Honda Car Forum

Did Honda really invent the first Variable Valve Timing? or hold the record of most HP per Litre?

No, although they were amoung the first to offer it on a economy type vehicle. Variable Valve timing has been around for a while, I cannot verify for sure who had it first, but Alfa was using it on some high performance engines in the mid-fifties, Honda used a clever system of using oil pressure to lock up the cams to do the job that was far simplier than most other methods, now in many cases its done thru engine electronics using sensors for throttle, air temp, crank sensors etc. and sending information to the computer to make adjustments in fuel mixture/flow and cam/valve timing etc.I cannot tell you who holds the record for most horsepower per litre, I simply don't know, but it would have to be some european exotic make. During the 50's, europe has produced some very interesting motor designs with very high horsepower using turbo or mainly supercharged engines. For an example, a Pegaso Z102, built in Spain from approximately 1951 to 1958, had quad cam v8 of various sizes and the largest engine about 3200cc (displacement) with a supercharger produced very close to 100 bhp per litre, which made it faster than Ferraris of the time.Hope this helps, a car nut.

the 2 liter Honda s2000 engine holds the record for most HP per litre out of a naturally aspirated engine speccifically 120 hp/liter.The mitsubishi lancer evolution FQ-400 holds the record for forced induction engines and highest overall hp per liter being 400 hp out of a 2 liter turbo engine which adds up to an astounding 200hp/liter. And while Honda didn't invent VVT they certainly did revolutionize it by making a simpler more affordable system that is now coppied by just about every car manufacturer in existance. In essence Honda invented VVT as we know it today.

i dont think honda invented VVT but they sure do have the best one out of any company right now and has for the past decades. and do hold the most hp per liter. 100 hp per liter but i-VTEC motors put out more

It was invented in 1965 by an engineer, His name was Corliss Orville Burandt

Fiat was the first to patent it way before Honda or any other manufacture.