Automotive Engines Around the World Quiz

Answer: Two-Stroke engine

SAAB used two-stroke engines in the models 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, Sonett (I and II), GT750, Formula Junior and Quantum. DKW first produced steam-driven cars (actually DKW stands for Dampf-Kraft-Wagen - steam-driven car in English), later using two-stroke engines (from 1928 till 1956). Trabants, in East Germany, used a 600 cc two-stroke engine from 1957 till 1989.

Two-stroke engines usually don't have an oil pump, so the lubricant is diluted within the fuel, consequently burning it in the explosion. That's why they produce a blue smoke while running.

Answer: Aluminum

Aluminum (or aluminium) is lighter than iron and has a better capability of exchanging heat. Due to the engine's nature, this metal was considered hard to apply in construction of internal combustion engines, although modern casting technologies and new sorts of alloys allowed the employment of aluminum in large scale production. Nowadays most modern engines are fully cast in this material.

Answer: Ford

Charles Emil Sorensen, while working for Ford, applied a simple concept to the V8 engine block's production that achieved a huge difference in price and time consumption - by casting them upside-down, which allowed a single-piece casting. This new, cheaper and faster process was the birth of Ford's 8ba "flat-heat" V8 engine, which became famous for its performance above the average in comparison to other cars around the 30s.

Curious fact: John Dillinger, a legendary American criminal, was once credited for sending a letter to Henry Ford complimenting him for the new Ford's V8 performance. The authenticity of this letter, however, is a subject of dispute.

Answer: Subaru

Boxer engines are more common nowadays, with most manufacturers using in-line or V-shaped engine configurations. They are better described as a type of engine in which the pistons are horizontally opposed to each other, making a "180º V".

It has some advantages, like better weight distribution in comparison to in-line engines and lower center of gravity, also producing a high quantity of torque. However, they require more complex suspension structures since they are wider, and maintenance is also more difficult.

Answer: Porsche

Porsche is famous for their 6-cylinders boxer engines, but never produced a 6 in-line engine.

Answer: Reduce friction

When you add more components to an engine, you also increase the amount of surface prone to friction, making it less efficient. A well-designed engine will take advantage from the smoother functioning, torque increase, and the displacement increase possibility, overcoming the initial disadvantage.

The list of advantages and disadvantages of using more or less cylinders may vary depending on the specific design and is not limited to the possibilities listed above.

Answer: False

Electric automobiles are as old as their fuel-propelled counterparts. However, industry advances in internal combustion engines and the limited capabilities of early batteries gave the electric car a disadvantage. Only in the 21st century are newer and more advanced technologies helping to make them more viable.

Answer: Forced induction technology

Downsizing consists of producing a smaller engine that outputs the same power and torque of a bigger engine, while consuming less fuel and producing lower emissions. It basically adds a turbocharger or eventually a supercharger (or even both combined) to produce more power, but still using a smaller, lighter and more thermodynamically efficient engine to do so.

The forced induction technology was crucial for the downsizing existence, eliminating the turbo lag from the early turbocharges and increasing the precision of the device's control, delivering a flatter line of power and torque, emulating a bigger engine's behavior.

Answer: Coal

Cadillac's turbine engine was feeded with powdered coal. The material was delivered to the turbine by a conveyor belt, while the accelerator pedal was responsible for increasing or decreasing the belt's speed.

Turbines, however, have a huge delay in response making then less suitable for automotive appliance. They tend to work better within environments that require less RPM variation, which is not the case when it comes to cars.

Answer: Variable compression rate

Almost every engine ever produced has continuous compression rate since bore, stroke and the chamber's displacement are constants. In Saab's SVC engine, the block was built in two parts, one pivoted in the top of the other, allowing it to slightly spin, thus increasing the combustion chamber's displacement.

Variable compression rate allows an engine to burn different sort of fuels with a higher efficiency than just tweaking the ignition timing in multiple fuel engines. Also increases and decreases the engine's output depending on the chosen compression rate.

This engine was awarded "Engine of the Year" awards in 2000 and 2001, but GM cancelled the project when it acquired SAAB, due to the high costs of the project.