On the Apex

So I was looking at RCR’s latest video review of the Fox body Mustang when it shows this piece of information. It is interesting the block splits into two neatly instead of any other sort of catastrophic failure, any opinions why?

Power to weight ratio. One of the main reasons why weight reduction bro! is a thing. As engines become icreasingly lighter and powerful, it has come to the point where some automakers achieved an outrageous 1hp per kilogram with relative car control, something deemed almost impossible some thirty years ago. Here is a list of seven automobiles which push the boundaries of stuffing loads of power in a tiny package: 1. Koenigsegg One:1

The time had finally come! I could finally have driving lessons and get a license I had craved so long! But then, on the first lessons, the shock came: driving a car on the streets smoothly is a far cry from all the racing (sims and karting) or anything else I had ever experienced. Friction point was something I had never heard of, even paralel parking was a completely new experience, and I can assure you it changed me for the better as a driver. Let’s analyse this quickly:

Since Colin Chapman put wings on his Lotus 49C, an aerodynamic revolution stroke Formula 1 and later, the entirety of motorsport. Since then, much engineer brain matter is burnt on the unstoppable quest for downforce. Here is where the famed wind tunnel steps in. You will see it is good for much, much more than simple streamline visualization for pretty pictures like the main picture of this article and how it helped to reshape the way engineers, pilots and racing teams face aerodynamics, handling and lap speed (the supreme goal of motor racing).

Simplicity is key for manufacturing cars in the millions. Hence, stripping down projects and making a simple, straightforward mechanical setup is essential for a car for the masses. Following the logic of fewer parts means fewer failure scenarios, these cars make the price of owning a car something affordable. These seven cars excel in these areas and are the epitome of straight to the point, minimalistic engineering. These are the kings of simple: 1. Ford Model T

Aerodynamic effiency is something automakers have been chasing for decades. Sculpting an aerodynamic shape is a work of art, which fuses form and function (most of the times). Aerodynamic drag is a vital part of car design (read my article on its importance here ) and so, engineers and designers put loads of effort on mitigating these forces.

Aerodynamics is one of the most beautiful and intricated parts of engineering and of the design of a car. It involves mind-bogglingly complex physics and mathematical models that can trick even experienced engineers. In this colossal puzzle, drag forces have an enormous impact on the automobile’s performance, with some badly-designed aero resulting in great losses in performance terms. As technology advances and more tools are being developed to find better solutions, automotive aerodynamics is getting more complicated and more efficient for performance (and mother nature’s) sake.

Brazilian people tend to be associated with their receptiveness, carnaval, footbal beaches and women. However, we have a strong and enduring passion for cars and motorsport. With a well-known cultural diversity, Brazil mirrors this diversity on the car scene as well. We have multiple fan clubs for many cars and automakers, different car cultures and so on. None of this comes without issues: everything is expensive to do (mods, maintainance etc.) and road conditions are a far cry from the ideal. So here is why I love being a car guy in Brazil, but sometimes hate it.

In a recent post, I presented some of the most complex cars ever made. There were so many suggestions, they turned into another list of complex cars. So here is a selection of the best suggestions and some other examples. Hope you enjoy! 1. Toyota Prius

The automotive industry has most of the times relied on simplicity to fabricate colossal numbers of automobiles, with the “less is more” phylosophy. However, these automakers got bored at some times and decided they would let their engineers play freely to do the maddest and most complicated cars they could. Here are examples of these complexity monsters: 1. Mercedes 600 Pullman

When you talk about horrendous cars, the Hoffmann takes the cake. This freak produced in Germany in 1951 has got wrong every tiny aspect you can imagine. Let me show some characteristics of this nightmare: -It has a wheelbase shorter than its width, so it is absurdely unstable, making it a body-roll monster. -It has three wheels , but steering, engine and drive rely on the sole rear wheel, making matters even worse. -Access to the interior is utterly difficult and the pipe for refueling passes straight in the middle of the cab.

As the Brazilian market expanded during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, manufacturers have produced some gems for car enthusiasts to admire and enjoy.Some of them were exclusives due to restrictions on imports and some were adapted versions of their foreign counterparts. Nonetheless, all of these cars listed are considered classics in Brazil and have loads of respect from the Brazilian car scene. So here is a small part of these automotive legends who made car history in Brazil: 1. Chevrolet Opala/Opala Caravan

Technical revolutions spark all the time from motorsport engineers, always pushing the boundaries of human knowledge to honor the “Go faster” motto. In this particular case, aerodynamics has been a colossal area of study. From aerodynamics, the concept of downforce gained a lot of influence in F1’s design when Colin Chapman started putting airfoils on his Lotus 49C, as for it augmented the car’s grip without adding weight. In this aspect, ground effect is an excellent way of obtaining downforce.

Every time there is a spin, minor crash or even in a big one , they are always there, rarely being noticed. However, they are avoiding much worse crashes, such as this one on the 1993 Winston 500 at Talladega, suffered by Rusty Wallace. The images will make you cringe:

In Brazil, there was a period between the 1960’s and the 90’s when no import cars were allowed in. Thus, the automakers inside the country had to come up with some solution to the Sports car market. The Opala SS (from Separated Seats, not Super Sport (didn’t see that coming, huh?)) was Chevrolet’s representative for this market, a well-tuned and sport-oriented version of a family sedan.