Eight Insane Vintage Cars Powered by Airplane Engines
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Il Drago Ruggente (Roaring Dragon)
This modern creation pays homage to the racers of the 1930s. Brought to life by Glenn Bilfist, Il Drago Ruggente, meaning "Roaring Dragon," is a stunning recreation that captures the spirit of the golden age of speed.
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1911 Fiat S76 "The Beast of Turin"
The Fiat S76, known as "The Beast of Turin," was built with one goal: to break the land speed record. This monstrous Fiat is a testament to early 20th-century engineering, boasting a massive engine designed for pure power.
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Sunbeam 350HP
A dominant force in early land speed record attempts, the Sunbeam 350HP represented the cutting edge of automotive engineering in its time. Its powerful aviation engine made it a pioneering vehicle in the quest for speed.
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BMW Brutus Experimental Vehicle
The BMW Brutus is less a car and more a rolling monument to engineering excess. Conceived and built by the German Technic Museum Sinsheim, this vehicle features a massive aircraft engine mounted in a custom chassis.
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The Napier Bentley
A true one-off special, the Napier Bentley was meticulously crafted by David Llewellyn and Peter Moley in the early 1970s. Combining a Bentley chassis with a powerful Napier aircraft engine, this car is a blend of British luxury and raw power.
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Petersen 27 Litre Meteor
Often referred to as the Bentley Meteor Special, this incredible machine is a custom build by Petersen Engineering, rather than a factory model. Its massive 27-liter Meteor engine makes it one of the most powerful vintage cars ever created.
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1926 Thomas Special 'Babs'
Originally one of Count Louis Zborowski's famed Chitty Bang Bang cars, this remarkable vehicle was transformed into 'Babs' by Welsh engineer and racing driver J.G. Parry-Thomas. 'Babs' achieved fame by breaking the land speed record, only to later crash and be buried in the sand for decades.
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Fiat Mefistofele
The formidable Fiat Mefistofele is a beast born from determination and ingenious improvisation. Famously created by British racing driver Ernest Eldridge, it combined a salvaged Fiat SB4 racing chassis with a monstrous 21.7-liter Fiat straight-six aircraft engine typically found in bombers from World War I. Its devilish nickname reflects its immense size, deafening roar, and prodigious smoke.
These eight cars represent a unique intersection of automotive and aviation history. By repurposing massive airplane engines, these builders created some of the most unique, loud, and powerful automobiles ever built, pushing the boundaries of engineering and capturing the imagination of car enthusiasts worldwide.