BBC TOP GEAR LAUDS FOCUS RS & FIESTA ECONETIC

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We'll probably see it on BBC America in about 2011, but according to Ford Motor Company's "official blog", the internationally-respected "Top Gear" has awarded both Ford Focus RS and Ford Fiesta ECOnetic "Car of the Year" Awards.

The Ford Focus RS, the fastest and the most powerful front-wheel-drive Ford ever produced in Europe, has been selected as "Muscle Car of the Year" by BBC Top Gear magazine, while Ford's lowest carbon emitting model, the 98g CO2/km Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is Top Gear's "Green Car of the Year".

The "Top Gear" awards dovetail well with last month's announcement of Ford Fusion as Motor Trend Magazine's 2010 Car of the Year.

Of course neither the Focus RS nor the Fiesta ECOnetic are available in the United States of America.

One of the principal criticisms of Ford overhead during the 2010 SEMA Show was that Ford had neglected the sport compact market niche by depriving Americans the Focus RS.

The beancounters and marketers among Ford's Glass House Gang apparently believe there's no "business case" for offering the RS in America. Indeed the market for a $30,000+ FWD hot rod may be limited. And for most Americans, considering the RS as a proper "muscle car" would be a bit of a stretch (notwithstanding its awesome objective performance numbers)

But ever since the somewhat underpowered Focus ST170 (known in America as the SVT Focus) was discontinued after the 2004 model year, Ford has offered little more than sporty appearance packages for American customers desiring high performance in something that's smaller and more fuel efficient than a Mustang.

While turbocharging the SVT Focus would have easily answered Chevrolet's Cobalt SS and Dodge's SRT-4 in the marketplace (and likely have conquested a few sales from Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi), Ford didn't make any move to compete in the U.S. It was another missed opportunity to be sure.

Now, the impending 35 m.p.g. CAFE standards leaves Ford little choice but to shift some high performance demand into smaller cars.

Truth With Speedzzter is no fan of front wheel drive and would prefer the high m.p.g. end of Ford's performance line-up to be anchored by a "right-sized" RWD or AWD, powered by a electric hybridized, turbocharged (or "VW/Lancia-style twincharged"), Ethanol Boosting Systems' direct-injected DOHC V-8 (not a V-6 or I-4) of about 2 to 2.5 liters displacement.

With cylinder deactivation, variable valve timing and phasing, and variable geometry intake manifolding, a boosted 2-2.5 liter V8 could run most of the time on a combination of electricity and four cylinders, but still pack a 150+ horsepower-per-liter ethanol-boosted "sledgehammer" punch when necessary. In a lighter RWD or AWD platform (target power-to-weight of ~ 8 pounds per horsepower), such a vehicle would combined startling fuel economy with spectacular performance. And it could produce most all of the traditional V8 sounds that American enthusiasts love on demand.

But short of a such a modern, high-performance "V8-60" for the 21st Century, the Focus RS . . . or a cheaper EcoBoost Focus for America would be a small step in the right direction.

Congratulations to Ford for these "Cars of the Year!"

HP2G/PELMEAR V8: ONLY 200 POUNDS?

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Team HP2g's departure from the Progressive Automotive X-Prize and the June 2, 2009, announcement of an Ohio production facility for the Pelmear "mystery" motor has a number of internet wags in a tither.

Some internet "experts" are quick to brand HP2g and Pelmear as frauds.

Others, question whether any V8 in a twenty-two-year-old Mustang could ever achieve 80+ m.p.g. and 400 horsepower.

A few, including "Truth With Speedzzter" are withholding judgment until we see more.

Thus far, Doug Pelmear has kept the "miracle" Mustang's hood locked tighter than Fort Knox. However Pelmear did suggest some interesting details to the local Ohio press about the Pelmear V8:

While the E85-only engine was not on display for the general public, Pelmear did reveal that it was quite a bit smaller than the normal engine of today and only weighs about 200 pounds. He also showed the documentation that he had taken it to an Ohio EPA station last Friday for an emissions test. His emissions were half of the legal limit and that mark was achieved without a catalytic converter.

Is the HP2g/Pelmear "mystery" motor in fact a pocket-sized, ultra-low-friction, forced-induction engine with an array of electronic engine management strategies and perhaps some sort of unthrottled, lean-burn prechamber ignition? A downsized Miller-Atkinson-Otto (MAO) cycle engine that is turbocharged within an inch of its life on 85-percent Ethanol could possibly produce significant increases in low-power fuel efficiency.

Given that Pelmear has suggested that some of the proprietary technology was first envisioned by his grandfather back in the 1940s, could the "mystery" motor be some sort of high-tech Ford V8-60 derivative?

The original V8-60 was a 136-cubic-inch (2.23 liter) flathead engine designed to skirt European displacement taxes and U.K. bore size taxes. It simply lacked the torque necessary for satisfactory performance in Ford's full-sized cars, but was a modest hit in American midget oval track racing. The V8-60 had a tiny 2.6" bore and a short 3.2" stroke.

A modern turbocharged "2 liter" V8 could take advantage of multiple overhead valves, direct injection, cylinder deactivation, and valve timing alterations to dramatically boost low-speed efficiency.

But 200 pounds?

That suggests that maybe even two liters is on the high side of displacement estimates. Most certainly it excludes cast iron as a predominant material and the antique V8-60 as anything more than an inspirational starting point.

The last of the Cosworth Indy V8s (the XF) was approximately 162 cubic inches (2.65 liters) and weighed in at a svelte 264.6 pounds (120 kg). That's about 1.6 pounds per cubic inch. Theoretically, downsizing the XF to two liters at the same CID-to-pounds ratio could result in a new engine around 200 pounds dry. However, the XF was hardly a low-cost production-style engine.

And while a 400 h.p. road-car V8 would have only half the horsepower of the low-boost, 12,000 r.p.m. XF, it would need to go 1,000 times longer between rebuilds to be practical. Moreover, a fairly dominant percentage of the road-car V8's duty cycle would be at net power outputs of less than 30 horsepower (and would necessarily be so to achieve fuel consumption within the ballpark Mr. Pelmear suggests).

But a road-car V8 would not need to be a structural member of the chassis (which was a key feature of Cosworth V8s starting with the legendary DFV) which theoretically could allow for some additional lightening.

Current power density assumptions suggest that about the minimum displacement for a 400 h.p. alcohol-fueled engine of reasonable potential durability would be in the 66-100 cubic inch range. For example, RB Racing sells air-cooled Harley-Davidson style Vee-twin turbo "Orca" engines with similar power-per-cube outputs (notwithstanding only two valves per cylinder). Of course, even making an off-the-shelf 400 h.p. motorcycle engine function adequately in an automobile would be a daunting task. Moreover, nothing suggests that any of the turbo Orcas would yield 80+ m.p.g. in a lightweight motorcycle, much less a compact automobile. Thus, the HP2g?Pelmear "mystery" motor would have to be something more than just a tiny V8 with a turbo.

The design challenges of creating a hyper-efficient micro-V8 for highway use would be significantly different than for an 800 h.p. turbocharged Indy Car engine or a 500h.p. Harley. Whether HP2g/Pelmear have achieved such a "breakthrough" remains to be conclusively proven. It is premature to speculate either for or against the Pelmear "mystery" motor.

NOTE: This news story contains unverified information based on forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this report that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, ability to obtain financing and regulatory and shareholder approvals for anticipated actions.

Truth With Speedzzter is wholly unaffiliated with HP2g, LLC, Doug Pelmear, Revenge Designs, Inc. or anyone affiliated with these entities. All trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective holders and any use herein is under the "fair use" provision of U.S. Copyright law.