Coltrane's Planes and Automobiles

Robbie Coltrane continues his journey through 20th Century engineering by examining the engine that changed the course of motoring and military history: the supercharger. Travelling from the wilds of Scotland to the famous N?rburgring race track in Germany, Coltrane charts the development of the supercharger from its motor-racing origins to the vital role it played in the battle for air supermeacy in World War II and beyond.

The development of the V8 engine, from its origins in the Cadillac through its use by Ford during the Depression to its place in US motorsport.

Robbie Coltrane traces the development of the small but noisy two-stroke engine. Its cheap simplicity helped to rebuild the ailing postwar economy in East Germany with the production of the Trabant but in the west it was mainly used for leisure in such machines as lawnmowers, snowmobiles, model planes and boats.

Continuing his journey through engineering history, Robbie Coltrance traces the development of the jet engine from its humble wartime inception to its role in revolutionising international travel and modern warfare.