Big Block got smoked by a...

[ffindling]

Small turbocharged engines can be wickedly powerful. The BMW M12/13 engine was probably the most powerful ever fielded in F/1. It was a 1.5 litre 4 cylinder that could digest incredible amounts of boost. In qualifying trim, the
engine was said to produce around 1200 hp running at +5 bar of boost. In race trim, the little engine put out 850 - 900 hp.
Of course, this generated a <i>lot</i> of
heat, so a large intercooler was required
and an extremely rich fuel mixture was used to carry off the excess heat. It made
for a fire belching display as the turbo over-run lit off and blew the unspent fuel
out the exhaust. It was pretty amazing for
an engine based on a cast-iron production
block. The Supra DOHC in-line 6 while not
quite the legend as the BMW M12/13 was is
well suited for high-boost turbocharging and getting 2000 hp out of one in race
trim is not that difficult. Cubic inches may have ruled the day years ago, but
the turbo technology that was honed in
the 80's changed all that.

.....Fred