Sports Asked by Davide Motta on February 2, 2021
I’m not very familiar with engines and how they work. I know what "cc", "hp", "V6", "turbo" and the like mean, but I ignore how their correlation can improve (or reduce) the efficiency of an engine.
Surfing the web, I found a page where we can read roughly the specifics of the SF90‘s engine (Ferrari’s car for the last championship) . Here, the engine is a V6 turbo, 1.6L = (1600 cc) with direct injection with a peak of 15000 rpm. Moreover, it produces a power of at most 1000 hp. Finally, the weight of the car is almost 743 kg.
Now, we take BMW M3 SF80. It is powered by the BMW S55 twin-turbocharged straight-six engine, 3 L , and it produces at most 425 hp with a top speed of at least 280 km/h. Moreover, the car is heavier than SF90. It weighs 1621 kg.
Now, my naive questions are:
What are the differences between the two engines (and cars of course). Why a V6 with 1,6L can produce 1000 hp, while the BMW engine (6 cylinders, 3L) produces the half of Ferrari’s power? I know there is a substantial difference in weights (more ore less 900 kg) and I think this is very important, isn’t it? However, is it the crucial point?
What are the differences between the two engines (and cars of course). Why a V6 with 1,6L can produce 1000 hp, while the BMW engine (6 cylinders, 3L) produces the half of Ferrari's power?
The basic difference is that Formula One cars have one design purpose: to be as fast as the regulations will allow. Road cars have a lot of other considerations that prevent them from using such advanced, powerful engines:
I know there is a substantial difference in weights (more or less 900 kg) and I think this is very important, isn't it? However, is it the crucial point?
The weight of a car doesn't affect the power output of its engine. You could fill the SF90 with ballast until it weighed the same as the M3, and it would still produce 1,000 hp. However, weight is indeed an important factor in the performance of an F1 car. A lighter car with the same amount of horsepower will accelerate faster down the straights, and be more responsive while cornering.
I won't go into too much detail about how F1 cars manage to be so much lighter, but it's essentially for the same reasons listed above: road cars have a lot of requirements (including such trivial things as multiple seats and airbags) that prevent them from being anywhere near as light as a shrink-wrapped, carbon-fibre-clad F1 car.
Answered by F1Krazy on February 2, 2021
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