The P series from 1937, whose 6‑cylinder engine was initially named “Panther”, was a pioneering development. Today, Perkins offers probably the widest range of engines and has produced more than 22 million engines, which are used in more than 5,000 different applications. Are you looking for a suitable engine for your application? Then contact us.
The Wolf was the first milestone in the Perkins success story. The Wolf was developed from an earlier model, the Vixen, and was offered in 1933 as an alternative to the petrol engine in the Commer vehicles of the traditional British car brand Humber. In 1937, just five years after the company was founded, Perkins was already taking orders for almost 2,000 engines a year. In view of these good prospects, the company began to develop the second generation of engines — a smoother-running, more powerful six-cylinder instead of the crude four-cylinder first model. It took just five and a half months to design, detail and build the first prototype. The company’s board of directors was so impressed with the engineering team’s performance that it was approved for production after just a few hours on the test bench.
A forward-looking move, as this engine, initially called the “Panther”, would eventually have a significant and lasting impact on both Perkins and the diesel industry as a whole — it was produced until 1969. The P4 and P6 engines, developed by Charles Chapman, the company’s original technical director, were unveiled at the 1937 Commercial Motor Show. They were compact and lightweight engines that established Perkins as a major supplier. The P6, which produced 63 kW at 2600 rpm and was advertised as “the lightest diesel engine in the world”, was an instant sensation. The P4 and P6 formed the basis for many more award-winning engines and a successful company history. Today, Perkins offers the widest range of engines and has produced more than 22 million engines used in more than 5,000 different applications.
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