Re: The BMW Brand
Ho,
There are clarifications and exceptions that should be listed with that,. There are different modes of DI operation and different reasons why knock resistance is raised, but others why it is lowered. It is all too far OT and long to go into it. I'm not sure whether you're joking, sarcastic, etc. but It is far from rocket science. There has been tons written about all this since a century ago and constantly tested and refined by both academics and practical people - passion the common denominator. I'm sure if you wrote about your job or interest and I had never studied or experienced it, I would think it was rocket science due to unfamiliar terms and incomplete or non-existent understanding, but if I started to apply myself in that direction, making small steps every day, every hour, then very soon it wouldn't seem that way.
The 2 basic points I was making were that the main heat output reduction comes from being able to stably burn very small fuel mass for a given air mass, and knock resistance arising mainly from stratified charge (reverse of standard stratification).
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CaySman,
To answer your question, my background is in race engine development (theory, specification, machining, assembly, test bench and track validation), but in recent years I seem to be shifting focus slightly especially since main long term goal is my own business, and in that line of business equipment costs and overheads are very high (2-3 million USD facility easy, 500K USD combined employee payroll) at the upper levels (CNC machines, test benches and cells, etc.) with a large number of employees to run everything. The limit is mainly money, not knowledge. Many high level and big race series' are going to spec engines (Champcar, Indycar, A1GP, etc), or long term freezing engine specification (ie. F1), or increasingly restrictive engine spec on the verge of full spec engines (NASCAR), totally killing development. There's good money to be made in the remaining forms (still large in number but shrinking), but when you consider how much you have to invest it doesn't look so great. There's good money in street stuff too , but by comparison they are boring, imprecise, compromise engines that are usually improperly speced, run, tuned, everything - but that stuff doesn't do it for me.
Race engineeringing on the other hand is all knowledge and experienced (un)limited encompassing a whole lot, including the two largest current unknown micro dynamics - tire and aero. The associated systems costs are high (averaging 6 million USD a year to peaks of 30 million USD), but it is all borne by the hiring or consulting team. All you provide them is your knowledge and experience. As such I'm currently a data acquisition engineer for an Indycar Series team in the Indy Racing League. Leaning towards specialization in race vehicle dynamics (race engineering) in the long term (rest of working life whether working for a team or running my own business). I work directly with race engineers now, but I'd like to be one soon. It requires a lot of experience to be one at these levels. The gravy is that I like travelling non stop, the whole party atmosphere the fans bring to the tracks and the surrounding area, hotels, restaurants, bars, when the race comes to town, the sun, the cold, the fresh air, the country/suburbia (where tracks are often located). The chaos, the constant battle, visual and aural violence of the cars - just everything about being trackside, front line.
There's nothing like a good discussion, and I don't think you've stepped over any boundaries. I think you make good backed up points and discuss things nicely, both at least more so than most. I like how straight forward you are. General truth is that people are emotional creatures and it is hard to separate things cleanly, so don't expect. I don't think anyone here is mad yet, though I don't think you're given any points for being Michael Tan's friend. Wish I could lend more support, but mine doesn't count for much because I don't drive a BMW, besides...you actually get points deducted for associating with me
I agree with your point on international accolades in some ways. Experts are put on a panel for a reason, but experts can be compromised for a multitude of reasons. Hard to say if they are or aren't though, without carrying out a lot of background checks based on recent thought or action. I give about equal weight to the commoner and expert, but also you have to look at which group of commoners is speaking. An envrionment is very rarely an impartial one no matter where you go, especially when you're dealing with qualitatives.
Are you involved in the industry in some way? Or do you follow it closely through journals, etc? You must read a fair bit by all those writer names you listed. Is that how you formed your view on buggy electronics, etc.? Regarding steering weight - it is a straightforward thing (boils down to just 3 simple factors). I don't think the other companies are giving it up because they don't know how to achieve it, but they are pursuing other feels, other targets. Just like how some companies chase engine specific outputs and response, whilst others go after maximum drivability, refinment or longevity.
I yearn for the day when BMW or Honda get fed up and put their foot down with a lightweight mid engine sportscar, but this time gives it some guts - a large displacement V8, 10, 12 or something. They could do some real damage to the exotics at a fraction of the price - Honda especially, building on what they've learnt with the NSX.
