| Motorsport firm Menard Competition
Technologies has developed a road-going version of an Indy 500 engine
for use in a forthcoming sportscar.
The engine is a 3.5-litre normally-aspirated V8, weighing 116kg. It has
an output of 437kW (585hp) at 10,500rpm and will make the 575kg Caparo
T1 two-seater the first vehicle to achieve 1,000hp per tonne.
With 430Nm of torque, the T1 will reach 160km/h
in less than five seconds. Despite its high performance, servicing will
be at relatively sensible intervals of 10,000km.
Menard managing director Charlie Bamber said: “We put a lot of effort
into friction and gas exchange efficiency. The engine had to be durable
and comply with emissions regulations.”
Menard is a low-volume manufacturer of about 50 units a year, which means
these rules are less stringent than those for mass production vehicles.
The engine did not require close-coupled catalysts, said Bamber. “There
is room for further emissions reductions,” he added.
Menard originally developed the concept to meet regulations for the Indy
500, which runs high-power, methanol-burning engines, but it was never
produced.
The company is also working on a number of projects with mainstream OEMs
to reduce component masses. Previous Menard projects include the Renault
Clio V6 255.
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