Rover-BRM race car returns to Coventry after 50 years

[dutchman]

The famous car, which competed in the Le Mans 24-hour race in the 1960s, will take part in Coventry Motofest at the end of May


The Rover-BRM gas turbine race car being test-driven in Coventry in the 1960s.

The iconic Rover-BRM gas turbine race car was test-driven on the streets of Coventry in the 1960s and will make its first return in 50 years during the three-day festival later this month.

Jointly built by Rover and the Owen Organisation, the car was the first gas turbine-powered vehicle to take part in the Le Mans 24-hour race, when it competed in the famous endurance race in 1963 and 1965 with motor racing legends Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart behind the wheel.

The car was first tested at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) track near Nuneaton by Graham Hill and was then road tested in and around the Coventry Ring Road.

Now over 50 years later, its Rover 150bhp 2S/150 two-shaft gas turbine engine, which runs at a constant 35-40,000rpm, is set to roar again on the 2.1-mile ring road as it takes its place on the Motofest sprint circuit.

Motofest’s festival director James Noble said: “It is truly wonderful news that the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon will be bringing the Rover-BRM gas turbine car and we are very thankful to them for their support.

“The car is a classic icon of its age and when Graham Hill was first testing the car he commented that ‘it sounds as if you’ve got a 707 just behind you, about to suck you up and devour you like an enormous monster’.

“So you can begin to imagine the amazing spectacle it’s going to create when it takes to Coventry’s roads again after first being road tested on the ring road in the 1960s.

“It will be a real homecoming for the car and we are so excited to have it as part of the sprint circuit racing display at Motofest 2015.”

Coventry Motofest will return for the its second outing from May 29-31 and will include races and time trials, live demonstrations and stunt shows across the city centre, as well as a huge concert in Broadgate on the Saturday night.

Rock legends The Stranglers will be the headline act and they will be supported by performances from 1990s favourites Reef, the band fronted by and named after former World Superbike champion James Toseland and Coventry band The Commonjets.

[rebbonk]

Very few people know that Rover were active in the jet turbine business. The Vulcan bomber auxiliary power unit was a Rover turbine unit, as was the advanced passenger train; IIRC.

I believe that Rover let the early turbine business go to Rolls Royce after they had a fall out with Whittle in the mid 40s.

However, Rover had what they thought was a superior design and continued development and experimentation in cars and trucks (with Leyland) well into the 60s.