John K Posted February 25, 2017 Posted February 25, 2017 And I mean a real three cylinder designed to be a three cylinder, not a four pot Westie that happens to be firing on only three ... Reason is, I have my eye on a 2018 Fiesta ST but its a forced induction 1,500cc three pot good for about 200bhp Never had one or driven one and don't know of anybody who has. To the best of my (rusty) knowledge the only small three pot in one in the Fiat 500? Does anybodies other half have one (or God forbid, does anybody with both X and Y chromosomes actually own one???) Any idea how they rev, how they sound etc... Quote
Thrustyjust Posted February 25, 2017 Posted February 25, 2017 We have a 3 pot Skoda Citigo. it sounds really funky and warbles along . 60 hp isnt at the right end of the spectrum for speed. But it does go well enough. Wife totally loves it, which when she drives like a women possesed, its really surprised everyone. Cant complain about it myself. All engines are getting less capacity now. As for the new ST being a 3 pot, it should go well enough. The early 1 ltr cars with turbo's did suffer blowing up, mainly because of a plastic cooling pipe splitting on the expansion vessel, but now Ford use a rubber one. They even put the 1 ltr in Mondeos !! I guess the proof is in the driving, but it should sound funky like our Skoda at acceleration and the only slight give away is a slight rock at tickover for us. Wife wants the VRS version, should the Up GTI migrate into the rest of the range after release. 1 Quote
Kit Car Electronics Posted February 25, 2017 Posted February 25, 2017 They sound a bit like half a V6, plus will have the sport mode exhaust popping. Plus it can run as a 2 cylinder just to really mess with your head Should be very good John... 1 Quote
John K Posted February 25, 2017 Author Posted February 25, 2017 40 minutes ago, Kit Car Electronics said: Plus it can run as a 2 cylinder just to really mess with your head Don't... I was driving home from Dad's today on the M69 in the ST and I was thinking about the cylinder shutdown to make it a 2 pot... My head WAS starting to hurt as to how it keeps turning with only 2 cylinders. And the current 4 pot is 1,600 so 400cc a cylinder, the 3 pot is a 1,500 so 500cc a cylinder. So in theory extra twist. And my mate's 3 banger Norton (or Triumph, sorry I'm not a bike person) motorcycle sounds chuffing epic. I'm a bit worried that they seem to be talking about selective driving modes. The more gubbins you put between the chassis and the wheels the less you feel the road (IMHO), so has it fallen foul of the Playstation Generation? The Mk6 is such a delightful drive on the limit, I don't see how they can top it, only ruin it with them damn 'puters... Quote
Blatman Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 And my mate's 3 banger Norton (or Triumph, sorry I'm not a bike person It'll be a triumph... Plenty of 3 banger bikes around. Trimuphs are the "new" ones (Cosworth had a hand in their design! ) but there have been triples from Laverda, a 750 two stoker (yes really) from Suzuki colloquially called the Kettle, and at least one Yamaha 750 4 stroke, all of these during the 70's and 80's. They've always sounded great and gone well. I'm sure Ford will have done a good job with theirs. Quote
Kingster Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 Only car experience is in a courtesy car I was supplied. However it certainly wasn't anything I'd consider a courtesy! Citroen Cactus. Truly awful, horrid thing. Hated it! But in contrast the Triumph motorbike engines are utterly brilliant! Quote
Stu Faulkner Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 30 minutes ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said: But in contrast the Triumph motorbike engines are utterly brilliant! Ohh yes. I had a Daytona 675 three pot and it was fantastic. Quote
Steve (sdh2903) Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 I always find the odd cylinder number engines have a nice distinctive rumble to them. My old 5 pot focus st made a lovely noise. The modern 3 pots are fine. Even bmw are chucking them in the 3 series now. In fact I drove a mates 318 and never realised it was missing some cylinders until he told me. Will be interesting to see how they progress the fiesta as the current car/engine is a belter. Am gutted mine goes back in 3 weeks. A lightweight small 3 cylinder 200hp engine. Hmm sounds like a good donor engine too..... 2 Quote
Thrustyjust Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 1 hour ago, sdh2903 said: I always find the odd cylinder number engines have a nice distinctive rumble to them. My old 5 pot focus st made a lovely noise. The modern 3 pots are fine. Even bmw are chucking them in the 3 series now. In fact I drove a mates 318 and never realised it was missing some cylinders until he told me. Will be interesting to see how they progress the fiesta as the current car/engine is a belter. Am gutted mine goes back in 3 weeks. A lightweight small 3 cylinder 200hp engine. Hmm sounds like a good donor engine too..... I do miss the warble from my 5 cyl ST . Was a fantastic car. As for running the 3 cyl engines in the Westies, then Caterham are already, albeit not a big hp one. Heading back to Chapmans roots with lightweight too. I am sure that the Formula Fords are now using them, so think it will be the future for our type of cars. Imagine it. 200 bhp, 6 gallon tank and 300 mile range 1 Quote
John K Posted February 26, 2017 Author Posted February 26, 2017 Back in the day when I was contracting up Scotland way and had money, I used to run a 20v Audi 90 Q with the 5 cylinder 2.3 with about 170 bhp. It sounded lovely, so if the 3 pot has the same sort of wobbly burble, it will be a fine thing. 2 hours ago, sdh2903 said: Hmm sounds like a good donor engine too..... Got to laugh at sdh, the car isn't even released and he wants to butcher it for the engine (note to self, never take the new ST to Stoneleigh 2018, it might have to go home on a trailer)... But a compact, lightweight 200bhp engine, deserves thinking about... 1 Quote
Steve (sdh2903) Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 You've got to plan ahead for these things Quote
Stuart Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 Had a Nissan Micra holiday hire car last year and it was great. 1200cc 3 pot. Sounded a bit strange though Quote
dombanks Posted February 26, 2017 Posted February 26, 2017 I had a twingo with a 3 pot I the back for just over a month. It was a great little city car. Revy nippy and eager. Did several long distances in it and on the motorway it was happy to raz along at fast lane speeds. The 50 -70 on it was pretty good. Fuel was in the 50s. I wouldn't have know it was a 3 pot had I not been told/am interested in cars. Quote
John K Posted February 27, 2017 Author Posted February 27, 2017 Thanks for all the replies and the positive endorsements of the 3 pot engine. So come mid 2018 I will be looking at one. It looks mostly good and only the straight front on looks a bit odd IMHO but who cares if it drives well. And I know the following sounds like I am living in the dark ages and entertaining luddite tendencies, I just can't get used to a 3 cylinder engine as a sporty unit. Engines are either 4, 6 or 8 pots. Anything less than 4 was reserved for kitchen appliances and white goods. I am looking forward to being re-educated and being dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century*... * I know, I know... Quote
SootySport Posted February 28, 2017 Posted February 28, 2017 Just don't buy the old 3pot Corsa, they were truly awful. Quote
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