Legendary V12

What is V12 engine?

As the name suggests, V12 engine has 12 cylinders arranged in crankcase in two banks of 6 cylinders each, in ‘V’ formation. Each bank is itself a straight-six which is a traditional engine configuration consisting of linear arrangement of cylinders. A V12 with two banks of six cylinders angled at 60° or 180° from each other has even firing with power pulses delivered twice as often per revolution as a straight-6. This allows for great refinement in a luxury car. In a racing car, the rotating parts can be made much lighter and thus more responsive, since there is no need to use counterweights on the crankshaft as is needed in a 90° V8 and less need for the inertial mass in a flywheel to smooth out the power delivery. In a large displacement, heavy-duty engine, a V12 can run slower than smaller engines, prolonging engine life.

V12 engines were preferred by Lamborghini and other super car and luxury car manufacturers because of its smooth power delivery than that of smaller V8 engines and roaring engine noise which is a dream sound for car enthusiasts like me.   

How does it work?

The fuel is sucked through the inlet valve and is ignited inside the cylinder with the help of piston and spark plug and is thrown out in the form of exhaust through the exhaust manifold.

There are 4 strokes to complete 2 rotations of crankshaft:
 1^st Stroke (Suction):  Fuel is taken in cylinder.
2^nd Stroke (Compression): Mixture of fuel and air is compressed inside the cylinder.
3^rd Stroke (Expansion):  Power is generated and is transferred to crankshaft via connecting rod.
4^th Stroke (Exhaust): Burned fuel is thrown outside through exhaust manifold and then silencer.

Why is it near to its extinction?

 Car manufacturers nowadays prefer V8 to V12 engine. V8 engines are lighter; they probably do 1/3 more to the gallon as they have 1/3 less cylinder. Because they are smaller, they can be more easily placed anywhere in a car and of course lower down, so better handling. With Euro Emissions getting ever more stringent, V8’s are clearly the way forward with the leviathan V12’s dying a certain death. Not forgetting that they are cheaper to produce. With the Tech advances of Turbo charging, V8’s can produce the same power and more than a V12.