Engine control

[forddeliveryboy]

Turbos controlled by a raft of electronics are great - little or no lag, loads of performance and loads of mpg. But they're hard work in snow unless you keep the boost down. I once took off a turbo pipe in icy conditions - I'd been unable to get up a hill with it connected. So why don't cars have a button selective option on the computer menu for snow and ice? It would cost nothing, but they could charge £££. More to the point, cars would be more driveable on slippery roads. Since the English generally refuse to use all-season or winter tyres and head out onto icy roads with worn rubber harder than an old leather football, it could mean fewer stranded cars when the winter weather turns Arctic.

 

I suppose they rely on traction control, but in my experience this can have a fit in snow if wheels start spinning out of control, knocking off all power then applying brakes, even though you've been quick to release the accelerator. On a slippery hill I found with a 'light flywheel' and fast-acting turbo that by the time the computer had allowed power back to the wheels, you'd lost so much momentum you repeated the cycle until you came to a halt.