GW’s Engine Project for the 60's Inspired Squalo

Imagine a sixties inspired sports car with modern 21^st century engineering – that’s the Squalo.

Set to arrive with buyers in 2023, the UK-based Ferrari specialists, GTO Engineering, is celebrating the best of Sixties motoring with its bespoke hand-built sports car, with styling reminiscent of the iconic Ferrari 250 SWB.

And if that’s not exciting enough, Grainger and Worrall is a part of its engine building project, casting the first block of the 4.0-litre V12 engine in preparation for on-road testing this year.

A Blend of Old and New 

GW have manufactured Squalo’s first engine blocks, which will be transported to GTO Engineering UK HQ where it will be assembled in-house.

The engine is far from ordinary: in aiming to make it as light as possible, the company have set the ambitious goal for it to weigh under 165kg - more than 10kg less than a 1960 Ferrari 4.0-litre V12.

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Moreover, the unit will be set lower down and further back in the Squalo’s chassis than it did in the 250 SWB for better weight distribution, and it will rev to 10,000rpm – higher than Ferrari’s new 812 Competizone, which revs to just 9,000rpm.

It makes sure to blend modern technology and engineering with the influences of the past though. The Squalo’s V12 has carburettors instead of modern fuel injection like the Ferrari 250 SWB, mated to a manual gearbox.

The Squalo Source: GTO Engineering

The result? a reimagined modern version of the iconic motorcar from the golden age of motorsport.

Our Take 

We are thrilled to get the opportunity to build the lightest V12 engine ever seen in a road car.

With our dedicated team and experience in castings, engineering, technical, and material solutions, we are sure that Squalo’s V12 engine will not only smash the weight target of sub-165kg, but it will also achieve in being one of the most engaging naturally aspirated V12 engines ever fitted to a production road car.

If you'd like to know how the our casting process can help drive automotive innovation read our ebook, The Basics of the Sand Casting Process.