Radial Motion engine for vehicles/aircraft taken from concept to production in 2021 by Adelaide engineers
The Radial Motion engine (inset) had its first prototype fitted to a Porsche 356 Outlaw.
An innovative three-cylinder compact radial engine, developed from concept in 2017 to production in 2021, came from a talented team of engineers, designers, machinists and technicians at a plant in Lonsdale, south of Adelaide.
Radial Motion was the company formed around the engine developed by Bespoke Engineering, a firm providing novel solutions to varied industries and specialising in prototype design and manufacture. Directed by Nick Mebberson, Scott Pearce and Loui Burke, the company had engineers with experience in aviation, mechatronics, mechanics and electrical.
The engineering team's original concept in 2017 was to develop a new aircraft engine but they quickly realised it could also be applied to automotive and defence needs. The first vehicle to be fitted with a prototype Radial Motion engine was a Porsche 356 Outlaw and later a VW Kombi and VW Beetle.
Using the engine in cars was a major win for the engineers during development as it allowed very inexpensive testing before the design could be honed for aircraft. Bespoke Engineering won a grant from the Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith Fund, acknowledging the famous Adelaide-born aviators, to develop the engine for use in light aircraft. The engine also was developed for sports (hill climb/track/road) vehicles, VW retrofits (Bugs and Kombis), trikes, off-road buggies and light aircraft.
Robust, simple and high performing, the Radial Motion engine was promoted as an “affordable dream for motorsport enthusiasts, custom car builders and lovers of machinery with personality.” Unlike the early radial designs, Bespoke’s three-cylinder 1600cc water-cooled engine used modern technology and a unique crank that made it compact, lightweight, elegant, fun and powerful.
Nick Mebberson said Radial Motion’s was built to last much longer than the modern automobile engine: “Today’s engines are disposable after 200,000 kilometers. Ours is easy to work on, tune and repair by the owner. This is an example of modern technology and materials combined with classic design. We wanted to build an engine that created endless possibilities of configuration and application."
Design concepts explored at Radial Motion, for defence, industrial, marine and civil applications, included a modular suite of V2, V4 and V6 engines and low-volume bespoke engine. Diesel, petrol, hybrid and jet fuel options were all explored, along with unusual crank designs.
Bespoke had a fully-instrumented Froude water brake dyno and the capability to design, test and manufacture powerplants to meet stringent criteria in a range of industry settings.