Little-Known American Brand Creates Supercar with New 5.3-Liter Opposed Eight-Cylinder Engine
Little-known automotive company Runge Cars from Minnesota has introduced the unique R3 sports car with an engine that could make even Porsche engineers think. This small firm, which has specialized in hand-built cars for the past fifteen years, now aims to demonstrate its ambitions and craftsmanship in the new model.
Engine Technical Specifications
Analog Driving Philosophy
The car is designed to provide the most vivid and analog driving experience available today. The R3 has the potential to offer those sensations that are becoming increasingly rare in the modern era. The heart of this car will be an engine unlike any other produced in the United States.
Collaboration with Technical Experts
The engine, known as the Hetzer, was created in collaboration with Swindon Powertrain and air-cooling specialist Sol Snyderman. It is equipped with four valves per cylinder, two camshafts, and has a compression ratio of 12:1. Engineers claim the engine can reach up to 9000 rpm and “spins like a racing engine”.
Official power and torque figures have not yet been announced, however, according to preliminary estimates, the engine can produce up to 600 horsepower. More importantly, this opposed eight-cylinder engine is quite compact, allowing it to be installed on platforms of air-cooled 911 models.
Transmission and Design
All R3 models will receive a six-speed manual transmission that will drive the rear wheels. The car’s weight will be only 780 kg, and the design is executed in a retro style inspired by classic endurance racing cars.
Appearance and Exterior
As seen from detailed renders, the R3 has a low front end, round headlights and a small radiator grille. The interior looks very compact, with rearview mirrors mounted high on the A-pillars. The rear of the car is adorned with a large curved spoiler.
Price and Production
Information about the price of both the car itself and its engine has not yet been disclosed. However, given the level of manufacturing craftsmanship, the exclusivity of this model seems inevitable. Production volumes are likely to be limited, which fully corresponds to the concept of a car created for this purpose.
The emergence of such a project from a small American company demonstrates that the market for high-quality hand-built sports cars continues to exist, despite the general trend towards electrification and mass production. With its R3, Runge Cars reminds us of the importance of mechanical purity and the emotional connection between driver and car, which are often lost in modern technological solutions. Particularly impressive is the ability of a small workshop to create such technically complex components as an opposed eight-cylinder engine, which speaks to the high level of engineering culture and specialization in niche segments of automobile manufacturing.