Jun 17, 2026 – 4.00pmIn 1972, young Perth engineer Ralph Sarich unveiled a peculiar, cylindrical-shaped engine that promised to revolutionise the conventional internal combustion system for vehicles around the world.While the radical design of Sarich’s orbital engine won him national acclaim and financial backing from the big end of town, including BHP, its unique configuration ultimately proved too complex for mass manufacturing.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles