Modern cars have many electronic devices drive their engines, suspensions, brakes, steering, transmissions and other functions

The engines are the heart of the cars that people so love but most do not know how much engine technologies have changed in the past century. The first Rolls Royce 10 built in 1904 had a 1995 cc engine that delivered 10 HP. Today a normal 2000 cc engine would generate about 150 HP or 15 times as much. Formula One cars are now restricted to 1600 cc but generate over 600 HP or roughly five times more power per cc of engine capacity of normal engines.

Engine technologies have aimed at not only producing more power but to achieve better fuel efficiencies, less noise and lower exhaust pollution. The four-stroke reciprocating engine is almost the only engine being produced today even though it wastes a huge amount of energy in the compression, suction and exhaust strokes. The rotary ‘Wankel’ engine is much more powerful and efficient but is not very reliable.

In the last decade there have been many significant developments. Two cylinders were found to be better than one as one balanced out the vibrations of other. Four cylinders were better than two and eight were found to be better than four. A ‘V’ engine was then considered even better than row of cylinders in a line. Henry Ford firmly believed that a V8 was the best engine that could be made so, for some time, all Ford cars were not only black but had V8 engines. But things change very quickly. A three cylinder engine was once considered an unbalanced auto sacrilege but Ford recently developed a three-cylinder engine that was deliberately angled out of balance and it was the only engine to win the International Engine of the Year award for two years running. This is a small 999 cc engine that delivers a huge 125 HP and found in the Ford Endeavour.

Higher engine speeds could also deliver more power even in a conventional engine with two valves per cylinder. Then four valves allowed more fuel to be combusted to generate more power. Then improved metallurgy enabled these to be replaced with bigger valves so two valves were back. Then came turbo charging that used the heat and pressure in the exhaust gases to drive a tiny turbine that increased the amount of fuel being fed into the engines. It also improved combustion and lowered pollution.

Electronics was perhaps the most important new element and modern cars have many electronic devices drive their engines, suspensions, brakes, steering, transmissions and other functions. Electronic fuel injection systems have completely replaced the old petrol carburettors and diesel fuel pumps. They deliver much more power and efficiency. Fuel at high pressure is instantly vaporised and precisely ignited by an army of microchips. There are consequently more chips in a modern car than in a packet of wafers. These electronic devices not only improve performance and efficiencies but are much more reliable.

The only downside is that the technologies are too advanced for a driver to do any repairs in the event of a breakdown. The roadside mechanic with his old screwdrivers and hammers can’t get you moving as in the old days. You now have to call your authorised service station and wait for a tow to their workshop or for a team with a computerised repair kit to arrive. Fortunately it is rarely needed. Human ingenuity is marvellous even if it can be very

baffling. But be warned there are many more technologies that you will have to learn to live within the future.

The author is the region’s most celebrated automobile columnist