Formula Atlantic started in the UK in 1971, based closely on the successful US Formula B, developed by the SCCA. It was open to production-based engines between 1100cc and 1600cc and, at first, the approved engines were the Alfa Romeo 1600 dohc, BMW 1600 sohc, Datsun 1600 sohc, Fiat 124 dohc, Ford 1500/1600 pushrod, Lotus Ford dohc (i.e 'twin cam'), Porsche 1582 pushrod and the Ford-Cosworth BDA. The BDA, homologated for Group 2 at 1601cc, would need to be reduced in capacity but would quickly prove to be the dominant engine. Formula B didn't allow the four-valve BDA but did allow fuel injection, which the UK didn't, so the Ford twin-cam dominated in the US and Canada until Formula Atlantic rules were adopted in 1974.

As initially designed, the formula specified a maximum of five gears, minimum weight of 968 lbs and maximum fuel capacity of 15 gallons. It was aimed to sit between F2 and F3. (Source: Autocar 17 Dec 1970 p23)

A very similar Formula Pacific later emerged in New Zealand and Japan but Australian Formula 2 stayed with the Lotus Ford twin cam. Ireland adopted Atlantic in 1974 but prior to that had Formule Libre (also known as Formula Ireland) with two classes, one to 2000cc and one for 1600cc twin-cams (source: Motoring News 9 Dec 1971 p10). In South East Asia, the Singapore and Malaysian GPs specified 1600cc twin-cam 8-valve engines (i.e. excluding the BDA) whereas that year's Japanese GP allowed free design engines up to 2000cc (source: Motoring News 13 Apr 1972 p26).

Note that the Lotus-Ford dohc engine is referred to throughout this site as the Ford twin-cam, the name by which it was usually known in period. Based on the Ford 116E pushrod engine and originally designed by Harry Mundy as a 1498cc engine for the 1962 Lotus Elan, it was increased to 1558cc to fit into the new 1600cc sports car racing class. It was used in single-seater racing cars as early as 1963 and was one of the spurs to the creation of Formula B in 1965.

The definitive Formula Atlantic version of the BDA was the BDD and this was the sole engine for use in the US WCAR/ECAR series until Toyota took over the series in 1989 and introduced their 4A–GE engine.