Re: Engine design and a bit more info

[Paul Wilson <pwilson@pop.ma.ultranet.com>]

At 09:18 PM 7/4/98 -0700, Avi Meron wrote:
>Not exactly correct.........
>Most MFG. do need help in designing engines and a lot of them go to outside
>sources for it, as in  Ricardo Engineering, Porsche, Yamaha (for Ford and
>Toyota and a few others that can't be mentioned), Lotus and the list goes
>on, you will be amazed how many OEM engines are being designed by outside
>firms...........

Maybe.  Maybe not.

Some of this could just be a case of outsourcing because the MFG's own
engineering staff doesn't have the time.  I'm a software engineer and I
know the people in my department at work have the talent to write things
from scratch.  However, we don't always have the time so we buy 3rd party
products from people who specialize.

When manufacturers do outsource engines, it's usually for a low volume
special edition(Taurus SHO, Cosworth Fords, Corvette ZR1, Toyota
2000GT[Yamaha engine]).  If it's going to be a high-production engine, they
are almost always designed in house.

In any event, I don't think Audi really needs the help.  They probably know
more about turbocharging than anyone else and they are one of 3 companies
producing 5V engines in any sort of volume (the others are Ferrari, if you
can call that volume, and Yamaha).

Paul Wilson