Rolex 24: 600HP 2.0L Turbo 4 starts with the lead, ends with [spoiler]

J

jcs

Veteran
Was pretty impressive to see the ultra high tech 600HP Mazda 2.0L turbo leading the start of the Rolex 24. In the end, the ancient overhead valve naturally aspirated Chevy V8 at 580HP wins: https://www.cadillac.com/world-of-cadillac/racing/imsa-prototype-racing

Also cool to see so many ex F1 drivers on the team, e.g. Rubens Barrichelo (Ferrari, Honda, Brawn Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Minardi, Renault, McLaren, Ferrari) + CART/IndyCar + NASCAR + (various) Sports Car drivers too.

These mixed class races are IMO the most enjoyable to watch + unlike F1 there's a lot of different winners and multiple battles / drama in each class. I used to watch these races on SpeedVision back in the day, now just click through highlights on YT (don't generally have time to watch whole races these days).
 
One can place a big ass turbo onto a sports car. In the consumer models, the turbo lag forced all sorts of innovations, from twin-turbo to twin-chargers to electric turbo to the electric waste gate and so on.
 
Yeah, twin turbos with ultra-lightweight impellers and lots of software / waste-gate control / injectors etc. has helped reduce lag. The McClaren 720s (4L TTV8) really cleans up well in the top performance market against e.g. more expensive Ferraris, Lambos etc.

The future is electric- 100% torque at 0 RPM and way simpler, more reliable, less wear etc. Only major issue left is the battery. Solid state batteries are coming soon, as are super capacitors (Tesla owns tech in both spaces), means ultra quick charging and over 1000 miles range. With less battery wear, lower weight, and safer (e.g. no issue with fire and water). This appears to be coupled with the petro-dollar and upcoming "*breakthroughs" in clean energy, e.g. hot and cold fusion, possibly other exotic forms (zero point / vacuum energy etc.). It appears the petro-dollar will have to be addressed first, then the clean energy systems for mass market electrics can really take off.

Rolex 24: Konica-Minolta sponsored the winning team! Canon used to sponsor cars, might be fun if the rest of the CamCartel picked a horse to back :)


* not really breakthroughs, figured out a long time ago, only now being released in public (vs. restricted use for secret programs used in advanced flying and space vehicles / bases).
 
James0b57 said:
My new favourite thread.
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I was clicking through some suggested YouTube channels and found some (pretty young) guy who said that the new Corvette (495 hp, 0-60 in 2.8s) will destroy the high end sports market since it's faster than the ultra higher end models and obviously way, way cheaper (the average order price is about $85,000, whereas a 911 starts at about $120,000).

Then a couple of days ago, Toyota announced new engines for Supra. The 335 hp is out. A new entry level model with 250 hp is in and the top version will now have a 382 hp engine. Well, Supra was already 3.8 with 335, so the updated ~ $52,000 version will be in the 3.3's.

The key here is that anything under 5 is very, very fast and now a $50,000 two-seater performs like a super car from 2010, leaving very little reason to spend big money on anything faster. Aside of those wanting the prestige badge.

For reference, the famed 1978 Ferrari 308 GT that "Thomas Magnum, PI" drove was $60,000 new (five times the US GDP/capita) and, with its 240 hp engine, was 7.5 on 0-60.
 
7.5 sec with one person and no luggage?

My gear can weigh in the hundreds of pounds. Wondering if i could still get those advertised launch speeds?
 
A common favorite for older iconic sports cars is to swap in a V8 LS (or similar lightweight small block high HP V8), restore the car, and have something unique, good looking, and with modern performance. Couldn't find an LS 308; found a nice 570HP turbo (original motor (mostly likely with new cams, pistons (to lower compression, stronger)):


Ferrari 550 with Twin Turbo LS swap (guy states he knows of only 4 LS swapped Ferraris in the world):


Ferrari IMO is more of a work of art (especially the leather + interior (except e.g. the F40 which was a race car for the street (stripper / minimalist)) and also a drivable musical instrument. Same for Lambo. Audi/Lambos (R8/R10) can make great daily drivers + also sound amazing.

Ferraris and Porsches tend to be kept original to maintain value. Less desirable models can get upgrades (308's can be found in OK shape for under $50K). Here's a 348 with twin turbos and really nicely done to look 'factory'. Also sounds amazing:

There's going to be a revolution in energy soon- and electric conversions will become widespread and much more cost effective (and ultimately higher performance vs. their ICE counterparts (street: track is a bit more complex until better thermal management is implemented. ICE will also hold the lead for mid to top speed for a while longer)). Here's an electric 308:


Electrics are a bit too quiet for a sports car: the BMW I8 plays engine noise through the muffler (speaker!)- not only makes it more fun to drive, but also a safety tool for other drivers and pedestrians, bikes, etc. Would be fun to be able to swap out different engine sounds in future electric sports cars (played externally for safety, and over internal speakers for fun).
 
A brand name related story. Sort of.

A friend and his wife are flying from somewhere in Western Europe back to the US. They enter the airport. Then some guy walks over to my friend out of nowhere and starts screaming, "Terrorista. Terrorista". My friend is beginning to freak out. Get tied up in something like this and you miss your plane and all that stuff. So, he tries to push the stranger away but he just keeps screaming, "Terrorista, Terrorista" while pointing at my friend's chest. Then, a second later, it dawns on my friend that the guy is pointing at the Ferrari logo on his T-shirt - my friend is a big Ferrari and Formula 1 fan - and actually screaming, "Ferrarista", not "Terrorista". My friend gave the screamer thumbs up and he walked away.
 
So, JCS, being able to choose a variety of engine sounds is kind of like LUT’s for cars!
 
DLD said:
Just the mustache.
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And the smile it rests upon, as 240 ponies send a gentle breeze though it. The same master strokes that went into the sculpture of David now rest upon 4 wheels and is screaming down the road. And you read this so fast you still have 3 more seconds till 60mph.
 
jcs said:
Good analogy! + SOOC camera looks for the target goal / requirements is cool when possible.
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Must be anyone who drives with Straight Out Of Car sound, is either lazy... haha!

As cars become more electronic, i find i apply camera logic to them. Like for battery care and firmware updates. Etc.
 
It was very pretty.
I disassembled the car and rebuilt it not to concours standards, but to make it a bulitproof daily driver.
Fully adjustable coilover racing suspension, Norwood electronic ignition, light weight aluminum racing radiator with twin electric fans, the removal of right at 400 lbs, and much more.
All said and done it was faster that a Ferrari F355 which was 20 years newer.
Sadly the car was vandalized by a neighbor to the tune of over $17K and I ended up selling it.
 
jcs said:
Would be fun to be able to swap out different engine sounds in future electric sports cars (played externally for safety, and over internal speakers for fun).
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Back around 1989 or 1990 (?) I saw a program on TV that reviewed a company that either was making or planning to make a product that did this. They showed it in action as a guy drove around in a little compact Japanese econo car that sounded (interior) like a high performance exotic. Sure it wasn't fast at all but it sounded cool. I think I still have it recorded on tape somewhere.
 
David W. Jones said:
It was very pretty.
I disassembled the car and rebuilt it not to concours standards, but to make it a bulitproof daily driver.
Fully adjustable coilover racing suspension, Norwood electronic ignition, light weight aluminum racing radiator with twin electric fans, the removal of right at 400 lbs, and much more.
All said and done it was faster that a Ferrari F355 which was 20 years newer.
Sadly the car was vandalized by a neighbor to the tune of over $17K and I ended up selling it.
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Gah! Heart breaking! Though 17years is a good run. Amazing work and a testament to your discipline and maintenance.

I do like how challenging it must have been to craft a car so well in small numbers back then. 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s saw some of the most awkward car designs. But in that some of the best as well. Car designers have generally rode the line, and follow the overall trend. By the 80’s what else could they do with 4 wheels and a cabin? Everything has to come together, and idk, that ferrari is a beaut!
 
James0b57 said:
So, JCS, being able to choose a variety of engine sounds is kind of like LUT’s for cars!
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My favorite sounding engine. As soon as you think the Ferrari is bad-azz, in strolls Satan himself. ( wear headphones to do this justice!):


Beside the engine sound captured, two things I love about that clip:

1) The way the camera whips back as if to say “wth?!?” and how it visually anticipates the RSR’s arrival.

2) The little kid running alongside who covers his ears in reaction to the throaty roar!
 
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