Mon, Mar 29 2010
Modern Internal Combustion engines
Any internal combustion engine – regardless of how much frippery, new technology, and material should not be described as modern.
This is a very archaic design that delivers power through a series of explosions. Once those explosions have taken place it pumps out noxious gases that if, controlled by sticking a hose from the exhaust pipe through to a window while you are in it, will kill you within half an hour.
The internal combustion engine was invented in the 1800s and we are still using it. It replaced horses for goodness’ sake. To power internal combustion engines we use fossil fuels that we kill people to protect.
An internal combustion engine is about as modern as a typewriter – it’s outdated, outmoded and if we haven’t thought of another way to power our modes of transport within 30-odd years, then it’s time to sterilise the entire population.
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Too right, after 100-odd years, the car is still basically a series of explosions on wheels.
The solid-fuel booster rocket is a pile of pants too…
Comment by Rob — April 3, 2010 @ 2:21 pm
Horses were rubbish too. Totally impractical and practically unworkable when you’d filled them to the brim with four-star.
Comment by Burto — April 13, 2010 @ 1:00 am
I blame Clarkson. And people say dinosaurs don’t exist…
Comment by Dave — April 13, 2010 @ 12:17 pm
Well the press is going wild over the Ferrari “Production Derived” 6:58 lap record at the Nurburgring, Stefan Bellof did it in a porsche in 1982 in 6:11.
Comment by Tony Dewhurst — April 28, 2010 @ 7:35 am
Yes, you’re right Tony. I suppose you can find out more on http://www.pistonspy.com.
Comment by Lies lies lies — April 28, 2010 @ 9:42 am
The problem is that everybody blames the car industry, but it’s not their fault – their hands are tied. In the 70s and 80s, we got catastrophic converters (sorry, I meant catalytic converters), now we are in the grip of a hybrid frenzy – both of these are like duct-tape repairs, covering up the cracks instead of properly fixing things.
Honda has hydrogen fuel-cell cars ready for production, and a number of other manufacturers are in the same situation; but you can’t just launch a completely ‘new’ form of propulsion onto the market, we need an entire supply infrastructure to be set up, which needs the involvement of our governments.
Unfortunately, that would require the millions that they extort from us in alleged environmental taxes to be actually spent on alternative energies, and if they did that they’d have to kiss goodbye to (at least part of) their champagne lifestyles. Not going to happen, is it?
Comment by Wayne Spillett — August 15, 2010 @ 8:00 pm