Ok, here’s something to get excited about—at least for those of us who want a gazzilion inch home theater system, namely guys. F1 (formula uno) cars will soon be using hybrid energy systems. They want to be in on the development of such systems, which aren’t efficient enough right now to bother with on F1 cars, but will be soon:
It’s now almost certain that the car which wins the World Championship next year will be a hybrid, and most, if not all, the other cars competing will also be hybrids. As a consequence, BMW, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes, Renault and Toyota are going to get really enthusiastic about hybrids (some of them are already!), propelled by gasoline approaching $10 a gallon in Europe and goaded by new legislation from Brussels, Tokyo and Washington. Max Mosley wants F1 to be a crucible for the development of road-relevant, fuel-efficient power-trains. The FIA has now ensured it’s ‘race-on!’” ~ Latest on F1 Hybrids
The impact this might have on street cars like the Alfas soon (?) to be hitting American shores is enormous.
Even more interesting, let’s imagine a post-Graduate successor to the current Alfa Spider, which needs to be a compelling offering when Alfa Romeo returns to the US market….It’s twin contra-rotating rotors are located longitudinally and side-by-side, where the oil sump would have been in the old car. Also connected to the rear final drive is a transverse, direct-injection, 1.8 liter turbocharged flexible-fuel straight six capable of producing 250bhp on E85 or 210bhp on gasoline. The Surge Power Unit adds 200bhp, to give a combined peak of up to 450bhp (!).
What kinda mileage would a monster like this get you? An “EPA city cycle figure of over 70mpg” that’s what. At a steady 75mph with the top up they say the Spider still gets over 55mpg.
Way cool. I want one I want one I want one.