**Radial Engines in Cars**
Radial engines are a type of internal combustion engine in which the cylinders are arranged in a radial pattern around a central crankshaft. This design is often used in aircraft engines, but it has also been used in a number of cars.
One of the earliest cars to use a radial engine was the Anzani-engined Mathis, which was produced in France in 1910. This car used a five-cylinder radial engine mounted at the front of the chassis. The engine produced 12 horsepower and was capable of propelling the car to a top speed of 40 miles per hour.
Another early example of a car with a radial engine was the Leyland Eight, which was produced in England in 1920. This car used a V-8 radial engine mounted at the rear of the chassis. The engine produced 70 horsepower and was capable of propelling the car to a top speed of 80 miles per hour.
In the United States, the first car to use a radial engine was the Franklin O-150, which was produced in 1932. This car used a nine-cylinder radial engine mounted at the front of the chassis. The engine produced 120 horsepower and was capable of propelling the car to a top speed of 85 miles per hour.
The Franklin O-150 was followed by a number of other American cars that used radial engines, including the Chrysler Airstream, the Cord 810, and the Lincoln Zephyr. These cars were all powered by V-8 radial engines that produced between 125 and 150 horsepower.
Radial engines offer a number of advantages over inline and V-type engines. They are more compact and lighter, and they produce less vibration. However, radial engines are also more complex and expensive to build.
Today, radial engines are no longer used in production cars. However, they are still used in a number of aircraft and other vehicles.
**Advantages of Radial Engines**
Radial engines offer a number of advantages over inline and V-type engines, including:
- * **Compactness:** Radial engines are more compact than inline and V-type engines, making them ideal for use in small vehicles.
- * **Light weight:** Radial engines are lighter than inline and V-type engines, which can improve fuel efficiency and performance.
- * **Reduced vibration:** Radial engines produce less vibration than inline and V-type engines, which can make for a more comfortable driving experience.
**Disadvantages of Radial Engines**
Radial engines also have a number of disadvantages, including:
- * **Complexity:** Radial engines are more complex to build than inline and V-type engines, which can increase their cost.
- * **Expense:** Radial engines are more expensive to build than inline and V-type engines, which can make them less affordable for consumers.
- * **Limited power output:** Radial engines typically produce less power than inline and V-type engines, which can limit their performance.
**Cars that Have Used Radial Engines**
A number of cars have used radial engines over the years, including:
* **Anzani-engined Mathis (1910)**
* **Leyland Eight (1920)**
* **Franklin O-150 (1932)**
* **Chrysler Airstream (1935)**
* **Cord 810 (1936)**
* **Lincoln Zephyr (1936)**
**Conclusion**
Radial engines offer a number of advantages over inline and V-type engines, but they also have some disadvantages. As a result, radial engines are no longer used in production cars. However, they are still used in a number of aircraft and other vehicles.