Red marquis at 10:46, 24 May 2010

2010-05-24T10:46:44Z

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A '''W8 engine''' is an eight [[cylinder (engine)|cylinder]] [[reciprocating engine|piston]] [[internal combustion engine]] in a [[W engine|W configuration]], or two imaginary 15 degree [[V4 engine]] blocks, mounted juxtaposed at 72 degrees to one another and coupled to one [[crankshaft]].

The W8 can be imagined as flat plane crank [[V8 engine]] made with [[VR6 engine|VR4s]] instead of [[inline-four engine|inline fours]]. Nearly-square external dimensions mean the large eight cylinder engine will fit in the space typically alloted for a [[V6 engine]].

==Usage==
The [[list of discontinued Volkswagen Group petrol engines#W8|Volkswagen Group W8 engine]] was installed [[longitudinal engine|longitudinally]] in the [[Volkswagen Passat|Volkswagen Passat (B5.5)]] from September 2001 to September 2004,<ref>{{cite web|title=VW Passat W8 4motion|work=[[Volkswagen Group|Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft]]|url=http://www.worldcarfans.com/102042211769/vw-passat-w8-4motion|date=22 April 2002|publisher=WorldCarFans.com|accessdate=30 December 2009}}</ref> but sales were minimal at only 10,000 units worldwide per year.

This [[petrol engine]] was to power the 'Passat W8' - supposedly as [[Volkswagen|Volkswagen Passenger Cars']] 'premium' positioned car - before the [[Volkswagen Phaeton]] came out. The 4.0 litre - 3,998 cubic centimetres (244.0 cu in) W8 engine produced 202 kilowatts (275 PS; 271 bhp) at 6,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and 370 newton metres (273 ft·lbf) of [[torque]] at 2,750 rpm, yet was considered a fuel-efficient eight cylinder engine due to the design. It also had a two stage resonance induction system to boost cylinder filling across the engine speed range. It had two simplex roller chain-driven (relay method, using three chains) [[overhead camshaft#Double overhead camshaft|double overhead camshaft]] (2xDOHC - two [[overhead camshaft]]s per [[cylinder bank]] - 'quad cam'), and twin balance shafts to smooth out residual vibrations inherent in the layout. One additional advantage was that the W8 shared some components and machining with narrow-angle VR5 and [[VR6 engine|VR6]] engines, leading to cost reduction in one of the most expensive engines Volkswagen Passenger Cars has ever produced.

The 2006 redesign of the [[Volkswagen Passat#B6|Passat (B6)]], with its engine re-oriented [[transverse engine|transversely]], it was no longer equipped with the W8, and the 'large' [[list of Volkswagen Group petrol engines#3.6 VR6 FSI 206kW|3.6 litre VR6 engine]] has replaced its position at the top of the range. However, while the W8 had less horsepower than the 3.6 VR6 which replaced it, it still provides more torque, is more technically advanced, and is mounted in a better manner than current [[VR6 engine]]s.

==See Also==
{{Piston engine configurations}}

W8 engine - Revision history

Red marquis at 10:46, 24 May 2010