The same cylinder was in use in the contemporary 14-cylinder Hercules, which was being brought into production when the design of the Centaurus started.

During development, Bristol contacted ICI Metals Division, Birmingham, to enquire whether a copper-chromium alloy with higher thermal conductivity would have sufficient high temperature strength to be used for this purpose.

Other wartime, or postwar, uses included the Bristol Brigand and Buckmaster, Hawker Tempest and Sea Fury and the Blackburn Firebrand and Beverley.

The eight Centaurus engines were to be replaced with eight Bristol Proteus gas turbines on the Mark II giving a 100 mph (160 km/h) faster cruising speed at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) higher altitude.

[2] The 373 was the most powerful version of the Centaurus and was intended for the Blackburn Beverley transport aircraft.

[4] A projected enlarged capacity version of the Centaurus was designed by Sir Roy Fedden; cylinders were produced for this engine, but it was never built.

Known as the Bristol Orion, a name used previously for a variant of the Jupiter engine and later re-used for a turboprop, this development was also a two-row, 18 cylinder sleeve valve engine, with the displacement increased to 4,142 cu in (67,875.2 cm3) [6.25 in × 7.5 in (159 mm × 191 mm)], nearly as large as the American Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major four-row, 28-cylinder radial, the largest displacement aviation radial engine ever placed in quantity production.

[7] Centaurus XII – 2,300 hp (1,700 kW), was a development of the Centaurus IV with twin-turbine entry supercharger, redesigned propeller reduction gear and Hobson-RAE injector and vertically mounted starter motor.

[9] Centaurus 160 – 2,625 hp (1,957 kW), two-speed full/medium supercharger, a front cover suitable for braking propeller, front ignition, 150 hp (110 kW) accessory drive, improved sleeve timing and dynamic suspension mounting.

[9] Centaurus 630 – 2,450 hp (1,830 kW), civil engine with single-speed medium supercharger, a front cover suitable for braking propeller, front ignition, 150 hp (110 kW) accessory drive, improved sleeve timing and dynamic suspension mounting.

[9] Centaurus 660 – 2,625 hp (1,957 kW), civil engine with two-speed full/medium supercharger, a front cover suitable for braking propeller, front ignition, 150 hp (110 kW) accessory drive, improved sleeve timing and dynamic suspension mounting.