SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SPORTS CAR ENGINES

In the case of sports car engines, the principal aim is not to design the same from the economic point of view, but the efficient high-power characteristics and reliability have to be attained. Such engines have to be designed specifically and often contain many refined systems that are normally not provided in ordinary cars. Their important characteristics are:

Generally, these engines are water-cooled, 4-stroke engines with often 4 but also in many cases 6 or 8 cylinders.

The double overhead camshaft is used for valve actuation, to get reliable action at high speeds during continuous operation.

To provide adequate fuel supply both in quality and in quantity, multiple carburettors are used. In many cases, to improve the volumetric efficiency of the engine, the superchargers have been employed.  Alternatively, a fuel injection system has been resorted to, which is highly adequate and reliable.

To ensure ignition-reliability of high order, two spark plugs are used, which also improve the knocking characteristics of the engine. Further, the rising output characteristics of a magneto, coupled with its greater reliability than the coil ignition system, make it almost universal in use in sports cars.

To reduce weight and increase cooling capacity, metals with low specific weight and high thermal conductivity, e.g. aluminium and copper have been used.