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      12-19-2012, 07:01 AM   #94
Jonjt
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Drives: 09 E92 335i M-sport
Join Date: May 2012
Location: USA

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Antares View Post
Technology and road-legends are two different things.
USA have a historic love for big displacement engines and V6, V8, V12 stickers. Only in USA it was possible to sell a sports car with a truck engine inside-Viper.

European market and mentality is more about engineering. You can make wonders with aggressive turbocharged engines. The engine is more responsive (less rotating mass), it easily operates in high revolutions/minute mode, it consumes less fuel.
Above all, one and same engine can present various operating modes; one car-multiple engines.
By turning a switch you can go from a performance sports cars that consumes lots of fuel, to a calm fuel efficient car that can be used for every day needs.

Modern automotive steels are far above aluminum; certain very expensive cars used aluminum since the boutique manufacturer did not have access to modern steel. Aluminum is also difficult to repair. Besides, a BMW feels solid even after long years of use; something aluminium does not guarantee.
The boutique manufacturers do have access to modern steels. They usually choose (chose) to go with aluminum because of the lower weight. Other than the lower weight per unit volume and the better corrosion resistance, aluminum doesn't have any advantages over steel, for this application.

You're right about the fatigue behavior, though. You aren't going to see any aluminum chassis cars on the road for 50+ years, since the strength of aluminum tends to decrease over time, no matter the loads. Below a certain threshold, steels don't have this problem.

Carbon composites are even better than steels in the fatigue department. if you can keep the laminations protected, you can get away with way higher levels of stress for longer periods. It's going to be a great thing, having carbon composite chassis cars. Just don't crash them………
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