In 1964, Honda fought on the F1 Grand Prix stage for the first time. This daring challenge, later called its first F1 era, marked the beginning of Honda’s F1 activities, which would become the company’s DNA. The code number for the special engine that powered the RA271 was RA271E, where “E” stood for engine.

The “RA” in the RA271E stands for Racing Automobile, an acronym Honda F1 has used this ever since. The 271E is a modified version of the F1 prototype engine (code name: 270E). The origin of “270E” is only known through hearsay. One theory is that Honda aimed for a top speed of 270 km/h.

The RA271E is announced as a liquid-cooled transversely mounted 60-degree, V-12, DOHC 4-valve engine with a displacement of 1495 cc (bore x stroke: 58.1 x 47 mm), a maximum output of 220 hp at 11,500 rpm, and an engine weight of 209 kg including a 6-speed gear box.

Soichiro Honda, who was the chief engineer in charge of technical development for Honda’s first attempt at F1 racing, set the development goal of “an engine that no other manufacturer could match.” To this end, the RA271E was developed as an extremely innovative and unique racing engine.

In the 1.5-liter era of F1 racing that began in 1961, V6 and V8 engines were at the height of their popularity, but Honda developed the first V12 engine of its era to achieve higher rpm and output. At the time, most F1 engines used a SOHC 2-valve train, while Honda opted for a DOHC 4-valve train for the RA271E.

The transverse engine layout adopted by Honda, aiming to optimize Z-axis moment, was unique in the history of F1, and still is.

The introduction in F1 racing of the latest technologies used to develop the RA271E, resulting from Honda’s experience in motorcycle Grand Prix racing, attracted a great deal of attention. The multi-cylinder DOHC 4-valve engine design had already powered Honda’s racing bikes that had conquered all displacement classes in motorcycle GP racing, and was a well-proven configuration. Without exaggeration, this was a familiar technology to Honda, since all its in-line engines in motorcycle racing bikes were transversely mounted.

Thanks to these technologies, the RA271E boasted the highest output among the F1 engines of the time. It was, however, a difficult engine to maintain because it was designed to be highly reliable and durable, and was anything but lightweight. Symbolic of these weaknesses were the heavy and complicated roller bearings and assembled crankshaft. This technical philosophy that demanded excessive durability and reliability became the bane of Honda’s activities in its first F1 era.

In the 1964 season, the RA271 powered by the RA271E raced in three GPs, including its debut race.

The four Keihin twin-choke carburetors used in the RA271’s debut race were installed as a stopgap measure because Honda’s fuel injection system, was under development and was not ready. However, because Honda insisted on manufacturing its own engines, this also became a weak point of its first-era F1 engines.

Honda F1 team’s engineers at the time were nonetheless convinced of the potential of the RA271E based on their experience in these three races. Although it had some weaknesses, they were convinced that it had the potential to win the championship, so they did not wait until the final race to start preparations for the following 1965 season. They accelerated their technological development to overcome the RA271E’s weaknesses.