Quote:
Originally Posted by fatoni
maybe an extra six cylinders makes up for the engines being long. sometimes double the engine size does add performance but i bet a v12 is better than an inline 12 as well. its not a logical inference youre making. its a cherry picked argument. inline motors are just about as heavy and long as you can make an engine that i can think of. when i was talking about straight sixes, i was comparing them to other sixes. you can compare them to 12 cylinders or 4 cylinders or whatever you want but they still make for a very long engine so...
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If you are trying to argue NOW that a V configuration is inherently better for handling than an equal sized engine in an inline configuration then that would be a different argument. That argument is different than saying that cars with inline six engines have inherently poor handling. While it can be said that moving more weight to the mid line of the vehicle is better, and while it is true that a V configuration tends to do that, the assumption you are making is one of principle and not of practice. It doesn't take into account packaging. Packaging will play a roll in aerodynamics, secondary engine components like FI systems, room for suspension components, etc.
Also, there are engineering solutions to difficult problems like how could the GTR have an inline six and an AWD system, but not have the engine sticking three feet in front of the front axles? They used this setup just like what BMW uses in its AWD sedans:
BMW
Here is the WRX's drivetrain. They use a flat opposed 4 like a v4, but to have AWD, they made the transmission inline with the front axle, so the engine sticks forward like below.
