beautifullyengineered:

The Ferarri F40 is Beautifully Engineered

The first road-going production car to break the 200mph barrier. A twin-turbocharged machine without compromise. According to Top Gear, the F40 is “the greatest supercar the world has ever seen.”

The Ferrari F40 is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupé sports car produced by Ferrari from 1987 to 1992 as the successor to the Ferrari 288 GTO. From 1987 to 1989 it was Ferrari’s fastest, most powerful, and most expensive car. The car had no traction control, and was one of the few to utilize turbochargers.

Power came from an enlarged, 2.9 L (2936 cc) version of the GTO’s twin IHI turbocharged V8 developing 478 PS (352 kW; 471 hp) under 110 kPa (16 psi) of boost. The F40 did without a catalytic converter until 1990 when US regulations made them a requirement for emissions control reasons. The flanking exhaust pipes guide exhaust gases from each bank of cylinders while the central pipe guides gases released from the wastegate of the turbochargers.

The suspension setup was similar to the GTO’s double wishbone setup, though many parts were upgraded and settings were changed; the unusually low ground clearance prompted Ferrari to include the ability to raise the vehicle’s ground clearance when necessary.

The body was an entirely new design by Pininfarina featuring panels made of kevlar, carbon fiber, and aluminum for strength and low weight, and intense aerodynamic testing was employed. Weight was further minimized through the use of a plastic windshield and windows. Although the cars did have air conditioning, no carpets, sound system, or door handles were installed. The first 50 cars produced had sliding Lexan windows, while later cars were fitted with normal windows that could be rolled down. Due to the extensive use of lightweight materials, the F40 weighed a mere 2425lbs.

The F40 was designed with aerodynamics in mind. For speed the car relied more on its shape than its power. Frontal area was reduced, and airflow greatly smoothed, but stability rather than terminal velocity was a primary concern. So too was cooling as the forced induction engine generated a great deal of heat. In consequence, the car was somewhat like an open-wheel racing car with a body. It had a partial undertray to smooth airflow beneath the radiator, front section, and the cabin, and a second one with diffusers behind the motor, but the engine bay was not sealed. Nonetheless, the F40 had an impressively low Cd of 0.34 with lift controlled by its spoilers and wing.

Engine

• Configuration Type F120 A 90º V8
• Location Mid, longitudinally mounted
• Construction alloy block and head
• Displacement 2.936 liter / 179.2 cu in
• Bore / Stroke 82.0 mm (3.2 in) / 69.5 mm (2.7 in)
• Compression 7.8:1
• Valvetrain 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
• Fuel feed Weber-Marelli Fuel Injection
• Aspiration Two IHI Turbos with two Behr intercoolers
• Power 478 bhp / 357 KW @ 7000 rpm
• Torque 577 Nm / 426 ft lbs @ 4000 rpm
• BHP/Liter 163 bhp / liter

Drivetrain

• Chassis kevlar body on steel spaceframe, integrated with composite materials
• Suspension (fr/r) unequal A arms, coaxial springs, Koni hydraulic shock absorbers, anti roll bar
• Steering rack-and-pinion
• Brakes ventilated discs, all-round
• Gearbox 5 speed Manual
• Drive Rear wheel drive

Performance figures

• Power to weight 0.43 bhp / kg
• Top Speed 324 km/h (201 mph)
• 0-60 mph 3.5 s
• 0-100 mph 8.2 s

(via fuckyeahsexycars)

fuckyeahsexycars:

beautifullyengineered:

The Nissan R35 GT-R is Beautifully Engineered

0-60 in 2.9 seconds. Destroyer of supercars costing twice as much. Dispenses with the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:24.22, but can be driven daily, and is mass-produced. The GT-R is a fantastic feat of engineering and design.

Hello automotive enthusiasts! This post is going to be a bit different than the usual wall-of-text. There is simply too much to say about the R35 GT-R to put into a single post. Also, a Best Motoring video can do a much better job of covering it than I can. So, just for you, I have uploaded the complete episodes of Best Motoring International Vol. 34: GT-R Reloaded AND Vol. 35: GT-R Evolution! They cover the GT-R in IMMENSE detail and are both fantastically entertaining. Road tests, track tests, races, all done by professional racing drivers. If you have seen a BMI video before, you know how awesome they are.

Best Motoring International Vol. 34: GT-R Reloaded Download Link

Best Motoring International Vol. 35: GT-R Evolution Download Link

Both are in .MP4 format and can be played by Windows Media Player, Quicktime, or VLC.

Another MUST SEE: 2012 Nissan GT-R: The Promise Fulfilled

Watch all 3 over the weekend! Thanks for following and I’ll see you next week.

-B.E.

Boss.