Engine Wars

By Bruce McCulloch

I think most agree with me when I say that a great engine is most definitely one of the top priorities in any sports car. Whether it is a Lotus, or a Ferrari, it makes little difference. Obviously, an engine is much of what gives a vehicle’s it character. Drive a BMW M5 for instance and you’ll immediately notice it’s eagerness to rev; drive an AMG Mercedes, however, and you instantly notice it’s character is much more thundering and ultimately, more muscular.

In a supercar, there very few things which are as illustrious and electrifying as the engine. Few things can match the blistering speed, pulsation of the horsepower coupling with the torque and of course, the loud mechanical howl the engine gives off during operation. Needless to say, it’s a sensation which few things can match.

That all being said, let us take the time to examine two extreme supercar engines which quite frankly, share little in common beside the fact that they help to power amazing machines.

Porsche Carrera GT – 5.7 litre, 10-Cylinder


The anecdote behind the Carrera GT’s 10-cylinder engine is a particularly interesting one. Originally developed to be fitted to a future LeMans race car, the project was ended nearly as fast as it was conceived. Thanks to ever-tightening emissions regulations throughout the racing world, Porsche engineers were essentially forced to throw the project away, or until it could serve its purpose elsewhere. And in 1999, the plan to fit the engine into a concept car called the “Carrera GT” – which first debuted at the Paris Motor show in ’00 – came to life.

Originally, the car had been a mere concept, but excited Porsche fans meant that Porsche soon saw the Potential to produce the Carrera GT as a road vehicle. But before they could do so, they realized that the basic engine would just not do; not only was it not passing emissions, but it was after all, a racing engine. Not smooth, or road worthy by any means and thus leading Porsche engineers back to the drawing board to make a number of modifications to make the engine more suitable for the road.

The first of many changes which the 10-cylinder motor endured was an increase in capacity displacement. The original engine had boasted just 5.0 litres, but for the road version of the engine, engineers saw fit to increase the displacement, thus ultimately allowing the engine’s maximum torque load to increase.

Additionally, the original (approximately) 10,000 rpm redline was notably reduced not only because it didn’t pass air-emissions regulations, but also because of its inability to meet noise-level regulations and added unwanted cockpit vibration.

And thanks to a series of brilliantly-engineered emissions control systems and an on-board diagnostics setup that continually monitored the exhaust system, the Carrera GT passed 2004 regulation standards with flying colours. In addition, each of the two cylinder banks has its own exhaust system in which two sets of catalytic converters are operated. From thereon, a cross-flow system helps to cool each cylinder which in turn always keeps the engine at a moderate temperature.

Tidbit: The engines cylinders are coated with a combination of nickel and silicon to reduce wear.

So from a technical standpoint, this engine is most certainly a Porsche product. It’s an engine which showcases some 70 years of motorsport history and advancement. On the other hand, the 10-cylinder also happens to be quite unlike any other Porsche engine we’ve ever seen. Rather than relying on forced induction – like many Porsches before – the Carrera GT’s character is defined through its ability to feed off it’s revs, and like any true race car, it does it damn well. With a maximum redline of 8,400 revolutions per minute and some 600bhp working collectively with 435lb-ft of torque peaking at 5,700 rpm, the Carrera GT’s engine is unique. Sure, there have been numerous (great) attempts from other such manufacturers like Ferrari at creating an engine which will rev to no-end, but this motor is pretty much unparalleled when taken as a whole.

Weighing a slim 205kg (or 452lbs) and boasting a compression ratio of 12.0:1, the engine acts in a way which is very much reminiscent to a racing car. Feeding on the gobs of torque available at high revs, while still retaining a great deal of road-worthy torque, its speed and ability to rev is seemingly endless. English “Top Gear” journalist, “Jeremy Clarkson” probably said it best when he said: “it’s like it’s in vacuum”.

And when it comes to toddling around, what’s immediately notable about the 10-cylinder motor in this car is that it lacks inertia when it’s revved. If you rev it a stop light, for instance, you’ll notice how the engine has no carry over and by that I’m referring to how engine responds when you let your foot off the throttle. The way in which the engine responds to throttle modulation is undoubtedly unique as it has no inertia. It’s hard to explain, but more understandable if you have knowledge of motorsport - think Formula One car.

Frankly, few engines are as interesting or intoxicating as this one. One of the best engines ever made? You bet.

Specifications:

5733cc (5.7 litres) 10 Cylinders, 90 degree
Aspirated: Naturally
Bore & Stroke: 98.0mm x 76.0mm
Compression Ratio: 12.0:1
DOHC, 4VPC (40 total valves), VarioCam
Redline: 8,400 revolutions per minute

612 PS (604bhp) @ 8,000 rpm; 590Nm (435lb-ft) of torque @ 5,750 rpm
105.9 bhp/litre

Bugatti Veyron – 8.0 litre, 16-Cylinder


“A 16-cylinder engine in a road-legal sports car? Don’t be obtuse.”

Quite frankly, that was most people’s reaction to the concept version of the Veyron. Most people thought it was an obvious recipe for disaster, and as the project was continually delayed, most thought their assumptions about such were correct. Mind you, many people hadn’t put any consideration into the fact that the automotive world had in fact seen numerous 16-cylinder engines – albeit less powerful – before. In fact, the origins of the 16-cylinder engine go far back as 1927 with Howard Marmon and “Marmon” motorcars that developed the world’s first 16-cylinder engine. Shortly thereafter, prestigious luxury brands such as “Cadillac” and “Peerless” – with the help of Marmon engineers, naturally - followed.

And in the last two decades, Cizeta Motorcars released the Cizeta-Moroder V16T which featured, as its name suggested, a 16-cylinder. But, unlike previous engines with such cylinder configurations, the Cizeta’s engine was technically not an authentic 16-cylinder. Instead, it was assembled with two Ferrari flat plane V8’s, mounted transversely, with the gearbox mounted between the two providing the vehicle’s longitudinal transmission layout.

And when Cizeta was developing the V16T, they hadn’t to worry about excessive over-heating as: A) it was an Italian company and thus expected, and, B) boasted a “mere” 560bhp.

With the Veyron, the plan had always been to create something with some 1000bhp and as a result, the development of this particular engine took engineers not only years to perfect, but a seemingly endless amount of cash.

It must be said, though, the end result truly is spectacular.

At the starting grid, engineers were faced with one ever-present problem: how to actually assemble such an engine. In the early 1930’s and 1940’s, Bugatti’s assembly of a 16-cylinder had been to essentially put two in-line 8-cylinder engines beside each other, but wanting to keep the engine compact, the current engineers knew this was not the solution.

When assembling the Veyron engine, Bugatti choose to merge two regular Volkswagen-sourced 8-cylinders to make one engine, and then add the daunting task of letting the two engines share the same crankshaft; a risky, but effective, gamble. The end result is not a "V16", but rather a "W16" And like Volkswagen’s W12, it’s amazingly compact. Measuring just 710 mm (27 inches) in length, 889 mm (35 inches) in width and 730 mm (28.7 inches) height, the Veyron’s engine is smaller than most conventional 12-Cylinders.

So, with the initial blueprints in place, it was time for Bugatti to actually look at the numerous ways in which they could achieve their target figure of “1000” horsepower. And actually, achieving such horsepower a figure wasn’t as hard as you might think. Aside from the obvious power boosters – displacement, variable valve timing, etc – Bugatti realized that the addition of forced induction was probably the most efficient way to produce power. So, that’s exactly what they did – they added a few turbochargers, but not jut two, oh no, four to be exact; all of which pound out 18 PSI and collectively work in constant rotation to avoid turbo lag.

Tidbit: the 1993 Bugatti EB110 also featured a total of 4 turbochargers, though connected to a conventional V12 rather than a high-tech 16-Cylinder.

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest issues with the preliminary project was cooling the engine. And as a result, the big Bugatti not only features a dry sump lubrication system based upon those seen in Formula One vehicles, but an elaborate internal oil path to ensure proper lubrication and cooling to all 16 cylinders. Additionally, the Veyron’s engine has 10 (yes, 10) different radiator systems: 3 for the engine cooling system; 1 heat exchanger for the air-to-liquid intercoolers; 2 for the air conditioning; 1 for the transmission oil; 1 for the differential oil; 1 conventional oil radiator and last, but certainly not least, a hydraulic oil radiator for the flashy retractable spoiler at the rear.

And when it’s all combined together, it makes for an engine character quite unlike anything else on four wheels. Its character, you ask? Well, it's reminiscent to a thundering fighter plane; it’s not peaky, nor zippy, it's just an atomic weapon of surging power.

It must be said, if the Starship Enterprise actually existed, this is what would power it.

Specifications:

7993cc (8.0 litres) 16 Cylinders, 90 degree
Aspiration: quad Turbocharged
Bore & Stroke: N/A
Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
DOHC, 4VPC (64 total valves), Variable Valve Timing
Redline: 6,500 revolutions per minute

987bhp (1001PS) @ 6,000 rpm; 922lb-ft (1250nm) of torque @ 2,220
123.7 bhp/litre

Verdict:

As for drawing a direct technological comparison between the two engines, I think I tip my hat to the Veyron's 16-cylinder, as it truly is one of kind. Just for the fact that there has never been an engine like it before, makes it a legend. In a project that started off completely beyond common-sense, Bugatti (or Volkswagen if you wish - ouch!) engineers have perfected something utterly ridiculous, but beautiful. They've created an engine with not just one, but four turbochargers, 16-cylinders and ultimately, something sporting some 1000 horsepower. It's an incredible feat.

Though in all fairness, the Porsche's 10-cylinder isn't - if at all - far behind. Because, sure, the Carrera GT's motor might not have the same amount of colossal power, but taken as a whole, it's most probably the closest thing to a racing engine ever offered in a road car. And that being said, I actually prefer the Porsche engine to the Bugatti's. It may not have 1000 horsepower, but surely 600 ponies are enough and with the addition of its racing character, it makes the Bugatti's engine look a little dull.

Marcos Closes Shop

By Bruce McCulloch


After the company’s rather recent revival in early 2000, English supercar manufacturer “Marcos Engineering”, has just announced that the company will be closing shop due to “insufficient profits”, “high cost bases” and a British pound which is falling and falling.

Mind you, this is far from the first time that Marcos has endured profit problems, and ultimately, bankruptcy. Originally founded in 1959 in Bedfordshire, England, by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin, the company enjoyed about a decade of success until problems with exporting the vehicles to North America led to dire financial issues which eventually forced the company into closing shop some time in 1971.

However, in 1976, Jem Marsh revived Marcos yet again, and in 1981, launched a kit-car called the “Marcos V6 Coupe”. Yet, that wasn’t without its fair share of faults too. In 2000, the company went bust yet again, but was eventually bought out by young Canadian electronic-tycoon, Tony Stelliga.

Under Stelliga’s regime, the company only boasted a line-up of two vehicles; the convertible TSO R/T, and hardtop TSO GT released early last year. As both were powered by Chevrolet’s Corvette 8-Cylinder, styled by Ex. TVR stylist Damian McTaggart, and co-engineered with racing supplier “Prodrive”, its clear Stelliga had great plans for the company’s future.


Though, even when Stelliga was at the helm, I’d by lying if I said the company hadn’t its faults. When Marcos released the TSO GT in 2006, the company founder promised their vehicles would make great alternatives to TVR’s, but with added durability and reliability thanks to the Chevrolet motors. But despite the hard work from Tony Stelliga and his company, Marcos cars hadn’t gained any real improvements overall, although the engines were indeed burst-proof. But that was the best part of the cars; in fact the car themselves were often plagued with poor fit and finish, choppy reliability and a driving experience on the left side of death’s sickle; choppy, unpredictable, dangerous and thus scary to take to the limit.

Yet despite all of this, I can’t shade my disappointment regarding this news. Faults and all, I loved Marcos automobiles. They had such an abundance of interesting character to them. Sports car enthusiasts worldwide will miss ‘em.

ISDERA: The History

By Bruce McCulloch

The early 1990’s were an overtly awful time for supercar manufacturers, especially those with little history or prestige behind their names. Our market today is strongly fuelled with a vast amount of "specialty" manufacturers such as Pagani, Koenigsegg, Ascari and Wiesmann, but the supercar market back than was mainly driven by well-established auto firms such as Porsche and Ferrari.

Those who were new to the business, or at least relatively new, were having a hard time at establishing a proper market. Manufacturers such as McLaren Motor-Cars – developer of the awe-inspiring 240mph "F1" - and Jaguar, with their XJ220, soon found out that there was truly little market to be captured. And most, if not all of the companies with little prestige or universal acceptance, had to soon start looking at filing bankruptcy.

In those problematic years: Bugatti went bust in 1993; "Cizeta" producer of the "Cizeta-Moroder V16T" was shutdown in 1994 after a series of issues related to production costs, and even Gerald Wiegert’s "Vector Aeromotive" automobile company had to close shop in the early 90’s due to lack of sufficient funding – though to be fair, they were later resurrected.

And with all of the trouble, some even believed that the 1990’s were the death of the supercar. Myself? Well, it was a little before my time, but ain’t it funny to look back on it these days? Our current high-performance/supercar market resembles a pack of hungry wolves; and it keeps getting more and more competitive.

But out of all of those who suffered the 1990’s supercar-success drought, it’s the fall of a small sports car manufacturer founded in Hildesheim, Germany by one Eberhard Schulz which bothers me the most.

"Isdera" is the company, and they’ve created some of the world’s most interesting and visionary sports cars.

The history behind this evocative company actually harks back to 1969 when company founder, Mr. Schulz, designed a prototype race car – named the "Isdera Erator GTE" - with a tubular frame and a carbon fibre chassis. The name "Isdera" standing for an acronym of various words: I for "Ingenieurbuero" (German for engineering) S for Styling, D for Design and R, for Racing.

Mercedes-Benz C111

He hadn’t been known for a whole lot up until this point, but when he invented this formula of engineering for a sports car, he hit it big. So big in fact, that in the late sixties, Mr. Schulz was afforded the opportunity to oversee a series of Mercedes-Benz prototypes – starting with the mid-engined, rotary powered "C111". Shortly thereafter, Eberhard joined Porsche in 1971 as a design engineer to primarily to study upon the exterior styling of the companies future vehicles.

In 1978, however, Eberhard with his new-found knowledge and appreciation for sports car engineering, decided that he’d leave Porsche and fullfill his dream to create his very own company. But before he pursued his dream, he spent the remainder of the next five years working closer and closer with Mercedes-Benz. Even still, many of his designs and creative work still hadn’t been presented to the automotive market; and he was unknown to the public, in other words, Eberhard was still very much a design engineer behind the scenes with little appearance and mention in the automotive journalism and what-not.

But Eberhard's hard work was about to pay off. His most well known project design comes from the Mercedes design study referred to the "CW 311". Originally destined with an aerodynamic value of just .311 CW, it was set to be the first true successor to the Rotary Powered C111 of the late sixties. When Schulz presented his final design to Mercedes in 1978, they were so awe-struck with the design that they allowed the car to wear a Mercedes-Benz badge


Problem was, it was to only be seen as a "prototype concept", and not something that Mercedes was going to take the time to actually produce and set loose on the road. Eberhard, obviously proud of his own design and annoyed by Mercedes' choice not to put the vehicle in production, decided that he'd now make "Isdera", a true automotive company with its very own model. And in 1983, Eberhard’s dream came true when Isdera became a both a self-operated & self-owned business.

Tidbit: the eagle in the Isdera's badge is meant to pay homage to the aircraft workshop that the company occupied during it's life time.

Borrowing upon the CW 311's design study, Eberhard was able to slightly redesign the car for road use and ultimately, avoid possible design copyright issues. The company's first car was the "Spyder 036i", and further improving upon his connections with Mercedes-Benz, Eberhard got his hands on a Mercedes' 3.6 litre straight 6 motor -hence the vehicle's name - which powered the 036i. Though arguably, Eberhard's most famous work with his company comes from the car that was released in 1984, the "Imperator 108i". Bearing an even great resemblance to the CW 311, the 108i was an even bigger hit for Schulz - even though just 30 were built.


Employing the same 5.0 litre 8-Cylinder motor from Mercedes-Benz's 500SEC, the 108i had around 350bhp, 320lb-ft of torque and performance figures such as a 176mph (283 km/h)** top speed and a 0-62 mph (0-100km/h) time of just 5.0** seconds dead. For its day, it was incredibly fast, and in all fairness, it's still pretty darn fast by today's standards.




And after a 3 year period of building both the 036i and 108i, Isdera released yet another vehicle - this time, one called the "Imperator 033i Spyder". In all intent and purposes, it was more or less a convertible version of the 108i; same engine, same mechanicals, but still utterly fantastic.

Suffice to say, the 80's were very prosperous for Mr. Schulz. It all looked very bright for Isdera, and while existing models sold at a slow and steady rate, Eberhard had already been spending all of his time and money - somewhere around €4 million - to develop a new car to be released in the 1990's. Eberhard had the idea to make something unique, something truly advanced and sophisticated for it's time. Though it was undoubtedly his most advanced project, it is most probably the reason the company eventually went bankrupt.

But the thing about Eberhard was that he always was a true visionary; not one who liked to sit back and maintain the status quo. For him, the greatest pleasure was gained in creating new design projects; projects that would redefine what we know as sports cars. And in 1993, his newest and undoubtedly most amazing road car was released. And even though this car was all German, it boasted the name "Commendatore 112i", which was actually a tribute to Enzo Ferrari, who had become known as "Commendatore" or "the monk of Maranello" throughout Europe.

Fitting with previous Isdera projects, the C112i was a technical masterpiece; but more specifically, an aerodynamic technical masterpiece.

In terms of its design styling, it's quite obvious that Schulz's C112 owes much to previous Porsche motor cars. If you ask me, the 112i looks to borrow much inspiration from not only Porsche race cars such as the "917", but even such road versions of the late 80's generation of the 911 (the "930").

Tidbit: The headlamps of the 112i are in fact borrowed from that of Porsche's early 90's "968" coupe.




This vehicle in my humble opinion is the pinnacle of his design work. It's a car which was certain to make most any sports car enthusiast's jaw hit the floor. It's very clean and imposing, but aerodynamically efficient; one of the best supercar designs ever as far as I'm concerned. And with a whole host of features like two gullwing engine compartment doors, and an overall extensive use of "green house" glass, the 112i was, and still is quite unlike anything else on the road.

But of course, you can't talk about the 112i without mentioning its great technological advances. It's rear spoiler for instance, automatically adjusted itself to the speed of the vehicle and additionally served a functional purpose as an air brake; the latter of which was unheard of on a road vehicle for the time. Even the suspension was automatically adjustable to speed thus improving both the vehicle's stability and handling at high speeds; all thanks to a velocity-sensitive electronic chassis lowering the car a full three inches.

Tidbit: The C112i shares the same 5-speed Getrag transmission found in the 930-generation 911 Turbo

As for the interior of the vehicle, well, there really isn't one. It's just a collection of hard plastics, with classic square-edged 1990's cabin architecture. Of course, back in the day it was probably the thing, but its interior hasn't aged too gracefully. Yet despite that, I wouldn't have it any other way as it’s truly contemporary to such a car.

And inasmuch as Isdera's component sourcing from Mercedes-Benz had continued to be highly valued, Eberhard had little reason to search elsewhere for an engine to power his new beast. After all, the Mercedes-Benz engines were not only reliable and durable, but powerful and even gave off a bit of prestige to a brand which, even at this point, had very little. Wanting to hasten the C112's advancement into the supercar world, Eberhard got his hands on Mercedes’ latest - at the time – a 6.0 litre, 48 valve, 12-cylinder motor. It was an engine that in this particular stage of tuning was churning out 408PS (402bhp) and some 427lb-ft of torque. Performance figures were as claimed: 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, and a top speed a bar-boasting 205+ mph (330+ km/h). In all honestly though, those performance figures weren't particularly impressive for a 1990's supercar. Though the fact that the 112i was a full 441lbs (200kg) heavier than the 108i didn't help... Anything with a similar price would have knocked it down the hill, but I couldn't care about that either as the allure of this car is not just raw performance numbers.

Tidbit: oddly enough, this exact engine (codenamed the "M120") found its way into the Pagani Zonda C12 in 1999, and is the same basic engine which powers the larger, more powerful Zonda iterations; such as the 7.0 and 7.3 litre engined-cars in the Pagani lineup like the Zonda S and Zonda F.

Shortly after the C112's prototype release in Geneva, Eberhard was forced to close shop as it was no longer financially sound to keep the company running. One has to wonder whether the company would have gone bankrupt if Eberhard hadn't spent so much money to develop the C112. Though, even if it did mean the death of the company, I'm glad enthusiasts got to see a vehicle as spectacular as the C112 was.

The Road-Working Prototype:

In October of 2005, the sole working C112 prototype was offered on eBay for no less than $4.8 million dollars. But with little prestige, nor any real footing in the supercar world, it failed to sell. At the time the car was located in Switzerland, but strangely, only road-legal in Germany.
The vehicle itself was more or less the original with a few modifications; those being a new steering wheel, new alloy wheels, an engine borrowed from a Formula One vehicle (the brand of which was never revealed) and a few other tiny features.

Isdera's Future & Closing Thoughts

After Isdera's bankruptcy back in 1993, the remainder of the company was sold to a Swiss interest, but it was not heard from again until August of 2006 when the company made a blip on the radar yet again. And though it is indeed possible that the company could make a revival in future years, things aren't looking too favourable for the company at this time, since they have lost a recorded $73,212 since their revival due to lack of activity and shareholders backing out.

Can Isdera ever make a proper comeback? Can they? Should they?

Well, I most certainly hope so. There's no doubt that Mr. Schulz wasn't the best businessman, but he was one hell of a visionary; an artist, an engineer - an all-out brilliant man.

** Tested by German magazine "Auto Motor und Sport"

Need A GTR!

After seeing the new Nissan GTR (AKA, the new Skyline) in this beige colour, I have come to the conclusion that I need one:

Porsche: The Five Most Beautiful

By Bruce McCulloch

With around 70 years of history behind Porsche at this point, choosing just five Porsche automobiles as the most beautiful of all isn't an easy task. Oh no, in fact it's downright daunting. This is one instance where one must take into account not only every little detail, but every little niggle and nanny in approaching a general design philosophy and theme which the company has stood behind for the better part of the last 7 decades.

The Porsche design element is one which is unmistakable - especially when it comes to the 911. Aside from what is referred to as "Hitler’s revenge" - the Beetle - the 911 is pretty much one of a kind. It's unmistakable, unique and ultimately, iconic. And that being said, many of the 911's design elements have insinuated themselves into almost every other vehicle which has rolled out of the iconic gates in Stuttgart. It's a trademark look which is hard to explain with words, but clearly evident when one looks at the Porsche line-up; many of the models not branded with the eminent "911" moniker still share a family trait (or two) in appearance which is not the least bit surprising.

Even Porsche's 605bhp "Carrera GT" flagship, shares what would appear to be the same styling manner which the company's 550 Spyder sported back in the late 50's. And now-a-days, both the Boxster and Cayman - even the Cayenne - seem to have a "Porsche vibe" to them. And this is obviously something Porsche as a company has strived to perfect with every passing year; with each and successive generation of Porsche automobiles, they have the utmost unique ability to make a design fresh and modern, while retaining the design values and design cues which have made the company so successful.

And suffice to say, it's something that makes Porsche, well, Porsche. One doesn't buy a Porsche hoping it’ll look like a Ferrari, one buys a Porsche knowing they are getting a vehicle which embodies every stylistic detailing element the company has ever penned. It's a design spirit which stands alone among modern cars, and in this day and age, truly one of a kind.

Mind you, such a design philosophy is often under criticism as some enthusiasts complain that is exactly what is wrong with Porsche; that they all look too similar, that they’re bland and boring to gaze upon. Not surprisingly, I strongly disagree with such.

In any event, with output that is approaching nearly 100 different automobiles from this great company, which five are deserving of such a “best of” title? Well, here's what I think - chronologically ordered:

904 Carrera GTS (1964)


For a car which debuted in 1964 as a sports-car endurance racer, the 904 looks every bit as fresh today as it did the day it was released. It is a gob-smackingly good looking car. Unfortunately, information relating to its design is quite rare, but I think the picture speaks for it’s self.

930 Slant-Nose (1987)


Though up until the early 80's the 911 had been viewed as the cute and quirky sports car with circular headlamps, the flachbau - or "Slant-Nose" as we know it - shows that little work was required to turn the 911 into something truly more aggressive. Commissioned in 1981 by Rolf Sprenger and ordered through the specialist individual "“Porsche Exclusiv Programme”, the Slant-Nose is undoubtedly one of the most interesting vehicles to ever roll out of Stuttgart.

With a body inspired by that of the 1976 "935" racer, the Flat-Nose looks every bit the race car with its hard-edged, flat bumper bonnet design, and with the addition of what was then new sporty "air vents", "rear spoiler" and "integrated driving lamps”, it's little wonder why the Slat-Nose makes it on this list. Suffice to say, there ain't a 911 like it anywhere.

993 Turbo - (1997)


Though the 930 and 964 generations of the 911 were some of the most iconic styles of all time, the 993 - particularly the Turbo version - marks what is arguably the best looking 911 ever designed. It's a design that even after 10 years since it's release, has been able to withstand the test of time; even today, it looks fresh, modern and ultimately, Porsche-like. And as far as I'm concerned, the 993's Turbo's design is so spectacular, that it's not only one of the best-looking Porsches ever assembled, but one of the best designs anywhere. With a front end suggesting a 911 design evolution, a slightly quirky silhouette and a rear end with accentuated fenders, a large body-attached spoiler and a distinctive light bar, the 993 Turbo is the most exceptional version of one of the world's most iconic vehicles.

993 GT1 "Strasseversion” (1996)


It's not often that I get worked up about a homologation special, but the 933 GT1 is the perfect example of road vehicle finely blended with a racing car. It's unquestionably from the 911 family, but makes the transition in a manner which is completely unique. Sure, being insanely long and wide, and having no rear window, it might be absolutely absurd to drive it on the road, but hell, I wouldn't mind. It's an angry and bulked-up 911 on steroids, and it's just great.

Carrera GT - (2004)


It's largely accepted that most supercars of this sort have designs which are often compromised for aerodynamic efficiency. And with vehicles such as the Ferrari Enzo running around, how could one argue? The Enzo is a vast, almost tortured array of Formula One-inspired hard edges - all for the sake of keeping the car aerodynamically efficient. The Carrera GT though, is very much a different story; rather being an edgy and hard-to-digest shape, it's clean and undoubtedly Porsche. And there are no compromises about it - the Carrera GT looks 100% Porsche. It's aerodynamically efficient, without alienating any of the company's classical design traits. From it's smoothly and fastidiously styled front end, to it's rear-end profile boasting a carbon fibre undertray, a retractable wing and an exquisite set of mesh engine grills setting above the 10-Cylinder motor, this exclusive flagship supercar is styled like few other comparable cars. It manages to look all-racy, without being the least bit boy-racer or over-the-top.

The design detailing of the Carrera GT is also particularly interesting because it showcases a number of styling elements found in the company's past; one of the most evident examples being the brake cooling slots behind that of the front wheels which are near identical to those seen on the 993 GT1 which I previously spoke of.

So, there you have it – the Fabulous Five.

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You Should Drive a DeLorean

You don't take yourself too seriously, and you prefer a fun, unusual car... like this Back to the Future gem!

What Sports Car Should You Drive?

Birth of an Enthusiast

By Bruce McCulloch

I'm sure it's safe to assume that once as young ones, we all had childhood heroes. Some individuals had musicians or celebrities as their heroes, while the vast majority of us car enthusiasts had a certain automotive hero which we lusted like few things else. You know what I'm talkin' about, I'm talking about that one particular vehicle that from your childhood that was the car to have; it was a full obsession, something you talked about to friends and family at a seemingly endless rate and perhaps, even had posters of on your wall. It was even perhaps, the particular vehicle that made you the enthusiast you are today.

As enthusiasts we've all got at least one, or two of these vehicles. As for the particular vehicle, well, that's certainly going to depend on two factors: one, your age and two, when you got into cars. My Father for instance, also a rabid enthusiast, didn't get into automobiles until he was about 24 years old. His passion for the automobile was born by his both his own father, and his sister's husband. His Father was an all out car fan, and one who owned a whole host of American muscle - A Pink (what was he thinking?) Pontiac 440 LeMans, a Dodge Challenger amongst a whole other bunch of crazy tyre shredders. And his sister’s husband was no different; he also suffered from an automobile obsession having owned such vehicles as a Dodge Dart, a Triumph and even a little BMW 2002. So then it should be no surprise when I tell you that he now owns two Mercedes-Benz products; an E500 4Matic and a ML320 Cdi.

Overall though, it is more than likely your age defines your childhood automotive hero. For those with childhoods in the 60's and 70's your automotive hero is more likely to be such a vehicle as the Ford GT40 or Chevrolet Corvette rather than, let's say, one whose childhood was through out the 80's who lusted for such vehicles as the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa.

As for myself, I like to believe that I was born, as Bill Ford would say, with petrol in my veins - in other words, a car enthusiast from birth. Though, while I was playing with Hot Wheels from a very young age, it wouldn't be a completely fair correlation to say I was die hard cast of my father from birth. It wasn't until I was about 8 or 9 years old when I started to show real interest in cars.

Two of my greatest automotive passions, Toyotas and supercars (odd couple, aren't they?), come from my very early years. My Toyota enthusiast genes were born from the fact that my Father has always had affection for Toyota automobiles. And no qualms, he has always been a Toyota enthusiast. Through out the '80's, he owned Celicas, a Supra and even, a rather rare Supercharged MR2. In the mid 90's however, my passion for Toyota products had further been fuelled by my father's purchase of an LS400 and shortly thereafter, an SC400. By the time I was about 9 years old, I was a fanatic and had the posters, the magazines and the car models to prove it.

Late '95 was also quite a monumental time for me as it was the year when I became interested in supercars. And Honda, and their fabulous NSX, is who I have to originally thank. And of course, it didn’t hurt that my father also lusted after this Japanese wonder.

Though, my obsession with automobiles hit an all time high in 1996, at age 10, when a certain 350bhp 8-Cylinder English supercar was released. It had been on the market for some two decades already, but had previously never been available with an 8-cylinder engine. Any guesses? Well, this is it:


Oh yes, the release of the Esprit V8 was something truly fabulous for myself. Any perceptions which I previously had about automobiles were completely blown away. It truly was love at first sight.

In my eyes, there was nothing greater than the Lotus Esprit V8 Turbo, and as far as I was concerned, it was the pinnacle of everything in the automotive world. It had everything I loved in an automobile: a sleek and edgy design; an interior which was fully dressed with leather amongst a sporty design theme; prestige and heritage; an 8-Cylinder engine and mind-crushing performance all-around. The day I first laid my eyes on the Esprit V8, was the day my automotive enthusiasm became an entity.

But having lived – at the time – in a city which was certainly not known as the home of exotics, I did not get the chance to see an Esprit until 2001, and I had to move to a different country to see it! (from Canada to the United States). Admittedly though, I was a little cautious, especially as I knew that it was habitually recognized that meeting a childhood-hero was one of the worst possible things you could do - especially if it ended in disappointment. Anyone seen that episode of Top Gear where presenter James May gets his first drive in his childhood hero, the Countach? Suffice to say, it ended in absolute disaster. He found out the hard way.

Thankfully though, the Esprit was not a disappointment for me. I cannot remember being more excited than the day I walked into a local high-end dealership and sitting there, in all its shining glory, was a dark blue Esprit with a crème coloured interior. It looked, though as cheesy as it sounds, every bit as good as I had imagined. And it gets better - the dealer noticing my excitement, allowed for me to sit in the vehicle.

So then, with recent mention of Lotus reviving the Esprit model for 2008/2009, it shouldn't come as any surprise that such a thing means a great deal to me. My apparent hero will be born yet again, but for love of automotive enthusiast’s world wide, Lotus, don't screw this one up.

Overtly, writing this article has been a great trip down memory lane for me. But, you know, I'd love to hear how your enthusiasm of vehicles was born - your automotive heroes, etc. So, please do leave a comment; I'd love to hear about it!

Design Study: Pagani Zonda

By Bruce McCulloch


Out of the many fantastic supercar designs that have emerged in the past some ten years, the "Pagani Zonda" arguably boasts the most "out there, over the top" design of the crop. Indeed, it's not conservative, nor is it quiet in its design elements and it's most definitely a car for the extrovert rather than the introvert. One could even go as far as to say the Zonda has a design which truly is an acquired taste; you either hate it or you love it.

Myself, well, I'm most definitely one of the latter. I'm one who appreciates the vehicle's great use of thematic, bold and extrovert styling elements; I'm all for the "racing car mixed with a F-16 jet fighter" look, as it truly is one of a kind.Though I can completely understand if one feels it's too clever by half, and thus feels the vehicle's design is very much bordering on overkill.

I think that to fully appreciate the Zonda from a design point of view, one must understand the Zonda's design philosophy and premise. And here today, I hope to give you further insight into this spectacular design - both for the curious and for already-existing fans of the vehicle who wish to learn more about it.

Now of course, most every design has some sort of inspiration and when it comes to this Italian wonder, the general design concept was inspired by that which is the Mercedes-Benz "Sauber C9" (a Group-C racer) of the late 1980's. No surprise then, this is when the Zonda (then codenamed the "Fangio F1" for the car's human inspiration, Juan Manuel Fangio) was born. From thereon, the company's founder and vehicle's designer, Horacio Pagani, would continue to creatively “stretch” the inspired design of the C9 while adding his personal touches of eccentricity.

I do think it's only appropriate for me to inform you on why borrowing inspiration from 1987 C9 was such an important thing to Horacio Pagani and his vision of the "Fangio F1". The reason for such was that Pagani's long-time childhood idol had been the 5-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, possibly the greatest racing driver that has ever lived. After successfully designing a Renault Formula 3 car in Argentina - Pagani's place of birth - the young Horacio was eventually afforded the chance to meet his idol and from there on, Fangio befriended his young fan and introduced him to Modena where he would later take a position at Lamborghini Automobili, and later still opening his own design/industry supply company under the name "Modena Design". Shortly thereafter, it was all history - wanting to create a supercar in Fangio's name, Horacio set off with the goal of drawing inspiration from Fangio's favourite company, Mercedes-Benz.

Additionally, Horacio tells the great story that Fangio said to Pagani that if he was going to create his own supercar in Fangio’s image, "it must have a Mercedes-Benz engine; I'm a Mercedes-Benz man". So it goes without saying then, after that wonderful anecdote, that implementing Mercedes-Benz style into his supercar was a big priority.

’89 Mercedes-Benz Sauber C9

Early Zonda concept drawing

Once one does learn that the Zonda draws inspiration from a race car, the design may perhaps be interpreted as more coherent. The resemblance is clearly evident too - Swooping, high front wheel arches with minimal metal gaping; a low front end with a bubble canopy giving the sensation one is driving between the wheels and a swooping, wide and low rear-end. Individual similarities in design elements between the Pagani and Mercedes are also evident. For instance, the Zonda S' "frog-eye" mirrors are purposely meant to mimic that of the C9, and the Zonda S Roadster goes as far as mimicking the C9's individual air vents found on the side and rear wheel arches of the vehicle.

Detailing Elements:

Though the general silhouette draws inspiration from the C9, the Zonda very much has its own distinctive character - particularly through its detailing. That is of course, with much thanks to Horacio's eccentricity as an artist.

Zonda C12 (1999)


Released in 1999, the "C12" version of the Zonda was the first road-legal production Pagani automobile. Its quite that it's less bold than its successors, but it's still shocking enough to drop most anyone's jaw. Key styling elements with the C12 are: conjoined circular tail lamps, it's one piece rear spoiler, swooping under-tray diffuser; frog-eye mirrors and it's square-cut front bumper with it's quad circular head lamps.

Zonda S (2002)


The C12's successor which arrived in '02, is arguably even crazier. Much of the design focus with the Zonda S was to rework the rear-end and thus is evident by it's: two separate spoilers; additional body flaps on the rear; separated tail lamps; accentuated quad pipe system; and "C12" badge, just behind the bubble canopy, in a circle on the rear bonnet. Whilst the rear-end received quite a theatrical makeover, the front end received a great deal less. In fact, the only visible change is the addition of that of a formula-one inspired arrow integrated into the front bumper; which ultimately, is meant to pay homage to the famous "Silver Arrows" Mercedes-Benz racecars.

Zonda F (2005)



While one might have imagined that the Zonda S was going to be the pinnacle of Horacio's output, he proved all us wrong in 2005 when he released the S' successor, prominently referred as the "F" (which is meant to represent Juan Manuel Fangio, of course).

If you followed the Zonda prior to the F's release, it wouldn't have been hard to see the styling changes. From head-on the signal lamps were integrated into the headlamp units; the bottom aero-dam was re-designed with more curves and unexposed fog lamps. Also worth noting is that nose arrow had been accentuated by 50mm, thus further increasing the Zonda's already aggressive qualities.

But similar to the C12S transformation, the F's biggest design re-work had been with it's rear-end. Horacio, aiming to keep the Zonda looking modern and technologically advanced, meant the implementation of not only more carbon fibre parts, but contemporary styling details were of huge importance. And I think it really has worked. The Zonda does appear to have very much of a classical design theme, without looking the least bit dated or derivative. The rear-end, for example, differs from the Zonda S as it features a one-piece spoiler which ultimately allows cleaner air flow, less drag and more down force. The engine air-cooling grills had been interestingly reshaped so that they partially wrap around the exhausts and give a freer flow to the design of the body. The biggest change, however, is undoubtedly taillights; where the brake, reverse and signal lamp have all been separated and placed in a horizontal position. Not only are they LED-equipped, but each of the lights are wrapped with a silver lining. The actual block which the tail lamps are situated upon remained untouched, though the once-visible bottom seam is nowhere to be seen.


From a side angle, the mirrors had notably relocated to the front fender; finished in unpainted carbon fibre and sculpted for aerodynamic efficiency. And even the rims differ from the Zonda S; though originally based upon that which were previously seen on the Zonda Roadster, they differ with the addition with what would appear to be, for the lack of a better word, "teeth".
Other such features are the various scoops and holes throughout the body. The front two behind the front fenders serve their purpose to help keep the brakes cooled; while the vents on the rear fenders help to both cool the brakes and reduce air pressure at the rear of the vehicle.

And as opposed to the “C12” model, the F differs from previous iterations by the implementation of a clear plexi-glass engine cover just behind the canopy. And just when you think the detailing cannot get anymore comprehensive, Pagani decided to finish the “F” in the Zonda badge in the exact cursive script in which Mr. Fangio wrote the “F” as part of his own name.

Dimensions:

People often misinterpret the Zonda’s dimensions as big and bulky; assuming that because it looks like a NASA rocket, that it’s also sized like one too. Though the redesign of the Zonda F actually lengthens the Zonda, some might be surprised to find out that the vehicle isn’t as big as it looks in photos. At 174.6 inches it is the same length as a Porsche 996 GT3 and at 44.9 inches in height it is .2 inches taller than a Lamborghini Murcielago. It is however, .4 inches wider than a Murcielago. But, overall, certainly nothing abnormal from a size perspective.

Aerodynamic Design Influence:

When introducing the Zonda F, Pagani had wanted to rebut one particular criticism of his vehicle, the aerodynamics. And it’s true, the Zonda’s aerodynamics were always a little wonky. As a result, the design philosophy for the F version was to make sure the car was more aerodynamically efficient than previous iterations, without compromising the Zonda’s unique sense of style.

The problem with the Zonda S was that once the air flowed over the bonnet it was interrupted by the positioning of the highly placed mirrors, and then further bounced off the dual spoilers. Additionally, Pagani claims that while redesigning the Zonda, he noticed that the radiator in the Zonda S hadn’t been working to its full potential; once the air entered the nose it was continuously thrown around, failing to hit the radiator inlets head-on.

And most, if not all, of the additional details on the F helped increase the Zonda’s aerodynamic efficiency. For instance, the reworked undertray diffuser combined with the front aero dam and rear spoiler considerably increases downforce at 200mph from 700kg to 900kg and brings the Zonda aerodynamic air distribution to F46/R54. Meanwhile, the drag coefficient has undergone a significant drop from the Zonda S; .39 versus .36 respectively. And this effect is further accentuated with the suspension being 10 millimeters lower than previous versions.

So there you have it. An in-depth look into what is certainly one of my favourite designs of all time. And to think I didn’t even touch on the subject of the interior...