The Hayabusa V8 first appeared on The Kneeslider over two years ago and since that time, Radical Sports Cars has been racing their SR8 prototype, powered by the eight cylinder engine, quite successfully. It even holds the lap record at the Nurburgring. The 2.6 liter Powertec V8 engine, based on two Hayabusa cylinder heads joined to a purpose built crankcase, can put out as much as 380 horsepower at over 10,000 rpm, quite a little beast. Well, as engines often do, the little bruiser grew up.
The newest version of the Powertec engine now displaces 2.8 liters and delivers 455 horsepower. According to Radical, it’s the most powerful small displacement racing engine available. Installed in the SR8LM, Radical says their car can now match the performance of a LeMans prototype around most circuits.
The Hayabusa based powerplant, which revs to 10,500 rpm, also delivers 250 foot pounds of torque in a compact package. In the SR8LM, it’s matched to a paddle shifted 6 speed transaxle.
This little V8 is a beautifully engineered piece and builds on the very effective Hayabusa engine to turn out something that just seems perfect for interesting projects, like the DP1. I like it a lot.
Link: Radical Sports Cars via Autoblog
Link: Powertec
Related: Motorcycle engine powered cars
Bueller says
from visiting their website i see they have prices listed for other engines, but not this one. do they sell either the 2.6 or the 2.8? it would be a riot to put this in a small car like an MG.
hoyt says
….or a ’56 Porsche Speedster
This is impressive. I’d love to hear what these sound like in person.
I’d also like Suzuki to build the Stratosphere so the in-line 6 can return for an encore….and, wouldn’t that be something to have Radical Sports Cars build a v-12 out of them?
Willie Schmitz says
Here’s some music from the past. The Guzzi V8 and Honda 6 are favorites, I’d love to hear this one in full song.
http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/Sounds.htm
aaron says
hoyt – how about a mini? remember the speed twelve and speed eight? the super twelve was one of the first cars I lusted after that weren’t from ferrari, porsche, or lamborghini.
http://clcalvet.club.fr/sbarro/SuperTwelve/supertwelvegb.html
http://clcalvet.club.fr/sbarro/SuperEight/SuperEightgb.html
aaron says
wait – screw the mini. the new fiat 500 would be much more suitable as a 2008 super eight successor.
OTTOMAN says
AARON IS RIGHT, A V-8 MINI ?
OTTOMAN says
P.S. I WANT ONE
Sean says
Awesome. Great to see the Busa kicking copious amounts of arse. That in an older mini, with some effective muffling, would be quite the sleeper.
hoyt says
Willie – thanks for that site with the sound clips. The Guzzi V8 is hard to beat.
The Norton Rotary was surprising.
Aaron – I ‘m sure those cars were/are a handful, but I can’t get past the styling….that’s why I’d love to shoe-horn one of the v8s into a curvy/sexy Porsche body or kit.
Eli says
hmmm so when the variable vane twin turbo version coming?
Mike says
I just wanted to point out that the DP1 is powered by a Hartley Enterprises H1 2.8 V8(approx $30,000 ready to run) not the more expensive radical V8.
David R. says
I been doin’ some measurements with my Lotus Elise for this motor/6-speed sequential box… could be made to work pretty easy. Would certainly kick some serious ASS !!! Need pricing and more/more accurate measurements for closer analysis… Any help would be much appreciaed (I’ne already spect’d an appreoriate brake/tire-wheel package…)
TNX,
JDR
technoyachts@yahoo.com
Drew B says
i really think some one should build a dreag bike chaisse for the 2.6 or 2.8 hayabusa it would have to be pupouse built cause of the rotation of the engine and the masive torque it makes that would be something to see!!
Drew B says
in other words weelie bar! and hold on! hey put one in an old bug!
douglas says
This company should find a way to mass produce the prodcut and gewt it into some tuner magazines
The guy who mentioed the Lotus Elise was spot on, perfect example of a great intended street use, (as a factory option!). Also it would go under the hood of the Honda S2000, or even a Miata, since 10 years ago guy were cramming 5.0 mustang engines in those.
But the Tuner crowd will have this shoehorned into Acura’s, Honda Civics, Sudaru WRX and Mitsu Lancer’s and add Turbo’s and NOS.
For me, it would really wake up my 91 BMW E30 318is coupe, but $10k is more than the
For Motorcycling I like my Italian V-Twins, Ducati and Aprilia, But the ‘Busa Engine is bullet proof in the bike,and making a 2.8 liter V8 for street cars seem like a viable production product. Hell Suzuki makes CARS, they should run with this and produce their own butch little car, sexy or boxy, hell throw the V8-busa in the ugly, cheep “Suzuki Esteem or SX4″ 4-door Piece of S—,! Its already All Wheel Drive! add 17” wheels, coil overs, body kit, and real sport seats, and just sell it to the mad public for about $20k with their 7 year 100,000 mile warrenty.
larry poch says
why not sell or give a motor to a bike builder with what you would like to see and hold control over motor and see what happens thanks chopper brothers inc. p.s. i have 3 v-8 bikes all crusers and all show pcs. i would like a try with a plastic motor trann combo to see what could be built would you sell a a mockup motor or a gutted combo thank you larry