Brutus (car)

Brutus is an aero-engined car. It is powered by a water-cooled 46 L BMW V12 aircraft engine, which produces between 490-550 hp @ 1530 rpm, but can produce a maximum of 750 hp @ 1700 rpm for shorts bursts of one minute, and is mated to a 1907/1908 American LaFrance chassis.

Background
Brutus made an appearance on the British television program Top Gear on 4 March 2012, during the sixth episode of Season 18. The Brutus was built in Germany shortly after World War II, when a 1908 American LaFrance car was fitted with a 46.9 L V12 BMW aircraft engine that dates to 1925. The car was created over several years at a workshop at the Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Germany, which still owns it. According to the Museum, the Brutus can produce 500 hp at 1,500 rpm, while its fuel efficiency averages 1 L/km. After driving the car on Top Gear, presenter Jeremy Clarkson described the experience as akin to "doing a crossword while being eaten by a tiger".