QOTD: Counting to Three?

It’ll not have escaped anyone’s notice that car manufacturers are well into the second cycle of engine downsizing. We’ve seen this story play out in the past, both in the Malaise Era and then in the ’80s when TURBO graphics were applied to every single flat surface (and probably some curved ones).

Last week, you lot provided some excellent creative answers to our 29 Cylinders Later game (electric cars and rotaries!). Here’s today’s question: is there anything out there you’d like to buy in today’s new car market that has more doors than cylinders?

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Piston Slap: Less Slap, More (oil) Control

Pete writes:

Hey Sajeev, I got one for you.

Several engines nowadays are set up to operate on half their cylinders under light-load conditions. Would the design considerations for piston rings vary from those normally used for such cylinders that are only used part-time? The question arises in the context of a 2009 V6 Accord that is currently in the Honda dealer’s shop to have the piston rings replaced at the manufacturer’s expense to cure a continual oil consumption and spark plug fouling problem.

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Review: 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Press Cars: just a Mirage? (all photos courtesy Sajeev Mehta)Mitsubishi’s website claims the Mirage is a “small car for a big life.” Possible: while I haven’t done a TTAC review in over a year, know that even the rare automotive sampling of a ball of flaming garbage in a catapult possesses a modicum of engineering /styling/marketing prowess. Good cars exist everywhere, which is worthy of someone’s “big life.”And contrary to the rash of negative press, the Mirage is an honest machine worthy of a closer look.
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Ford Sends 1.0L Ecoboost Through Airport Security
Here’s a manufactured publicity stunt that is actually pretty amusing. Autoblog reports that a Ford PR person sent these pictures of a 1.0L Ecoboost bl…
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  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
  • Corey Lewis Think how dated this 80s design was by 1995!
  • Tassos Jong-iL Communist America Rises!