I’m running out of topics, but not running out of words. I was lying awake after going to bed last night and of course I’m thinking about the Sprint-T, as that seems to be the topic I can’t not think about. What I was thinking about was various engine and transmission combinations and relative performance advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, I was comparing the Pentastar V6 and the Subie turbo engines and their available transmissions.
Since I was trying to go to sleep I left my various calculation and information tools beyond arm’s reach so I wouldn’t spend the night punching buttons or tapping screens instead of shutting down and sleeping. That… didn’t work so well. Since I didn’t have a calculator handy I did everything in my head, which is the opposite of what I needed to do to get to sleep. When I’m trying to stay awake I do math in my head, a trick I learned from making cross-country trips as a solo driver back when I owned a business in Nashville but lived in Dallas. Anywho I didn’t reach any new conclusions, or even any conclusions at all. What I did reach was I need more information to reach a definitive conclusion. The question is will the reduced weight and higher potential peak power of the turbo Subie result in better autocross performance than the fatter low-end torque and perfect gearing of the Pentastar and ZF 8 speed transmission? Between the variable valve timing and increased displacement of the 3.6 liter Pentastar there is about twice as much torque on tap below 3000 RPM compared to the Subie 2 liter engine, but the Subie and transmission weighs about half the Pentastar and ZF combination, so it comes close to a wash and really depends on the course, with longer straights and more sweeping turns favoring the higher peak power and light weight of the Subie where lots of single pylon turns favor the Pentastar and its higher low-end torque and better transmission matching.
So I guess the answer is the best is whatever I get first. 🤑 So whatever is available when I have the money, that will be the best choice. And the post title is “beating a dead horse” with more expensive words.
Witch on a Bicycle 