Honda RA271
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
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| Constructor | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Yoshio Nakamura Shoichi Sano |
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| Predecessor | RA270 | ||||||||
| Successor | RA272 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminium monocoque with tubular rear subframe. | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbone, with inboard coilover spring/damper units. | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | As front. | ||||||||
| Axle track | F: 1,300 mm (51 in) R: 1,350 mm (53 in) |
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| Wheelbase | 2,300 mm (91 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Honda 1,495 cc (91.2 cu in) 60° V12, naturally aspirated. Transverse, mid-mounted. | ||||||||
| Transmission | Honda 6-speed manual transmission. | ||||||||
| Weight | 525 kg (1,157 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | BP | ||||||||
| Tyres | Dunlop | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Honda R&D Co. | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |
 Ronnie Bucknum
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| Debut | 1964 German Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only. |
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The Honda RA271 was Honda's second Formula One racing car, and its first to actually enter a race. The chief engineer on the project was Yoshio Nakamura, with Tadashi Kume in charge of engine development. It was driven in three races during 1964 by American driver Ronnie Bucknum.
The car was developed from the company's 1963 prototype, retrospectively designated RA270. It was developed around Honda's revolutionary F1 engine, a 1.5 L V12, at a time when V8s dominated the F1 paddock, as constructed by BRM, Climax, Ferrari and ATS. The only other major manufacturer deviating from the received V8 wisdom were Ferrari, who experimented with both V6 and flat-12 layouts, although they ultimately elected to stick with their V8. No other manufacturers were running V12s at the time. The RA271 made its race debut during the 1964 Formula One season, just one year after Honda started producing road cars, and was the first Japanese-built car ever to enter a round of the FIA Formula One World Championship.
Only one RA271 was built. The car is currently on display in the Honda Collection Hall at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.
The RA271 was created by Japanese development engineer Yoshio Nakamura, who had been with Honda since 1958 and had already worked as development project manager on the RA270 F1 prototype the previous year and the S360 sports car project, which was launched in 1962. The car was based on the RA270 prototype and was designed around the new Honda V12 engine, which was revolutionary in the sport at the time.
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