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The BMW Brutus Experimentalfahrzeug (experimental vehicle) will not sit well with the Prius contingent - its 46-litre V12 only manages 0.18mpg - but, as Richard and Jeremy agreed on Sunday, it is unequivocally glorious.
Firstly, the engine. After World War I, Germany was forced to disarm under the Treaty of Versailles, which meant there were a few plane engines knocking around. And in 1925, one of them found its way into BMW's hands.
See more pics of the BMW Brutus here
BMW then slapped it onto a 1908 American-LaFrance chassis for use as a racer. After much tinkering, it rolled out of the workshop later that year in all its lethal chain-driven, leaf-sprung glory. On account of its 12-cylinder, 46-litre engine and gently terrifying looks, the BMW techs christened it Brutus.
And it's the meeting point for some preposterous numbers. It'll chew through 6.5 gallons of fuel over a 1.2-mile sprint - that's 0.18mpg - and kick out around 28,000g/km of C02. That's slightly more than 282 VW Polo Bluemotions.
As for power, there's lots of it. And it's really firey (click below to watch the world's most ludicrous barbeque). It produces 493bhp at just 1500rpm, and can pull 62mph at a paltry 800rpm.
Want to see it in action? It'll be running up the hill at this year's Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, which is held between July 15 and 17.
Have you seen a more bonkers racer, TopGear.comists?
Open Car Bar
What do you think?
Want to comment on this?
wridy commented on this article
at 01:35 pm on 11 July 2011
This is brilliant the noise it makes when it starts up and you can make a sausage sandwich from it love the flames can i have that on my Clio. I think we should all send this clip to green peace now like Jezza said just to annoy them that little but more www.clippingtheapex.wordpress.com
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sakul97 commented on this article
at 02:25 pm on 11 July 2011
This reminds me of the Fiat Mephistopheles they talked about a bit ago. Massive plane engines, fantastic noise. Drag race, anyone?
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RealMan commented on this article
at 03:13 pm on 11 July 2011
Amazing!!!! Is one of these available for sale?
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DieselDaze commented on this article
at 03:32 pm on 11 July 2011
I love the start up ! Evey modern vehicle should sound like that during the start up sequence.
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JAR47 commented on this article
at 03:36 pm on 11 July 2011
Say you drive for 2 hours a day per week, 5 days a week. It will take Brutus only 2 min 7 sec, at idle, to negates one Polo Blue motion's green efforts of a whole week. Poweeeeerrr!!!!
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