Frankly it looks scary. With no exhaust as such we’re treated to the sight of the aftermath of internal combustion shooting straight out of the exhaust ports while the whole car shakes violently. Bear in mind that in its day the S76 was reputed to be putting out around 300bhp and that all that power was transmitted to the axle by way of chains.

Quick compilation of clips showing some of the build and first firing of the FIAT S76 land speed record car in 100 years. At over 28 litres this was the biggest of the pre WWI monsters (and the biggest car engine ever built)—engine design changed a lot thereafter. The proper film will cover the history of this exciting period and tell the amazing story of its rebirth after 100 years.

The Beast of Turin trailer from stefan marjoram on Vimeo.

Thanks to Mel Francis.

New Video:


Wonderful artwork and photos by Stefan Marjoram, plus a few other images found online.

12 Comments
  1. Andrew Minney

    Ah Meph!
    Earnest Eldridge’s creation but not as good as his earlier one the Isotta-Maybach driven most successfully by LCGM Le Champion.
    Meph has been reborn so many times the Avanti pales into insignificance!!

    Andrew in England

  2. Andrew, your comment led me to do some research and it appears that: In 1911, Fiat built this monstrous 300 HP Record specifically to break the world speed record. Its 28.353 litre engine developed 290 horsepower. Fiat driver Pietro Bordino, then 24, showed no fear and drove it to 200 km/h at Brooklands and Saltburn and in April 1912, travelled the mile at 290 km/h on Long Island.

    Eldridge, on the other hand was born in 1896 and made his first record runs in 1923 in ‘Mefistofele’, a 1908 Fiat SB racer, lengthened to fit a 21.706 litre six-cylinder A-12 Bis Fiat airship engine.
    http://www.bigscalemodels.com/cars/fiat_mefistofele/mephistopheles.html

  3. Phil Payne

    Gary, you continue to amaze me! Bravo on the “Beast of Turin”, it was great coverage right down to the sketches. Turned the volume way up & almost drove my wife out of the house!

  4. Richard Ingham

    cool video !!! The full video should be great !!
    I’ve been following Stefan’s photography on flickr for quite awhile now.
    A very talented man
    Did you notice the Bug under the tarp about 58 seconds into the video ?

  5. Stan Mott

    Yo! Magnificent! Sparks, explosions, NOISE! Everything an engine should do to let us know it’s on our side! Very close to the WWII fighter aircraft exhausts with just a bit of pipe to prevent setting the fuselage on fire.

    Ohh, blessed beautiful technology of the most righteous kind!

  6. Yes Stan, the proportions and stance of Stefan’s lead illustration reminded me instantly of one of your own sketches! The Chinese may have discovered how to create the man-made explosion, but it was Western man who turned it into forward motion…

  7. Bradford

    Looking into those exhaust ports is like looking into the blast furnace of hell. Now THAT is a Man’s car.

    Thanks as always,

    Bradford T.

  8. That is definitely cool, but… is that a real team Starfish Barracuda back there?!? 🙂
    great shop dog too!

  9. Sheldon Payne

    Fire and brimstone in the video…astounding! So too the sketches by Stefan. I’d love to pin them on my Pinterest pages, but that sort of art is worth much. Great posting Gary.
    I recall Larry Brinker made a full size clay for the fabricators of a boat tail body Fiat for a guy named Evans in San Diego some years back. Equally impressive, but without the noise.

  10. Sheldon Payne

    Evans owned a couple of resort hotels on Mission Bay and was quite the collector. Not sure of the fate of his antique Fiat.

  11. DICK RUZZIN

    Gary,
    Thanks for putting this together. The video has shot throughout the car community like wildfire, everyone I know has seen and enjoys talking about the engine with a car attached. It will put a smile on your face.

    I love this video because it speaks to everything wonderful about cars, the hobby and the people. It brings you back to the basics, two seats, open car, big motor, lots of noise, sensation of speed, everything that is at the root of the fun. What a thrill it must be to drive that thing. The part where it starts and almost tips over by the explosion is crazy. I guess the exhaust manifold was not ready or were chosen to be left off when the film was made. What are those sparks that are coming out?

    Imagine going over 180mph on those tires! Tire technology was not very well advanced, it must have been like flying in an airplane on the ground at the time.

    The beauty of the video is that it will remind you of some memory in your own life that is relative, maybe the part that made you want to be involved with cars.
    There must be something Italian in there too.

    Thanks again Gary.
    Dick Ruzzin

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