BMW Brutus V12, built in 1908

Did BMW create the ultimate driving machine in 1908? 750 spluttering horses from a 47 liter V12 aircraft engine. Probably the origin of the word brute.




More information about the car
The Brutus racing car is an extraordinary vehicle that was constructed in the Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim's workshops in Sinsheim, Germany. After WW II many aircraft engines were available since Germany was not allowed to own aircraft. These engines were installed on old undercarriages and used to perform races.

An 1908 American-LaFrance chassis with chaindrive was being used as a basis for Brutus. A 12-cylinder 1925 BMW aircraft engine with 46 liters displacement and a constant performance of 500 hp at 1500 rpm was mounted on top. The attraction of this vehicle is not least due to the fact that it is going to reach a speed of far beyond 100 km/h at about 800 rpm only. After several years of hard work the vehicle was in the early fifties of the last century ready.

Source - http://www.flickr.com/photos/35110249@N05/5085455843/

Dang!! that would definetly taste a little funny? Dont you think? Pass the Gasonline Sauce Please!!! I love that unburned gas taste!!

This is old news, never the less it's still a beast of a car

Well not really old news but someone already posted a thread about this.

Do you know where I can find this thread or link or whatever....Need all the info I can get!

Originally Posted by Tech25

Do you know where I can find this thread or link or whatever....Need all the info I can get!

Yeah i'll try to find it. Let me get back to you

Here it is.

Originally Posted by luckydog

Probably the origin of the word brute.

+1

Holy balls!!! the whole engines the size of my Z. They shoulda just put a whole cow under that sucker instead.

Well we all know that bmw got its start as building airplane engines during the war time. No shocker they started big and worked it down to the premier or aa they say ultimate driving machine.

I did question the flavoring of the meat being freshly carbonized exhaust.

Originally Posted by seth1993

Holy balls!!! the whole engines the size of my Z. They shoulda just put a whole cow under that sucker instead.

Originally Posted by mancho

Well we all know that bmw got its start as building airplane engines during the war time. No shocker they started big and worked it down to the premier or aa they say ultimate driving machine.

I did question the flavoring of the meat being freshly carbonized exhaust.

Originally Posted by seth1993

Holy balls!!! the whole engines the size of my Z. They shoulda just put a whole cow under that sucker instead.

So just saying thats 43,000cc right?

Can someone help me understand how this is a BMW?

BMW didn't come into being until 1917. Before that Rapp Motorenwerkes biggest engine was the Rapp III an inline 6 (natch) with 175 horses and that was in 1914. BMW didn't even produce automobile engines until after WWI.

Originally Posted by Naldo

Can someone help me understand how this is a BMW?

BMW didn't come into being until 1917. Before that Rapp Motorenwerkes biggest engine was the Rapp III an inline 6 (natch) with 175 horses and that was in 1914. BMW didn't even produce automobile engines until after WWI.

Good question, you got me wondering. I looked around and found this -

The Brutus racing car is an extraordinary vehicle that was constructed in the Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim's workshops in Sinsheim, Germany. After WW II many aircraft engines were available since Germany was not allowed to own aircraft. These engines were installed on old undercarriages and used to perform races.

An 1908 American-LaFrance chassis with chaindrive was being used as a basis for Brutus. A 12-cylinder 1925 BMW aircraft engine with 46 liters displacement and a constant performance of 500 hp at 1500 rpm was mounted on top. The attraction of this vehicle is not least due to the fact that it is going to reach a speed of far beyond 100 km/h at about 800 rpm only. After several years of hard work the vehicle was in the early fifties of the last century ready.

Source - http://www.flickr.com/photos/35110249@N05/5085455843/

I updated the OP's post with the information as well.

Tim

Originally Posted by tim330i

Good question, you got me wondering. I looked around and found this -


Source - http://www.flickr.com/photos/35110249@N05/5085455843/

I updated the OP's post with the information as well.

Tim

Ah HA! Thanks Tim, very cool information!

Originally Posted by Naldo

Can someone help me understand how this is a BMW?

BMW didn't come into being until 1917. Before that Rapp Motorenwerkes biggest engine was the Rapp III an inline 6 (natch) with 175 horses and that was in 1914. BMW didn't even produce automobile engines until after WWI.

However they bmw did build airplane engines during WWI, so regardless it is technically a bmw. I get what youre saying though.