Favorite Engine Configuration?

[Eunos_Cosmo]

As the era of the ICE appears to be closing... a simple Question - out of all of the reasonably available automotive engine types out there, which is your favorite? You decide your criteria. Now obviously there are a lot of subtle differences with individual engines - somebody could really like a Honda C32B V6 and very much dislike a Nissan VQ35 - but I think you get the point.


Because of how rare they are in automotive applications, not including:

Single Cylinder
Single Rotor
Inline 2 / V2
VR5
Inline 8
Flat 8
6-Rotor
Electric - that's a motor not an engine

If you feel really strongly about one of the above being included, or if I have missed one, tag me in a post and I'll add it. Maybe.

On balance, I have to go with the H6. The combination of packaging, smoothness, and the aggressive yet melodic sound just always wins me over. Not only do I think they are the best sounding engines, I think they provide the best power & torque characteristics for the kind of driving I like to do and their compact dimensions allow for a lot of platform flexibility - you can build a really beautifully balanced chassis around an H6 powertrain in a way that is far more difficult with an I6 engine, for example.

 

[TexRex]

[cries in radial]

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

[cries in radial]

Hipster

 

[TexRex]

Hipster

I appreciate them because they're mechanically fascinating. Come on, you've got three or more cylinders on a single radial plane and the configuration can be expanded on a linear axis with the addition of rod journals so that you end up with a minimum of 3x2, 3x3, 3x4, etc., subject to torsional limitations of the crankshaft.

I understand that they're not commonplace in automotive applications (they were far from commonplace even when they were more frequently utilized), but they weren't even excluded on this basis in the OP. How common are 4-rotor and flat-12 cars?

Though I appreciate true boxers (all true boxer engines are flat but not all flat engines are true boxers), most of my favorite engines are V8s...American V8s specifically.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I appreciate them because they're mechanically fascinating. Come on, you've got three or more cylinders on a single radial plane and the configuration can be expanded on a linear axis with the addition of rod journals so that you end up with a minimum of 3x2, 3x3, 3x4, etc., subject to torsional limitations of the crankshaft.

I understand that they're not commonplace in automotive applications (they were far from commonplace even when they were more frequently utilized), but they weren't even excluded on this basis in the OP. How common are 4-rotor and flat-12 cars?

Do you also like your output shaft going between yours and your passengers ears?

I knew somebody was going to bring up radial engines.

 

[TexRex]

Do you also like your output shaft going between yours and your passengers ears?

It's not a necessity to utilize a radial engine. This is an issue when you utilize an aero radial engine because of the number of cylinders and its sheer size.

If you're dead set on an upright layout and you use a small capacity three-cylinder radial, say less than 500cc per cylinder with oversquare proportions (a stroke that's shorter than the bore is wide), and position it so that a single cylinder is above the output shaft centerline, you'll be able to have it sitting quite low in the chassis with the mass quite low as well.

Cars like the Adams-Farwell and the Julian (pictured below) actually positioned the engine above the rear axle with the output shaft on a vertical axis.

The Adams-Farwell engine actually functioned as a massive flywheel with the output shaft solid mounted to the chassis.

I knew somebody was going to bring up radial engines.

 

[Famine]

Because of how rare they are in automotive applications, not including:
[...]
Inline 2 / V2

Except for the original FIAT 500, the current FIAT 500 (TwinAir), the FIAT 126, the Honda N360, the Subaru 360...

... and no love for the flat-twin which powered four million 2CVs and a million more Ami/Dyane/Mehari (and others)?

 

[MatskiMonk]

No H16 ??11?!!1?

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Except for the original FIAT 500, the current FIAT 500 (TwinAir), the FIAT 126, the Honda N360, the Subaru 360...

... and no love for the flat-twin which powered four million 2CVs and a million more Ami/Dyane/Mehari (and others)?

If I add it, you gonna vote for it?

 

[Famine]

If I add it, you gonna vote for it?

Hell no. They all sound like blenders being blended in a bigger, noisier blender.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Added another poll option for the insufferable cognoscente among us just so they can ruin the dataset.

 

[VXR]

A straight six for me. Works well as either petrol or diesel and in BMW's hands, they get very strong results.

I've become a bit bored of the V8 sound in more modern cars, mostly because they don't often have that burly hot rod sound out of the box.

 

[Joey D]

Inline 5 all day.

 

[Famine]

Added another poll option for the insufferable cognoscente among us just so they can ruin the dataset.

My vote would be for a triple rotor, which is on the list, but I find it odd that it would even be on there given that it's been in a single niche production car ever (total production run: 3,500) - even if it's your username - if you're excluding the straight two and the flat two which have been in two of the most important and celebrated cars ever made (total production run: 8 million) due to being "rare in automotive applications"...

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

My vote would be for a triple rotor, which is on the list, but I find it odd that it would even be on there given that it's been in a single niche production car ever (total production run: 3,500) - even if it's your username - if you're excluding the straight two and the flat two which have been in two of the most important and celebrated cars ever made (total production run: 8 million) due to being "rare in automotive applications"...

I would have included the I2/V2, but I pretty much assumed nobody would pick it. I considered excluding the 3R and 4R but I then also assumed (especially with the 4R) that they would be popular choices being cult classics in the Gran Turismo series. I should have said the list consisted of an arbitrary selection picked by me with great prejudice.

Inline 5 all day.

I think I know what your favorite meatballs are too.

 

[TexRex]

I think I know what your favorite meatballs are too.

Kofta!

 

[AudiMan2011]

Nothing beats a thundering V12, either naturally aspirated (Aston Valkyrie, Vantage GT12, Ferrari Enzo) or turbocharged (Pagani Huayra, SL65 Black)

 

[MisterWaffles]

For me, nothing quite beats a good V8.

I like V10s quite a bit, same with V12s, but in terms of my favourite cars the V8 models always seem to top my list.

The Ferrari V8 series for example, from the F355 all the way up to the 458 Speciale. All of those cars are in my all-time favourites, with my pick of the bunch being the '09 Italia.

Then there's the (old) V8 Vantage from Aston Martin, whether it be the GT4, GT2 or road-going model.

Then there's the epic sound of a Ford Mustang GT, or a 2005 GT.

The Lexus IS-F, RC-F and its GT3 version all sound incredible.

and so does the M3 GT, the Z4 GT3 and any other BMW with their racing V8.

Yeah, nothing quite like a good NA V8, or even a supercharged V8. Turbo V8 engines I don't care much for like the 488 and F8, the McLaren engines, etc.

 

[-Fred-]

Nothing beats a thundering V12, either naturally aspirated (Aston Valkyrie, Vantage GT12, Ferrari Enzo) or turbocharged (Pagani Huayra, SL65 Black)

How can you bring up V12s and not mention god itself, the BMW S70/2?

 

[05XR8]

Dang, man. I want to participate, but can’t pick one. Any configuration can rev, each have their fun factors. The F20, K20, SR20, my Olds Big Block, my VR6, I5 in the CS Quattro(seriously), the V6 in the MX-3 and Lantis. Too many to decide.

 

[Wolfe]

Anything but a V6 or V8 = yes. 🐺 I like the rest of them, though I'm the biggest fan of non-V six-cylinder engines and boxers. Reflecting those appreciations, I voted for the boxer-6. The EZ30R in our Outback is awesome.

 

[ScottPuss20]

I was raised on V8 engines. I started watching V8 Supercars when I was 2 and I've loved the sound of them ever since. But that's not all. Nothing compares to the sound of a straight-piped Chevrolet V8 from a Formula 5000 or a Coyote V8 from the modern interpretation that is S5000. In fact most of my favourite cars have V8 engines - Chevrolet Corvette, Holden Commodore, Mercedes AMG GT, Ferrari 488 Pista, Ferrari F40, Ferrari 458 and the Bentley Continental GT Speed. The C6.R has a great sound as well. The growl of that engine is pure pornography because it's soo evocative and dirty. My next favourite engines are the I6, V12, V10, V6 and I4.

 

[Famine]

Anything but a V6 or V8
[...]
I voted for the boxer-6.

That's just a V6 with extra steps.

 

[r_outsider]

Since we're mostly talking cars here, the good 'ole V8, and here's why: That configuration is used in so many different types of cars and can all sound so different, yet so awesome. From old school muscle cars to all the various dragsters to trucks to exotic European machinery, and all the way to the various race engines from around the globe (my favourite of which was the old Champ Car Cosworth turbo XFE), the old-school 90 degree and the flat cranks, they all sound great to me. There aren't a lot of duds.

 

[Grayfox]

Single Cylinder FTW

 

[Adamgp]

Single Cylinder FTW

Inline 1 or V1?

 

[VolkswagenX]

VR6 for me and yes, I'm very biased.

 

[Grayfox]

Inline 1 or V1?

Its niether in a line nor a V.
So just 1 I guess

 

[Adamgp]

Its niether in a line nor a V.
So just 1 I guess

 

[anlis]

When it comes to engine sound, the V10 is the clear winner.