Tag: Videos

  • Should you use racing oil in your road car?

    Every part of a modern race car is optimized to extract maximum performance—including the fluids that go into it. Specialized racing oil is a must in the paddock, but is it a good idea to use that in your road car?

    “Engineering Explained” host Jason Fenske answers that question in this video, talking to engineers from Mobil1 (which also sponsored the video), engine builder Roush Yates Engines, and NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing.

    First off, Fenske emphasizes that racing engines don’t have much in common with road-car engines. Pushrod V-8s like the ones used in NASCAR disappeared from the average American car decades ago, and racing engines in general have a very different duty cycle. They’re flogged (a NASCAR V-8 can rev to 10,000 rpm and spend 90% to 95% of a race at full throttle), but also have fairly short maintenance intervals. NASCAR engines have their oil changed about every 500 miles and are only expected to last about 1,500 miles, Fenske noted.

    Ford Mustang NASCAR Xfinity Series race car

    Ford Mustang NASCAR Xfinity Series race car

    NASCAR oil is also fairly unrestricted (rules can vary by race series), giving teams more leeway to look for competitive advantages, Fenske said. Teams tend to use thinner-weight oils to reduce frictional losses and maximize power. That’s not great for longevity but, remember, the engine only needs to last 1,500 miles. Road-car engines, on the other hand, are expected to last hundreds of thousands of miles, so that kind of tradeoff isn’t possible.

    Racing oils and road-car oils do have some commonalities, though. They use a lot of the same additives, such as detergents, dispersants, anti-foaming agents, antioxidants, and rust inhibitors, Fenske noted.

    However, the difference is in the details. Oils used for road cars are designed to meet a long list of regulations and requirements set down by individual automakers. In NASCAR where, again, rules governing oil are fairly loose, teams can optimize an oil for one specific engine design. It’s really that process that makes racing oil work, and it’s just not practical for individual road cars. Unless you have your own laboratory and a lot of patience, at least.

    Source

  • TWIN TURBO CORVETTE VS GYMKHANA WRX STI

    As part of Hoonigan’s This v That series, they pitch completely opposite cars against each other. This time it’s none other than Cleetus McFarland in a twin turbo Corvette against Travis Pastrana in the 2020 Gymkhana WRX STI.

    [embedded content]

    As far as drag races go, Hoonigan’s This v That series has produced some interesting match ups, with lowriders taking on race cars and highly-modified street cars. This, though, is up there with the wildest of the lot.

    Sadly, the two cars Cleetus had lined up both went bang before the meet up and as a result, weren’t able to run. However, all was not lost as he jumped behind the wheel of a friend’s twin turbo Corvette C5 to go racing. Power sits at a cool 850hp but weighs in at 1450kg.

    Lining up against Cleetus is none other than Travis Pastrana, he recently donned the Gymkhana gear and went on his very own hoon around his home town (you can watch that here). Underneath the bonnet is a 2.3-litre flat-four Boxer engine tuned to a colossal 862hp. The other factor to take into account is that this is a fully-blown race car, built from the get-go as a Gymkhana weapon, meaning no corners were cut in the build process. As a result, it weighs in at under 1200kg, taking its power to weight ratio to around 724bhp. To put that into perspective, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport has a power to weight ratio of 627bhp/tonne…

    Now here’s the catch, there had to be one… Travis completes his run by hitting a jump at the end!

    Source

  • Jay Leno checks out the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4

    Jay Leno’s vehicular interests aren’t limited to cars. For this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, he switches from four wheels to two, getting the details on the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 from Jason Chinnock, the company’s North American CEO.

    The Multistrada is designed as a multi-purpose bike (the name means “many roads” in Italian), so it’s proficient in off-roading, city riding, touring, and the sporty style of riding Ducati is known for, Chinnock said. Leno views it as the motorcycle equivalent of performance SUVs like the Aston Martin DBX. Programmable modes change the riding character; they consist of Urban, Sport, Touring, and Enduro. The bike’s suspension pre-load can also be adjusted to accommodate a passenger or baggage.

    Ducati launched the Multistrada in 2003 with a 2-cylinder engine, but the 2021 model sports a V-4 making 170 hp. The transverse-mounted engine has cylinder deactivation for the rear bank of cylinders, but for rider comfort not fuel economy. Shutting off two cylinders reduces heat, helping to keep riders from baking while sitting at stoplights. Winglets direct cooling air toward the rider while underway. The Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) allows clutchless shifts up and down despite the manual transmission.

    2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 on Jay Leno's Garage

    2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 on Jay Leno’s Garage

    The 2021 Multistrada is also the first production motorcycle with radar (the unit is located between the headlights), Chinnock says, which enables blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Those features are common in cars these days, but not as widespread in motorcycles.

    The bike’s various features are controlled through an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Creature comforts include a heated seat and heated handlebars.

    Ducati has been able to add more features to its newer bikes in part because it’s part of the Volkswagen Group, and can use the massive automaker’s engineering resources. VW was thought to have considered selling off Ducati (along with Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini) as it shifts focus to mass-market electric cars, but the automaker announced in December 2020 that it was keeping Ducati, along with Bentley and Lamborghini.

    Click on the video above for much more information on the Mulstistrada V4 and to see and hear Jay and Jason go for a ride.

    Source