board ▁with ▁" B ow in ▁variable ▁rate ▁spring ▁control ". ▁ ▁The ▁P 8 ▁was ▁ste ered ▁by ▁a ▁cam - ad just able ▁mag nes ium ▁ra ck ▁and ▁pin ion ▁designed ▁by ▁Bow in , ▁with ▁an ▁energy ▁absor bing ▁ste ering ▁column ▁sur mount ed ▁by ▁a ▁le ather - cover ed ▁ste ering ▁wheel . ▁ ▁The ▁bra kes ▁were ▁Gir ling ▁ ▁disc ▁bra kes ▁with ▁al loy ▁cal i per ▁assemb lies . ▁The ▁tw in ▁bra king ▁system ▁was ▁adjust able ▁for ▁length ▁and ▁had ▁an ▁adjust able - rat io ▁balance ▁control . ▁The ▁rear ▁bra kes ▁were ▁mounted ▁in board ▁on ▁the ▁g ear box ▁to ▁reduce ▁uns pr ung ▁weight . ▁The ▁whe els ▁were ▁mag nes ium , ▁with ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁front ▁and ▁ ▁or ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁rear . ▁ ▁It ▁had ▁a ▁wheel base ▁of ▁, ▁a ▁track ▁of ▁ 6 1 ▁( front ) ▁and ▁ 6 3 ▁( re ar ), ▁and ▁a ▁weight ▁of ▁ ▁( including ▁the ▁tw in ▁cam ▁engine ). ▁ ▁The ▁transmission ▁was ▁a ▁H ew land ▁F T 2 0 0 0 , ▁providing ▁five ▁spe eds ▁and ▁reverse , ▁and ▁it ▁had ▁an ▁al loy ▁adapt or ▁plate . ▁ ▁The ▁hyd ra ul ic ▁cl utch ▁system ▁was ▁complete , ▁up ▁to ▁and ▁including ▁the ▁release ▁mechanism ▁on ▁the ▁g ear box . ▁ ▁The ▁engine ▁was ▁water - co o led ▁by ▁tw in , ▁cross -