Two-stroke sports car looks for Indonesian home
Two-stroke sports car looks for Indonesian home
By Alexander Corne
Carmakers in Indonesia may be offered a design for a new two- seater sports car, developed by Orbital Engine Corporation of Perth, Australia.
The Sports Two-Stroke, or S2S, uses Orbital's two-stroke three-cylinder 1.2-liter engine rumored to be an option to power the Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie's pet car project, Maleo.
The S2S was designed in Australia based around a British Kit car. However, the high-technology S2S has an all new body, designed by Melbourne Car stylist, Bernie Walsh, and is made from Kevlar and carbon fiber composites.
The three cylinder engine is midmounted behind the two seats, and drives the rear wheels.
The Maleo project is said to be close to an official announcement, with several Australian production and vehicle engineers touring Indonesia scouting for potential factory sites.
The mission also visited existing engineering establishments looking at high-grade component production lines.
The S2S is designed to show off the company's technology around the world.
The company wants to sell the production rights to the curvy sports car to a volume carmaker based in Asia. Just as the S2S is a mobile showpiece for Orbital, the company believes it could similarly raise the profile of an Asian carmaker.
The first Orbital-powered cars, based on converted Ford Festivas, will go on sale in early April, with Australia government fleets being among the first users. About 100 Festiva Eco-Sports will be sold this year.
The S2S was completed under a tight budget, delivered for less than AUS$200,000. It was designed and built in under 12 months, with the bodywork made up in Perth by a yacht maker with wide experience working with glass fiber and Kevlar composites.
If the S2S concept is taken up, and built in volume, it could sell for about $30,000.
However, the car is unlikely to be built in Australia. It could be put into production relatively easily, according to Orbital's corporate engineering manager, Darren Smith.
The engines for the car are produced at Orbital's Tecumseh plant in Michigan.
Orbital has recently shifted its focus away from the automobile industry, having failed to secure lucrative contracts from the American Big Three in its two-stroke engine technology. However, the Big Three -- Chrysler, Ford and General Motors -- have expressed keen interest in the technology.
Successful collaboration with Mercury Marine in the U.S., along with scooter and motorcycle manufacturers in Asia and Italy, could yield more positive results, as the motorcycle sector booms and pollution levels rise in Asian cities.
In Detroit this month, the company showed off its direct- injection four-stroke technology at the Society of Automotive Engineers' conference. Four-stroke direct-injection is in vogue at present, sparked recently by frugal and emissions friendly direct-injection diesel engines out of Japan.
The S2S was built as a result of the success Orbital enjoyed with the Pininfarina designed Ethos two-stroke powered cars, shown at international motor shows in the early 1990s.
Those cars boosted Orbital's international standing, and the S2S is a cheap way for the company to repeat that same level of exposure.
Tooling up for the S2S would be relatively low cost, and production skill levels would need only be basic, Smith said.
The S2S weighs about 750kg and its engine produces 57kW. Top speed is estimated at 190kmh, while fuel consumption is expected to be below 5.0-liters per 100km.