The point it that is also lacks most of the defining characteristics of a true V engine. It seems highly like this is why the manufacturers elected not to refer to it as a V.

Do people refer to engines with their cylinders mounted at 180 degrees as V engines (since arguably they have far more of the characteristics of a V than the VR6), or does this arrangement get it's own name? (hint: boxer and flat).

Does the VR6 lack the angle between the two banks? No, it has two banks at an angle. and it's in a V shape. We've covered the marketing reasons and the engineering reasons why calling it something different would be a good idea, but nothing that stops it being a V shape. Also I think Lancia called their version a V4.

Yes, boxer engines are a special case, because the piston movement for each pair is equal and opposite. Change the angle between the two crank pins and it'll stop being a boxer engine, even though the adjacent cylinders still use different pins.

One last question, and the answer to this will almost certainly mark my departure from this thread - if you take a traditional V6 engine (say that famous Alfa one everyone loves) and change the crank so the pins for adjacent cylinders are no longer coincident (even by only a few degrees) does it stop being a V engine?

But they do refer to it as a V6. The VR6 was most likely so named because they wanted to differentiate it from a normal V6 when it first came out - marketing driven I guess. However the core design of the VR6 engine (the same narrow angle block) went on to be used in Golf's and other VAG stuff as the 2.8 24v and subsequently 3.2 R32 and they most definitely are just referred to as V6's (badging everywhere says V6). But they are VR6's. Just with variable inlet manifold and more valves.

VW designed it, VW built it, and VW called it a VR6, but they're wrong? You don't care what they called it, you say it's a V6?

That'd be a 90 degree VR6, wouldn't it? Please, though show me such an engine. Or is this a pointless hypothetical bullst argument for the sake of an argument?

Bugger off and start a 6 cyl thread you lot :P

Veyron.

*KABOOM*

TBH, i don't actually care what you think makes a V engine, a VR engine, or anything else, so feel free to disagree with everyone and everything, have a nice day.

I don't recall calling you retarded, but whatever you say.

I'm not especially annoyed, was just trying to get my point and opinion across, and it seemed like you were sticking your fingers in your ears and going "LALALALALALA"

But then I remembered, like I said, I don't care.

Cheers

Oh dear

You've not read half the thread. Someone else pointed out that MANY (non VW too) V6s now do NOT share common crank pins. So, yes, there's loads of them and not anything "hypothetical".

VW DO now call it a V6. My point was one should be able to identify the engine formation without needing identifying marks etc. And to do that, one needs a definition of what a V6/Inline/Flat/etc. is.

Also, and has been mentioned MANY times in the thread, let's have a definition for a V6 that is consistent. So far, all definitions means the VR6 is technically a V6 (as the ONLY consistent definition so far is that the cylinders are in a V shape and share a common crank.

But what were his thoughts on the actual engine configuration