Ferrari returns to turbo,carmarkers face up to emission rule

[Darthrevan]

Italy's Ferrari has mounted a turbocharged engine on its latest supercar for the first time in more than two decades, as even luxury automakers are forced to seek ways to cut emissions without sacrificing performance.

The California T, which will debut at the Geneva auto show this week, will be equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that Ferrari says will consume 15 percent less fuel than its naturally-aspirated predecessor, reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 250 grams per kilometer (g/km) from 299.

By pumping air into the cylinders, turbochargers get more power from a smaller engine, sometimes at the price of sluggish initial acceleration. Naturally aspirated engines, which instead draw in air through a valve, can deliver more consistent torque and a bigger engine sound.

Unlike holdout Lamborghini and its naturally aspirated 5.2-litre Huracan on show in Geneva, Ferrari is breaking with tradition to offer its first turbo since the F40 coupe, sold between 1987 and 1992. The Fiat-owned (FIA.MI) sports car maker claims to have achieved "zero turbo lag" with new technology that adapts the torque curve to each gear change.

"The California T ... is one of the results of significant investment in product and technological innovation," Chairman Luca di Montezemolo said last month.

The new model can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, Ferrari said, 0.2 seconds faster than the 2012 California. Pricing has not been disclosed, although it is not expected to be significantly higher than the tag of around 185,000 euros ($255,500) on the last California.

The Italian carmaker also said it had modified the car's exhaust to enhance engine noise, offsetting the turbo's muffling effect.

MORE EFFICIENT

Fans of Ferrari - ranked the world's most powerful brand last month by consultancy Brand Finance - are optimistic.

Joe Adams, president of the Ferrari Club of America, said his members were excited about the prospect of getting more efficient horsepower and better fuel mileage out of the cars.

"Ferrari needs to be able to show its technical prowess," said Adams, who has owned seven different Ferraris over the years. "Being green is just another challenge and that's something Ferrari relishes."

The move by Ferrari coincides with the introduction this year of new Formula One rules requiring the use of turbocharged engines in the sport for the first time since 1988.

Fuel-efficiency improvements account for a large share of the 2 billion euros in planned research and development spending over five years, Ferrari has said.

The carmaker, which last year introduced its first hybrid, the 1 million euro LaFerrari, said its average CO2 emissions have already fallen 40 percent since 2007.

While supercars will keep emitting more than small family cars, they need at least to show improvement, said Jay Nagley, managing director at Redspy, an automotive consultancy. "They don't want to look like dinosaurs," he said.

Unlike Ferrari, Lamborghini is avoiding turbos for now and has no intention to pursue hybrids anytime soon. However, both technologies are readily available from parent Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) should it choose to use them later.

The Huracan LP 610-4 on show in Geneva is Lamborghini's successor to its bestselling Gallardo model, which ended production last year. The carbon fibre and aluminum car's 10-cylinder engine emits an average 290 g/km of CO2.

"One thing that makes a Lamborghini so unique is the music that comes out of the exhaust pipes," said Nick Wirth, a fellow of Britain's Royal Academy of Engineering. "A turbocharged engine would make the orchestra a little bit quieter."

However, Wirth believes it is only a matter of time before even the most exotic brands are forced to embrace turbos and hybrids to meet tightening emission rules. "Ultimately, everyone will have to move in that direction."

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/money/story/ferrari-returns-turbo-supercar-makers-face-emissions-rules-20140303

[Bonafidestack]

WOAH!

 

 

I am awaiting for jeremy clarkson from top gear to have a field report on this!

[speechless] [speechless]

Anyway, All the best to

Michael Schumacher!!!

Please get well soon, and show the world you are still a CHAMPION!

 

[Holdenutessv]

Could be a tweaked powerplant from the Quattroporte's TT 3.8 V8.

[Xefera]

or maybe add a supercharger for initial acceleration, just like the TSI engine from VW

[Vhtfhwlego]

Supercars makers are going green via TC their engines while LTA is also going green ($) by limiting cars with 130BHP (due to nature of TC engines can have better BHP).

[Xefera]

Supercars makers are going green via TC their engines while LTA is also going green ($) by limiting cars with 130BHP (due to nature of TC engines can have better BHP).

 

Limiting cars by bhp is to make Cat A cars more affordable to those in need (though some may have different opinions based on current COE prices). Definitely not to achieve going green.

 

what LTA is doing is by offering rebates for low carbon emissions cars.

[Vhtfhwlego]

 

Limiting cars by bhp is to make Cat A cars more affordable to those in need (though some may have different opinions based on current COE prices). Definitely not to achieve going green.

 

what LTA is doing is by offering rebates for low carbon emissions cars.

Ok, my bad.

Having more "Greens" in states means having more cash.

[Xefera]

Ok, my bad.

Having more "Greens" in states means having more cash.

 

Ah... but they don't really care about the $5 bills, what they want are the ka-chings from their electronic systems ie. ERP, COE, etc

[Wt_know]

will Ferrari make 2L 4pot turbo?

now merc/bmw/audi are the top conti in spore

eventually will be ferrari/lamboghini/maserati when they start to make smaller turbo engines

Edited March 4, 2014 by Wt_know

[Vega]

will Ferrari make 2L 4pot turbo for the peasan? ... waiting ....

 

 

1.6L v6 turbo you want?

[Wt_know]

haha ... not F1 car la ... road car

imagine 458 and 599 runs on 4cyc turbo ... lol

how will the engine bay looks like

 

anway, even 1.6l V6 ... the car will still be obscenely expensive

else there is no prestige to own a ferrari

Edited March 4, 2014 by Wt_know

[Viceroymenthol]

haha ... not F1 car la ... road car

imagine 458 and 599 runs on 4cyc turbo ... lol

how will the engine bay looks like

 

anway, even 1.6l V6 ... the car will still be obscenely expensive

else there is no prestige to own a ferrari

For the mid-engined 458, if mounted horizontally, means can be 2+2 seater liao lor...

 

If 2+2, can get more mass appeal like 911. Then they also need to lower the base price to match 911. Sure can sell like hot cakes! That is if Ferrari ever decides to go into mass market.

[inlinesix]

The cheapest Aston Martin is called Cygnet.

[Sp4wn]

gotta love them turbos. i have yet to experience any turbo lag in my car le ...

[Baal]

 

 

1.6L v6 turbo you want?

actually with strong marketing that .......its a F1 Race Rep............paired with Maserati pricing....maybe ?

 

And perhaps placed into a no frills body , the likes of Lotus.

[Zipp]

Hi, Lately a lot of hype on turbo due to being green. But isn't turbo in every way better than NA - HP, emission, power? If yes then why don't' all performance cars start with turbo until now? Anyone has any professional write up to share? Thanks.

[Ahbengdriver]

Ferrari FTFW !

[Ake109]

Hi, Lately a lot of hype on turbo due to being green. But isn't turbo in every way better than NA - HP, emission, power? If yes then why don't' all performance cars start with turbo until now? Anyone has any professional write up to share? Thanks.

 

In the past, bearing and turbine and materials technology were not so good. So turboschargers were not as efficient and any turbo sizeable enough to provide significant power gains would have a boost threshold of say 2.5k rpm (i.e. cannot make meaningful boost below 2.5k) Below this rpm, torque is worse than a similar sized NA engine.

 

On top of the (for example only) boost threshold of 2.5k, turbo engines in the past have significant lag. Lag means even if you are above the boost threshold (say you are cruising at 3k rpm on light throttle, no boost yet) and you floor the pedal, there is a delay in response as the turbo starts to compress the air and push it through all the plumbing until it reaches the cylinders. An NA car would response to the throttle much faster as there is less plumbing for the air to flow through.

 

*Many people confuse boost threshold and lag. They are 2 separate issues all TC cars must face.

 

With current technology. Bearings offer less friction, turbines are lighter, turbine blade and housing shapes more efficient, so lag has been reduced and boost thresholds have come down so much that engines can make meaningful boost as low as say 1.2k rpm.

 

In addition, TC engines need more precise engine management/fuel injection for reliability. This was an issue in the past but the advances in ECUs, engine management has made things easier now.

 

One last thing. TC engines will always run lower compression ratios than the equilvalent NA engine. So whenever your turbo is not providing boost, the TC engine, pound for pound, will always be less efficient than an NA engine of equilvalent tech level.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Ake109