our smooth running performance and balance
 

[IMG]http://www.fhi.co.jp/philosophy/img/130607.jpg[/IMG]

In this corner, we pick up old materials and documents in order to give you a taste of the atmosphere and car life of past times. Here, we will introduce an interview from Cartopia Vol. 140 (February 1984) with a development engineer who worked on the EF10 engine.

[B]The Engineers’ Saloon[/B]

We have confidence in our smooth running performance and balance.*
Shunji Itoh (Chief, No. 2 Design Section, No. 1 Motor Engineering Department, Subaru Engineering Headquarters)

After resolving each challenge such as making the engine lighter and quieter, we came up with the F10, which was also more than enough in terms of output performance. Moreover, fuel economy is an important issue when designing a 1,000 cc engine, and I think we also reached a good level in terms of data as a one-box car.

As you know, the 1,000 cc engine car market is dominated by two-box cars, so the approach to fuel economy is different when it comes to the Domingo, which is a one-box car. In the case of the EF10, rather than adding a new system for enhancing the fuel economy data, we aim to improve fuel economy and contribute to greater power through reducing friction. We have aimed for general performance that also includes running performance; therefore, balance is important and we have tried to design an engine that promises smooth running as well as good fuel economy. As a result, we are confident that we have achieved extremely smooth performance and a smooth running engine. A smooth running engine refers to the torque, however, in order to run well on high-speed roads, we cannot afford to drop the power. In the EF10, the torque is applied in the low zone and maximum power is outputted at higher speeds, so the engine offers good power extension from low speeds to high. Since the Domingo has a large body for a 1,000 cc car, people tend to think that there is no power without torque, however, if we try to resolve that through gear ratio, issues of noise and poor fuel economy start to appear. Moreover, since the torque is almost proportional to displacement, one wonders whether 1,000 cc is sufficient or not. However, I think users will find that the EF10 offers excellent running and good balance if they try driving the vehicle. The engine offers good bite, power and torque matching and response. We have confidence regarding all aspects.

I have driven cars ever since I entered the company, although I almost only ever drive for commuting purposes. However, my philosophy is that one should drive when one wants to taste the fun of driving. I also think that people will more and more demand a relaxing and comfortable space when they drive from now on. I think people basically want to have a quiet and economical ride with low running costs as well as to experience the joy of driving, and we aim to make this a reality. Concerning the mini-size cars of today, since there is little point in building cars simply for Japan alone, and demands concerning high-speed performance and safety are becoming more and more stringent especially in Europe, we aim to build cars that can perform all over the world.

Speaking of engines, I think the engines made by Subaru today have reached a fairly high level. However, I still think we have to overcome numerous issues in order to realize engines that are even better. New features such as turbo drive have also been appearing in recent times, however, turbo only assists engine power. I want to explore how far the inherent power of the engine can be displayed.

When the FF Rex was created before, I talked about challenging limits in Cartopia. I firmly believe that we don’t face limits but rather that we can make better things if we do more. I think we engineers have the desire to build balanced and unique products through pooling are creative ideas.

(Extracted from Cartopia Vol.140, issued in February 1984)



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