Porsche’s Secret 18-Cylinder, Triple-Turbo W Engine
▼ Summary
– Porsche has patented a unique W-configuration internal combustion engine with three cylinder banks arranged at angles to each other.
– The engine design features three separate cylinder banks, each with its own cylinder head, all sharing a single crankshaft.
– Drawings in the patent filing show six spark plug wires per cylinder bank, suggesting an 18-cylinder (W18) configuration.
– Each cylinder bank has 60 degrees of separation and contains its own intake and exhaust ports.
– The design allows each cylinder bank to support a turbocharger, enabling a potential three-turbo configuration.
Porsche has recently secured a patent for an exceptionally complex internal combustion engine featuring a W-shaped cylinder configuration, marking a significant step forward in high-performance powertrain design. This advanced engine layout stands apart from previous W-type engines due to its unique three-bank architecture, where each cylinder bank is positioned at an angle relative to the others. According to the patent documentation submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organization, the design incorporates a first, second, and third cylinder bank, each paired with its own dedicated cylinder head assembly.
Although the official patent text does not explicitly confirm the total number of cylinders, detailed illustrations included in the filing provide a strong indication. The drawings clearly depict six spark plug wires connected to at least one of the cylinder banks. Given that the design includes three separate cylinder banks, this strongly suggests an eighteen-cylinder W18 layout. This interpretation points toward one of the most ambitious and cylinder-dense engine configurations ever proposed for an automotive application.
What truly distinguishes Porsche’s design from other W-engines is its use of three entirely independent cylinder banks. Each bank is equipped with its own cylinder head and is oriented with a 60-degree separation from the others, yet all three share a common crankshaft. This arrangement not only contributes to a very compact and rigid engine block but also allows for a highly efficient packaging of components. The structural integration of three banks around one crankshaft is an engineering solution aimed at maximizing power density while controlling overall dimensions.
Furthermore, each cylinder bank is designed with dedicated intake and exhaust ports. This modular setup enables each bank to support its own exhaust gas turbocharger. The potential for a triple-turbocharging system significantly enhances forced induction capabilities, promising exceptional power output and throttle response across a wide range of engine speeds. This approach to turbocharging aligns with the pursuit of extreme performance, offering a pathway to achieve remarkable horsepower and torque figures from the ambitious W18 foundation.
(Source: JALOPNIK)
