Power/Speed Comparisons

hypojam · Post by **hypojam** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 1:35 pm

Hi, I'm just wondering how fast the mk2 1272cc engine is compared with other 1.3 cars around.

Im Rather shocked at just how fast my mk2 is, seems to be able to reach 100mph without much trouble atall

Whats the Mk2 1.0 litre engines like?

omicron · Post by **omicron** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 2:03 pm

A little less powerful. I think a 1.05 gives out a little under 40bhp. A 1.3 is 55bhp.

Bear in mind yours is a Formel E, so has extra-tall gearing.

Either way, 100mph isn't a nice place to be if you're on Mk2 brakes and suspension and haven't been driving for long.

hypojam · Post by **hypojam** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 2:09 pm

Yea pushing 100mph was a little worrying.. Much nicer to cruise at 70

The power to weight ratio must be pretty good, because it certainly pulls hard

GroovyCarrot · Post by **GroovyCarrot** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:53 pm

The 1.05 engine gives 45bhp. It's adequate, and quite enthusiastic to drive for such a tiny engine, but you can't expect miracles from a 1.05

Bear in mind when doing speeds like that that your speedo is likely to be way out.. the 1.05 is meant to reach a max of 87mph but mine reported 95 one time, four up

Best to take it with a pinch of salt really, although they are certainly capable of doing speeds that are scary in such a small car

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 2:32 pm

The VW claim of 90.1mph for a mk3 with 1043cc seems pretty solid - provided you can find a three mile bit of straight, flat road with no headwind, and adjust for the speedo being a bit out

mk2 will be slightly slower (as groovy's state) although it's got the same output, as it's a bit less aerodynamic (it's brick shaped, FFS

) and with the carb has to rev slightly harder - ie go faster, if the gears are the same - to get that power.

should take off a little quicker though, as it's about 100kg lighter! which is also why the 1.3 feels so nippy, its probably got a bit more torque than some others you've looked at, even though the top end power is a bit asthmatic. just plant the pedal and slalom it through the traffic.

for reference by the way, if you have no tacho - the 4-speed will be pulling somewhere between 5675 and 5950rpm at the ton (yer redline is 6000, and supposed limit at 6300...), which is one of the contributing factors (... plus the brick shape and pram wheels) to why having your foot to the floor downhill is a thrill-ride comparable with The Big One

Polo Paul · Post by **Polo Paul** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:22 pm

I have seen two MK2 1.05 Polo's break the tonne mark downhill with a good tail wind in 4th. Probably slightly less than 100 as the needle was slightly past 100 which is amusing when you run out of speedo!

polokris · Post by **polokris** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:28 am

iv had 110, and yes thats downhill.... and iv also got a raod angel.....

105 on my clocks IS 100MPH BANG on!

im sure the 15's make it more accurate?

hehe

and yes it is a 1.0 (1.05) and it goes very well for such a tiny engine!!

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:21 am

Heh, well, I suppose the carburetted ones are a little more inherently tunable and also variable off the production line

you've probably got a good 50hp coming out of there... about as much as you want across town with the low weight

best I ever had from the smoother lined one was an indicated 106 down a big ass hill (sustaining it for about a mile)... likely just hitting the ton for real

hence the car's pet name of "license saver"

incidentally, as it's a formel E, your revs were probably more in the low 5000 range. Still bloody high by modern standards, but no higher than a normal 4-speed at ~85mph

(if you did it in 3rd, however..... about 7000?)