The ROOF V8 is 4.5 liters in size is a high revving monster weighing less than 200kg, producing 550 horsepower at 8,500rpm and 500Nm of torque at 5,400rpm. That’s more power than what the high-revving 3.8 liter boxer in the 911 GT3 RS makes by a good 100 horses. The engine is built on an aluminum crankcase with dry sump lubrication. Each V bank has its own throttle butterfly.
Water-pump, alternator and the aircrew compressor are all driven directly by the engine without any belts, and are located in the lowest position possible. The engine puts power to the rear wheels only, via 6-speed manual transmission. The new ROOF RT-8 is the third generation RT.And it no longer runs a Porsche 6-pot. ROOF has junked the 6-pot (to be donated to Volkswagen Beetle dragsters somewhere across the globe?) in favor for a ROOF-designed V8. It’s not the same engine as the Porsche V8s found in the Panamanian and the Cayenne. Those are ‘conventional’ cross-plane crank V8s, but this ROOF V8 has a 180 degree ‘flat crank’ similar to Ferrari. They sound much different compared to the cross-plane ‘American-ish’ rumbly sound that we typically associate with V8s. Ever hear a Ferrari ‘rumble’? No, they have high pitched super bike-like howls, sounding more like two Civic Type R engines screaming in unison rather than an American V8.
