[paras211]

why didnt 2 stroke cars become popular as perfomance machines?
a Saab in the 50s had a 2stroke engine and i think the old mini but i am not sure on this one.
are there any 2stroke cars in india?

[sgiitk]

2-strokes have lube oil mixed with fuel, and are hence too polluting!

[paras211]

yes i know but we did have 2 stroke bikes in the past.

[supercars]

They would also be underpowered most of the time and would be very nosiy and their average would be pretty bad.

[Mpower]

Thank god there werent. Otherwise we would have any petroleum reserves left today.

Trabant was the only 2 stroke car that sold in moderate numbers...that too behind the iron curtain. In India, we had the Bajaj RE which although was missing 1 wheel, but used to carry as many as four adults just like a car.

[supercars]

I am not too fond of the Trabant.

[islero]

I think the Auto Union 1000S had a two-stroke engine, and a few DKW cars. Im not sure though.

[Alfa_Kilo]

The contribution of the engine to the total weight of a vehicle is greater in a bike than a car. So, it was advantageous to develop performance 2stroke bikes. This did not work for cars as the disadvantages of two stroke outweighed the advantages, namely very narrow powerband and high specific fuel consumption.

[Alfa_Kilo]

Two stroke have been used with relative success in some trucks in the 50s, when their reliability and relative simplicity was favored over fuel efficiency.

And 2stroke opposed piston diesel engines were quite succesful in aviation in WWII, look up Junkers Jumo diesels. 2stroke diesels are still quite popular as marine engines. Diesels do not suffer from the problems of traditional gasoline engines.