How cars got fast
The first car, in 1886, ran at about 16 km/h. Race cars today pass 350 km/h. The course goes through a car system by system, from the engine, gears and wheels to the brakes and wings, to see what each generation upgraded and why it got faster. You assemble three cars in your own workshop, and at the end you drive the race car round a track.
- Beginner
- About 5 to 6 hours
- 15 sections
- 48 lessons
The course opens in batches, each with a limited number of free seats. You take your seat in the Academy, signing in with Google or GitHub.
Included in the membership · See plans
Course outline
Section 1
1886: the first car
About this course
Lesson · 5 min
Mannheim, 1886
Lesson · 6 min
Assemble the Benz
Lesson · 10 min
A first run in the Benz
Lesson · 4 min
Section 2
What holds a car back
Two forces in the way
Lesson · 8 min
Double the power
Lesson · 6 min
Looking back
Lesson · 4 min
Section 3
The engine: from one cylinder to six
Where power comes from
Lesson · 6 min
Inside a cylinder
Lesson · 6 min
The roadster's four cylinders
Lesson · 8 min
The race car's engine
Lesson · 5 min
Section 4
Fuel, air and spark
Just the right mix
Lesson · 8 min
A spark at the right moment
Lesson · 5 min
Spraying fuel, pushing air
Lesson · 8 min
Section 5
Keeping cool
Every bit of power makes heat
Lesson · 7 min
The radiator: keep the water, lose the heat
Lesson · 7 min
The race car: cooling is paid for in air
Lesson · 6 min
Section 6
Gears: one engine, many speeds
Your legs and a bicycle
Lesson · 8 min
From a belt to five gears
Lesson · 6 min
Eight gears in a flash
Lesson · 5 min
Section 7
From engine to wheels
Two wheels, two distances
Lesson · 8 min
The path of the turning force
Lesson · 8 min
Section 8
Tyres and grip
Four small patches of rubber
Lesson · 6 min
How fast round a bend?
Lesson · 7 min
From solid rubber to slicks
Lesson · 8 min
Section 9
Suspension: keeping the wheels on the road
A wheel in the air has no grip
Lesson · 6 min
Springs and dampers
Lesson · 8 min
The race car: stiff and low
Lesson · 5 min
Section 10
Steering: pointing the car
From one front wheel to two
Lesson · 6 min
Two front wheels, two circles
Lesson · 7 min
More steering doesn't always mean more turn
Lesson · 4 min
The race car's steering wheel
Lesson · 4 min
Section 11
Brakes: turning speed into heat
A brake is a heater
Lesson · 6 min
Twice the speed, four times the distance
Lesson · 6 min
Discs and ABS
Lesson · 6 min
The race car: red-hot carbon
Lesson · 7 min
Section 12
Frame, weight and safety
Every kilo has a price
Lesson · 6 min
Three frames
Lesson · 5 min
Soft at the ends, hard in the middle
Lesson · 7 min
Section 13
Air that presses the car down
Press harder, slide less
Lesson · 6 min
A plane's wing, upside down
Lesson · 5 min
Straight or bend?
Lesson · 7 min
Section 14
Build the race car and drive it
A walk round the race car
Lesson · 4 min
Build the race car yourself
Lesson · 8 min
A test run on the circuit
Lesson · 6 min
From 16 to 350 km/h
Lesson · 5 min
Section 15
Final exam
Final exam
Quiz · 30 min
After the exam
Lesson · 5 min