The CH-Type was a 90° V6 engine developed by Renault-Gordini for Renault's autosport activities. This

François Castaing François J. Castaing (born 18 March 1945 in Marseille) is an automotive executive with Renault, American Motors, and Chrysler. He is an engineering graduate from École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers in Paris, and worked in Europe fo ...

design was the predecessor of the famous EF series. In 1972, after an agreement was reached with

Elf An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...

, technical director of Renault Gordini, was given the go-ahead to build a 2-litre engine that could be used in a "sports" model and then in

Formula 2 Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name return ...

. His team opted for a 90° V6, which was released in 1973 and was named the "type CH1" in honour of Claude Haardt, who had died in an accident a few months earlier.

Engines

CH1

1973-1977

*CH1 (N/A): Bore x stroke @ 9,800 rpm (1973), @ 10,500 rpm (1977) This V6 engine with four

overhead camshaft An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion c ...

s and four valves per cylinder would prove highly successful. Its record reads as follows: *European 2-litre Sports-Prototype Champion 1974, winning all seven races and the top three spots in the championship standings with the

Alpine A441 The Alpine A441 is a 2-liter ( Sports 2000) Group 5 sports prototype racing car built by French company Alpine and co-developed by Renault to compete in the 1974 European 2 Liter Sports Car Championship. It was designed by French engineer and r ...

. *European Formula 2 Champion 1976 with Elf 2, which notched up four race wins, four pole positions and six podium finishes in 12 races. *European Formula 2 Champion 1977 with Martini MK 22, which amassed five race wins, two pole positions and six podium finishes in 13 races. *A total of 14 race wins and eight podium finishes in 23 races in three seasons of 2-litre sportsprototype racing (1973-75) with the Alpine A 440 and A 441. *A total of 14 race wins, 10 pole positions and 20 podium finishes in 25 Formula 2 races in the 1976 and 1977 seasons, with the Elf 2 and Martini MK 19 and MK 22.

CHS

1975-1978

*CHS (

Turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...

): Bore x stroke @ 9,500 rpm (1975-1978) Used for the 1975 and 1976 World Championship for Makes and the 1977 and 1978

Le Mans 24 Hours The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active endurance racing event. Unlike fixed-distance races whose w ...

, this engine fully accomplished its second goal, with: *One victory and five podium finishes in the 1975 and 1976 championships with the Alpine A441T and A442. *Second place in the 1977 Le Mans 24 Hours with a Mirage GR8. *Victory in the 1978 Le Mans 24 Hours with the

Alpine A442 The Renault Alpine A442 (also known as the Alpine Renault A442 ) is a sports prototype racing car, designed and built by Alpine, but funded and powered by Alpine's owners Renault, specifically to contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Variants wer ...

CHS 2

1975-1978

*CHS 2 (Turbo): Bore x stroke / @ 9,500 rpm (1978) Taking full advantage of engine capacity regulations by extending the bore to while maintaining the same stroke of {{convert, 57.3, mm, in, 2, abbr=on, this engine enabled the only Alpine A443 entered at Le Mans in 1978 to tire out the

Porsche Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see #Pronunciation, below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany ...

s and help the Alpine A442 B to victory. CH Gasoline engines by model V6 engines