Cylinder Bingo
Discussion
If we consider the minimum number of cylinders for an ICE engine is one, and the maximum that has been put into production is sixteen, how do you score on Cylinder Bingo?
My own card:
1 – Never driven a single-cylinder car but have driven a few karts. Does that count?
2- Had a couple of 2CVs (flat twin) which were great. Also drove a FIAT 500 (inline twin) once which was huge fun, in a don’t-slow-down-for-corners sort of a way
3 – Never owned a triple but have driven a few: Daihatsu Charade, Toyota Aygo. Also horrid memories of a Hyundai Getz diesel 3-pot
4 – Take your pick: highlights are probably turbo SAABS, Porsche 944 S2, Honda S2000 and most 1980s hot hatches. All these were inline fours, but I currently own a Lancia Fulvia (V4) and have driven flat-4 Subarus, Alfasuds and, umm… VW Beetles.
5 – Driven many Audis (although never an ur-quattro) but owned a Ford S-Max with the 2.5 ST five for 3 years which was a huge giggle.
6 – Plenty of inline-6 BMWs and occasional Mercedes. V6 Ford and Vauxhalls and a solitary flat-6 Boxster. Also owned a Triumph GT6 for a couple of years, which was fun but cramped.
8 – On the basis I can’t find evidence of a 7-cylider car, here I’ll nominate my old Range Rover which was a lovely way to waft about. Also driven some BMWs and Mercedes so equipped, and owned a wonderful Daimler V8 250 for a few years.
9 - see 7 above
10 – Nope, never driven a V10.
11 – see 7 and 9 above
12 – A huge W140 Mercedes S600 with a 7.0-litre Brabus conversion was scary in a downpour on elastic band profile tyres.
13, 14, 15, 16 – Never had the privilege / don’t exist.
Can you do better? And do you know of a 7, 9, 11, 13, 14 or 15 cylinder production engine I've missed?
My own card:
1 – Never driven a single-cylinder car but have driven a few karts. Does that count?
2- Had a couple of 2CVs (flat twin) which were great. Also drove a FIAT 500 (inline twin) once which was huge fun, in a don’t-slow-down-for-corners sort of a way
3 – Never owned a triple but have driven a few: Daihatsu Charade, Toyota Aygo. Also horrid memories of a Hyundai Getz diesel 3-pot
4 – Take your pick: highlights are probably turbo SAABS, Porsche 944 S2, Honda S2000 and most 1980s hot hatches. All these were inline fours, but I currently own a Lancia Fulvia (V4) and have driven flat-4 Subarus, Alfasuds and, umm… VW Beetles.
5 – Driven many Audis (although never an ur-quattro) but owned a Ford S-Max with the 2.5 ST five for 3 years which was a huge giggle.
6 – Plenty of inline-6 BMWs and occasional Mercedes. V6 Ford and Vauxhalls and a solitary flat-6 Boxster. Also owned a Triumph GT6 for a couple of years, which was fun but cramped.
8 – On the basis I can’t find evidence of a 7-cylider car, here I’ll nominate my old Range Rover which was a lovely way to waft about. Also driven some BMWs and Mercedes so equipped, and owned a wonderful Daimler V8 250 for a few years.
9 - see 7 above
10 – Nope, never driven a V10.
11 – see 7 and 9 above
12 – A huge W140 Mercedes S600 with a 7.0-litre Brabus conversion was scary in a downpour on elastic band profile tyres.
13, 14, 15, 16 – Never had the privilege / don’t exist.
Can you do better? And do you know of a 7, 9, 11, 13, 14 or 15 cylinder production engine I've missed?
I think my previous career as a motoring journo/videographer will stand me in good stead here!
0 - Sinclair C5, Mazda RX-7
1 - Bond Microcar and Trojan 200 bubble car
2 - Multiple 2CVs owned, plus drives of Fiat 500, DAF Daffodil, Panhard Dyna X and Trabant. Is the Trojan Utility Car with its tandem cylinders with wobbly conrods a 2- or 4-cylinder?
3 - Toyota Aygo, Saab 96, Wartburg, some modern Minis.
4 - So many. Ranging from a 747cc Austin Seven to a 2.6-litre Mitsubishi Shogun. Includes Ford V4 and VW, Citroen, Alfa and Subaru flat-fours.
5 - Volvo, Audi Quattro, Land Rover Td5, Mercedes OM617, Fiat Coupe, Beetle VR5
6 - So many. Inline, V-, VR and Flat. The smallest must have been the Mazda MX3 which was sub-2.0-litre. I think the biggest would be an AEC RT bus with a 9.6-litre diesel, but I think the biggest in an actual car would, depending on your definition, be the 4.0-litre Jaguar X300 or the 4.2-litre Toyota Land Cruiser.
7 - N/A
8 - Good crop. Includes Daimler 2.5-litre V8 and (biggest, I think) 460cu Ford V8. Best would be either the 5.0 supercharged Jag engine or the 440 Chrysler in the Plymouth 'Cuda. Honorable mention to the 6.75 Crewe V8 in the early Bentley Continental R.
9 - N/A
10 - Missed this one.
11 - N/A
12 - Jaguar V12 and Aston Martin V12 would be the only entries here. Both very efficient, smooth and silent ways of wasting fuel for little actual gain over the V8 or 6-pot equivalents, ime.
0 - Sinclair C5, Mazda RX-7
1 - Bond Microcar and Trojan 200 bubble car
2 - Multiple 2CVs owned, plus drives of Fiat 500, DAF Daffodil, Panhard Dyna X and Trabant. Is the Trojan Utility Car with its tandem cylinders with wobbly conrods a 2- or 4-cylinder?
3 - Toyota Aygo, Saab 96, Wartburg, some modern Minis.
4 - So many. Ranging from a 747cc Austin Seven to a 2.6-litre Mitsubishi Shogun. Includes Ford V4 and VW, Citroen, Alfa and Subaru flat-fours.
5 - Volvo, Audi Quattro, Land Rover Td5, Mercedes OM617, Fiat Coupe, Beetle VR5
6 - So many. Inline, V-, VR and Flat. The smallest must have been the Mazda MX3 which was sub-2.0-litre. I think the biggest would be an AEC RT bus with a 9.6-litre diesel, but I think the biggest in an actual car would, depending on your definition, be the 4.0-litre Jaguar X300 or the 4.2-litre Toyota Land Cruiser.
7 - N/A
8 - Good crop. Includes Daimler 2.5-litre V8 and (biggest, I think) 460cu Ford V8. Best would be either the 5.0 supercharged Jag engine or the 440 Chrysler in the Plymouth 'Cuda. Honorable mention to the 6.75 Crewe V8 in the early Bentley Continental R.
9 - N/A
10 - Missed this one.
11 - N/A
12 - Jaguar V12 and Aston Martin V12 would be the only entries here. Both very efficient, smooth and silent ways of wasting fuel for little actual gain over the V8 or 6-pot equivalents, ime.
0- Toyota Bz4x electric hire car
1 - Various ride-on lawnmowers
2- Various quad bikes
3- Our MINI Cooper Clubman
4- Loads, from the absolutely dire Ford 1.8 diesel, through various other Fords, Vauxhall, VAG TDIs etc, to my much-missed Mercedes 190 2.0, my revvy MG Midget 1275 and my current Alvis 12/50.
5 - Not owned, but have driven a couple of Volvos
6- Triumph 2000, Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 V6, Ford Granada 2.8 (surprisingly gutless), Jaguar Sovereign X300 3.2, Mercedes E320 cdi and my current Mercedes E350 Blue Tec.
7- n/a
8- Various Rover 3.5 V8s, in cars and Land Rovers, Jaguar Sovereign X308 4.0, my much-missed RR Silver Shadow.
9, 10, 11- None
12- Not owned, but have driven a Jaguar XJS, RR Silver Saraph, RR Phantom and RR Ghost.
1 - Various ride-on lawnmowers
2- Various quad bikes
3- Our MINI Cooper Clubman
4- Loads, from the absolutely dire Ford 1.8 diesel, through various other Fords, Vauxhall, VAG TDIs etc, to my much-missed Mercedes 190 2.0, my revvy MG Midget 1275 and my current Alvis 12/50.
5 - Not owned, but have driven a couple of Volvos
6- Triumph 2000, Mitsubishi Galant 2.5 V6, Ford Granada 2.8 (surprisingly gutless), Jaguar Sovereign X300 3.2, Mercedes E320 cdi and my current Mercedes E350 Blue Tec.
7- n/a
8- Various Rover 3.5 V8s, in cars and Land Rovers, Jaguar Sovereign X308 4.0, my much-missed RR Silver Shadow.
9, 10, 11- None
12- Not owned, but have driven a Jaguar XJS, RR Silver Saraph, RR Phantom and RR Ghost.
jeremyc said:
You'll be needing to try the Salmson VAL 3 Aero for your 9 cylinder (radial) fix. 
No, I haven't either. 
That's hilarious, scary and brilliant, in equal measures. No, I haven't either. Can you imagine the McDonald's drive through:
"I SAID, A BIG MAC MEAL AND A DIET COKE, PLEASE!""Sorry, can't hear you mate".
1977 and, courtesy of a bus, a hovercraft, a rattly French train, a bottle of Cinzano, a night sleeping in a Parisian park and a hitch hike south we arrive at Le Mans for the first of many visits.
The reward is an epic battle between Porsche & Renault Alpine. Ultimately it is the five cylinder Porsche 936 that prevails
Not forgetting that Porsche also built several experimental LM cars with a single cylinder engine in 1981. Unusually they went Stateside to source the necessary engine technology - those infamous horticultural boffins at Briggs & Stratton :
The reward is an epic battle between Porsche & Renault Alpine. Ultimately it is the five cylinder Porsche 936 that prevails
Not forgetting that Porsche also built several experimental LM cars with a single cylinder engine in 1981. Unusually they went Stateside to source the necessary engine technology - those infamous horticultural boffins at Briggs & Stratton :
Edited by moffspeed on Friday 24th April 07:38
moffspeed said:
1977 and, courtesy of a bus, a hovercraft, a rattly French train, a bottle of Cinzano, a night sleeping in a Parisian park and a hitch hike south we arrive at Le Mans for the first of many visits.
The reward is an epic battle between Porsche & Renault Alpine. Ultimately it is the five cylinder Porsche 936 that prevails
Not forgetting that Porsche also built several experimental LM cars with a single cylinder engine in 1981. Unusually they went Stateside to source the necessary engine technology - those infamous horticultural boffins at Briggs & Stratton :
It's a shame B&S didn't put a single into their 1980 Prius prototype, instead opting for a twin to match the number of rear axles. The reward is an epic battle between Porsche & Renault Alpine. Ultimately it is the five cylinder Porsche 936 that prevails
Not forgetting that Porsche also built several experimental LM cars with a single cylinder engine in 1981. Unusually they went Stateside to source the necessary engine technology - those infamous horticultural boffins at Briggs & Stratton :
Edited by moffspeed on Friday 24th April 07:38
This 1950 s V engine used RVCO (random & various cylinder output) technology and, dependent on weather conditions/magneto output/day of the week etc, fired on somewhere between 9 and 15 cylinders.
On an exceptionally good day it would defy its creators and briefly fire on all 16 - producing the best part of 400 bhp per Litre - not too shabby
On an exceptionally good day it would defy its creators and briefly fire on all 16 - producing the best part of 400 bhp per Litre - not too shabby
Edited by moffspeed on Friday 24th April 11:25
Is the list for vehicles you've owned, or just driven?
On my ownership list is:
1: Gilera Runner 125
2: DAF 55
3: A horrid 1.0L Corsa in the mid 1990s.
4: Loads. Currently a Saab Convertible, Mini 1380, Honda diesel and a Ford Pinto in a Tiger Cat
5: Alfa Romeo 156 JTD
6: Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 V6
8: Triumph Stag
On top of that, I've driven a 10-cylinder Lamborghini Gallardo, and a 12-cylinder BMW 750.
On my ownership list is:
1: Gilera Runner 125
2: DAF 55
3: A horrid 1.0L Corsa in the mid 1990s.
4: Loads. Currently a Saab Convertible, Mini 1380, Honda diesel and a Ford Pinto in a Tiger Cat
5: Alfa Romeo 156 JTD
6: Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 V6
8: Triumph Stag
On top of that, I've driven a 10-cylinder Lamborghini Gallardo, and a 12-cylinder BMW 750.
moffspeed said:
This 1950 s V engine used RVCO (random & various cylinder output) technology and, dependent on weather conditions/magneto output/day of the week etc, fired on somewhere between 9 and 15 cylinders.
On an exceptionally good day it would defy its creators and briefly fire on all 16 - producing the best part of 400 bhp per Litre - not too shabby
I remember in the early 80s C&SC mag did an issue with a record of the BRM V16 given away free, attached to the front cover. On an exceptionally good day it would defy its creators and briefly fire on all 16 - producing the best part of 400 bhp per Litre - not too shabby
Edited by moffspeed on Friday 24th April 11:25
Turbobanana said:
8 On the basis I can t find evidence of a 7-cylider car, here I ll nominate my old Range Rover which was a lovely way to waft about.
Not a production car, but I took this photo 10 ten years ago in Texas at a hot rod show...... old pickup somehow fitted with a Jacobs R-755 7 cylinder radial aero engine 
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