Brutus
Body and chassis
Body styleSingle-seater
LayoutFR layout
Powertrain
Engine46 L (2,800 cu in) BMW V12 aero engine
Transmission3-speed chain drive
Dimensions
Curb weight2,537 kg (5,593 lb)[1]
Motorshow_Essen_2013-11-30 11-27-16

Brutus is an aero-engined car. It is powered by a water-cooled 46 L (2,800 cu in) BMW V12 aircraft engine, which produces between 490–550 hp (370–410 kW) @ 1530 rpm, but can produce a maximum of 750 hp (560 kW) @ 1700 rpm for shorts bursts of one minute, and is mated to a 1907/1908 American LaFrance chassis.[2][3][4][5]

Background

Brutus made an appearance on the British television program Top Gear on 4 March 2012, during the sixth episode of Season 18.[6][7][8] The Brutus was built in Germany shortly after World War II, when a 1908 American LaFrance car was fitted with a 46.9-liter (2,862 cu in) V12 BMW aircraft engine that dates to 1925. The car was created over several years at a workshop at the Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Germany, which still owns it. According to the Museum, the Brutus can produce 500 hp (370 kW) at 1,500 rpm, while its fuel efficiency averages 1 L/km (2.8 mpg‑imp).[9] After driving the car on Top Gear, presenter Jeremy Clarkson described the experience as akin to "doing a crossword while being eaten by a tiger".[7]

References

  1. ^ "V12 BMW plane engine from WW2; 47000cc engine. 2537kg weight; 748PS; Brutus - from the Technic Museum at Sinsheim, Germany - Car". 9GAG.
  2. ^ "More on the BMW Brutus". Top Gear. July 11, 2011.
  3. ^ "Fire Breathing BMW 46.0-liter V12-Powered Brutus Will Scare Even the Bravest Kids". Carscoops. March 11, 2011.
  4. ^ O'Carroll, Damien (August 22, 2021). "Meet Brutus, the most dangerous car in the world". Stuff.
  5. ^ Magazin, Sia (June 18, 2018). "The Brutus' Bomber BMW, With a 46-liter BMW V12 Engine".
  6. ^ "Top Gear, Series 18, Episode 6". BBC.co.uk. BBC. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  7. ^ a b "More from the Brutus and Bentley". TopGear.com. BBC. 6 March 2012. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  8. ^ "850bhp aero-engined Bentley for sale". TopGear.com. BBC. 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  9. ^ Mihalascu, Dan (10 March 2011). "Fire Breathing BMW 46.0-liter V12-Powered Brutus Will Scare Even the Bravest Kids". Carscoops. Retrieved 23 November 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brutus (experimental vehicle).
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