W16-ENGINE

We all know that Bugatti Chiron is the fastest car in the world, for now atleast, but did we ever think why that car is so faster than the speed of sound, that’s because of the W16 engine present in it. What actually is W16 engine? Let’s see briefly about it. W16 engines with three banks of four cylinders were used by several aircraft engines from 1917 until the 1930s. A three-bank design was also used for an unsuccessful W16 engine which was intended to compete in Formula One in 1990.This design failed due to space consumption but it produces enormous power that it is used in aircrafts like Napier lion etc. W16 petrol engine has been produced by Volkswagen Group since 2005. This four-bank engine – based on two VR6 engines with a common crankshaft is only used in Bugatti Veyron and Bugatti Chiron primarily. The Bugatti’s engine alone can handle four turbochargers and the pressure inside the cylinders.

What is maximum power of this engine?
Bugatti Chiron is the fastest car as of now its maximum power is 1,177 kW (1,578 hp; 1,600 psi) at 7,000 rpm.

Why is it only used in Bugatti?
Bugatti is a French racing sports car manufacturer and it produces supercars. The engine is manufactured only by Volkswagen group which is its parent company and being used only in Bugatti models. It is basically two narrow-angle VR8 engines (based on the VR6 design) connected to a common crankshaft. It can accelerate from 0-100kmph in 2.3 seconds.

Is this engine limited to cars alone?
No, this type of engine was also used in motorcycles. The Jimenez Novia, a one-off sports car built in 1995, used a W16 engine with two crankshafts. It is built by combining four Yamaha FZR1000 inline-four motorcycle engines. The engine has a displacement of 4.0 L (244 cu in), eight camshafts and five valves per cylinder and produces 560 bhp (418 kW; 568 psi). That’s why the Bugatti held the fastest production car record for many years and still it is pushing its limits.

Written By

Mr.Rahul -19BME020