WHAT
IS A SUPERCAR?
By Varun Shah
Supercars
have been around since motoring began. Some of the earliest supercar models were Bentleys, the Mercedes Benz SSK’s,
and Bugattis. Supercars and more than sports cars. They are exciting to look at, and they have been designed by someone with
a passion for fast cars. Most supercars have special engines designed for them, using the latest engineering techniques. Most
larger cars are rear-wheel drive, for better road holding and traction.
Let me explain
some technical terms which we use when describing a car.
·
A V 12 engine means that the engine has 12 cylinders: these are arranged in two rows of 6, set
at a V-shaped angle to each other.
·
The “cc” of a car engine stands for “cubic centimeter”. This is a measure
of the amount of air pushed aside when the piston makes its complete journey inside a cylinder.
·
A catalytic converter is part of an exhaust system that converts polluting exhaust gases to harmless
ones when they pass over the hot metals inside it. Most cars today are legally required to have a catalytic converter.
·
Brakes: a steel disc is attached to the car wheel, which is gripped between pads when the brake
pedal is pushed, to stop the car. Some discs are ventilated, which means that they have holes for the air to pass through.
“Hydraulic” refers to the type of brake pads. An oily liquid is rapidly released and flows through pipes to the
brakes themselves, to stop the car quickly.
·
The connection system between the body and the wheels of the car is to stop the bumps and jerks
because of hollows or potholes in the road which are felt by the driver and passengers of the car.
·
Mphs or miles per hour: all car speeds are registered in miles per hour or kilometers per hour
(kmph). 5 miles is roughly equivalent to 8 kilometres.
·
Bhp or brake horsepower: this refers back to a time when vehicles were powered by horses. Therefore,
for example, 4 horsepower refers to a car with the capacity of 4 horses.
·
Rpm or revolutions per minute: this is the speed at which the engine goes through the 4-stroke
cycle
Supercars have
always been designed for speed and performance. In 1992, the Jaguar XJ 220 hit 217 miles per hour (247 kmph).
THE LAMBORGHINI MIURA
Years manufactured:
1966 to 1973
Numbers made: 764
Engine: V 12
Engine capacity:
3929 cc
Fuel system: four
triple-barrel Weber carburetors
Gear box: 5 speed
manual
Steering: rack
and pinion
Maximum speed:
P 400 – 163 mph
P 400S – 168 mph
P 400 SV – 177 mph
The first Miura
that went into production for the 1966 model years was the P 400, a mid-engined coupe with a V 12 engine set behind the two
seats. The Miura was instantly accepted into the supercar league, and remains one of the best looking Lamborghinis.
