Small Car Big Engine

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I don’t think it’s about engine size or even power, rather the number of cylinders.

Ive never driven a 1600Vitesse or one of those 1 .8 V6 MX3s but just the though of them having more cylinders than is normal or necessary makes them appealing.

I remember loving a 2.6 190e I used as a demo for a  couple of months, I raved about to friends, family and tried to get a couple of senior managers to order one. Nobody got it! The managers ordered 230e s or Scorpios, friends couldn’t work out why I was so excited about a car that was only about as quick as a Cavalier SRi.

Id rather have a V8 250 than a 3.8 Mk2, or an MGC than a B. All those V6 repmobiles from Cortina to Laguna , in a lot of cases weren’t faster than their 4 cylinder brethren , just more special.

Nothing on this thread has beaten the V6 Clio that , I think, @motorpunk mentioned on the first page , unless we’re allowing Firenza Can Ams and V6 Escort Apaches and V8 Capri Stampedes.

I always liked the idea of the 205 Gentry, a 1.9 auto without any GTi bollocks.

 

[motorpunk]

57 minutes ago, Justin Case said:

I nominate Morgan for the gold medal. The original Plus 8 had a Rover V8 engine that progressively increased from 3.5 litres to 4.6 and the  later versions had no less than 4.8 litres of BMW's finest under that beautifully louvred bonnet And don't forget the three wheeler, 1800cc in a vehicle so small you could trip over it if you aren't careful. 

2 litres for the M3W. No wanking off to my picture, please;

[dozeydustman]

Got to agree with you on the more cylinders thing Mr Norfolk. Large fours can be a bit on the rough side, above 2 litres a 6 would be a smoother plus more torque. But also configuration of cylinders is a big part. Some sound better flat, others straight, and some best as Vee. 

I will disagree albeit nicely on the 205 Gentry, purely as I'm not a lover of automatics and detuned engines (the leather & wood I can certainly put up with).