h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Rover light alloy V8 was originally designed by bmw in the 1930s, Buick got a grip of it in late 1945 early 46 as war compensation. It's still the best and most tunable V8 anywhere, a ton and half of tuned rover P6 hitting 60 in less than 5 seconds needs to be experienced to be appreciated. A garret supercharged V8 LR 90 is just plain scary, especially when running on firestone sats no roof, windscreen flat, glad i had full roll cage!
Discworld is wonderful stuff, the man himself T.P. got me reading his books when i lived near Glastonbury.

Was it really a BMW engine? I knew the design was old, but not that old....

My dad used to have a 3500S P6, that was a beautiful motor - and fast. I've driven a supercharged Range Rover Sport, that was quite scary, so I can imagine what a supercharged V8 90 was like . Nice .

Cool on the TP front - I've got most of his books, and I love them.

Yup a very old BMW design. I've also built a 1950 s1 with a TVR 420 rover derived V8, fully coil sprung, pearly white, with firestone sats, it would go just about anywhere.
My favourite is the 101 , a brilliant machine, a bit warm in the summer with the engine next to your left leg! Highly recommended for fun in the mud, especially when it's an ex radio vehicle converted to a camper van. Putting kettle on going up n down 1 in 1s not recommended
My brother always seems to have a P6, a 2000 sc now, he wants another 3500 though.
Discworld is imaginative and hilarious, every time i think about it i get the giggles, Rincewind on that donkey!!!