Often associated with Chrysler’s powerplants, this design dates back to the early 1900s when several engineers discovered that hemispherical combustion chambers worked wonders for the unit’s thermal efficiency. By the late 1950s, many carmakers were employing it in various configurations. In Italy, there were Lancia’s V4 and V6 engines, as well as Alfa Romeo’s twin-cam “Bialbero.” In the UK, Jaguar’s new XK straight-six had them, while in the U.S., the Chrysler Corporation launched its first HEMI, a V8 dubbed FirePower.
A decade later, a new engine with hemispherical chambers was born in Japan. While the American manufacturer ended production of the FirePower and was working on a brand-new, race HEMI, Toyota was developing an upscale four-door sedan that could challenge the full-sized American cars in the Japanese market. At the time, these kinds of vehicles were used by wealthy businessmen with a passion for rumbling V8s, so to convince them to buy a Toyota instead, the company needed its own eight-cylinder.
Sourcing an American motor was out of the question since the main goal was to create an all-Japanese car, but the engineers had zero experience with V-shaped, eight-cylinders. A team of Toyota’s brightest talent was assembled, and folklore has it that numerous U.S.-build V8s were disassembled and extensively studied.
www.autoevolution.com
A decade later, a new engine with hemispherical chambers was born in Japan. While the American manufacturer ended production of the FirePower and was working on a brand-new, race HEMI, Toyota was developing an upscale four-door sedan that could challenge the full-sized American cars in the Japanese market. At the time, these kinds of vehicles were used by wealthy businessmen with a passion for rumbling V8s, so to convince them to buy a Toyota instead, the company needed its own eight-cylinder.
Sourcing an American motor was out of the question since the main goal was to create an all-Japanese car, but the engineers had zero experience with V-shaped, eight-cylinders. A team of Toyota’s brightest talent was assembled, and folklore has it that numerous U.S.-build V8s were disassembled and extensively studied.
Meet Toyota’s First Mass-Produced V8, the Japanese Hemi You Never Knew Existed
The 1960s saw the revival of Chrysler’s famed HEMI engine in the shape of a gargantuan 426-ci (7.0-liter) developed for NASCAR dominance. Across the Pacific, Toyota introduced its first series-production V8 and just like the famous Elephant, it featured hemispherical combustion chambers.
www.autoevolution.com