 The new 3 @-@ litre engines under development by competing team Ferrari had 12 cylinders . Jack Brabham , owner and lead driver of BRO , took a different approach to the problem of obtaining a suitable engine . He persuaded Australian company Repco to develop a new 3 @-@ litre eight @-@ cylinder engine for him , largely based on available components ; the engine would produce less power than Ferrari 's , but would be lighter , easier to fix and more fuel efficient . 
