The introduction of the Volkswagen Passat with a W-8 engine got me thinking about the various engine configurations in use today. Here’s what I know is being used right now:
Inline 4, 5, 6 - Are there any I3 or I8 in use today? There used to be I12s, right?
Boxer 4, 6
V 6, 8, 10, 12 - Are there any V4s still in use? I’ve heard of a V16 as well.
W 8 - I’ve heard of a W12 but don’t know if it was ever used.
Rotary - Not in use (in the US at least) today.
So, what have I missed?
IIRC, Sprints (and their siblings) used to use I3 up to just a couple years ago.
I5? Is that an Audi engine by chance?
Yup, the I3s were in the Geo Metro/Suzuki Sprints, but they may have also been in a version of the Subaru Justy.
The I5s that I know of are in the Volvos, but there may have been an Audi as well.
There used to be I12’s and even I16’s
There are I8 Diesel engines in use in farm machines, or at least there used to be.
Honda VFR Interceptor (motrocycle) has a V-4 engine. Also many motorcycles have V-2 (v-twin) engines.
I belive that the W-12 was supposed to be used in a Buggati or somthing like that no cite on that though.
Audi/VW have a V5 engine as well.
Are you sure its a V? If so, how do they get around vibration problems?
The Bugatti Veyron has a W-16.
No, this is not correct. Audi engines have 5 valves per cylinder, not 5 cylinders.
Volvo currently has an I5.
Another curiosity are the Mazda Miller cycle engines, although they come in the traditional V configuration
Audi has indeed made 5 cylinder engines in the past. I just didn’t know if they still do.
Yes I know, I hit submit before I’d finished my post… Then the damn hamsters… oh well you know the rest 
Audi no longer makes 5cyl engines, FWIW. Their current lineup (in the US) consists of turbo I4, V6, twin turbo V6, V8, and twin turbo V8 (all hail the mighty RS6)
Yes I know, I hit submit before I’d finished my post… Then the damn hamsters… oh well you know the rest
Audi no longer makes 5cyl engines, FWIW. Their current lineup (in the US) consists of turbo I4, V6, twin turbo V6, V8, and twin turbo V8 (all hail the mighty RS6)
Do not meddle in the affairs of hamsters, for they are fickle and quick to screw up your posts.
I vaguely remember that GM is making a new series of Inline truck engines in 6, 8, and 12 cylinders.
Is anyone besides Subaru and possibly Porsche still making boxer engines?
FYI, the VW V5 is still being produced in some places.
Is Ferrari no longer making the 12 cylinder Boxer engine?
Audi/VW have change engines a lot in the last 2 years, and honestly I haven’t kept up with it that much.
When the A4 GTI was going into production it was supposed to come witha V5 - 5 Valve engine (25 valve engine). I guess this engine is no longer avilable in US or Europe. But as RadioWave mentioned it is avilable in Australia
The new GM truck engine is a I6 (comes in TrailBlazer right now) make about 270HP or so … don’t know about the I8 or I12.
oh oh and don’t forget that both Ford and Dodge have V10 engines.
The new Ford I4 plants have the capability of running I5 engines (and have) as soon as they can find a product to put it in. Talking about the new Ranger I4 here.
Has any auto manufacturer ever put a radial engine in a car?
No manufacturer to my knowledge. A race car with a 16 cylinder radial engine was made by Monaco-Trossi for a Grand Prix race. A 2 cycle engine, in which the pistons were arranged in two circles of 8, and the pair of cylinders shared the combustion chamber. Looked like an airplane in front, kinda.
Here by the way is a link to a picture of that (not a very good one)
b.
Back in the 1930’s FORD experimented with a 4-cylinder “X” configuration. The idea was to shorten the block, but the “X” block proved to be difficult to balance. FORD (Germany) made a “V”-4 engine back in the 1960’s; the design was later sold to SAAB. Last but not least: MARMON (RIP 1939) and CADILLAC once sold cars with V-16 engines-they were two V-8 blocks welded together. These engines were extremely costly to produce, but in that era, they gave very high power output with smoothness.
From what I heard, Cadillac is seriously considering production of a Northstar V12.