Friday 8th July 2011

Pic Of The Week: The 24-Litre Napier-Railton

When racing drivers were men and their mounts were, er, elephants?

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The 6.0-litre W12 that graces the under-bonnet regions of a Bentley Continental GT (and until recently the odd VW Phaeton) might seem like a rather chunky engine (and it is). But it is as nothing compared with the dubya-engined beast that Classic & Sports Jacket's Mick Walsh has been driving for the latest issue. (C&SC usually looks great on the coffee table, but this month's is a corker. Ed.)

The Napier-Railton that is featured in the latest issue of said journal is truly a monster. Built between 1932 and 1933 by John Cobb, this 24-litre beast was fitted with a 24-litre W12 engine, rated at 502bhp at 2200rpm, and with a scarcely comprehensible 1184lb ft of torque. Enough to push it to a top speed of 167mph.

It is also the car that holds the Brooklands Outer Circuit record, set in 1935 at a truly astounding 143.44mph. And if that ain't worth celebrating in Friday wallpaper-style, we don't know what is.

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[Frik]

It can fly too you know. I've seen the photos.