The Migration to AWD Supercars Affect on the GT Series

[sumbrownkid]

^erm hybrid tech is in no way shape or form a fad. The Fiat 500 is a fad.

The NSX and other sports hybrids are technological masterpieces. And hybrid tech can only get better and cleaner. See engineers try to improve, not discourage.

And top speed is gonna go beyond that what we are reaching now.

 

[Mr. Apex]

^^
To sean: No, the GT has a conventional V8 IRL.



^^
To Machate-Man: I think sending the right amount of power to an in-wheel electric motor via electronic management is easier than making a differential do the same thing.

So what you are saying, a AWD electric car with a motor will have no drivetrain losses …

I was talking about two different subjects.

1) Tire grip (comparation AWD <&#8211;> RWD)
2) Drivetrain losses (energy & power losses)

Concerning the second subject:

This is a 4WD drivetrain. The torque has to be sent to the wheels via gearbox, drive shafts, differentials. Each of these munches up some of the power due to friction.

This is an in-wheel-electric motor. Put the motors in the wheels and you have no conventional drivetrain, much less power loss and much less weight.

 

[Johnnypenso]

^erm hybrid tech is in no way shape or form a fad. The Fiat 500 is a fad.

The NSX and other sports hybrids are technological masterpieces. And hybrid tech can only get better and cleaner. See engineers try to improve, not discourage.

And top speed is gonna go beyond that what we are reaching now.

The technology is brilliant I don't disagree with that. But in the greater picture and in the long run, at this point anyway, hybrids don't make any sense economically. Paying an extra $10-20K for a gas/electric hybrid so you can drive 30 miles without using gas doesn't make sense in the long run. It's popular with the tree huggers and global warming yo-yo's and that's about it. If it were only a $1500 option it would be great but I don't think it'll ever get to that point.

 

[MOTORTRENDmitch]

i don't think there can ever be a pure sports car (in the same sense as the nsx-r) in awd.

I don't like it.

+1

 

[sumbrownkid]

That's the clever bit with Acura. Instead of touting it as just a greener alternative, they are touting it as a performance asset. To beat the notion that hybrids are just grocery getters.

 

[maddog999]

^^
This is a 4WD drivetrain. The torque has to be sent to the wheels via gearbox, drive shafts, differentials. Each of these munches up some of the power due to friction.

This is an in-wheel-electric motor. Put the motors in the wheels and you have no conventional drivetrain, much less power loss and much less weight.

I'd of thought the weight of such an electric transmission would weigh more than a simple AWD system. The example with the Suzuki 4WD is different to the systems used in cars like the Lancia Delta which use a Front wheel drive gearbox with a take off to power the rears wheels.

I have no idea on the differences in transmission power losses between electric systems and Mechanical, but Notably with Electric systems the engine speed can be independent to Road speed allowing the engine to rev for full power or maximum efficiency, and load adjusted through demand.

Also if the motor is in wheel like that you're adding unsprung weight, which will be detrimental to handling and comfort. Personally can't see inwheel electric motors being a good idea, but then i'm probably not that well informed.

 

[VspecZR1GT2RS89]

^erm hybrid tech is in no way shape or form a fad. The Fiat 500 is a fad.

The NSX and other sports hybrids are technological masterpieces. And hybrid tech can only get better and cleaner. See engineers try to improve, not discourage.

And top speed is gonna go beyond that what we are reaching now.

^This. +100000

^^
To sean: No, the GT has a conventional V8 IRL.

^^
To Machate-Man: I think sending the right amount of power to an in-wheel electric motor via electronic management is easier than making a differential do the same thing.

I was talking about two different subjects.

1) Tire grip (comparation AWD <&ndash;> RWD)
2) Drivetrain losses (energy & power losses)

Concerning the second subject:

This is a 4WD drivetrain. The torque has to be sent to the wheels via gearbox, drive shafts, differentials. Each of these munches up some of the power due to friction.

This is an in-wheel-electric motor. Put the motors in the wheels and you have no conventional drivetrain, much less power loss and much less weight.

Now, I understand what you were saying. That would be a grand idea for auto manufactuers to look into towards the future.

But, I still prefer the torque power and power loss of the drivetrain, even in a hybrid car.

The technology is brilliant I don't disagree with that. But in the greater picture and in the long run, at this point anyway, hybrids don't make any sense economically. Paying an extra $10-20K for a gas/electric hybrid so you can drive 30 miles without using gas doesn't make sense in the long run. It's popular with the tree huggers and global warming yo-yo's and that's about it. If it were only a $1500 option it would be great but I don't think it'll ever get to that point.

But there's guys(like myself) who are pure petrolheads who are looking at the hybrids as a whole new world to cars, mostly in racing and performance/tuning. There's tuners who are taking CR-Zs and making outrageous numbers with the hybrid motor and in LeMans Toyota and Audi are bringing out their newest LMPs, which are hybrid powered with turbos.

Now, I would like to see a rotray powered with hybrid tech in a updated Mazda Furai soon. 👍

I understand what you are saying about hybrid technology, it's only beginning. There's always gonna be problems and more recalls to revise some parts and it seems that using electricy for a car engine will cost more resources than a gas drinking engine. Only time will tell.

That's the clever bit with Acura. Instead of touting it as just a greener alternative, they are touting it as a performance asset. To beat the notion that hybrids are just grocery getters.

Take that Priuis!

Now my ACR Viper, GTR SpecV, Speed 12 and (NA3?) NSX with my CR-Z will terrorize that crappy car! 👍

 

[Mr. Apex]

Of course any of us petrolheads would have preferred a 600 HP V10 NSX, but I think an electric supercar could be faster than anything we've seen. And I'm quite convinced that this watered-down Dualnote-lookalike will be fast around nordschleife. Why?

• Very small & electric motors generate monstrous torque and this from a standstill
• Battery technology will soon make a leap. Some companies are working on developing the lithium-air battery wich IMO will beat the energy density of gasoline.

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-57358899-48/ibm-lithium-air-battery-prototype-in-2013-production-in-2020/

 

[Giygas]

When it comes to AWD, i do believe that hybrid technologies are the best way to go because the engine will onlyhave to workon two wheels instead of all four. The second power source will also only have to work on two wheels, so in case something were to happen to the engine there would be another way to power the car.

 

[peterjford]

Proper performance vehicles are not all wheel driven. Lamborghinis are not proper performance vehicles, the reason they have their drive system is Audi.

4WD = appealing to everyone, car reviewers like it, safe.

I'm not saying that 4WD cars are slow, I'm just saying that it's been tried and tested... fastest = 2WD.

I'll just assume you are either too young, or just didn't pay attention to road racing in the US in the late '80s. The only reason 2WD seems to be faster is because AWD is banned. Check out "Secrets of Speed" on youtube, or check out this site. Audi totally dominated every series it entered using AWD, and then AWD was banned. If you have the resources of someone like Audi, and it isn't banned, fastest = AWD.

^erm hybrid tech is in no way shape or form a fad. The Fiat 500 is a fad.

The NSX and other sports hybrids are technological masterpieces. And hybrid tech can only get better and cleaner. See engineers try to improve, not discourage.

Maybe not quite a fad, but it is only temporary until pure electric or fusion becomes affordable.