Fwd: W-12, W-8, W-4?

[Chris Dyer]

I've ranted about this W config before--I hope it works out.

I was more impressed w/M-B's new V-12 (Car & Driver). Very smooth and 
powerful; fuel efficient w/its ability to shut down cylinders when they're 
not needed. (forgoing the Cadillac disaster of similar concept)



>From: Mike Arman <armanmik at n-jcenter.com>
>To: <quattro at audifans.com>
>Subject: W-12, W-8, W-4?
>Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2001 08:06:20
>
>
>I looked with great interest at the cutaways of the W-12 engine. Some
>*very* clever engineering and some *very* complicated casting and
>machinework allows Audi to get 12 cylinders in a space not much longer than
>what would usually be required for a three cylinder engine. It is also very
>light for the displacement, since the ratio of parts that move to parts
>that don't move is very good.
>
>I gather that this engine is a "modular design", and could be stretched to
>be an 8 liter W-16 (wahoo!), and I think I read somewhere that it could be
>shrunk to be a  four liter W-8 or even a two liter W-4. This would result
>in a very short engine for its' displacement, at the penalty of some extra
>width (which isn't really a problem, because a car generally needs to be
>two people wide anyway).
>
>Any word if this W-8 is going into VW products? I'd just love to take a
>four liter W-8 out of a wrecked 2003 Jetta at the pick and pull (any engine
>in the yard only $159!), and then see if I can adapt it for aircraft
>applications!
>
>Best Regards,
>
>Mike Arman
>

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