RE: Mercedes Trainees Create V8 B-class
Wednesday 22nd December 2010
Mercedes Trainees Create V8 B-class
Q: Can you fit a socking great V8 into a B-class? A: Yes
It's safe to say that the B-class is not one of our favourite Benzes, but this is probably as close as we're ever going to get to a B-class that we actually like.
It's called the B55 and it's been created by a team of Mercedes trainees at the firm's Rastatt plant. Unbelievably, they've managed to squeeze a 5.5-litre, 383bhp Mercedes V8 into that stubby nose.
It wasn't even that tricky a heart transplant, it seems - for a team of twelve second-year and third-year trainees specialising in production mechanics and automotive mechatronics, that is.
Out went the old 2.0-litre turbodiesel lump, and in went the V8 - without even the need to change engine mounts. Naturally, retaining front-wheel drive was out of the question, but the rear axle from an old W210 series E-class was found to fit snugly into the car to provide proper-wheel drive, while the brakes were pinched from an old C32 AMG.
The only real headache, we're told, was getting the ECU to talk properly to the rear axle - and boy, are we glad they overcame that hurdle...
Discussion
Loving the concept, little car + unecessarily large engine + good IMO.
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/inc/popup3.asp?pictur...
Looks a "tad" nose heavy now mind you!
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/inc/popup3.asp?pictur...
Looks a "tad" nose heavy now mind you!
kambites said:
I'm quite surprised that the transverse I4 diesel and longitudinal V8 have the same mount locations.
Probably able to use the same chassis / subframe pick up points, with fabricated mounts linking the chassis to the engines - A transverse engine and gearbox will need a mount each side under/over it, as will a longditudinal V8mat205125 said:
kambites said:
I'm quite surprised that the transverse I4 diesel and longitudinal V8 have the same mount locations.
Probably able to use the same chassis / subframe pick up points, with fabricated mounts linking the chassis to the engines - A transverse engine and gearbox will need a mount each side under/over it, as will a longditudinal V8Nice! Very silly, and must have been sooooo much fun to build.
(also, note to any British enginering companys... This is why we have a lack of young engineers in the UK. Companys in other countrys offer training and make it seem like a cool job, but in the UK you just blaim the schools and uni's for giving people a genral education)
(also, note to any British enginering companys... This is why we have a lack of young engineers in the UK. Companys in other countrys offer training and make it seem like a cool job, but in the UK you just blaim the schools and uni's for giving people a genral education)
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff