Vehicle: Car: Engine: Aspiration
Rolls-Royce Merlin   (+3)  [vote for, against]
You know you want one.

The first Rolls-Royce Merlin engine ran in 1933.

To mark an exceptional anniversary, in 2033 Rolls- Royce should produce a limited run of the Rolls- Royce Merlin, a passenger car powered by a Merlin XXIV engine.

The vehicle would be large, unwieldy, fuel- inefficient, unbelievabl noisy, and ludicrously impractical.

Sales are assured, as Jeremy Clarkson will buy at least half the production run.

And we will buy the other half.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 11 2014

More power, not quite as fast as original Spitfire http://www.autoexpr...0mph-bugatti-veyron
[bs0u0155, Aug 11 2014]

RR Crecy http://en.wikipedia...i/Rolls-Royce_Crecy
[bs0u0155, Aug 11 2014]

rather a lot of versions, this one at least has a RR chassis http://www.supercars.net/cars/4769.html
..but not exactly modern on the brakes.. [not_morrison_rm, Aug 11 2014]

The Beast http://en.m.wikiped...in_alternative_uses
Impressive … [8th of 7, Aug 12 2014]

There's another engine called "Merlin" http://en.wikipedia...et_engine_family%29
I suspect [8th of 7] might actually prefer this one over the Rolls Royce version. [Vernon, Aug 12 2014]

Well, as the original version of the Merlin was about 1100 bhp. That's looking a bit limp wristed now <link> So I'll have a RR Crecy <link>
-- bs0u0155, Aug 11 2014


I want to put one of these in a Mini Cooper. Might need to upsize the drivetrain...
-- sninctown, Aug 11 2014


I love the Rolls Royce Crecy because A: It's nuts B: even though it's development started in 1941, when we were HEAVILY engaged with Nazi Germany, we STILL decided that we would name it after a battle with the French.
-- bs0u0155, Aug 11 2014


I read the wiki carefully, hoping to find that the engines were in a museum some place. " The fate of the six Crecy engines remains unknown ". The test record explains why, I think.

Over a four and a half year test period, the word "failure" is mentioned eighteen times in conjunction with words such as bearing, rod, sleeve, piston, casing, etc.

And the word "rebuild" is mentioned fifty-nine times.

I'm sure the persons involved gleefully set fire to what remained. But I'd like to have one for use in a motorcycle.
-- normzone, Aug 11 2014


I assume you mean the V2 test beds? If they were a perfect scale down of the full engine, they'd be 400 bhp 4 litre monsters. The fact that they're 2 stroke means the power delivery would be more like a 4 cylinder though.

When I have money, time and an engineering shop* I'd love to put a Mazda Renesis engine into a motorcycle, 17" wide, 250bhp.. smooooth.

*this is happens frequently, always at night with my eyes closed.
-- bs0u0155, Aug 11 2014


Seem to recollect a Roller with a Merlin engine, on Blue Peter back in the 1970's.
-- not_morrison_rm, Aug 11 2014


That was "The Beast", but it wasn't an R-R chassis; it was a one-off homebuild.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 12 2014


I saw that episode as well. I remember how he joined the traffic flow. One second he was waiting, and the next he was snuggly between 2 cars doing about 30mph.

I don't think the engine changed rpm.
-- Ling, Aug 12 2014


I once got into a boat-restoration shop in Seattle, that had old wooden raceboats stored in the back. Next to them were several old inline engines on wooden stands. I didn't know enough to recognize the kinds, but I could tell that some were aero engines, and they were beautiful.
-- baconbrain, Aug 12 2014



random, halfbakery