IN predicting the future development of the gasoline engine, it is necessary to take into consideration, in addition to engine design factors, both the fuel and the metals that will be available.
Nonpremium gasoline, Mr. Baster believes, will be at least 90 octane, and the alloys of both aluminum and magnesium will be priced competitively with cast iron.
The engine of the future, Mr. Baster states further, will be about the same size as those of today, but it will have considerably higher output and will cost less in terms of dollars per horsepower.
Some of the more specific improvements that the author sees are: more precise spark timing, which will be required for increased compression ratio; improved spark plugs, using electrodes of more suitable materials; bearings able to take higher loading; increased oil capacity; and the use of supercharging on large power units.