Brian (hipster hair) Lohnes
The idea of a 1.5L V16 seems hilarious by modern racing standards, especially to us in the land of BangShift where 900-cube V8s are prowling drag strips. That being said, in the world of Formula One racing back in the early 1950s engine designers had a choice. They could design a 4.5L naturally aspirated engine or a 1.5L blower motor.
BRM (British Racing Motors) decided to go the 1.5L route with their V16. It sported a comical 1.95-inch bore and 1.9-inch stroke. It was capable of 12,000 rpm and when equipped with a Rolls-Royce two stage centrifugal blower the engine made 600hp. Reportedly that Rolls blower was forcing 82 pounds of boost through the engine!
Interestingly, the engine featured two valves per cylinder. We’re guessing the tiny bore may have been a factor in that. These valves make Buick Nailhead valves look massive! How about 1.25in on the intake and 1.09in on the exhaust?
It’s no wonder why Formula One cars were revered so much back in this era. An engine like this in a custom racing chassis was the space shuttle of the day.
The payoff to this history lesson is the video below. It’s a bunch of static photos strung together, but the soundtrack is freaking magical. It’s audio of a BRM V16 powered Formula One car making laps. It is auditory gearhead porno. Who knew 1.5L could sound this good?!
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