Pierre Gillet Posted June 14, 2002 Share Posted June 14, 2002 K series? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted June 14, 2002 Share Posted June 14, 2002 Certainly got the very high top speed so must be a 'K' !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMMO Posted June 14, 2002 Share Posted June 14, 2002 The engine is purpose built by an Essex company called AER. It was made prior to last year's Le Mans in less than six months from drawing to metal. 2 litre turbo producing 520 bhp. I think last year they were lapping fastest in their class. It is not a K Series. AMMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Corb Posted June 14, 2002 Share Posted June 14, 2002 I'm afraid its a completely bespoke unit designed for racing and not a lot else. A K series engine cant achieve over 200BHP reliably.eek.gifeek.gifeek.gif BC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FH Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Bonjour Pierre, try here for the full spec smile.gif The main website is here FH teeth.gif Edited by - fullharness on 15 Jun 2002 09:38:39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 15, 2002 Author Share Posted June 15, 2002 Thanks guys et Mademoiselle. The reason I asked this stupid question is that watching EuroSport in English (in a desperate attempt to understand this language!), I thought the reporter mentioned "K series", but I was not sure he was referring to the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FH Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Pierre, your English is far better than my French blush.gif but since you posted details of your little chat room over there, I've had a sneaky look and will spend time translating (to the best of my ability) the colloquialisms - prior to my little trip to sample the delights of Bordeaux at the beginning of next month.... hic wink.gif FH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 15, 2002 Author Share Posted June 15, 2002 Very good idea! Two differences though with the very classy L7C forums... Firstly, some of our people type as they speak and you will soon notice that the spelling is not always right. Especially our good buddy CatMan just does not care and his French spelling is just awesome. This may happen to me also am I afraid in some limited cases (I hope) ! Secondly, the people are all very young and very enthusiastic and very...direct. So do not be surprised! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 15, 2002 Author Share Posted June 15, 2002 FullHarness The Caterham enthusiasts of our little French speaking chat room http://www.blatchat.com/post.asp?forum_id=8&method=reply&forum_title=TechTalk&topic_id=16013&topic_title=Le+Mans%3A+what+is+the+engine+in+the+MG&M=False&P=False are now informed that FullHarness is reading them. I just posted a little message for them with a quote from you. I hope you do not mind they are now aware of your delicate appreciation of Bordeaux wines! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 15, 2002 Author Share Posted June 15, 2002 Sorry the URL of our chat room is : http://forum-autoroule.com/viewtopic.php?t=4476 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonwelton Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Pierre, I heard the announcer on Eurosport and he definitely said it was a 4 cylinder Austin Rover K series engine with a turbo. I'm guessing that is a bit of artistic license by MG's pr department though! Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 15, 2002 Author Share Posted June 15, 2002 Thanks Si. I am relieved... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyPandy Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 "4 cylinder Austin Rover engine with turbo..." For their sake I hope it's not a rebodied MG Maestro blush.gif teeth.gif Superlight 143 teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Full specification Engine: MG XP-20, 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled Power: around 450 bhp, potential top speed of around 215 mph Transmission: six-speed sequential gearbox, lightweight magnesium main case, carbon pull-type clutch Cooling system: aluminium water and oil radiators, intercooler Chassis: one-piece carbonfibre composite monocoque Suspension: fabricated steel double wishbones front and rear, front suspension pivoting on flexures Brakes: 355 mm x 35 mm carbonfibre discs; 152 mm x 53 mm x 25 mm carbon pads Wheels: forged magnesium Front: 18-inch on 11J rims Rear: 18-inch on 13J rims Tyres (cm/ratio): Front 27/65 x 18-inch, rear 31/71 x 18 Steering: rack and pinion Length x width: 14 ft 9 in x 6 ft 7 in Wheelbase: 9 ft Front track: 5 ft 9 in Rear track: 5 ft 3 in Weight: 675 kg Fuel-tank capacity: 90 litres more info http://4car.co.uk/special/mglemans/index.htm Steve My racing pics hereid=red> Hants (North) and Berkshire area club site hereid=red> Edited by - stevefoster on 15 Jun 2002 21:02:05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKJ Posted June 15, 2002 Share Posted June 15, 2002 Pierre, The commentator did say the engine was a K series, but at the time there was a blue/red car in shot. It may be that there is another car running in a lower class with this type, but less complex engine ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted June 16, 2002 Author Share Posted June 16, 2002 Might well be. But the green and black MG is really quick although in the only 2 liter category. They are racing a Morgan! Why not a Caterham! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted June 16, 2002 Share Posted June 16, 2002 Both 'K's out then... The first disappointment came after midnight on lap 129 when the car #26 (driven by Anthony Reid, Warren Hughes and Jonny Kane) retired with transmission failure, when running strongly in 4th overall. MG car No. 27 (driven by Mark Blundell, Julian Bailey and Kevin McGarrity) carried on relentlessly through the night gaining positions and by early morning having completed two thirds of the race period suffered an engine problem on lap 219 - with no warning. "At 7.37am local time a sudden plume of smoke from the rear of the car as Kevin took it through the second chicane on the Mulsanne signalled that the car had a problem, and the car slowed and pulled off on the right hand side of the track. Despite all the efforts of the driver and the team the dream was over. The car was 11th overall at the time, and leading the LMP675 category. That'll be the poly V dry sump belt off then.... Steve My racing pics hereid=red> Hants (North) and Berkshire area club site hereid=red> Edited by - stevefoster on 16 Jun 2002 09:06:09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Richards. Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 Pierre AMMO is right. I spoke with one of the mechanics (one of the guys with green hair) during pit walk about on Friday. Engine is a 'one off'. Designed and built by AER and no similarity to K series. I asked if it really did develop 520 bhp as published. It seems that this is probably the figure for the race, with boost turned up in qualifying it is apparently somewhere above 550 bhp and 600 bhp!! Fastest speed they recorded on their telemetry was apparently 201mph. P.S. Anthony Reid was mega impressive in the car and apparently a little too agressive for Andy Wallace in the Bentley team as he was complaining about a ding up the rear. Paul R. C7PPR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Piper Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 Paul,, they don't like it up 'em you know....good on MG! Now that Audi have won 3 on the trot, do you think they might go for a 4th with the closed version of the car next year? wink.gif...They'd probably have to run two to be sure of success, though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmandsd Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 Do they do a 2lt k series engine now then ? I'm sure it would be popular if it's anywhere near as good as the 1.8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 Ho ho question.gifconfused.gif Peterid=teal> 253 BHP K-seriesteeth.gif, no gearboxbum.gifid=red> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino ferrana Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 Would a Caterham do well at Le mans? It is very much a top speed circuit where as the Nurburgring is twisty and quick. Surely the Caterham would require hundreds of thousands of devlopment with wings and undertrays etc. to make it even vaguely competetive. Read the Autocar article on the Caterham at the Ring it describes how a Viper (of all things ) descimates the Caterham on the 3 KM straight but is wildly outclassed in the twisty bits. Makes you proud to own a Caterham! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 I have previously commented that the Nurburgring is a power circuit, which is borne out in the numbers. 43% of the laptime is spent going in a straight line as opposed to 28% at somewhere like Cadwell. The Nurburgring is a stunning anachronism and a good lap is something special, but it is daft to expect a car with lousy aerodynamics to hold off allcomers. I would expect Le Mans to be similar. Peterid=teal> 253 BHP K-seriesteeth.gif, no gearboxbum.gifid=red> Edited by - Peter Carmichael on 18 Jun 2002 15:20:05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V7 SLR Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 I'm interested if cars like the Westfield XTR2, Radical and so on would be any good at these circuits. I suspect not, as they run approximately half the power of the Le Man cars even with the super upgrades (to 250bhp) that the Radical has to its Hayabusa engine. Westfield implied that an XTR3 with Subaru power might be available. This could potentially give the Westfield 300+bhp which might make it a player. Doesn't Stijn drives a C21 at the Spa24? What makes this, and Caterhams at the ring possible, that Le Mans isn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted June 18, 2002 Share Posted June 18, 2002 Top speed is a function of the cube root of the power available. If you have double the power, top speed only goes up by a factor of 1.26. I don't think it was an SR3, but Richard Ince reported testing a Radical at Silverstone GP before he bought his SR3, making ~169mph on the Hangar straight and 13-18 seconds faster on the lap than an R500. Don't even know if this was with the 252bhp engine. That sort of top speed capability is obviously way ahead of a Caterham and will count for a lot at the Nurburgring. The Radical also benefits from aero downforce allowing much more speed to be carried through the fast corners. Suspension is also full race rose-jointed on a stiffer chassis, so mechanical grip should be higher too. Peterid=teal> 253 BHP K-seriesteeth.gif, no gearboxbum.gifid=red> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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