RX-8, how so much HP?

[xcohiba]

Ok so I was looking at the specs of the RX-8 and this is what I found:

238 HP SAE @ 8,500 rpm and 159 ft/lb of Torque.

However, my amazement is that they pack that much HP with this engine:

Engine:1.3L Rotoray 2;

238HP with 1.3L engine without Turbo? How so?

[stieh2000]

8500 rpms.

Power is the product of torque and angular velocity, sou can make up a lack of torque by reving an egine really high. The rx-8 motor is a great example of this.

[xcohiba]

So the answer is that it is able to achieve those HP levels because it goes up to 8.5K RPM's? But still, with a 1.3L...My V6 3.8L only makes 200HP. Why doesnt the Rx-8 engine doesnt blow up when taken to 8.5k RPM's? I would bet mine would.

[FTheMan]

Different types of engines. The RX-8 engine is designed to go to high to make that kind of power.
Great engine.

[ikeyballz]

the 1.3L is kind of misleading. for a 4 stroke engine, on any given stroke, only 1/4th of the displacement is being used for the 'power stroke'

on a rotary, 1/3rd of the displacement is used for power, hence a 1.3L when compared to a 4stroke a 1.7L. which isnt THAT MUCH of a deal.. but when you factor in less friction and as said higher RPM, it makes sense. The rotary engine is way more balanced than the 4stroke because of its design.. it also has way less moving parts than a 4stroke...the reason why its not used more regularly is because of the seals around the rotor...which tend to wear down early.

a 4stroke engine is reciprocating..so it moves up and down..where as the rotary just spins.. if you ever played with like a paddle ball, you know how much strain there is on the damn string.. thats the amount of strain a 4stroke piston, valves...etc feel. if somethings just spinning tho, its a lot easier to spin something faster...than to make something go up and down faster...