V engine

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<p>The first V engine, a two-cylinder V-twin, was designed by <a href="/facts/Wilhelm_Maybach/Nlem3h2j">Wilhelm Maybach</a> and used in the 1889 <a href="/facts/Daimler_Stahlradwagen/YxCNY8hA">Daimler Stahlradwagen</a> automobile.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>
</p><p>The first <a href="/facts/V8_engine/W7Q5Uw29">V8</a> engine was produced in 1903, in the form of the <a href="/facts/Antoinette_(manufacturer)/l6NGJGkC">Antoinette</a> engine designed by <a href="/facts/L%25C3%25A9on_Levavasseur/EozGuuMb">Léon Levavasseur</a> for <a href="/facts/Boat_racing/zTyMXKmJ">racing boats</a> and <a href="/facts/Airplane/81161IpU">airplanes</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The first <a href="/facts/V12_engine/2V4zWCmo">V12</a> engine was produced the following year by Putney Motor Works in <a href="/facts/London/KozCCsy9">London</a>, again for use in racing boats.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> The first <a href="/facts/V6_engine/gNNRtfVa">V6 engine</a> to reach production appeared soon after in 1908, by the <a href="/facts/Deutz_AG/Nl1XuIsX">Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik</a> in <a href="/facts/Germany/paluuWBX">Germany</a> for use as a generator for gasoline-electric <a href="/facts/Locomotive/C9YV7wrQ">railway engines</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> However, it was not until 1950 that the V6 engine was used in series production automobiles, with the first example being the <a href="/facts/Lancia_V6_engine/LqzqP6h2">Lancia V6 engine</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> This V6 engine used a 60-degree V angle and separate crankpins for each cylinder, to reduce the vibration issues experienced by earlier attempts at production V6 engines.
</p>
<h2 id="characteristics">Characteristics</h2>
<p>Compared with an equivalent <a href="/facts/Straight_engine/T1537bJF">inline engine</a> (the most common configuration for engines with less than six cylinders), a V engine has a shorter length but is wider. This effect increases with the number of cylinders in the engine; the length difference between V-twin and straight-twin engines might be insignificant, however V8 engines have a significantly smaller length than straight engines.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Compared with the less common <a href="/facts/Flat_engine/MMHDYBzH">flat engine</a>, a V engine is narrower, taller and has a higher <a href="/facts/Center_of_mass/n4Lr9GAz">center of mass</a>.
</p>

<p>The "V-angle" (or "included angle") between the <a href="/facts/Cylinder_bank/ClY1Ggmn">cylinder banks</a> varies significantly between engines. Some engines have used a V-angle of 180 degrees (the same angle as a <a href="/facts/Flat_engine/MMHDYBzH">flat engine</a>), such as several Ferrari V12 engines.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> At the other end of the scale, the 1922-1976 <a href="/facts/Lancia_V4_engine/xvqCDWta">Lancia V4 engine</a> and the 1991–present Volkswagen <a href="/facts/VR6_engine/GgUpfb7v">VR6 engine</a> use V-angles as small as 10 degrees, along with a single cylinder head used by both banks of cylinders.
</p><p>The <a href="/facts/Engine_balance/PUNddFnh">engine balance</a> of a V12 engine is that of perfect primary and secondary balance. For V engines with fewer cylinders, the engine balance will depend on factors such as the firing interval, crankshaft counterweights and whether <a href="/facts/Balance_shaft/cCgWPVtS">balance shafts</a> are present.
</p><p>The <a href="/facts/Crankpin/cxmQWTDQ">crankpins</a> on a V engine are usually shared by two cylinders from opposing banks, with an offset between the two cylinders. Alternative configurations are separate crankpins per cylinder (such as several V-twin engines) or articulated <a href="/facts/Connecting_rod/AXp1gPdh">connecting rods</a>.
</p>
<h3>Inverted engines</h3>

<p>Some airplanes of the 1920s and 1930s used <a href="/facts/Inline_engine_(aviation)/RbyeEfap">inverted engines</a>, whereby the crankshaft is located at the top of the engine and the cylinder heads are at the bottom. Advantages include better visibility in a single-engined airplane, a higher thrust line, and resultant increased ground clearance for the propeller. Examples include the 1928 <a href="/facts/Argus_As_10/lELPFmvq">Argus As 10</a> V8 engine and the 1935 <a href="/facts/Daimler-Benz_DB_601/EN5jUd8k">Daimler-Benz DB 601</a> V12 engines.
</p>

<h2 id="specific-configurations">Specific configurations</h2>

<p>It is common practice for V engines to be described with "V<i>#</i>" notation, where <i>#</i> represents the number of cylinders. Configurations of V engines which have reached production are as follows:
</p>

<ul><li><a href="/facts/V-twin_engine/utETANz0">V-twin</a> (also known as "V2")</li>
<li><a href="/facts/V3_engine/Xyx1sVv8">V3</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V4_engine/0nxBWtpQ">V4</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V5_engine/sMl8m7Jm">V5</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V6_engine/gNNRtfVa">V6</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V8_engine/W7Q5Uw29">V8</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V10_engine/vBhr3Vqt">V10</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V12_engine/2V4zWCmo">V12</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V14_engine/DBTpJhyx">V14</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V16_engine/MajhyRbd">V16</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V18_engine/q1hMkx9s">V18</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V20_engine/JfqPqcwv">V20</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/V24_engine/LL0lWbRz">V24</a></li>
<li>V32</li></ul>

<ul><li>VR engine</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Straight_engine/T1537bJF">Straight engine</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Flat_engine/MMHDYBzH">Flat engine</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Radial_engine/tS0ljlb7">Radial engine</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/U_engine/8ekDM5hH">U engine</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/H_engine/YNfBrx5M">H engine</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/W_engine/D4aVJTFY">W engine</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/X_engine/u2dlk2g0">X engine</a></li>
<li> Media related to V engines at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Larson, Len (2008). Dreams to Automobiles. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-4691-0104-0. Retrieved 2 August 2020. <a href="978-1-4691-0104-0" target="_blank">978-1-4691-0104-0</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Who Invented the V8 Engine?". www.itstillruns.com. Retrieved 1 January 2020. <a href="https://itstillruns.com/who-invented-v-engine-4894231.html" target="_blank">https://itstillruns.com/who-invented-v-engine-4894231.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"The V8 Engine". www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au. Retrieved 1 January 2020. <a href="https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/history_v8_engine" target="_blank">https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/history_v8_engine</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Ludvigsen, Karl (2005). The V12 Engine. Sparkford, Yeovil: Haynes. pp. 14–19. ISBN 978-1-84425-004-2. <a href="978-1-84425-004-2" target="_blank">978-1-84425-004-2</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Matschoss, Conrad (1921). Geschichte der Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz. Berlin. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Matschoss, Conrad (1921). Geschichte der Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz. Berlin. <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Erjavec, Jack (2010). Automotive Technology: A Systems Approach. Clifton Park, NY USA: Delmar, Cengage Learning. pp. 226–227. ISBN 978-1428311497. LCCN 2008934340. Retrieved 2014-02-09. <a href="978-1428311497" target="_blank">978-1428311497</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>"Here's Why Ferrari's Old 'Flat-12' Isn't Exactly A Flat-12 At All". www.carthrottle.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020. <a href="https://www.carthrottle.com/post/heres-why-ferraris-flat-12-isnt-exactly-a-flat-12-at-all/" target="_blank">https://www.carthrottle.com/post/heres-why-ferraris-flat-12-isnt-exactly-a-flat-12-at-all/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>"There's a Big Difference Between a Boxer and a Flat Engine". www.autoevolution.com. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2020. <a href="https://www.autoevolution.com/news/there-s-a-big-difference-between-a-boxer-and-flat-engine-85305.html" target="_blank">https://www.autoevolution.com/news/there-s-a-big-difference-between-a-boxer-and-flat-engine-85305.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

V engine open-in-new

V engine