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British automaker gets "green" with the Connaught Type-D H

When one thinks of a sports car with a V10 engine, the first thought that normally springs into mind is the Dodge Viper. The second thought is likely the Lamborghini Gallardo. Connaught hopes to add their little sports coupe into the mix with the Connaught Type-D H.

The Connaught Type-D H features a 2.0 liter 162HP V10 internal combustion engine (ICE) coupled with a 48V hybrid electrical system which features "super capacitors" and regenerative braking. No other details were given on the hybrid system, but the combo is good enough to allow the Connaught Type-D H to sprint 0-60 in 6.2 seconds on up to a top speed of 150MPH. The hybrid powertrain is also said to achieve 42MPG.

The 2,138 pound Connaught Type-D H also features a 5-speed manual transmission, 18" alloy wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes, double-wishbone suspension at all four corners, leather and aluminum interior, A/C, keyless entry and a 6-speaker CD/MP3 audio system.

Connaught hopes to build 30 vehicles during the first year of production with output ultimately reaching 1,000 per year during the fifth year of production. The Connaught Type-D H will likely never see the highways on this side of the pond, so the lack of pricing shouldn't be too disheartening.

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Interesting
By hlper on 3/29/2007 1:53:50 PM , Rating: 2
2.0 liters is a very small displacement for 10 cylinders. I wonder why this could not be done with fewer cylinders.




RE: Interesting
By Hare on 3/29/2007 2:21:24 PM , Rating: 2
Many reason. I'm not an engineer but at least these things come to mind: Less mass on pistons. Usually more rpm and the engine should react more quickly (like a motorcycle when you turn the handle). Possibly less vibrations in the engine.

It could be done with fewer cylinders but this is supposed to be a sports car not a family sedan :)


RE: Interesting
By FITCamaro on 3/29/2007 3:07:49 PM , Rating: 3
Yes it will make for a much more rev happy motor, but you're still not going to make the torque that a motor with more pistons(of course this is untrue with I4 cargo truck engines that have pistons the size of your thigh) generally gives. They could have easily achieved that kind of horsepower out of a 4 cylinder engine though. Heck my Cobalt SS 2.4L(non-SC) makes more than and doesn't have to rev to the moon either.

Formula 1 engines typically are 10-12 cylinders but are only around 3.0L engines. They make plenty of horsepower but they rev to 15K RPM. They don't care about low end torque either since they've got their foot on the floor nearly all the time or even if they're slowing down, they're shifting to a (numerically)lower gear to keep the RPMs up. Those engines aren't designed for longevity though either.

I think in this instance a V10 was used to say "we've got a V10". Oh and the Viper sucks. They're hot, cramped, and overpriced. A cheaper Z06 kicks them around in nearly every category. Not to mention that while the Z06 gets respectable mileage(16/26) and is easily driven daily to work, the Viper gets about 8/12 mpg and you'd only want to drive it to work daily if you enjoy self torture.


RE: Interesting
By kextyn on 3/29/2007 3:16:44 PM , Rating: 2
You pretty much got it with the F1 reference. They're not worried about torque and neither is anyone in a hybrid/electric car. Electric motors deliver 100% of torque IMMEDIATELY (as in 1 RPM). So why worry about making your gas motor produce tons of torque if you have an electric motor that can take car of that? The gas engine is more efficient at highway speeds (if geared properly), the electric motor is better for accelerating at low speeds.


RE: Interesting
By therealnickdanger on 3/29/2007 3:19:23 PM , Rating: 2
Having driven a Viper, I can agree with you about being hot and cramped, but if I wanted to waste $100K... The amount of power at your disposal and the constant fear of death makes for an amazing drive. I agree whole-heartedly about the Z06, but the Viper has that something. Just starting it up sends chills into my nether-regions.


RE: Interesting
By Hare on 3/29/2007 5:13:43 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
but they rev to 15K RPM.
Actually they rev over 20K but are nowadays limited to 19K RPM.


RE: Interesting
By otispunkmeyer on 3/30/2007 4:21:31 AM , Rating: 2
F1 is V8 now man, get with the times :P

theyre capped at 19K rpm too, though left to their own devices im sure 20+ was possible, cosworths engine certainly could.

i remember back before 2000, mclaren used berylium to make some engine components (pistons or cylinder liners i have no idea what) but what that did enable them to do was rev much higher. the elastic properties of the berylium allowed them to do that.

but yeah, theyre always in upper rev range where the power is, their fly wheels are super tiny as well, light mass pistons, super short stroke etc....reving the engine is like pressing an on/off switch.

it doesnt matter if this engine makes little torque...thats what the electric motor is for.


RE: Interesting
By Anonymous Freak on 3/29/2007 2:24:42 PM , Rating: 5
Not to mention, only 162 hp from 10 cylinders?

Obviously, "V10" is solely for marketing, and the actual engine is made up of 10 single-cylinder 16.2 hp Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engines.


RE: Interesting
By walk2k on 3/29/2007 3:30:42 PM , Rating: 2
Is that actually 10 cyl? Seems absurd. My 4-cyl has 2.0 liters and makes 200HP.

It also does 0-60 in about the same time and the same top speed. Doesn't quite get 42 MPG, but can get 34-36 on extended freeway trips....

Pretty unimpressive performance for an expensive "sports car".


RE: Interesting
By ThisSpaceForRent on 3/29/2007 3:42:32 PM , Rating: 2
If they are driving a large generator you can get more torque out of a V10 than you can out of a standard 4 cylinder. The V10 probably sounds better too.


RE: Interesting
By walk2k on 3/29/2007 3:51:22 PM , Rating: 2
That's not how a hybrid works... the brakes drive the generator - "regenerative braking". The electric engine is what gives you all the torque you need from a dead-stop, as others have mentioned. The gas engine doesn't even turn on until you reach higher speeds.


RE: Interesting
By dajeepster on 3/29/2007 9:04:21 PM , Rating: 2
brakes drive the generator is not "regenerative braking"... the brakes do not drive a generator... it's kind of like engine braking, where I use the engine itself to slow me down with out having to actually use the breaks (i just take my foot off the gas and downshift if I need to) that's "engine breaking". Regenerative braking follows under the same concept... I can use the engine while slowing down to turn a generator to help produce electricity with out having to to accelerate... I'm using the engines deceleration to produce electricity. You don't use actual brakes, but engine braking to get "regenerative braking"


RE: Interesting
By lagomorpha on 3/30/2007 11:59:31 AM , Rating: 2
http://www.connaughtmotorco.com/engine_1.html

It might have something to do with having low emissions. Judging by the rest of the engine's specs:
Ceramic crowned pistons cause the pistons to heat up faster so the engine seals up more quickly. Cars have much worse emissions and gas mileage when the engine is cold. The head has its own water cooling circuit also, so the engine should spend very little time cold compared to other cars.

The 13.5:1 compression ratio is by far the highest I have ever seen in a production vehicle. The smaller cylinders might make this easier by having a more uniform temperature across the cylinder. This gives it very high efficiency.

With only 2 valves per cylinder, 144ftlbs at 4000rpm, and 162hp at 6000rpm this engine will not behave the same way racing V10s do. It is definitely not a V10 for its ability to get to high rpm.


RE: Interesting
By lagomorpha on 3/30/2007 12:27:44 PM , Rating: 2
^ 13.5:1 is very high for a car that uses unleaded gasoline anyway

The trade off from using 10 cylinders in an engine designed for fuel economy is increased friction. It looks like they used very large diameter, narrow main bearing journals to reduce friction there. I imagine they do lose some efficiency by having all those extra compression rings.


Big Problems.
By Mitch101 on 3/29/2007 1:40:51 PM , Rating: 6
The problem with using "super capacitors" is when the car hits 88 mph it travels back in time.




RE: Big Problems.
By glenn8 on 3/29/2007 2:09:38 PM , Rating: 4
well... only if it's a flux capacitor that produces 1.21 jigawatts of power. :)


RE: Big Problems.
By therealnickdanger on 3/29/2007 3:13:41 PM , Rating: 2
glenn8, I'm sorry, but the only power source capable of generating one point twenty-one gigawatts of electricity is a bolt of lightning. Unfortunately, you never know when or where it's ever gonna strike.


RE: Big Problems.
By ted61 on 3/29/2007 3:28:59 PM , Rating: 2
I am waiting for the model that can produce the "jigga"-watts. I don't know what a "jigga" is but it sounds way cooler than V-10.


RE: Big Problems.
By df96817 on 3/29/2007 5:10:08 PM , Rating: 2
Boo!


RE: Big Problems.
By spartan014 on 3/30/2007 12:35:49 AM , Rating: 2
Where is your sense of humor? Sheeesh..


RE: Big Problems.
By NainoKami on 3/31/2007 8:15:00 AM , Rating: 2
Where's yours? It's a direct quote from the movie! :P


RE: Big Problems.
By spartan014 on 4/1/2007 11:39:49 PM , Rating: 2
I didn't know, honestly. Which one?