As far complicated engines that were way ahead of their time go, the one powering the BRM V16 F1 car has to rank at or close to the very top.

It’s amazing that it was all created with late 1940s technology, by bolting two superchargers onto a (small) 1.5-liter V16 engine that revved up to 12,000 rpm.

The BRM (short for British Racing Motors) model’s unit was good for as much as 700 hp with the boost cranked right up, half of which came in a jolt at just over 7,000 rpm. However, reliability issues kept it from being truly successful, despite being hugely advanced.

This year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the car was taken up the hill, but the run is really kind of underwhelming, given how much more spectacular it could have been.

The second video fixes that (hearing the engine being revved out), though, it’s only audio and photos – skip to minute six for what sounds like an acceleration run.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEOS