A chum sent over this video. Can’t wait to see how this one turns out
A bit understeery ?
Possibly although apparently it should be lighter than the Mazda engine
Seems an awful lot of work for just the engineering exercise, and potentially an awsomely cacophonic soundtrack, it is not going to push out a whole lot of horsepower though.
Hoping we see how this develops…
He estimated about 200hp. That should slip along quite nicely given the standard car’s 147hp.
I’m eager to hear how this V10 sounds.
VW’s VR6 engine had a lovely, addictive creamy sound. Maybe this will sound as good or possibly even better.
Must be easier ways to get to 200hp though… agree about the sound, love to hear it.
I am a fan of the BMW B58 engine, 3.0 straight 6 twin scroll turbo, 340hp in base tune married to a ZF 8 speed auto box with flappy paddles. Now that I would like to drive in an mx5 chassis. Maybe need shares in Goodyear. Suspect the engine would be a bit too long to fit easily though.
You can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bNmRIPCdLY&list=RDCMUChiwLDIBJrV5SxqdixMHmQA&ab_channel=DRIVETRIBE
It’s all about torque really…I think we all know for the road torque matters.
If a tuned 5 chassis can handle a Rocketeer well, I don’t see an issue.
What the designer himself says confirms it.
“Honey I shrunk the Viper”
That’s an incredibly narrow V
Have a look at a VAG W12 layout - incredibly complex casting for the block and a very compact length. The cylinders are paired left and right bank and share a common crank journal for each left and right cylinder - L1+R1, L2+R2 etc. Lovely.
I can’t remember exactly but think that the same group’s VR6 engine was 15° way back in the nineties.
I do take the point about the power output. A small capacity turbo charged engine can easily extract more bhp per cc but is that the point of this adventure?
The owner suggested that he may add a supercharger which would push power to 230bhp-ish. Personally I hope he doesn’t.
Not only will it sound worse (in my humble opinion, your mileage may vary) but it sort of loses the character of the MX-5 for me.
If I were lucky enough to be in his shoes for this project I’d be looking for a bank of ITBs with velocity stacks and fitting a perspex bonnet bulge
Ooof, can you imagine the sound of ITBs on a V10? Might have to consider uneven velocity stacks as an option, too. Reprise the CanAm cars of the 60s / 70s.
There are definitely easier ways, turbocharging the existing lump or the Rocketeer V6 conversion using the Jaguar V6. But that’s missing the point, it’s giving a home to a very unique engine, a 2.0L VR10. When in the Connaught car they predicted 300 bhp from it with supercharging and hybridatisation, but as others have said they’re only targeting 200-230 bhp for the MX-5 fitment.
The designer (a former JLR man) is interviewed at 2m15s. It gets fired up at 7m30s and frankly sounds hellfire! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bNmRIPCdLY&t=135s
So each pot is only 20cc.
Sounds like a very expensive way to engineer a 2 litre powerplant.
All those pistons, valves, plugs etc must cost a fortune.
200cc.
But yes expensive but very small and light moving parts.
Never could count…
If you think a V10 MX-5 is excessive take a look at Allen Millyards Dodge Viper engined motorcycle.
(83) Millyard Viper 8 Litre V10 Motorcycle - Part 1 - YouTube