by Brad Anderson
- Runge’s R3 features a 5.3L air-cooled flat-eight revving to 9,000 rpm.
- Handmade sports car aims to deliver a visceral analog experience.
- Otput is around 600 hp, nearly 100 more than Porsche’s 4.0 flat-six.
You probably haven’t heard of Runge Cars, a small outfit from Minnesota with a knack for doing things its own way, but you may want to start paying attention. This unassuming builder has just revealed something that could make even Porsche’s engineers pause: a 5.3-liter, naturally aspirated, air-cooled flat-eight destined for the firm’s new mid-engined R3 sports car.
The company, known for its hand-built machines over the past fifteen years, is dialing up its ambitions with the R3, a car that aims to showcase its craftsmanship.
Pursuit Of The Analog
Designed to “deliver the most visceral, analog driving experience available today,” the R3 has the potential to offer the kind of thrills that are becoming less common in the modern era. The beating heart of it will be an engine unlike any other manufactured in the United States.
Watch: The Runge Veleno Is A Hand-Built Modern Classic With Dodge Viper DNA
Brought to life through a collaboration with Swindon Powertrain and air-cooled specialist Sol Snyderman, the flat-eight, known as the Hetzer, features four valves per cylinder, dual overhead camshafts, and a 12:1 compression ratio. It’s engineered to spin up to 9,000 rpm and, according to Runge, “revs with the urgency of a race engine.”
Runge has yet to announce horsepower and torque figures for the car, but Car and Driver suggests it could deliver as much as 600 hp, or almost 100 hp more than Porsche’s current flagship naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six.
What’s more, the flat-eight is said to be compact enough to allow it to bolt in to air-cooled 911 platforms.
All R3s will see this engine mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. The car will reportedly tip the scales at a mere 780 kg (1,719 lbs) and has a retro-themed design inspired by some classic endurance race cars.
Previewed with a series of detailed renderings, we can see the R3 has a low-slung front end, circular headlights, and a small front grille. It also looks to have a very compact cockpit with wing mirrors mounted high on the A-pillars. Found at the rear is a large curved wing.
Pricing remains undisclosed, both for the car and the engine itself, but given the level of craftsmanship involved, exclusivity seems inevitable. Production numbers will likely be low, which feels fitting for something built with this kind of intent.
