Has there ever been an automobile that offered a 4, 6 or 8 cylinder engine? Of course 2 choices is very common, but how about 3? The only thing I can think of that might fit here is the Ford Econoline vans. I know they come 8 and 10, but I’m not sure of a 6.
I believe the Volkswagen Passat comes in 4, 6, and 8 cyl engine.
Oh yeah, I think it also comes in a 4 cyl Turbo as well, but no diesel!
Cadillac once offered a car that was a V-8, but could shut down up to four cylinders based on driving conditions to try and save fuel. It didn’t work very well, and Cadillac quickly dropped it, word is that they’re planning on reintroducing a newer version of the same thing soon.
I saw an article on that, it’s a V12 that can go to a 6, I think. It also produces a measley 1000hp.
You’re thinking of the new V-16. Which is nothing new- Cadillac had a V-12 and V-16 available to the public in the 1930s
Actually, the Cadillac was made from about 1977 to to around 1980 or so. It was called the 8-6-4, and was a modification of the mid-model… was it the 476-inch engine?
Anyway, it had some solenoid arrangements that disabled the rockers for the valves of four cylinders. The computer also disabled the fuel flow to those cylinders.
It did, after a fashion, work, but the fuel savings were marginal, and came nowhere near the additional cost of the system, nor the additional maintenence and breakdown costs.
In the OP, if the poster is asking if any vehicle was available, optionally, with any choice of four, six or eight cylinder engines, yes, a great many were.
The early eighties’ Camaro, for example, came with a “base” 151 cube 4-cylinder. As you can imagine, few were ordered this way, but the 2.3L V6 was pretty common, as was the 305" V8.
Most of the larger and midsize GM products, like the Skylarks and Cutlasses, in the late seventies and early eighties were available with, depending on the model, inline fours and sixes, V-6es and V-8s.
Of course, if you’re talking a model over a set period of time, those Econolines at one time were not available with anything BUT an inline-six.
The BMW 5 Series used to, 518 = 4 cyl, 523 = 6 cyl, M5 = V8.
The Australian offshoot of General Motors - a sub-division of GM known as General Motors Holden offered a model from 1979 to 1987 known as the Holden Commodore. It was based on the German Opel Cadet if memory serves me right. I’m pretty sure the original model was an Opel Cadet - certainly, the original body shape and platform was an Opel undoubtedly. Although, once production got up and running, the car became “Australianised” and followed it’s own evolutionary path down here.
It was a medium sized family car - relatively light and overall, quite a good handling car. It was a “live axle” rear wheel drive vehicle.
It was offered in the following engine configurations…
(1) A 2.0 liter locally designed 4 cylinder north-south condifguration known as the “Starfire” engine. Apparently, one of the most bulletproof 4 cylinders ever made. The con-rods in particular are much sought after and were extensively used at the height of the turbo era in Ford Sierra-Cosworths believe it or not.
(2) A locally designed push-rod side-valve small block 3.3 litre straight six. An engine which derived all the way back to the early 50’s. In it’s final incarnation, it featured a highly regarded electronic fuel injection, and was upgradeable to a pretty high performace alloy “Yella Terra” head with a high performance cam etc. It was an engine easily capable of 300hp and holding together under great duress. Various racing guys easily got 8,000+ rpm out of the sucker.
(3) A locally designed push-rod 5.0 litre V8. All iron block and heads, but upgradeable to allow heads via the “Yella Terra” company. Various incarnations of carby and fuel injection as the years went by. Quite common to get 400+hp variations.
Overall, the vehicle weighed in at about 1300kgs, and in it’s V8 mode, with all the performance handling options and wheels etc, was quite a weapon. The final racing variant, produced by none other than the Tom Walkinshaw company, was reviewed once by American “Car and Track” magazine and was given a glowing rap.
If my fellow American friends are interested in seeing what GMH can do nowadays, quality wise, check out the Aussie made and designed Pontiac GTO which is now on sale in the USA in left hand drive mode with full factory warranty etc. I predict you’ll be very, VERY pleasantly surprised with the performance, cost, and build quality on this vehicle.
For your reference, the Australian car industry is very much a “1st cousin” offshoot of the American car industry. No other country on earth makes cars as close to “American” in nature as Australia does. Certainly, far more so than Europe does.
If my American friends are REALLY interested, you should check out the Aussie muscle car era from 1967 onwards - there was no shortage of “parallel universe” development down here in direct relations to what the “parent companys” were doing in the USA.
Chrysler, Ford, and GM all had local design shops and factories down here going totally gung ho at the time. Indeed, the Ford Falcon GTHO was quite a monster. Think of it as being the Aussie equivalent of the Boss 429 Mustang of the time.
Boo Boo Foo, I think that if we 'Merkin’s had any doubts that Aussie’s could build hot cars, they were erased the moment we saw Mad Max.
To answer the OP yes, in 1986, and probably other years as well, you could get a Ford Mustang with either an I-4, V6 or V8. I know that you could in 86 because I owned a V6. I’m not to sure off the top of my head about 86 but in 84 you could also get a turbo 4 as well in the mustang.
The Chevrolet Sprint/Geo Metro/Suzuki Swift has three cylinders.
Sorry. I mis-read the OP.
And with the addition of the R32 (V8), the VW Golf (still called Rabbit in the US?) now has four cylinder configurations: 4, V5, V6 or V8. Is this the record?
Yes, that was the SVO version.
A V5? So they have three cyls. on one side and two on the other?
Edward, Regarding the Mustang…
Besides the I4, V6, and V8 versions offered, the Mustang SVO was produced between 1984 and 1986. It was equipped with the 2.3 litre turbo charged four cylinder engine and this version would run nearly even with the V8 GT model.
the Audi-90, 4 door sedan was produced with a 5 cylender engine.
No, Johnny L.A., it’s an inline 5 cylinder engine. I’m not sure why it’s referred to as a V5. And, jinty, the R32 is a V6, not a V8.
The Passat is offered as a 1.8L turbo inline 4 cylinder, a 2.8L V6, a 4.0L W8 and, next year, a 2.0L 4 cylinder diesel
Starting in mid 198Os the Pontiac Firebirds and Chevy Camaros were available with 4cyl base engines, a V-6 upgrade or the 305 V-8. Eventually, the 4cyl was dropped.
[hijack]
I saw one of those last week for the first time in years. While I am not a Mustang fan in the slightest, I was very impressed with the condition the person kept the car it. It appeared to be absolutely brand new and had a nice “growl” to the exhaust note. I saw the distinctive front end as it drove by me at a T-intersection and got behind it a saw the spoiler.
I would like to have that car. Rarer than armpits on a snake.