Coventry Climax
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Coventry Climax was a British specialty engine manufacturer. The company was started by a former Daimler employee who saw a need for competition in the nascent piston engine market. Coventry Climax engines powered many pre-war marques, including Triumph, Morgan, Clyno, Crossley, Swift, and Standard. Post-war Coventry Climax users included Kieft, Lotus, Cooper, and TVR.
In 1949, the company shifted away from automobile engines and into other markets, including marine and fire pumps. But their tiny, powerful engines were hard for carmakers to resist, so they continued to be used in racing cars. Their 1020cc "FW" (Feather Weight) straight-4 was adapted for racing as the 1097cc FWA, producing 72hp. Other FW variants included a tiny 750cc FWC used by Dan Gurney. This engine was used in Lotus cars and the Hillman Imp.
One special engine from the company is the FWMV Coventry Climax V8. At 1500cc (63x60mm), it remains the smallest V8 engine ever produced, though it never found its way into a road car. It produced 174hp and was used by many racing cars from Lotus, including the Lotus 18, Lotus 24, Lotus 25, and Lotus 33.
The company was purchased by Jaguar Cars in 1963, which then merged with British Leyland in 1968.
Vehicles
Some notable Coventry Climax-powered cars:
- 1934 Morgan Aero, 1122cc straight-4
- 1935 Triumph Gloria
- 1957 Lotus Elite, 1216cc FWE
- 1958 TVR Grantura, 1216cc FWE