An ode to the two-stroke - Däng-de-Däng-Däng-Däng
02/24/2017
They have long since disappeared from the roads, although every now and then a car manufacturer or engine developer announces their return: two-stroke engines. In 2011, Peter Hofbauer, a former engine developer at VW, wanted to bring out a diesel two-stroke, in 1992 it was the British who announced a Ford Fiesta (picture above) with a two-stroke engine that sounded quite interesting. The Fiesta two-stroke engine was supposed to be 80 hp, 1.2 liters in size and 30 kg lighter, significantly simpler and 400 marks cheaper than a four-stroke equivalent. According to AR, it ran with a "pleasantly muffled sound with a throaty undertone" and Ford planned to produce ten thousand of them from 1996. Even the emissions problem was to be solved. But as is well known, the idea came to nothing.
The DKW/Auto-Union people and others were much more successful in the fifties and sixties. The two-stroke engine gave them a lot of engine power with low construction complexity. But at some point, car buyers simply no longer wanted two-stroke engines, which were said to have unpleasant odors and - despite the automatic fresh oil system - had to be constantly filled with engine oil for combustion, which resulted in an unmistakable plume from the exhaust.
Only on motorcycles did the two-stroke engine last a long time. In racing, there was hardly anything that could be done about it; in fact, the only way to put an end to them was to ban them. In the 125cc class, for example, the last champions with two-stroke engines were crowned in 2011, while in the 500cc class, two-strokes showed how to get a lot of power out of a small displacement until 2001, with the Honda NSR500 delivering 200 hp.
Even today, the two-stroke still has its appeal: it sounds aggressive, revs up effortlessly, offers plenty of power for the displacement and makes riding an experience due to the lack of braking torque and the freewheel that is usually available. We definitely like it and would especially like to take a ride in a Saab two-stroke, preferably in a Sonett.
