Cosworth
Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. It supplies a wide range of motorsport series, including the World Rally Championship and until the end of 2006 Formula One. Cosworth is based in Northampton, England, with a North American facility in Torrance, California.
In 2006 two Formula One teams were supplied with Cosworth engines: the Williams team using Cosworth V8 engines, transmissions and associated electronics, and the Scuderia Toro Rosso team using rev-limited Cosworth V10s based on 2005 spec engines. The end of the 2006 F1 season marked the end of Cosworth's remarkable 39 year association with the series as no team is running with Cosworth power in 2007. It leaves the sport as the second most successful engine designer ever to race in F1, with only Ferrari having scored more race victories.
Cosworth was previously a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company, but is now owned by Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven.
Since leaving F1, Cosworth is now committed to its Ford Inline-4 Duratec program. They have also started to supply complete EJ25 Subaru Impreza High performance engines, as well as components for Suabru:Impreza, Mitsubishi:Evo and Nissan Vehicles with the VQ35 engine.
Corporate history
The original company was founded as a British racing engine maker in 1958 by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth (1933-2005 [1]) (COStin and duckWORTH). Despite being an independent company Cosworth was supported by Ford for many years and most of the Cosworth engines were branded Ford.
The company has been through a number of owners. United Engineering Industries (UEI) purchased the company in 1980; UEI were taken over by Carlton Communications in 1988. Vickers plc bought Cosworth in 1990. In 1998 Vickers sold the company to Volkswagen Group, who then signed a deal with Ford, which bought the racing division which had long made racing engines for Ford. Cosworth Technology (also known as CT) offers powertrain development consultancy, and its patented aluminium casting process is used by several car makers including Audi and Aston Martin. Volkswagen sold CT to the Mahle Group in December 2004.
Cosworth was split in 1998 into two companies, Cosworth Racing and Cosworth Technology. With the acquisition of Cosworth Technology into the Mahle Group, Cosworth Technology became Mahle Powertrain.
In September 2004, Ford announced that it was selling Cosworth Racing, along with its Jaguar Formula One team. On November 15, 2004, the sale of Cosworth was completed, to Champ Car World Series owners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven, who renamed Cosworth Racing to Cosworth.
Engines
Association with Ford
Cosworth has had a long relationship with Ford, which began when Cosworth first started manufacturing racing engines in 1959. These were modified versions of the 1000 cc Ford Kent engine for Formula Junior. Cosworth began its associating with Lotus Cars by boring the Kent out to 1340 cc for the Lotus 7. 1.5 L and 1.6 L units were developed in 1963 for use in Formula B and sports car racing, as well as for powering the Lotus Cortina. The final evolution of the Cosworth-Kent, in 1965, was the MAE, when new rules where introduced in Formula 3 allowing 1000cc engines. The domination of this engine was absolute as long as the 1000cc regulation lasted. As Cosworth had some difficulty facing the demand, the MAE was mainly sold as a kit.
A year before, the SCA was introduced, a 1000cc engine based on a Ford Cortina 116E block that raced in Formula 2, and featured the first Cosworth design head.
The FVA series
The Cortina engine was also the basis for the FVA, a F2 engine introduced in 1966, for the new 1.6 L engine rules. This engine dominated the category until 1971, and was also used in sports car racing in 1.8 L form as the FVC.
An larger engine was designed for endurance racing in the mid 1970s, the FVC. Displacing 1976cc, it was distinguished by having gear-driven cams and a gear-driven alternator (to power lighting in night races) built into the cylinder head. The FVC produced only 275 HP, down from the 325 HP that other twin-cam four cylinders such as the Hart 420S produced but was more reliable. One was campaigned in the USA's CanAm series in 1978 in the Osprey SR-1, built and driven by Dan Hartill.
The DFV (Double Four Valve)
In 1966 Colin Chapman (Lotus Cars founder and principal of Team Lotus) persuaded Ford to bankroll Keith Duckworth's design for a new lightweight Formula 1 engine. Cosworth received the order along with the £100,000 that Ford felt it adequate to spend on such an objective. The design merged two in-line four-cylinder FVA units (as used in 1.6 L form in Formula 2) into a single 90° V8 engine, thus creating a legend in its own right, the DFV (standing for "double four valve"). This engine and its derivatives were used for a quarter of a century, and it was the most successful in the history of Formula 1/Grand Prix motor racing. Winning 167 races in a career lasting over 20 years, it was the product that put Cosworth Engineering on the map. Although originally designed for Formula One, the engine has been modified to be used in a range of categories.
The DFV won on its first outing, at the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix in the hands of Jim Clark, fitted to a Lotus 49, and from 1968 was available for purchase to any F1 team that wished it. During the 1970s it was not uncommon for almost the entire field (with the notable exception of Ferrari) to be using one of these engines (this at a time when independent wealthy individuals could buy exactly the same engine off the shelf that was also being used by McLaren et al). Most teams just built a tub around a Cosworth DFV and a Hewland gearbox. It won a record-holding 155 World Championship races, the last being Detroit in 1983, powering a Tyrrell driven by Michele Alboreto.
Although the DFV did not produce as much power as some V12 engines that some teams ran, it was lighter resulting in a better power/weight ratio. In addition to being lighter, it was also made a structural part of the car itself, by placing load bearing arms to stress the block. These design aspects appealed tremendously to the genius of Colin Chapman who utilized them to the fullest extent.
The DFY, introduced in 1982 was a further evolution of the DFV for Formula One, with a shorter stroke and a DFL bore, thereby producing more power, but still unable to fight against the turbocharged cars of the day. It was the advent of turbocharged engines in Formula 1 which sounded the death knell for the venerable DFV, and in 1986 Cosworth returned to the lower formulae preparing the DFV for the newly-created Formula 3000, with the installation of a compulsory rev limiter, which scaled power back from 500 to 420 hp; the DFV remained in this class until 1992.
In F1, a new DFV-based design was introduced for the new 3.5 L normally-aspirated rules in 1987. The DFZ was produced as an interim model, but in 1988 Cosworth created the DFV's final evolution, the DFR, which soldiered on in F1 with smaller teams until 1991, scoring its last points - including a pair of second places by Jean Alesi - with Tyrrell in 1990.
The DFV has recently been given a new lease of life thanks to the interest in Classic F1 racing, which was given a World Championship status by the FIA in 2004.
DFV variants
Throughout the years, the DFV spawned a number of derivations. In 1968, Cosworth created the DFV's first derivation, a 2.5 L version for the Tasman Series, the DFW.
One of the most successful and longest-lived projects of Cosworth has been its CART/Champ Car engine program. In 1975, Cosworth developed the DFX, by destroking the engine to 2.65 L and adding a turbocharger, the DFX became the standard engine to run in Indycar racing, ending the reign of the Offenhauser, and maintaining that position until the late 80s. Ford backed Cosworth with creating a new interim design for Indycar racing in the late 80s, the DFS, which merged DFR technology into the age DFX design, but it was eventually rendered obsolete by advancing technology.
While designed as an F1 engine the DFV was also used as in endurance racing, its flat-plane design led to destructive vibrations putting stress on devices surrounding the engine, especially the exhaust system. The first sports car to use a DFV, the Ford P68, failed to finish a single race because of repeated mechanical and electrical failures. Despite this handicap the DFV won the 24 hours of Le Mans twice in its original 3.0 L form. A special endurance version, the DFL, was then developed in two versions: one with 3.3 L and the other with 3.9 L. Whilst the former version soon became known for its reliability, the latter version was a step too far and is remembered as a failure.
The BDA series
Cosworth increased its association with Ford in 1969 by developing a DOHC 16-valve four cylinder engine for road use in the Escort. Working from the Kent block, Cosworth created a 1601 cc engine for homologation purposes. The camshafts were driven by a toothed belt, hence the name BDA (Belt Drive A). Running in Group 2 and Group 4 on either rallying or touring car racing, this engine could be enlarged to a maximum of 2.0 L.
In 1970, the BDC evolution received fuel injection for the first time. Two years later, the BDA series was being used in Formula 2, first in 1.8 L format, until reaching a maximum of 1975 cc in 1973, under BDG form, which also received an aluminum block.
The block could also be shortened, starting with the 1599 cc Formula Atlantic engine in 1970, followed by the 1.1 L and 1.3 L variants for SCCA club racing and sports car racing.
In the 1980s, the engine saw its final incarnations, the 1.7 L BDR, used in the road-going version of the Caterham , and the 1.8 L BDT, which powered the never raced Escort RS1700T and the more competitive Ford RS200, which was created for Group B rallying. A 2137 cc evolution model was developed by Brian Hart just as Group B was cancelled by the FIA.
The YB series
The YB series of engines are based on the older Pinto engine block and were introduced in the road-going Ford Sierra Cosworth in 1986 with 204 bhp. It was the first road going engine that developed more than 100 bhp per litre, with 5,000 units built for homologation purposes in Group A, both for rallies and touring cars. Racing versions could develop about 400 bhp. A limited edition evolution model was introduced in 1987, the RS500, with power now exceeding 550 bhp in full racing trim. Today there are many road going YB engines developing over 750 bhp and there are several rallycross Sierra Cosworths utilising YB engines tuned to over 900 bhp.
Further evolutions of the YB included a reduced-emissions road version, as well as the block used in the Escort Cosworth (which used the Sierra floorpan). The engine stopped being used on new cars in 1997, with the Focus WRC and road-going Focus RS relying on Zetec designs.
Other Formula One engines
The DFV replacement, the HB V8 was introduced with the Benetton team midway through 1989, winning the Japanese Grand Prix that year. As the works team, Benetton maintained exlclusivity with this model through the rest of 1989 and 1990. 1991 saw the introduction of customer units, two specifications behind their works equivalents. In 1991, these were supplied to the fledgling Jordan outfit, and for 1992, Lotus. 1993 saw the customer deal extended to McLaren, who won 5 Grands Prix with Senna that year. It was not until the introduction of the new Cosworth unit, badged as a Ford Zetec-R, that Michael Schumacher won the Drivers World Championship with Benetton, in 1994. This was the last Ford powered F1 title.
Cosworth also developed a 72° F1 V10 for the Sauber Formula 1 team. It was even rumored in the late 1990s that a manufacturer (Volvo Cars was the prime candidate) intended to use a road-going version of this engine in a production car, although this never came to pass.
Cosworth has subsequently made several V10 engines for a number of Formula One teams. The Stewart Grand Prix team used Ford Cosworth CR-1 engines from its first season in 1997. Over the years next years Ford had increased its involvement with the Stewart team, and finally bought the team, renaming it Jaguar Racing for 2000. Jaguar pulled out of F1 at the end of 2004, but the team (renamed Red Bull Racing) continued to use V10 Cosworth engines until switching to a Ferrari V8 for 2006. Minardi also used Cosworth engines until 2005, often rebadged.
Williams used Cosworth V8 engines for the 2006 season, and began testing the new CA2006 2.4 L V8 in November 2005. In the same year Scuderia Toro Rosso used detuned V10 engines based on the 2005 units. For 2007, however, the company is without a partner. Williams is switching to Toyota power, while Scuderia Toro Rosso are set to use Ferrari engines. The only option Cosworth had for 2007 was the newly-renamed Spyker-MF1 Racing, but the team announced that it too will be using Ferrari engines.
With most major manufacturers currently opting to supply engines to a second F1 team, scope may be limited for Cosworth to return to the sport under its own name. However, since breaking its links with Ford it is highly likely that Cosworth may return to F1 as a specialist contractor and consultant, much as it has done in the past and as Ilmor did so successfully with Mercedes.
Other IndyCar and Champ Car engines
Cosworth designed a series of replacements for the DFV to be used in IndyCar racing: the X-series, beginning in 1992 with the XB. The XF was developed in 2000, and was chosen as the spec engine for the Champ Car World Series in 2003. The current derivative of the XF, the 2.65L XFE 4 cam 90 degree V8 overhead camshaft, has continued in that role through the 2007 season. Champ Car World Series imposes a rev limit. The 2004 model of the XFE had a rated power of nominal 750 bhp @ 1054mm Hg (intake pressure) and a maximum power of 800 bhp at 1130 mm Hg (during Push to Pass). The 2004 XFE maximum speed was 12,000rpm (rev limited) and torque of 490 Nm. The Methanol-fueled engine used a steel crankshaft and aluminum alloy pistons. Weight was 120 Kg and length was 539 mm.
Formula Atlantic engines
Currently they are 300bhp 2.3litre Inline-4 engines.
Road cars
Apart from its relationship with Ford, which saw the creation of the Cortina Lotus, Escort RS1600, RS200, Scorpio 2.9i 24V, Sierra Cosworth and Escort Cosworth, the company has developed engines to be used in various production cars, including the Caterham CSR 200 and 260, as well as several from General Motors: the Chevrolet Vega, the Opel Ascona 400 & Manta 400, Opel Kadett and Opel Astra GSi, Opel Vectra and Opel Calibra turbo and the 2.5 L V6 used in the Vectra, Calibra and Saab 900. Mercedes-Benz (with the 190 E 2.3-16), Rolls-Royce, ARO and Audi also benefitted from Cosworth engine technology. The 2008 Nissan GT-R is also rumoured to be carrying a Cosworth tuned variant of Nissan's VQ engine.
The Cosworth F1 car
Cosworth made an attempt at designing a full GP car in 1969. The car designed by Robin Herd used an original 4WD transmission (different from the Ferguson used by all other 4WD F1 cars of the sixties) and powered by a magnesium version of the DFV unit. The car was planned to drive at the 1969 British GP but it was silently withdrawn. When Herd left to form March Engineering the project was cancelled. The car is remembered by some as one of the ugliest F1 cars ever built.
Summary of F1 engine use
References
Literature
Bernd Tuchen, Ford in der Formel 1 1965 bis 1994. Die Geschichte des legendären Ford Cosworth DFV Motors. Seine Entstehung, seine Rennställe, seine Siege und Weltmeister (Büchenbach 2006/Verlag Dr. Faustus) (www.Verlag-Dr-Faustus.de) ISBN 978-3-933474-38-4