Subaru EJ Engine - Subaru Formula One Flat-12

Subaru Formula One Flat-12

In 1990 Subaru took over the Coloni Formula One team, acquiring a 51% ownership stake, paying off the team's debts, and supplying a new, unique engine. The engine was a flat-12 called the "MM" series, which in fact was penned by Carlo Chiti.

Chiti's Motori Moderni company at Novara had supplied V6 turbo engines for the Minardi Formula One team from 1985 to 1987, and in 1988 Chiti had penned a naturally aspirated V12 engine that attracted Subaru. In late 1988, the Japanese commissioned Chiti to design a new Formula One engine with a "flat" layout, as used in their road cars. The engine was completed in the summer of 1989, and was tested in a Minardi M188 chassis; due to a severe lack of power, Minardi lost interest. After a few months of searching, Subaru found the Coloni team. Eventually, the Subaru Coloni team was founded with Enzo Coloni staying on board as the man for operational business.

By the beginning of 1990, the Subaru flat engine was not producing more than 500 bhp, so the Coloni Subaru was by far the least competitive machine regularly competing in Formula One in 1990. Subaru and Chiti agreed to build a new V12 engine for summer 1990 together with a completely new chassis, but in the meantime the flat engine should be used by the Coloni Subaru Team in a carry-over chassis. Early in 1990, a handful of Enzo Coloni's mechanics worked on a single C3 and tried to put the Subaru engine in it. The work was not done until the day the FIA started shipping the Formula One material to Phoenix. In the pits at Phoenix, the car was assembled for the very first time, and a short private practice took place on a parking area of an American supermarket. On prequalification day of Phoenix the world saw Coloni's new model C3B which wore a white, red, and green livery. Without an airbox but with wide, long sidepods, it looked unusual, was overweight by 300 pounds and nearly impossible to handle. Bertrand Gachot, Coloni's new driver, was unable to prequalify the car at Phoenix or at any other event. As the season went on, improvements were few and results stayed nowhere. Meanwhile, no success could be seen at Coloni's plant in Perugia where obviously nobody worked seriously on a new car. In May, Enzo Coloni was sacked by Subaru, but no improvement came. In June, the Japanese company withdrew completely and sold the team back to Enzo Coloni, debt free, but with no sponsors and no engines. By the German Grand Prix Coloni had arranged a supply of Cosworth engines, prepared by Langford & Peck. An improved car also appeared in Germany. The new Coloni C3C was simply a 1989 C3 with minor changes in aerodynamics. The car was quicker, but not enough to achieve any serious results. Gachot was usually able to prequalify his car, but the main qualification was still out of reach. By the end of the season, Coloni had not taken part in a single Grand Prix.