Diesels Challenge Gasoline Engines
Author: John Hartley
Author: John Hartley
DIESELS are still gaining popularity in Europe, thanks to low
gas mileage and good performance. The latest diesel cars can
take on gasoline engined cars and come out on top!
All turbocharged diesels generate much more torque than
gasoline engines, so you get better mid-range acceleration. In
other words, from, say, 40-80 mph, a good diesel will see off a
good gasoline engine car of the same apparent performance.
Jaguar has introduced a special version of a V-6 2.7 liter
diesel that has been developed in Europe jointly by Ford and
Peugeot. This is the most advanced diesel around at present,
with the brand-new piezo-electric injector operation, the
latest common rail injection system and twin turbochargers.
PIEZO-ELECTRIC INJECTORS
What are piezo-electric injectors? Cunning little ceramic
devices, and when an electric current is applied they produce a
pressure, and so can be used to force fuel into the cylinders.
The thing is that they can be operated four times faster than
other electro-mechanical injectors so the injector can be
opened and closed incredibly quickly. Also, the amount of
movement is very small, and you get less noise that you get
from mechanical injectors.
Like I said, very cunning, and they all go with high pressure
injection to give high power, low noise, emissions and gas
mileage. It's developments like these that mean we'll have some
diesels in Fast-Autos soon - but not a lot!
As a result, the fuel is injected at horrendously high
pressures with incredible accuracy. The result? Masses of
power, and almost no smoke, the weakness of old-fashioned oil
burners, like the dreadful engines GM introduced about 20 years
ago.
This new Jaguar S-Type diesel, develops 206 bhp so it lives up
to the Jaguar tradition of high performance. Maximum torque is
320 lb ft (430 Nm) which is more than the 4.2 liter gasoline
engine can manage without a turbocharger. Although performance
is not sensational, it is definitely not what you'd expect from
a diesel.
The Jag diesel will push the S-Type automatic up to 60 mph in
about 8 seconds, and top speed is 140 mph. You'll get the idea
that Jag regards this as a sporty engine from the fact that it
has a six-speed manual or automatic box - both are supplied by
ZF. Of course, the most powerful S-Type is the S-Type R.
BMW HAS AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL DIESEL
BMW is also ready with a very powerful 3.0 liter diesel engine
which turns out 272 bhp, which would be considered very nice
thank you from most makers of 3.0 liter gasoline engines -
Ford's top version of its nice 3.0 liter V-6 develops 225 bhp.
BMW uses twin-stage turbocharging to get this much power. In
this system, one small turbocharger provides power at low
speeds, and a bigger turbo is matched to high speed
requirement. It is switched in when the speed and load increase
sufficiently, and so can generate as much power as a gasoline
engine of the same size.
If that is not enough power consider the latest news. Audi is
racing diesel-powered cars at the Le Mans 24-hour race! These
V-12 engines develop more than 600 bhp, and will challenge the
best gasoline engined sports-racing cars.
About The Author: John Hartley is editor of
http://www.fast-autos.com, an online magazine devoted to fast
cars and supercars. He has written from many of the world's top
auto magazines, and has written about 10 books about cars and
the auto industry, including 'Suspension and Steering Q&A' and
'The Electronics Revolution in
gas mileage and good performance. The latest diesel cars can
take on gasoline engined cars and come out on top!
All turbocharged diesels generate much more torque than
gasoline engines, so you get better mid-range acceleration. In
other words, from, say, 40-80 mph, a good diesel will see off a
good gasoline engine car of the same apparent performance.
Jaguar has introduced a special version of a V-6 2.7 liter
diesel that has been developed in Europe jointly by Ford and
Peugeot. This is the most advanced diesel around at present,
with the brand-new piezo-electric injector operation, the
latest common rail injection system and twin turbochargers.
PIEZO-ELECTRIC INJECTORS
What are piezo-electric injectors? Cunning little ceramic
devices, and when an electric current is applied they produce a
pressure, and so can be used to force fuel into the cylinders.
The thing is that they can be operated four times faster than
other electro-mechanical injectors so the injector can be
opened and closed incredibly quickly. Also, the amount of
movement is very small, and you get less noise that you get
from mechanical injectors.
Like I said, very cunning, and they all go with high pressure
injection to give high power, low noise, emissions and gas
mileage. It's developments like these that mean we'll have some
diesels in Fast-Autos soon - but not a lot!
As a result, the fuel is injected at horrendously high
pressures with incredible accuracy. The result? Masses of
power, and almost no smoke, the weakness of old-fashioned oil
burners, like the dreadful engines GM introduced about 20 years
ago.
This new Jaguar S-Type diesel, develops 206 bhp so it lives up
to the Jaguar tradition of high performance. Maximum torque is
320 lb ft (430 Nm) which is more than the 4.2 liter gasoline
engine can manage without a turbocharger. Although performance
is not sensational, it is definitely not what you'd expect from
a diesel.
The Jag diesel will push the S-Type automatic up to 60 mph in
about 8 seconds, and top speed is 140 mph. You'll get the idea
that Jag regards this as a sporty engine from the fact that it
has a six-speed manual or automatic box - both are supplied by
ZF. Of course, the most powerful S-Type is the S-Type R.
BMW HAS AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL DIESEL
BMW is also ready with a very powerful 3.0 liter diesel engine
which turns out 272 bhp, which would be considered very nice
thank you from most makers of 3.0 liter gasoline engines -
Ford's top version of its nice 3.0 liter V-6 develops 225 bhp.
BMW uses twin-stage turbocharging to get this much power. In
this system, one small turbocharger provides power at low
speeds, and a bigger turbo is matched to high speed
requirement. It is switched in when the speed and load increase
sufficiently, and so can generate as much power as a gasoline
engine of the same size.
If that is not enough power consider the latest news. Audi is
racing diesel-powered cars at the Le Mans 24-hour race! These
V-12 engines develop more than 600 bhp, and will challenge the
best gasoline engined sports-racing cars.
About The Author: John Hartley is editor of
http://www.fast-autos.com, an online magazine devoted to fast
cars and supercars. He has written from many of the world's top
auto magazines, and has written about 10 books about cars and
the auto industry, including 'Suspension and Steering Q&A' and
'The Electronics Revolution in
