2007.

They take into consideration such things as ride quality in addition to performance - it’s an all round score. 

The S4 features stronger head gasket, differential modification and turbo modification over the standard Audi 4 series. 

Read more here

580hp.  4WD.  Twin Turbo.  £75,000 - eeeeeek!

The car comes with tiptronic gear box, and those all important turbos - easy to chip to 650hp.  The brakes have option of ceramic discs/pads and are the regular 8-pots on the front and 4-pots on the rear.

A real beast of a practical car - reliability will be an issue as the current RS6 cars have gearboxes that need replaced every 3-4 years.

Otherwise, ultimate saloon off the shelf.

Wow, so fast.  Annhilates any car on the track and road legal, not that it would be save to drive on our roads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpwvM4Hy7_o

Bizarrely I found two Corvette Zo6 cars on the B-roads today….both together and one was driven by a woman no less!

The Corvette Zo6 has been making amazing lap times (7:55s) round the Nurburgring, NA without a turbo producing 500hp.  Much more reliable than a Ferrari if you can put up with the American athestics.

Having over taken a car at speed earlier, I continued to keep the throttle down thru the bend - 400hp definitely gives you enough g-force.

As I come thru the kink, another car is overtaking….it’s a fair distance away and pulls back in.  I of course, slammed the brakes….but it just shows you how even if you’re speeding, it reduces the time for whatever is round the corner to react….

 Just awesome featuring a V12 650hp engine, the Golf concept is oustanding in design as well as performance.

Auto 6 speed box fitted too, which will make this a great road car as well as sports.

Custom tyres are a downside to this vehicle - as designed to fit the special rims.  As a production model, this would need to be remedied for the array of circuit tyres such as Dunlop DZ and Michelin Pilots / Yoko A048s.

Full article here