Unusual or Rare Cars - Part 3

[Mockngbrd]

On 9/25/2023 at 4:59 PM, Tohto said:

i8 with a tiny engine + plug in hybrid.. Not here not there.

If they put in the M5 engine maybe sell much better.

Alpina tried to pump more power but project scraped

https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/11/22/how-alpina-bmw-i8-almost-happened/

 

Quote

the engine ALPINA used was actually the same 2.0 liter turbocharged four-pot that now powers the BMW M135i. Except it was tuned to make around 350 horsepower, rather than the M135i’s 302 horsepower. Throw in the electric motors and the ALPINA i8 was a far more potent machine than its BMW counterpart.

“We had a complete system power output of 462 [metric] horsepower (455 horsepower) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, therefor we needed [better] cooling.”

Cooling was only one of the issues that ALPINA faced when stuffing in a bigger engine but it was one that ALPINA was able to remedy. Not only did ALPINA fit the engine with a bigger intercooler but it also had to fit two additional intercoolers in the front fenders to help cool the oil and the gearbox.

Speaking of gearbox, the bigger engine’s power was too much for the standard six-speed automatic used in the i8. So ALPINA went with an eight-speed Aisin unit, the same one that’s used in the M135i. That bigger gearbox needed more cooling, hence the additional dedicated intercooler.

All of that additional equipment required a new rear subframe. Obviously, the new engine and transaxle gearbox required a new aluminum subframe, which was not only sized to fit but reinforced and stronger than the pre-existing one. However, that wasn’t the only change to the chassis. ALPINA increased the tire sized, specifically up front where the tires were increased 55 millimeters, to a 201-section tire. That increase, along with a slight increase in negative camber, was done to reduce the i8’s understeer. Wider fender flares were also added, though just plastic ones for prototype duty, to fit the fatter tires.

No additional chassis modifications were necessary, though. The i8’s carbon fiber construction meant that it was already far stiff enough to handle the increased power and weight. 

The biggest reason for ALPINA’s reluctance to finish the punchier i8 was calibration. While the BMW i8 isn’t a thrilling sports car, nor is it fast by modern sports car standards, there’s no denying that’s an incredibly well-calibrated machine. Its engine, rear-mounted electric motor and completely separate front electric motor work so seamlessly together that it borders on magic. So replacing one of those variables — the engine — requires and entire re-calibration of that software. Which is not only incredibly difficult and time consuming but it’s also incredibly expensive.

So, due to expensive calibration issues and the need for further crash testing, Bovensiepen and his team felt that they couldn’t make an i8 that was safe to drive on the road and meet their standards. So the project was thrown in the scrap bin, unfortunately. However, one prototype was made and it did work. It just wasn’t very well calibrated.

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Mockngbrd

[Gnahp]

On 9/25/2023 at 5:19 PM, Mockngbrd said:

Alpina tried to pump more power but project scraped

https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/11/22/how-alpina-bmw-i8-almost-happened/

 

 

I listen to a few videos in youtube

that 3 cylinders engine sounds surprisingly good and beefy 👍

BMW must had spent some R&D on the exhaust sound tuning like the italian

I wish 3 cylinders engine motorcycle can sound that good 

[Toeknee_33]

On 9/25/2023 at 5:26 PM, Gnahp said:

I listen to a few videos in youtube

that 3 cylinders engine sounds surprisingly good and beefy 👍

BMW must had spent some R&D on the exhaust sound tuning like the italian

I wish 3 cylinders engine motorcycle can sound that good 

I was in Sepang last week and there was a GR Yaris on track driven at full pelt. Sounds damn good.

[Gnahp]

On 9/25/2023 at 5:38 PM, Toeknee_33 said:

I was in Sepang last week and there was a GR Yaris on track driven at full pelt. Sounds damn good.

odd number cylinder engine always sound better than those even number cylinder engine except kancil

there was a time my friend's 4 cylinder engine motorcycle got a fouled spark plug, so the engine was running on 3 cylinders

sounds damn sexy 😁

[serenade]

The 5-cylinder Audis and Volvo 850 also sounded good. I managed to own one for a good number of years before all discontinued in the name of fuel economy.

[Carbon82]

On 9/25/2023 at 12:58 AM, Confusedboi said:

oh didnt know its pre face lift model, how to tell the differences between pre and post face lift ah😅. These was  honda glory days of VTEC kick in yo for the boy racers even in family sedan form.

The bumper design, as what I have shared here previously.

And now that I put the 2 versions side by side,the taillight is also distinctively different. 

Pre-facelift (1995 - 1998) 

Facelift (1998 - 2000)

And in case you also wonder how I know that is a SiR, it is the rim and front headrest (see comparison below) 

Standard (non-SiR) 

SiR / Si / RS

The EK4 Civic was my dream car back in the 90s, but $$$ not enough, and by the time I bought my ES8 Civic VTi, it produce just 115 horsepower. 

[Tohto]

[Confusedboi]

On 9/25/2023 at 8:30 PM, Carbon82 said:

The bumper design, as what I have shared here previously.

And now that I put the 2 versions side by side,the taillight is also distinctively different. 

Pre-facelift (1995 - 1998) 

Facelift (1998 - 2000)

And in case you also wonder how I know that is a SiR, it is the rim and front headrest (see comparison below) 

Standard (non-SiR) 

SiR / Si / RS

The EK4 Civic was my dream car back in the 90s, but $$$ not enough, and by the time I bought my ES8 Civic VTi, it produce just 115 horsepower. 

now still got a few selling, most if not all probably heavily modified and engine redlined many many many many many times😁, think some of them have rebuilt engines

https://www.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/listing.php?MOD=honda+civic+ek&CAT=&AVL=2&RPG=20&AVL=2&VEH=2

[Tohto]

On 9/25/2023 at 5:44 PM, Gnahp said:

odd number cylinder engine always sound better than those even number cylinder engine except kancil

there was a time my friend's 4 cylinder engine motorcycle got a fouled spark plug, so the engine was running on 3 cylinders

sounds damn sexy 😁

The volvo 850 5 cylinder and those T5R sound amazing. 

[Gnahp]

On 9/25/2023 at 11:07 PM, Tohto said:

The volvo 850 5 cylinder and those T5R sound amazing. 

also audi's 5 cylinders in some of the RS models 👍

[Confusedboi]

 Evo 8 or 9 lol. Can’t tell the differences 

[Mockngbrd]

9? 8 front grille got plastic backing behind the diamonds. 

[Arogab]

My landlord's friend come to his office lim kopi. Inside his office got several red, crossback arowanas at least over ten. 

[inlinesix]

On 9/27/2023 at 5:33 PM, Arogab said:

My landlord's friend come to his office lim kopi. Inside his office got several red, crossback arowanas at least over ten. 

Mk1 AMG-GT.  Not that rare la

 

[Gnahp]

On 9/27/2023 at 4:57 PM, Mockngbrd said:

9? 8 front grille got plastic backing behind the diamonds. 

8 and 9 always confused me

now I know how to tell the difference

[107fan]

On 9/27/2023 at 5:33 PM, Arogab said:

My landlord's friend come to his office lim kopi. Inside his office got several red, crossback arowanas at least over ten. 

There are just so many 2 seater coupes that one can choose as a side car for spirited solo drives. Miatas, boxters, z5s. The AMG GT ranks very highly on the list of desirables

Oh and the F type too.

Edited September 27, 2023 by 107fan

[Arogab]

On 9/27/2023 at 5:06 PM, inlinesix said:

Mk1 AMG-GT.  Not that rare la

 

I never say rare, it's unusual to be at my place here🤭

[Carbon82]

3 door Toyota Land Cruiser Prado