Vanwall VW5
The Chapman-framed, Costin-shaped Vanwall that gave Britain its first World Championship win and the first Constructors' title.
- Power
- 290 bhp
About the Vanwall VW5
Tony Vandervell's team built its 1957 and 1958 cars around a Colin Chapman spaceframe with slippery bodywork by Frank Costin, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, a five-speed gearbox and disc brakes. Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks shared a Vanwall to win the 1957 British Grand Prix at Aintree, the first World Championship race won by a British-built car, and Moss added the Pescara and Italian Grands Prix. The 1958 switch from alcohol fuel to aviation petrol cut power from about 290 bhp to 278 bhp on the test bed, but superior roadholding and streamlining compensated. Moss and Brooks each won three races in 1958, making Vanwall the first winner of the Constructors' Championship, though Moss lost the Drivers' title to Mike Hawthorn by one point. The season ended in tragedy when Stuart Lewis-Evans was fatally injured at the Moroccan Grand Prix.
Vanwall VW5 specs
The Vanwall VW5 produces 290 bhp (216 kW).
| Make | Vanwall |
|---|---|
| Model | VW5 |
| Years | 1957–1958 |
| Type | Race car |
| Body style | Open-wheel single-seater |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Engine | 2.5L naturally aspirated inline-4 (Vanwall) |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 2,490 cc (2.5 litres) |
| Induction | Naturally aspirated |
| Power | 290 bhp (216 kW) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive |
| Weight | 640 kg (1,411 lb) |
| Power-to-weight | 453 bhp per tonne |
Typical figures for the standard car; options, markets and model years vary. Where our specs come from
Vanwall VW5 rarity in CarSpot
The Vanwall VW5 is a Unicorn card in CarSpot, with a rarity score of 34 out of 100. The rarest tier: hypercars, one-offs and cars built in tiny numbers, typically fewer than about 500. A Unicorn card is worth 320 XP.
Each model's tier starts from a 0–100 score based on its value plus its power or production numbers. Once enough players have spotted a model, how often it is spotted can move it up or down one tier. How CarSpot rarity works
Rarity is a collectible game mechanic, not an assessment of real-world scarcity or value.
Vanwall VW5 fun facts
- The name combines team owner Tony Vandervell's surname with the Thinwall bearings made at his factory in Acton, London.
- Vanwall's four-cylinder engine began life as, in effect, four Norton Manx motorcycle cylinders on a crankcase copied in aluminium from a Rolls-Royce B40 military engine.
- In 2020 the revived Vanwall Group announced six continuation cars built to the specification of the 1958 VW5.