Boingers

[Robert Humphris]

The point with the Wankel is that it is a 1.3, where as a Camaro is
what, 3 times that displacement? Yet they have similar performance.  Add
that to the weight of the engine, which does add to the performance of
the car ( less weight = better power to weight ratio, and better
handling as the car ceases to be engine heavy, so you start getting
easier moments of force on the car ).
Lets compare like for like, I guarentee that if you added sufficent
number of rotors to take the displacement to that of the Camaro, fuel
injected it, you would be unable to out drag it.  Then if you take the
same displacement as the Saturn ( What is one of these we don't have
that model over here in the UK ) and put it in a similar weight car,
that the engine would be just as lively, and the performance would be as
good if not better as the weight would be less.

Two stroke direct injection engines?  We will see what they are like
when they are mass produced.

Rob Humphris
>
>I'm not talking about specialized racing applications, or even how many
>people it takes to pick it up.  I understand that the power/weight ratio
>is better than a four-stroke piston engine.  I'm talking about what sells
>cars.  Go down to your favorite Mazda dealer and drive one.  Yah, it's
>pretty fast and gets decent mileage.  Now, go to a Chevy dealer and hop
>into a Camaro Z28.  It'll blow the doors of the RX7, and the mileage
>still isn't that bad.  Now, go hop into a Saturn twin cam.  Much better
>mileage and not too shabby on the performance.
>
>My point is that the mileage/performance balance isn't significently (if
>at all) better than the other cars you can buy off the lot.  If I have to
>swap an engine, I might appreciate that it is lighter.  When I'm driving,
>I appreciate the performance of the car as a whole.
>
>There are some directly injected two-stroke engines on the drawing
>boards.  I don't have the exact figures, but I would be willing to bet
>(if I were a betting man) that the power/weight ratio of these
>two-strokers will be similar to the Wankyl.  They won't, however, suffer
>from the wierd-shaped combustion chamber and longevity of the Wankyl.
>
>