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Computer Designed Car Sets Speed Record

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the sitting-on-a-rocket-and-lighting-the-fuse dept.

amcdiarmid writes "Several sources are reporting that the first entirely computer designed car, the JCB Dieselmax, has broken the diesel speed record of 236MPH at a speed of 328MPH. From the article: 'The record attempt came after a string of trial runs on the runways at the airbase. But while testing went well, the team endured a troubled time in the US. The combination of the altitude (4,000ft) and the higher air temperatures affected the performance of the second engine, which was generating insufficient turbo boost pressure and led to days of work for the small team of engineering experts.'"

2 of 247 comments (clear)

  1. FYI by hurfy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Since it was the 1st thought i had......

    Gas-powered seems to be at 410mph

    No idea why that record held so long for diesel at what seems a low number (236 vs 410)

    1. Re:FYI by BLKMGK · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Diesel gives more torque partly because as a fuel it contains more BTUs per gallon than gas - it has more energy. Compression ignition is also more effeciently (apparently) which results in better MPG. Part of the reason why that Audi did so well was because it didn't have to refuel nearly as often as it's competitors - I believe it was allowed to run the same size fuel tank as the others. As for weight - diesels generally have heavier engines as they stick to iron and don't use aluminum. The compression loads are a great deal higher and the aluminum apparently cannot handle it.

      Personally I cannot wait for someone to build a diesel hybrid. Now that ought to get some good MPG!

      --
      Build it, Drive it, Improve it! Hybridz.org