Roush RST-V8 engine steps forward
Chunky 380bhp unit is to be further developed
Motopower and Mountune Racing have announced a joint venture to assemble and market the Roush RST-V8 engine. It'll be sold by Motopower’s sales and marketing arm Firehawk Marketing.
The 320bhp+ RST-V8 engine has been developed over a period of time from the early 90’s when it first appeared in Gordon Murray’s ‘Lightning’ car. After a period concentrating on Superbike racing, Motopower turned its attention back to the V8 with a design upgrade and it is now fitted in several chassis, including Caterham Sevens. The development Caterham has already completed 20,000 hard trouble free validation miles on the latest engine.
The engine is a lightweight, high revving, four-cam, five-valve per cylinder all alloy unit which weighs from 74Kg. The cylinder heads are currently motorbike castings. Everything else has been designed, developed and manufactured for the engine.
The engine now incorporates belt drive camshafts and twin water pumps and is mated to a type 9 Quaife helical cut sequential gearbox and installed into an SV chassis which Caterham Cars has loaned for the project.
The RST-V8 was on display at the 2004 Caterham Festival, the bright yellow and distinctive RST-V8 Caterham took pride of place outside the MotorSport Vision Centre. A unit is to be fitted in a Lotus Elise, work is currently underway to combine the easy handling of the Lotus Elise with the awesome power of the RST-V8.
Strong sales interest has meant an expansion is necessary and Mountune, in conjunction with its parent company Roush Technologies, can provide the necessary additional bandwidth, including engine assembly, service and road car certification.
Russell Savory and David Mountain, principals of Motopower and Mountune respectively, have known each other for many years and this project embraces the core skills of both companies and takes the RST-V8 engine forward into low volume production. David Mountain said: "We can see that the potential of this superb engine is huge and we are delighted to be working with Russell and his team on this exciting project. To have an engine range that weighs in from 74Kg producing from 320bhp to well over 380bhp is quite something."
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