Beyond the V-6? The W-8, of Course
By DON SHERMAN
A 987-horsepower W-16 engine will power the $1.2 million
Bugatti Veyron 16.4. <------- click for pic
WATCH out, V, the W might be gaining ground.
W-shape engines, a recent twist in design, have begun to show up under the hood of several new models from the Volkswagen Group, offering a fresh approach to packing more cylinders into engine compartments. With space made scarcer by designers staking out a greater share of the automotive real estate for passengers, the W engines could also muscle in on the V-8 engine's traditional position in the pecking order of under-hood prestige.
The W engines - there are 12- and 16-cylinder derivatives, too - are part of an array of engine designs, sizes and even shapes that power current vehicles, some of which have been tailored to meet goals not apparent at first glance.
As a result of all this innovation, the choices to be considered in a new car purchase are no longer a simple matter of deciding between an in-line six cylinder or a V-8, as it was for most vehicles of a generation or two ago. Today, buyers can shop for cylinders like bologna - purchasing 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 or more - to suit their driving needs.
The family of engines with their cylinders arranged in a W configuration is among the latest solutions devised to fit more cylinders in less space. The most extreme extension of this design is the 16-cylinder, eight-liter, quadruple-turbocharger engine of the 2005 Bugatti Veyron 16.4, which arrives in the United States next spring wearing an expected price tag of $1.2 million.
The Veyron's 987-horsepower W-16 is directly related to 8- and 12-cylinder versions used by three other VW brands: Audi, Bentley and Volkswagen. Interestingly, the company that earned a loyal following by building simple, economical automobiles now offers some of the most complex engines designed for road use.
Before delving into what makes this new W engine worth the engineering effort it required, here is a brief survey of the most common engine configurations produced today.
In-line engines, with cylinders arranged in a single row, are offered in three-, four-, five- and six-cylinder variations. In-line four's, which account for a quarter of the engines sold in the United States in 2002, according to WardsAuto.com, provide an excellent blend of low cost and good fuel economy.
However, as automakers expand displacement of four-cylinder engines to increase power output, vibration levels increase, too. Some automakers employ a system of balance shafts to counteract the engine's natural shaking forces; this mechanism is needed to civilize the W-8 and some V-6 engines, too.
Adding cylinders to an in-line design is an efficient way for automakers to offer variety, as the added family members can be machined on the same production lines. Volvo uses an in-line five, and produces four- and six-cylinder siblings based on the same architecture. In-line six-cylinder engines offer the benefit of being inherently vibration-free, which is part of the reason BMW has made this layout its signature power plant.
After abandoning in-line sixes in favor of V-6's, General Motors recently revived the in-line layout for S.U.V. use. Four- and five-cylinder versions of the engine - basically shorter slices of the bologna - are available in 2004 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups.
The slim proportions of an in-line four make this design ideal for sideways installation (across the length of the car, rather than front-to-back) under the hood of compact models. The benefit of a narrow engine isn't lost when the car gets larger and graduates to more cylinders. A transversely mounted in-line engine frees up more "crush space" than a V, adding a safety margin in collisions, according to Volvo, which uses transverse in-line fives and sixes in its S80 sedan and XC90 sport utility.
The V-engine configuration accounts for nearly two-thirds of all engine installations in the United States today, with V-6's being the most common. The dimensions of a V-6 engine - only three cylinders long - make for a convenient fit under the hoods of front-wheel-drive cars.
I'd just rather have the bugatti. 210? Hell why not just buy a brand new corolla. Afterall how often do you see ~115? The bugatti I'm betting is easier to drive for the average joe, if only for the awd. At least as far as launching it is concerned.
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