‘Christine’ turns out to be a ‘super-bitch’!

The four day dyno test of the Powertec RPA 2.6 litre V8 (or ‘Christine’ as Ted has taken to calling her) has been hugely successful. After the equivalent of 30 racing hours, Christine has proven to be attractive, smooth and reliable, but when you rouse her, she turns into a wild screaming ‘super-bitch’!

The maximum power figure recorded over the four days was 383bhp at 10,000 rpm!

The development programme involved varying the length of the eight primary exhaust pipes, trying different induction inlet configurations, varying the plenum chamber size, lengthening and shortening the inlet trumpets, and continually altering the engine management map.

The best run with the twin butterfly system that will be utilised in the SR8 saw a maximum power output of 372bhp at 9,800 rpm, with 207 ft lbs of torque at 6,800 rpm.

Ted Hurrell was understandably well-pleased, “It is unprecedented that a new engine development programme should go so well. This engine is going to re-write the book. The RPA engine is producing Cosworth DFV power at sensible clubman money. All the signs are that the RPA rebuild costs will be very reasonable, and the time between rebuilds should be over 30 hours.”

“When this development phase is complete, we will look at producing a two litre version, and a highly-tuned version for the hill climb boys. The sky is the limit. I’m expecting a call from Minardi and Jordan any day now!”