Honda RA272

The Honda RA272 was a Formula One racing car used by the Honda team in the 1965 Formula One season.

A successor to the Honda RA271, the RA272 was noticeable mainly for its technically-advanced (though rather wide and heavy) 48-valve 1,495.28 cc V12 engine (58.1 x 47.0 mm), a water-cooled, transversely mounted unit which reportedly gave 230 bhp at 13,000 rpm. The engine was safe to 14,000 rpm, which was unusually high for a 1960s engine design. The Honda V12 had staggering acceleration and often led the race into the opening lap after leaving the stationary starting grid. It led the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix from start to finish, driven by Richie Ginther, making it the first Japanese car to win a Formula One Grand Prix.

In 2004, the RA272 was simulated in driveable form in the Grand Prix Legends racing simulation game, appearing in the freely-available '1965 Mod' expansion. The RA272 could also be seen in the Honda marketing film "The Impossible Dream". [http://www.thepowerofdreams.com/]