Zakspeed 1500/4
| Zakspeed 1500/4 | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Zakspeed |
| Designer | Norbert Kreyer |
| Production | 1985–1988 |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | 80° L4 |
| Displacement | 1.5 L (1,495 cc) |
| Cylinder bore | 90.4 mm (3.6 in) |
| Piston stroke | 58.25 mm (2.3 in) |
| Compression ratio | 1985–1987: 7.5:1 1988: 8.0:1 |
| Combustion | |
| Turbocharger | Garrett or KKK |
| Fuel system | Electronic fuel injection Bosch–Motronic engine management system |
| Fuel type | Gasoline (Shell) |
| Cooling system | Water-cooled |
| Output | |
| Power output | 640–1,000 bhp (477–746 kW; 649–1,014 PS) |
| Dimensions | |
| Dry weight | 125 kg (275.6 lb) |
The Zakspeed 1500/4 was a turbocharged straight-4 racing engine developed by privateer German team Zakspeed. The engine was used exclusively by Zakspeed in Formula One from 1985 to 1988. Zakspeed had been hoping to have the backing of Ford with their project after an association with them while running turbocharged Ford Escort and Capri models in Group 2 and Group 5 racing, but decided to go it alone after Ford chose to remain with their major partner, British engineering company Cosworth.
The Zakspeed engine was one of two German made 4 cylinder turbo's in Formula One at the time, with the other coming from BMW who had won the World Championship with Nelson Piquet and the Brabham team in 1983.
It was rumoured that Zakspeed's engine block was based on the Cosworth designed and built Ford BDA block used in the Ford Escorts that the team knew well, though in truth it was an entirely new aluminium block designed for the team by West German engineer Norbert Kreyer. Cosworth themselves had unsuccessfully tried to turbocharge the BDA for F1 in mid-late 1984 before settling on an all new, 120° V6 turbo in partnership with Ford.