Delorean finally gets the engine it should have had all along - 3 rotor Wankel

In the late sixties and early seventies, many car companies were enamored with the power density of Wankel rotary engines, including NSU, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and General Motors. GM ultimately built at least two mid-engine "Corvette" concepts with Wankels, one with two rotors and the other with four. The four-rotor was eventually replaced by a small block to become the Aerovette. When John Z. Delorean left to create his own car, he envisioned it propelled by a rotary engine as well.

As was the case with every other carmaker save Mazda, the Wankel was ultimately abandoned in favor of a piston engine. But one Delorean owner didn't forget the original vision. Through the 1980s and 1990s the only rotary-powered car sold in the US market was the Mazda RX-7 although Mazda did offer the engine in other Japanese-market models. One of those was a coupe called the Eunos Cosmo. The Cosmo eventually got a 2.0L three-rotor version of the engine that put out 300hp. One of these was sacrificed to provide a new heart for the Delorean you see here.

There's more commentary after the jump, and a video, too.

[Source: EliseUSA.com via CarScoop]

The Wankel is bolted to the back of a six-speed gearbox from a 1995 Porsche 911 C2, while the original instrument cluster was swapped out in favor of the electronic cluster from the Cosmo. The end result is a very respectable 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds, which is less than half the time a stock model would take. If all the Deloreans were as quick as this one and looked as good thanks to the paint job, the boss might not have had to resort to a bungled drug deal to try and save the company.

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Volvo adds T6 Turbo AWD to S80 line

click above image to view high-res pics of the 2008 Volvo S80 T6 Turbo AWD

Volvo has given the S80 line a little more power and traction with the introduction of the T6 Turbo AWD edition. The T6 utilizes a twin-scroll turbo unit to provide the extra power, and the velvety-smooth 3.2L inline six has been down-sized to 3.0L due to a narrower cylinder bore and shorter stroke. Don't let the reduction in displacement fool you, though. The turbocharged S80 will unleash 285 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque at a very low 1500rpm, which Volvo says will result in smooth, linear power delivery. That's 50 horsepower more than the normally asipirated 3.2L inline-six and only 26 ponies short of the top-end V8 model.

All that power going to the front wheels means that the T6 needs all-wheel drive, which was previously only available with the high-end V8. Thus, you have the T6 Turbo AWD. Pricing and availability of the T6 Turbo AWD have not yet been announced, but we're betting that it will be a few thousand dollars south of the V8 model's $47,350 price tag, and availability should be soon.

Volvo's press release is available after the jump.

[Source: Volvo]

Gallery: 2008 Volvo S80 T6 Turbo AWD

PRESS RELEASE:

New driveline in the Volvo S80: T6 turbo with AWD

The acclaimed all-new Volvo S80 will soon be available with a new six-cylinder, 285 bhp T6 performance engine with All Wheel Drive

"The T6 engine adds an extra dimension to the S80 engine range," says Hans Wikman, Vice President Vehicle Line Large Cars at Volvo Cars. "The engine has been programmed to provide the highest possible performance with the lowest possible fuel consumption and exhaust emissions."

The T6 petrol engine is based on the compact 3.2-liter in-line aluminum engine that has been part of the S80 engine range since its 2006 introduction. The turbo version has a displacement of 3.0 liters, producing 285 bhp and no less than 295 lb/ft of torque. Maximum torque is on tap from just 1,500 rpm and remains available all the way up the rev range, resulting in remarkably quick acceleration and smooth drivability.

The somewhat smaller cylinder displacement of the turbo version, owing to the slightly narrower cylinder bore and shorter stroke, is compensated by the turbocharger which in this engine takes in exhaust gases in two stages, with the inflow divided into two lots of three cylinders each, a system known as twin-scroll technology. Twin-scroll technology permits use of a more compact and uncomplicated turbocharger and provides extremely swift response, fully on a par with that from twin turbochargers.

All Wheel Drive with Instant Traction

The T6 model in the Volvo S80 is equipped with Volvo's All Wheel Drive. Using an electronically controlled hydraulic clutch, the AWD system distributes drive between the front and rear wheels to ensure the best possible road grip in all situations. The system features Instant Traction, which shifts drive at lightning speed from the front to the rear wheels when starting on a slippery or loose surface.
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BMW is showing off the CS Concept car -- which may hearken a new high-end sports flagship -- at the Shanghai auto show this week. It sports the latest refinements of head designer Chris Bangle's "flame surfacing" aesthetic, with more complex planar transitions and swage lines. We'll get more on the potential new "8-Series" from Shanghai as it comes.

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