Saturday, January 30, 2010

V-10 Power

A lot of cars these days have V-6s or V-8s and call themselves powerful and fast. But lets not forget the cars that take it up a notch, to V-10 engines, which back up their claims of power and speed. Some cars were equipped with V-10s because they needed more power and adding cylinders was one way to get that power. Nowadays V-10 cars are expensive, but if you have the money, its definitely worth it. Hearing that sound of 8,000 rpm at your disposal will be more entertaining than any music, and lurching to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds will be an incredible feeling. Read on.


Lexus-LFA








The Lexus LFA is the fastest car to come out of Japan since the Nissan GTR, with its 10,000 rpm V-10, $375,000 Price tag, and 20 a month production exclusiveness. Toyota's engineers put a lot of work into weight reducing. The body is made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), which weighs less than the material used in everyday cars. The engine is a V-10 that weighs "as much as a normal V6" and puts out over 550 horses, with roughly the same specs as a Gallardo Superleggera. This car had been in development after production of the Toyota Supra stopped, so there is no doubt we can trace the roots of this car to the Supra, nearly a decade before. Check out the specs below.


Engine: 4.8L V-10
Horsepower: 552
Torque: 354 lb. ft.
Top Speed: 202mph
0-62mph: 3.6 seconds




Audi R8 










A German piece of art. Audi's version of the Gallardo. Its round shape is very similar to that of the Bugatti Veyron, so from a distance many confuse it with the Veyron. Although its not quite the Veyron, it can stand its ground against other V-10 cars like Gallardo, or the LFA. Although it is not quite as fast, 197mph is still in no way considered "slow". Sharing much of its features with the Gallardo, the engine is weaker by about 50 horses, so this car is more luxury than speed. But after seeing the rear tires and hearing that V-10 rev up, you forget about all else and just want to doze off to this car. Specs are below.

Engine: 5.2L V-10
Horsepower: 518
Torque: 391 ft. lb.
Top Speed: 197mph
0-62mph: 3.8 seconds


Porsche Carrera GT










The Carrera was the first of these 3 cars, with production starting in 2004, unlike 2009 for the R8, and 2011 for the LFA. But sometimes the older cars are faster, and that is true in this case. Out of the three, this one is my personal favorite, with its slick shape and mid-engine V10, so that it all fits together into this beauty. One of the main features of the car is that when it reaches 70mph, the spoiler will raise and even out the air flow, allowing for better acceleration. With a curb weight of 1,380kg it is the lightest of these 3 cars, as the LFA is 1,480kg, and the R8 is 1,620kg. Being the lightest give it the highest speed, and the fastest acceleration. The Specs are below.

Engine: 5.7L V-10
Horsepower: 612
Torque: 435 lb. ft.
Top Speed: 205mph
0-62mph: 3.5 seconds