June 26th, 2009 by admin

The most recent 16-cylinders, both post war, are the English BRMs. Both were restricted to racing use. The first was built with a view to the Formula 1500 (cc) with supercharger which contained the races of the driver’s world championship of 1950 and 1951. A team of engineers made up of Eric Richter, Frank Will May, Harry Mundy and led by Peter Berthon took part in the project from 1947 onwards. In 1949 it was ready and this engine was fitted in two single-seater cars which made their debut at Silver-stone. In the event one of the cars was withdrawn after its trials and the other remained on the starting line because of a broken transmission. This first unhappy appearance was the forerunner of a series of mishaps which raised a question mark over the ability of the combined forces of the British industry to field a car that could defend its prestige in the world. On paper this 16-cylinder, with a claimed maximum power of 525 bhp at 10,500 revs (390 bhp/litre), was a magnificent engine. Its weak points (the ignition system and the cylinder liners/sleeves) were ironed out but by then the first Formula 1 of the post war period had finished.
Considering the bad experience that BRM had had with this engine, it was surprising that they should turn, in 1966 to a 16-cylinder again for their entrance into the new Formula 1 (3000 cc),which still applies today. The new 16 had an H configuration like the Rolls-Royce Eagle aircraft engine. Though powerful (418 bhp at 10,750 revs), this engine was extremely complicated and it was rapidly abandoned. It does, however, have Jim Clark’s victory in the 1966 United States G.P. with a Lotus to its credit, as BRM allowed other teams to use this engine.
A ‘boxer’ 16-cylinder (i.e. horizen-tally opposed cylinders or a flat 16), was announced in 1965 by the British Coventry-Climax firm for the Formula 1500 (cc) (not to be confused with the Formula 1500-4500 from the period after the Second World War). It had a predicted maximum power of 220 bhp at 11,000 revs. Conventry-Climax became part of Jaguar and later, with Jaguar, part of British Leyland. It then sadly ceased all involvement in racing.