twin turbochargers
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To improve fuel efficiency, engines are gradually shedding accessory drives. Electric power steering is now commonplace, and electric air conditioning compressors are used on hybrid cars to keep them cool while the engine's off. Now, BMW has taken a new tack to electrifying ancillary equipment: It's created a twin turbocharger setup in which one half, the compressor that operates at lower engine speeds, is run electrically rather than mechanically. From idle to acceleration The news came to light in a patent application that was covered on the F30Post forum, which said it might be used in a...
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New Chrysler Engine To Burn Gas And Diesel--At The Same Time
You probably drive a gasoline car. And surely you've heard of cars with diesel engines. But how about a car with an engine that burns both fuels, at the same time? That's what Chrysler is working on, it turns out, funded in part with research dollars from the U.S. Department of Energy. Author Mike...
John Voelcker -
How Smaller Engines Offer More Power: Superchargers Vs Turbos
Turbochargers have been with us in volume production only since the Seventies, but superchargers have a long and honorable automotive history. They were used on the Blower Bentleys that won Le Mans 80 years ago, and have appeared ever since on high-performance engines, often larger ones. A boost...
John Voelcker -
Carbon Cop Cars To Go Green With BMW Clean Diesel Engines
Many European countries use BMW sedans as patrol and pursuit cars. Now, BMW says it will sell more than 240,000 engines to U.S. police-car startup Carbon Motors for that company's cruiser. The big shock? They're diesel engines. Specifically, BMW's 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six clean diesel, as...
John Voelcker -
Will the 2011 Ford Mustang Get An EcoBoost Engine Too?
We always enjoy talking cars with the opinionated Alex Nunez from Autoblog, most recently last week when we both appeared on FoxNews.com's Fox Car Report with dapper host Gary Gastelu. This week's guest was Derrick Kuzak, who heads up global product development for Ford. Meaning he's the guy...
John Voelcker -
Bentley Backs Away From Biofuel Bomber, At Least For Awhile
We've always been more than a little skeptical about Bentley's biofuel claims for its 2010 Continental Supersports hot rod. We think it's very, very unlikely that owners of a $267,000 near-supercar will seek out one of the few hundred E85 ethanol pumps in the country to cut their carbon emissions...
John Voelcker -
Ford's new V6 EcoBoost engine lowers fuel economy while raising power; it'll appear first in the 2010 Taurus SHO