I’m a nerd when it comes to engine technology. I love checking out the newest trick parts, keeping tabs on the latest engine developments in motorssports, and especially reading up on emerging technologies in the world of internal combustion.
Recently, an uber-advanced technology caught my interest purely from a hot rodder perspective. It’s produced by supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg and its affiliate Free Valve and is essentially a cam-less engine. That in itself isn’t all that impressive an accomplishment—after all, the Wankel rotary engine and countless two-stroke powerplants have accomplished the same feat since nearly the dawn of the automobile.
What really makes this thing unique is that the valves are controlled by a mixture of electronic, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems. Sure, the complexity is vastly elevated from our beloved pushrod engines, and it’s only natural to question the reliability of something so high tech, but imagine the possibilities if they got it right.
It was circa 1950 when HOT ROD Tech Editor (later turned camshaft manufacturer) Racer Brown said, “Once you install the camshaft, you can’t vary what the valves do.” Words that, while true at the time, are slightly less true today. Through variable-valvetrain technology, cam phasing can be adjusted on the fly, giving a measure of adjustability to the installed centerline and, in the case of double-overhead-cam engines like Ford’s Coyote, the lobe-separation angle. This can significantly affect the powerband, bolstering torque and horsepower in areas where a conventional, mechanically fixed camshaft would be lacking.
A cam-less engine takes those principles to the next level, not to mention the horsepower reclaimed by no longer needing to compress valvesprings every revolution. Can you fathom being able to dial in all of the lift and duration of the most hardcore racing cam at the push of a button? Imagine making a hero pass, then calling up a wussy eco-grind for Prius-like mileage on the drive home. With this sort of tech on the horizon, that concept isn’t so far fetched.
High compression could be bled off and piped back in on demand via intake-valve closing point, cylinders could be activated or deactivated at will—truly, the opportunities are endless.
But even with all the performance enhancements that come with this new approach, a part of me can’t help but feel bad for a generation of young gearheads who will never know the joy of a simple camshaft swap.
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