big car little engine

[scooters]

for modern generic GM shite I am using a top of the range Insignia 1.8 at the moment. Has all the toys - electric everything weighs a tonne but is chronically underpowered with the 1.8 petrol lump in it - in Tdi or Cdi form it is a quick and reasonable car - in petrol form with all that gubbins it is stick the cruise on at 70 and don't think about the outside lane type car!

I've driven one too and heartily agree, far too heavy a car for the engine, and what does it need 6 gears for? 5th is redundant, leave it in 6th and drop to 4th or third if you need to gather momentum. It did manage a cruise-controlled 43mpg on the run from Yorkshire to Brum and back, however.

indeed - for sitting at 60mph on a motorway it's not bad at all - dull as you like though and a sad indictment of wha morotring has become in the modern world - dull, predictable and obsessed with toys - the drivers seat even moves back automatically when you get out of the car no doubt for hugely fat americans to get out easily - mind you - we're apparantly all going the same way. Still - build quality is mince - this hire one is 14k on the clock and the aircon is already knackered and the cruise control is dodgey!

[fotorabia]

HC Vivas have enough room for a V8..kind of an old tradition here in NZ..u can understand why...my 1159cc couldnt outdrag a skin on a custard...tho top end shes keen...

[ChinaTom]

I also often wondered what the following would be like to drive:

 

Ford Granada 2.1d

Mercedes 260SE (a German friend told me he thought a 200d would outdrag it)

VW Golf/Caddy SDi (20 secs to 60?)

 

The worst power to weight ratio I have ever experienced is a FuQi Jeep here in China. The vehicle weighed at least 1.5te and it had a 2.4 litre petrol engine putting out 32 bhp. We drove it from one mountain to another and even down-hill we never got it above 50km/h. I can't find a photo of these anywhere - the net provides a sketch:

not to be confused with Beijing Jeep as they had nearly 80bhp! Heady stuff

 

These are long dead and gone now, but they were a popular sight around here between the 80's and 90's. Based on a Moskvich, these made the driver suffer with a Russian license built 1.7 diesel engine. Your 1.3 Montego would feel like a dragster...

[Milford Cubicle]

I also often wondered what the following would be like to drive:Ford Granada 2.1dMercedes 260SE (a German friend told me he thought a 200d would outdrag it)VW Golf/Caddy SDi (20 secs to 60?)

I owned a VW Golf 1.9D mk3 for a while and that was surprisingly nippy. The crummy headline bhp figure (64) doesn't tell the whole story, the little power it had was very accessible at all speeds and it would hold 90MPH no bother.My old man owned a VW T25 Transporter with a 50bhp 1.6 diesel engine, what a terrible application for that engine! It used to blow stuff like oil feed pipes, and eventually head gaskets all the time, very over stressed in 2 tons of van.[/i]

[wuvvum]

it had a 2.4 litre petrol engine putting out 32 bhp.

How is it possible for a 2.4-litre petrol engine to develop that little power? Did it have vacuum-operated valves and hot tube ignition?

[ChinaTom]

it's Chinese, and was designed in the mid-50's. The Chinese documents label it as a 2,378cc 24kW unit. I can see a reference to a 2,510cc 30kW engine too. I may have my formula wrong? My ability to read Chinese is not too bad but I am having trouble with part of the sentence that literally translates to "valves mounted on the side edge". Side valve? Surely not. Maybe - it is Chinese and from the 50's. It obviously didn't have a rev counter, but I suspect that it was bouncing off a VERY mechanical limiter at about 4,000 (i.e. it jumped out of gear). Truly dreadful.

[Pillock]

The Astravan comes in a 1.2CDTi flavour.Ideal for workmen paid by the hour.

[Albert Ross]

It's a 1.3 CDTi, same engine as the Punto/500/Corsa etc.....box of shit.....I tried to get one to have "pulling problems" when accelerating as a warranty check, apparently the guy's neighbour had read that Astras "suffer from torque steer, whatever that is" so he wanted it checking. I had to keep a straight face when I told him it was Turbo PETROLS that had the handling issue....

[Pete-M]

Chap I know deals in Corsa 1.3 CDTi vans, but only in summer.In winter they're a bugger to start unless you fire up the glow plugs about 5 times. Even mega-low mileage ones are a pain to start.'orrible GM tat if ever there was any.

[RedSparrow]

Oof yeah I only learned the other day that the Montego was given 1275cc A+ power! What the frig were they thinking?!

[Pillock]

It's a 1.3 CDTi, same engine as the Punto/500/Corsa etc.....box of shit.....I tried to get one to have "pulling problems" when accelerating as a warranty check, apparently the guy's neighbour had read that Astras "suffer from torque steer, whatever that is" so he wanted it checking. I had to keep a straight face when I told him it was Turbo PETROLS that had the handling issue....

Oh yeah course it is My friends dad had a 1.3 CDTi Corsa, but he's very much the 'well they don't need to go more than 70mph anyway' sort of driver. Good job really, that piece of crap struggles to record a 0-60 time at all.

[dollywobbler]

Well, I've got a Citroen C5 1.6 Hdi estate for the weekend, and it'll be dragging my Bond home tomorrow. Will be interesting to see how it copes as the car itself is fapping enormous!110bhp though and while it's no tyre-shredder, it's brisk enough. Especially when you accidentally set the cruise control to 135... (it also has an unfathomable amount of buttons and display options. Distractions from driving For The Lose!)

[r.welfare]

Oh, of course - DW mentioning the C5 made me think of the new Laguna, which I believe you can get in 1.5 DCi flavour. 106bhp apparently.

[IanF]

my old 1979 Volvo 244 DL auto saloon was about as tedious as you like to drice - the combo of the 2.1lt engine the crappy borg warner 3 speed with low ratios and the weight of the car all added up to an underpowerd car with worse MPG than an XJ6. Top whack was about 80mph and rest assured you did not want to go faster than that as the suspension in the older 244's was nowhere near as good as in the later 240 models.

Agreed - my mate has one of similar vintage, although this one barely touches 55 as the autobox is fucked after he managed to boil it dry.Perfect London car though. Mega wafty.

[Negative Creep]

What about the 1.3D Tigra? Dear God, that must be the worst 'sports' car on the market and I bet there are glaciers that move quicker

[carlo]

There was a 1.4 Peugeot 405 offered from September 1992, hastily dropped 6 months later. Think they sold about 10.

[blimp]

Well, I've got a Citroen C5 1.6 Hdi estate for the weekend, and it'll be dragging my Bond home tomorrow. Will be interesting to see how it copes as the car itself is fapping enormous!110bhp though and while it's no tyre-shredder, it's brisk enough. Especially when you accidentally set the cruise control to 135... (it also has an unfathomable amount of buttons and display options. Distractions from driving For The Lose!)

I read an HJ letter on the Telegraph the other week about these engines in big (C5 type) cars - HJ's response was something along the lines that the 1.6 has more torque (210ibft @1750rpm) than the 2.0 hdi/whatever (192ibft@2000rpm), and so with good gearing they are betterer suited to big cars.

[pogweasel]

Oh, of course - DW mentioning the C5 made me think of the new Laguna, which I believe you can get in 1.5 DCi flavour. 106bhp apparently.

Urgh! I bet that's unpleasant. I have the 1.5DCi in my van, OK so I only get the shatpank 70bhp version, but I can't see (a) what they can do to make it run 106bhp and ( how that's supposed to row along a massive Laguna at any lick. I have spent all week in rural wales, snowdonia etc. and on quite a few occasions have had to resort to 1st gear to get up the steeper single-track hills. Disgraceful.

[Dukestar25]

cav_estate wrote:

I also remember that the at the launch of the Fiat Doblo car version you could specify a 1.2 model

 

The late 00's Fiat Brava/Bravo range had this engine added to their range and, despite being smaller, it trounced the 1.4 and 1.6 in both economy and performance...

 

IIRC there was a Mk2 Granada known as the 'Taxi' with a 2.3 diesel engine? I bet that could cure your insomnia...

[Justin Case]

Back in the mists of time, the Standard Vanguard could be had with a diesel Ferguson tractor engine . Hardly small at 2 litres, but no doubt performance and refinement would be on a par

[pogweasel]

But weren't the petrol Vanguard engines (And hence the Triumph TR2/3) derived from Fergy lumps?

[Justin Case]

But weren't the petrol Vanguard engines (And hence the Triumph TR2/3) derived from Fergy lumps?

AFAIK the petrol engine was developed for the Vanguard, and went into production it was also adapted for the Ferguson, and the diesel was developed from that engine. A TR engined little grey Fergie with a TR lump would no doubt make a nice way of getting to the pub on a summer evening , but that would be a large engine in a small tractor and so O/T

[Pete-M]

IIRC there was a Mk2 Granada known as the 'Taxi' with a 2.3 diesel engine? I bet that could cure your insomnia...

Ah, the immense old "Taxi pack". Vinyl seats, four ashtrays (one on each door), tons of extra suppression and an extra wiring loom for the taxi radio. Absolutely spartan, if you ordered the taxi pack it pretty much cancelled out all the other options.Peugeot 2.5 dizzla from the 504, about 70 bhp at best.I only ever saw one, but remember the ashtrays were immense.

[Milford Cubicle]

Not even 2.3, weren't they 2.1? 63bhp of powah

Top speed: 126.0 km/h (78.3 mph)0-60 miles: 26.1 seconds

[Mat.T]

i spotted one on Gozo

[wuvvum]

cav_estate wrote:

I also remember that the at the launch of the Fiat Doblo car version you could specify a 1.2 model

The late 00's Fiat Brava/Bravo range had this engine added to their range and, despite being smaller, it trounced the 1.4 and 1.6 in both economy and performance...

I drove a 1.2 Bravo once - it went OK if you revved the living fap out of it, but it was completely gutless otherwise. They used the 1242cc engine in the Stilo as well, which was a much more substantial car - I can't see one of those being a ball of fire.

 

In a similar vein to the Doblo, the original Kangoo was available with a 1.2, and the Berlingo / Partner with a 1.1. The French always have been good at small-engined vans though - the '80s Trafic could be had with a 1.4 and its predecessor, the Estafette, was launched with an 845cc engine.

[Dukestar25]

Not even 2.3, weren't they 2.1? 63bhp of powah

Top speed: 126.0 km/h (78.3 mph)0-60 miles: 26.1 seconds

I knew it was something like that (haven't seen one myself for a long time either). These figures must be in Nissan Serena 2.0 diesel territory... that is slow!!!

[Albert Ross]

Taxi driver in Slough had one....YGS 601S....written off on a canal bridge on Wexham road one evening IIRC.....I wonder......Autotrader have it as a petrol, but I'm CERTAIN it was a 2.1.......It was dreadfully slow.......and noisy....

[whitevanman]

damn thats lush...................want one....that one

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Mark 4 Zephyr with the rev happy 2 litre V4. Wouldn't pull your foreskin back.