Rover-BRM

Last updated

Rover-BRM
Rover BRM - Gas Turbine Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon (1).jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Rover, British Racing Motors (BRM).
Production1963–1965
Designer William Towns, David Bache
Powertrain
Engine Gas turbine

The Rover-BRM was a prototype gas turbine-powered racing car, jointly developed in the early 1960s by the British companies Rover and British Racing Motors (BRM). The car is part of the collection at the British Motor Museum.

Contents

Rover had already been working with gas turbines for road vehicles since World War II. A series of potential road cars were also produced, starting with the early prototype Jet 1 , through the more developed examples T2 and T3, followed by the T4, which performed demonstration laps around the Le Mans circuit before the 1962 race. Seeing an opportunity for even more prestige, Rover decided to enter a gas turbine car into the race. A prize was to be awarded for the first gas turbine car to complete 3,600 km over the 24 hours, an average speed of 150 km/h, approximately 93 mph.

A crucial step in this plan was a chance meeting between William Martin-Hurst, MD of Rover, and Sir Alfred Owen of Rover's component supplier Rubery Owen, but more relevantly also of the Formula 1 constructors BRM. BRM supplied the chassis of Richie Ginther's crash-damaged car from the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix. A custom open-top spyder body was then built in aluminium, with the turbine mid-mounted ahead of a single-speed transaxle. [1]

The first test runs were at the MIRA track in April 1963, driven by Graham Hill who described it thus, "You’re sitting in this thing that you might call a motor car and the next minute it sounds as if you’ve got a 707 just behind you, about to suck you up and devour you like an enormous monster." [2] [3] The top speed is quoted to be 142 mph (229 km/h) [4]

Engine

The gas turbine engine was of typical practice for Rover, with a single centrifugal compressor, a single combustion chamber and a free turbine driving the output shaft, separate from the turbine that drove the compressor. It was rated at 150 bhp.

Racing career

Rear view of Rover-BRM with the 1964 coupe bodywork 1965 Rover-BRM Gas Turbine Le Mans Rear.jpg
Rear view of Rover-BRM with the 1964 coupe bodywork

1963 Le Mans

The car ran at the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans, carrying the race number "00" as an experimental car. [5] The turbine engine was judged to be equivalent to a 2-litre, but was permitted twice the usual fuel allowance. Le Mans has always taken an interest in fuel efficiency and some classes depend on achieving particular figures.

Graham Hill and Richie Ginther, who had past experience of the same chassis in a different guise the year before, drove in the race.

The 3,600 km figure was achieved with hours to spare, and with peak speeds down the Mulsanne Straight exceeding 140 mph. The overall averages were of 107.8 mph and 6.97 mpg. [1] As the only car in its class it was unplaced, but the same performance by a petrol-engined car would have placed it in 8th place.

1964

For the 1964 season, the major change was the addition of a pair of ceramic rotary regenerators to the gas turbine, so as to improve efficiency. Although often reported as "heat exchangers", these use a different technique. Two honeycomb disks rotate slowly at 20 rpm with both inlet and exhaust airflows passing through them, but separately. This heats the disk, which then rotates, and in turn heats the inlet air. Regenerators slightly restrict the peak power of a gas turbine, but hugely increase its efficiency in compensation.

The car also gained a new body, a closed coupe designed by Rover's William Towns. To improve intake airflow, large pods were added over the rear intakes, after the test weekend, where it ran with small air scoops. There was little time to test the new engine however, and the car was also slightly damaged during transport back to Britain. [6] For one of these reasons (history is unclear just which), the team withdrew from the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans.

1965 Le Mans

The 1964 engine was now used to race in anger at the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans. Rather than running as an "experimental", it was numbered "31" and was a competitor against others in the 2-litre class. The fuel allowance was also now the same as for the piston cars, making the regenerators even more important. Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart were to drive.

Allegedly owing to sand from the side of the course being sucked in when Graham Hill ran wide early on, the turbine blades were damaged. The engine began to overheat and for the rest of the race had to be monitored carefully to ensure that the exhaust gas temperature wasn't exceeded. Some hours later, while Stewart was driving, the tip of a turbine blade broke off and damaged one of the regenerators with a massive explosion, although the engine kept on running.

The car performed well though, finishing tenth overall, second in the 2-litre prototype class, and the first British car. The average speed was slightly lower than previously at 98.8 mph but consumption had fallen in half to 13.51 mpg. [4]

Survival today

Rover-BRM interior view Rover-BRM-3.jpg
Rover-BRM interior view

After the 1965 Le Mans, the car was once briefly tested on public roads by the magazine Motor, but retired completely by 1974. In recent years the car is nominally on display at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon. [4]

Restored by a team of volunteers, the car is regularly seen at motoring events throughout the UK.

In July 2014 the car was demonstrated at Le Mans Classic.

The car was showcased at the Coventry Motofest in 2016, running on a closed section of the Coventry Ring Road.

During 2022 the car has been on display at Thirlestane Castle, Shelsley Walsh and Goodwood Revival.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gas turbine</span> Type of internal and continuous combustion engine

A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part and are, in the direction of flow:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lotus Elite</span> Motor vehicle

The Lotus Elite name has been used for two production vehicles and one concept vehicle developed and manufactured by British automobile manufacturer Lotus Cars. The first generation Elite Type 14 was produced from 1957 until 1963 and the second generation model from 1974 until 1982. The Elite name was also applied to a concept vehicle unveiled in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover Company</span> Former British car company

The Rover Company Limited was a British car manufacturing company that operated from its base in Solihull in Warwickshire. Its lasting reputation for quality and performance was such that its first postwar model reviewed by Road & Track in 1952 was pronounced finer than any but a Rolls-Royce. Rover also manufactured the Land Rover series from 1948 onwards, which spawned the Range Rover in 1970, and went on to become its most successful and profitable product — with Land Rover eventually becoming a separate company and brand in its own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 804</span>

The Porsche 804 is a single-seat, open-wheeled racing car produced by Porsche to compete in Formula One (F1). It raced for a single season in 1962 in the 1½ litre formula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Racing Motors</span> Formula One team

British Racing Motors (BRM) was a British Formula One motor racing team. Founded in 1945 and based in the market town of Bourne in Lincolnshire, it participated from 1951 to 1977, competing in 197 grands prix and winning seventeen. BRM won the constructors' title in 1962 when its driver Graham Hill became world champion. In 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1971, BRM came second in the constructors' competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover P6</span> Motor vehicle

The Rover P6 series was a saloon car produced by Rover and subsequently British Leyland from 1963 to 1977 in Solihull, Warwickshire, England, UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rover P4</span> British mid-size luxury cars made 1949–64

The Rover P4 series is a group of mid-size luxury saloon cars produced by the Rover Company from 1949 until 1964. They were designed by Gordon Bashford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peerless (UK car)</span> Motor vehicle

The Peerless was a British car made by Peerless Cars Ltd. of Slough, Berkshire, between 1957 and 1960, when the company failed. The company was resurrected by one of the original founders, Bernie Rodger, as Bernard Roger Developments BRD Ltd and marketed as the Warwick from a base in Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, between 1960 and 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 40th 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans was a motor race staged at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France on 10 and 11 June 1972. It was the 40th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the ninth race of the 1972 World Championship for Makes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1965 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 24-hours race

The 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 33rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 19 and 20 June 1965. It was also the twelfth round of the World Sportscar Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 32nd 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 32nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 20 and 21 June 1964. It was also the ninth round of the 1964 World Sportscar Championship season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1963 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 31st 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 31st Grand Prix of Endurance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans series and took place on 15 and 16 June 1963. It was also the tenth round of the 1963 World Sportscar Championship season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1961 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 29th 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans was a motor race for Sports cars and Grand Touring cars staged at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France on 10 and 11 June 1961. It was the 29th Grand Prix of Endurance and the fourth race of the 1961 World Sportscar Championship. Ferrari and Maserati were the main contenders, with Aston Martin an outside chance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 24 Hours of Le Mans</span> 28th 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 28th 24 Hours of Le Mans Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 25 and 26 June 1960, on Circuit de la Sarthe. It was the fifth and final round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship as well as being the fifth round of the inaugural FIA GT Cup. It was held just a week after the tragic Belgian F1 GP in which four drivers, including Stirling Moss were either killed or seriously injured. The prospect of a duel between the 3-litre (180 cu in) Ferrari versus the 2-litre (120 cu in) Porsche championship-leaders was enough to draw large crowds to the 24 Hours race and some 200,000 spectators had gathered for Europe's classic sports car race, around the 13.5 km (8.4 mi) course.

The General Motors Firebird comprises a quartet of prototype cars that General Motors (GM) engineered for the 1953, 1956, and 1959 Motorama auto shows. The cars' designers, headed by Harley Earl, took Earl's inspiration from the innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. General Motors never intended the cars for production, but rather to showcase the extremes in technology and design that the company was able to achieve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Martin DP212</span>

The Aston Martin DP212 was a prototype sports car developed by Aston Martin for use in the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bristol 450</span> Sports car racing prototype model

The Bristol 450 was a successful sports car racing prototype model, designed in 1953 by Bristol Cars and based on the abortive ERA G-type Formula Two car of 1952. Although most sources state that only three 450s were built, photographic evidence suggests that at least four were in existence at one point in time. The cars were constructed specifically to contest the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, at which they won both their class and the team prize in both 1954 and 1955. In addition to its race victories, the Bristol 450 also took a number of outright speed records for the 2-litre class during trials at the Montlhéry circuit in 1953. Following the 1955 Le Mans disaster, which killed Pierre Levegh and 83 spectators, Bristol withdrew from direct involvement in motorsport and all but one of the 450s were broken up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Howmet TX</span> Sports-prototype racing car

The Howmet TX was an American sports prototype racing car designed in 1968 to test the competitive use of a gas turbine engine in sports car racing. Planned by racing driver Ray Heppenstall, the TX combined a chassis built by McKee Engineering, turbine engines leased from Continental Aviation & Engineering, and financial backing and materials from the Howmet Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BRM P57</span>

The BRM P57 was a Formula One racing car built to race in Formula One from 1962 to 1965.

The Leyland 2S gas turbine was developed by British Leyland to power road vehicles. The original version, the 2S/150 was famous for its use in a series of racing cars in the 1960s. In 1968, the basic layout was used to develop the larger 2S/350 for use in semi-trailers. The 2S/350 was also used in the British Rail APT-E train. Both were used only experimentally, development ended in the 1970s.

References

  1. 1 2 David Lillywhite (April 2008). "Rover-BRM". Octane.
  2. "1963 / 1965 Rover-BRM". Heritage Motor Centre. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008.
  3. Doug Nye (22 August 2003). BRM – The Saga of British Racing Motors. Vol. 2, Space-Frame Cars, 1959–1965. ISBN   1-899870-00-8.
  4. 1 2 3 "Heritage Motor Centre website Rover-BRM" . Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  5. "1963 car and open bodywork, with "00" numbers" (photo).[ permanent dead link ]
  6. John Wheaton. "Rover Turbine Cars, including photograph of Rover-BRM with coupe bodywork".