[GoingTooFast]

After reading that Ferrari is developing the upcoming diesel engine for Maserati and after reading Maserati CEO Harald Wester statements I had to recover an old post of mine (second quote) :

Maserati’s first diesel engine will have impressive pedigree – it will be developed by Ferrari.

Ferrari is developing the upcoming diesel engine for*Maserati*at its Maranello headquarters.

“The new engines ... have been co-developed between the Ferrari and Maserati teams,” said Maserati CEO Harald Wester. “Both have been produced in Maranello.”

Wester said things such as direct injection and turbocharging were relevant to both diesel and petrol engines, meaning Ferrari was perfectly positioned to lead the development of the brand’s first diesel engine.

“Despite the principal differences in combustion between diesel and petrol many of the technologies ... are very similar,” he said.

The new diesel engine is expected to use about 6.0 litres per 100km in the upcoming*Ghibli sedan, which will be one of the drivers of Maserati's growth as the brand looks to substantially grow its sales.

It is also expected to get a*fake engine sound*to make it sound more appealing.*

It will also be fitted to the upcoming*Levante*and could be used in the Quattroporte large sedan.

But don’t expect to see a diesel engine in a Ferrari; the brand has previously said it is not interested in diesel engines, instead preferring the high revving V8s and V12s.

Ferrari is also working on hybrid technology, with the upcoming La Ferrari supercar set to be the first petrol-electric application for the brand.

However Wester said he doesn’t see hybrids as a solution for Maserati.

“I don’t see significant business [for a hybrid Maserati,” he said, adding that increasingly strict fuel economy targets in places like California may force the introduction of a hybrid.

“We might be forced for legal reasons to go to this technology. This would be the only reason we want to go there, because of legal restrictions.”

Wester said Maserati would “look to synergies within the [Fiat-Chrysler] group” if it was decided a hybrid would fit with the brand.

He also took a swipe at electric vehicles, saying they did not bring the big environmental benefits they were perceived to.

“All the discussions about the electric cars, zero CO2 (emissions), it’s nonsense. It’s far away from reality, we all know this,” he said.

He joins a chorus of industry experts*questioning the viability of electric cars, which are expensive and have failed to live up to early sales estimates.

Audi, along with others, believe*plug-in hybrids - which can be recharged and driven purely on electricity but have a regular engine for longer trips - are a more viable short term solution to pure electric vehicles.*

“We have to be more correct in considering the real CO2 balance. Pure electric cars, in terms of CO2, are not the answer.

“What nobody talks about is the energy mix behind the production of electricity.”

He pointed to figures that show the production of electricity for use in an electric car often produces more CO2 than burning fuel.

Wester said in Europe the average CO2 emissions to produce the electricity for an electric car amounted to 86 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre travelled, which is only slightly below some of the better performing hybrid and diesel cars.

In other countries they were worse; the United States was calculated at 110g/km and China 191g/km.

Originally Posted by GoingTooFast

So, here we are... on one hand we have the best handling car that less money can buy - the Toyobaru; on the other hand we have the lightest and simultaneously the most gorgeous car that less money can buy - the Alfa 4c.

Two different approaches, two different weight distributions, the same MacPherson struts and Double wishbones - front/ rear for the Toyobaru and rear/ front for the 4c, respectively - both targeting the Cayman from different perspectives and both achieving SIMILAR but significantly better fuel consumption and emissions:

......................................... Toyobaru....................... Alfa 4c....................... Cayman S PDK................ Volkswagen Bluesport Diesel
CO2 emissions................ 159 g/km....................... 157 g/km..................... 188 g/km........................... 113 g/km
Fuel consumption............ 40.9 mpg........................ 41.5 mpg.................... 35.3 mpg........................... 50 mpg
Weight wet, with driver... 1295 kg......................... 1020 kg (est.)............. 1395 kg............................. 1254 kg
Max. Torque..................... 151 lb-ft......................... 258 lb-ft..................... 272 lb-ft............................. 258 lb-ft
Power output................... 197 bhp......................... 240 bhp..................... 320 bhp.............................. 178 bhp
Max. speed...................... 137 mph........................ 158 mph..................... 175 mph............................. 140 mph
0 - 62 mph........................ 7.6 sec........................... 4.5 sec....................... 4.7 sec............................... 6.6 sec


From the above table we can clearly see that low weight in combination with high low-end torque, say from no more than 2000 rpm, which will remain more or less constant throughout the revs will definitely yield to the best performance/consumption results, i.e. greater acceleration from taller gear ratios!

This means that only a turbocharged internal combustion engine OR an electric engine CAN provide MAX torque from the bottom part of the rev counter.

And, in the case of a turbocharged direct fuel injection engine high torque can be easily achieved from a low displacement engine favouring even further fuel consumption. This is without doubt the right formula of which the weight is the MOST critical aspect!!!

I've been defending this solution for years... and although the general public may not be yet ready, the next logical step, the one I've been waiting for since the Volkswagen Bluesport roadster appearance, is to mount a diesel engine in a car like the Alfa 4c. There will be no better way to convince the skeptics than give them a car that performs and looks as beautiful as the 4c or even as the Bluesport roadster concept which had a mid rear mounted diesel engine, 45:55 front/rear weight distribution, 1179 kg of kerb weight and 6-speed dual clutch gearbox... does it sound familiar?! The first company to risk it will be for sure on the leading edge of the industry: