The Matra Sports V12 engine is an automotive internal combustion engine for sports car endurance racing and

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship ...

. It won the

24 Hours of Le Mans The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active endurance racing event. Unlike fixed-distance races whose w ...

three times.

Characteristics

The Matra Sports V12 is a four-stroke, water-cooled all-aluminum 60° double overhead camshaft

V12 engine A V12 engine is a twelve- cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines. The ...

with a seven-main-bearing crankshaft. It produced between , and of

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of t ...

History

This engine was designed by engineer Georges Martin, who designed the

Simca Simca (; Mechanical and Automotive Body Manufacturing Company) was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat S.p.A. and directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by Italian Henri Pigozzi. Simca was affiliated with Fiat and, after Simca bo ...

" Poissy engine". Martin joined

Matra Matra (an acronym for Mécanique Aviation Traction) was a French industrial conglomerate. During its years of operation, it was engaged in a wide range of business activities, primarily focused around automobiles, bicycles, aeronautics and wea ...

at the end of 1966 due to Philippe Guédon (who later became CEO of Matra), his former colleague at Simca without knowing what was expected of him.

Jean-Luc Lagardère Jean-Luc Lagardère (10 February 1928, Aubiet – 14 March 2003, Paris) was a major French businessman, CEO of the Lagardère Group, one of the largest French conglomerates. Jean-Luc Lagardère was a '' Supelec'' engineer. He began his career ...

announced that it is responsible to design an engine for

which has to develop 150 horsepower per litre.Georges Martin
at 'http://sitematrarama.free.fr/'

Complete Formula One World Championship results

( key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Notes and references

{{Reflist Formula One engines V12 engines Gasoline engines by model Matra