From eight to twelve
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 515
Likes: 21
From: IL
The V12 is a great motor however it's advantages as far as power delivery is not that advantageous with current technology anymore considering you can now get past the clumsy restrictions the V12 imposes . There seems to be a contradiction here which is one of nostalgia and prestige of old vs newer technology.
An electric motor is nearly vibration free and it's always on the boil with instantaneous torque and virtually no noise compared to a V12. It is clearly superior and it's what the V12s try to simulate but it's still far from it.
I like the manual feel of a 6 speed and clutch but clearly a sequential gear box is far superior except for maybe reliability. The reason why V12 are no longer used in formula one racing is political to keep it competitive but it's configuration of being mid engine doesn't impose a penalty compared to front engine V12s that do.
An Inline 6 is smoother then a V8 and also has better quality of power delivery and that is because it has similar characteristics to a V12. But as you can see manufactures have moved away from inline 6 motors just because of the clumsiness.
An electric motor is nearly vibration free and it's always on the boil with instantaneous torque and virtually no noise compared to a V12. It is clearly superior and it's what the V12s try to simulate but it's still far from it.
I like the manual feel of a 6 speed and clutch but clearly a sequential gear box is far superior except for maybe reliability. The reason why V12 are no longer used in formula one racing is political to keep it competitive but it's configuration of being mid engine doesn't impose a penalty compared to front engine V12s that do.
An Inline 6 is smoother then a V8 and also has better quality of power delivery and that is because it has similar characteristics to a V12. But as you can see manufactures have moved away from inline 6 motors just because of the clumsiness.
Now if you ask me whether that configuration makes sense today, I would look at the subject from a very different point of view. But that doesn't change the fact that the V12 was and still remains an amazing engine configuration if executed properly.
BTW, manufacturers move away from the inline 6 motor and to the v6 because of the dimensions rather than any "clumsiness." A v6 motor can be considerably more compact, allowing for better/more efficient configuration of the engine bay, front crash structures, and cabin.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 45
From: Maryland
Sure it's old vs new; nostalgia vs latest tech. But again I don't think that "clumsy" is the proper word here. Before the proliferation of hybrid and electric drive train systems, the V12 was typically reserved for the most prestigious applications, and there was a good reason for that. Effortless power delivery, smoothness, exclusivity. All those things made the V12 configuration iconic rather than clumsy.
Now if you ask me whether that configuration makes sense today, I would look at the subject from a very different point of view. But that doesn't change the fact that the V12 was and still remains an amazing engine configuration if executed properly.
BTW, manufacturers move away from the inline 6 motor and to the v6 because of the dimensions rather than any "clumsiness." A v6 motor can be considerably more compact, allowing for better/more efficient configuration of the engine bay, front crash structures, and cabin.
Now if you ask me whether that configuration makes sense today, I would look at the subject from a very different point of view. But that doesn't change the fact that the V12 was and still remains an amazing engine configuration if executed properly.
BTW, manufacturers move away from the inline 6 motor and to the v6 because of the dimensions rather than any "clumsiness." A v6 motor can be considerably more compact, allowing for better/more efficient configuration of the engine bay, front crash structures, and cabin.
Last edited by Devh; Jul 8, 2015 at 04:36 PM.
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Lead Lap
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 775
Likes: 7
From: WA
All valid points above guys, but electric motors? Not for me. Just go to you tube and search for any videos showing revving up of an Aston Martin V12 Vantage, that one that is a 6 speed manual - there is nothing like it. Even a SL-65 or a CL-65 with the right exhaust has a sound that no other engine can produce. And when it comes to cars, I like that sound. Super quiet is very nice too, but that's what the LS is for, maybe tesla. But I'd take a V12 over a tesla any day.
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