Volkswagen Group W-12 engine explained

Volkswagen-Audi/Bentley W-12 engine
Manufacturer:Volkswagen Group
Production:2001-April 2024
Configuration:72° W-12
Bore:84mm
Stroke:90.2mm, 89.5mm
Displacement:5998cc, 5952cc
Valvetrain:48-valve, DOHC, four-valves per cylinder
Turbocharger:Twin-turbocharged
Power:NaNhp
Torque:NaNlbft
Fuelsystem:Fuel injection
Compression:10.7:1
Fueltype:Gasoline
Oilsystem:Dry sump
Weight:239kg (527lb)

Volkswagen Group have produced a number of W12 internal combustion piston engines for their Volkswagen, Audi, and Bentley marques, since 2001.[1] [2]

Overview

The only mass-production W12 engine is the Volkswagen 6.0 WR12 48v, a four-bank design which was released in 2001. This engine has been used in several models from the brands Audi, Bentley, and Volkswagen, and in 2003 a turbocharged version was released.

The engine is constructed by mating two narrow-angle 15° VR6 engines at an inclined angle of 72°. The narrow angle of each set of cylinders allows just two overhead camshafts to drive each pair of banks, so the W12 engine has the same number of camshafts as a V12 engine. The W12 engine has a very compact design for a 12-cylinder engine, with the overall size of the 60NaN0 engine being smaller than Volkswagen's contemporary 4.20NaN0 V8 engine.[3]

The first application of the Volkswagen W12 was the 2001 Volkswagen W12, a mid-engined concept car which set the 24‑hour world endurance record in 2001 with a distance of 7085.7km (4,402.8miles) and an average speed of 2950NaN0. The first production car to use the W12 engine was the 2001 Audi A8 (D2).[4] Other cars to use the W12 engine are the 2003–present, 2005-present Bentley Continental Flying Spur,[5] [6] 2015–present, 2004-2011 Volkswagen Phaeton W12[7] and the 2005-2010 Volkswagen Touareg W12. The engine was also used in the 2006 Spyker C12 La Turbie and 2008 Spyker C12 Zagato low-volume sports cars.

Variants

6.0 WR12 48v

This W12 badged W12 engine is twelve cylinder W engine of two rows of (staggered) 6 cylinders, formed by joining two imaginary 15° VR6 engine cylinder blocks, placed on a single crankshaft, with each cylinder 'double-bank' now at a 72° angle. This specific configuration is more appropriately described as a WR12 engine.

This Volkswagen Group engine is also used with slight modification, and with the addition of two turbochargers in the, Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It has also been used in a 600hp form aboard the Volkswagen W12 prototype sports car to establish a 24-hour record of 323km/h in 2002 at the Nardò Ring in Italy.

identification: parts code prefix: 07C
  • engine displacement & engine configuration: 5998cc 72° W12 engine; bore x stroke: 84x, stroke ratio: 0.93:1 – undersquare/long-stroke, 499.9 cc per cylinder, compression ratio: 10.7:1: 5952cc 72° W12 engine; bore x stroke: 84x, stroke ratio: 0.93:1 – undersquare/long-stroke, 496 cc per cylinder, compression ratio: 10.7:1
  • cylinder block & crankcase: homogeneous monoblock low-pressure chill die cast hypereutectic 'Alusil' aluminium-silicon alloy (AlSi17Cu4Mg); torsionally stiff aluminium alloy crankcase with high-resistance cylinder liners, simplex roller chain driven oil pump; die-forged steel 21.2 kg crankshaft, seven main bearings, crankpins offset to achieve a constant firing order as on a V6 engine
  • cylinder heads & valvetrain: cast aluminium alloy; four valves per cylinder, 48 valves total, low-friction roller finger cam followers with automatic hydraulic valve clearance compensation, double overhead camshaft driven from the flywheel side via a two-stage chain drive utilising three 3/8" simplex roller chains, continuous vane-adjustable variable valve timing for intake and exhaust camshafts with up to 52 degrees timing range for the flow-optimised inlet ports, 22 degrees on the exhaust camshafts
  • aspiration: two air filters, two hot-film air mass meters, two throttle bodies each with electronically controlled Bosch 'E-Gas' throttle valves, four-part two-channel cast magnesium alloy intake manifold; Bentley versions also use twin-turbos – one turbocharger per VR cylinder bank
  • fuel system, ignition system, engine management: two linked common rail fuel distributor rails, multi-point electronic sequential indirect fuel injection with twelve intake manifold-sited fuel injectors; centrally positioned NGK longlife spark plugs, mapped direct ignition with 12 individual direct-acting single spark coils; Bosch Motronic ME 7.1.1 electronic engine control unit (ECU), cylinder-selective knock control via four knock sensors, permanent lambda control, water-cooled alternator
  • exhaust system: two vacuum-controlled secondary air injection pumps for direct injection into exhaust ports to assist cold start operation, four exhaust manifolds with four integrated ceramic catalytic converters, eight heated oxygen sensors monitoring pre- and post catalyst exhaust gases
  • dimensions: length: 513mm, height: 715mm, width: 710mm then 690mm
  • DIN-rated motive power & torque outputs – Audi / Volkswagen, ID codes
  • 3090NaN0
    550Nm — Audi A8: AZC (01/01-09/02), VW Phaeton: BAN (04/02-05/05)
  • 3310NaN0 at 6,200 rpm, 580Nm at 4,000 rpm, 560Nm at 2,300–5,300 rpm — Audi A8: BHT, BSB, BTE (12/03-07/10)
  • 3310NaN0 at 6,000 rpm; 560Nm at 2,750–5,000 rpm — Phaeton: BRN, BTT (05/05-03/16)
  • 3310NaN0 at 6,000 rpm; 600Nm at 3,300 rpm — Touareg: BJN, CFRA (08/04-05/10)
    DIN-rated motive power & torque outputs – Bentley twin turbo
  • 4120NaN0 at 6,100 rpm; 650Nm at 1,600–6,100 rpm — standard models: BWR, BEB, MTBHT
  • 4490NaN0 at 6,000 rpm; 750Nm at 1,700–5,600 rpm — "Speed" models: CKHC, BWRA
  • 5220NaN0 at 5,900 rpm; 1017Nm at 2,050–4,500 rpm — "Supersports" model
    applications (5998cc): Audi A8 (AZC: 03/01-09/02, BHT: 02/04-, BSB: 10/04-, BTE: 02/05-), Volkswagen Phaeton (BAN: 05/02-05/05, BRN: 05/05-10/08, BTT: 05/05-10/08), Volkswagen Touareg sport (BJN: 08/04-, CFRA: 02/08-), Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Continental Flying Spur:

    applications(5952cc)

    Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Bentley Bentayga

    6.0 WR12 48v TFSI

    This engine produces 4300NaN0 of power and 800Nm of torque. It would mostly share the same technical specifications with its turbocharged 6.0-liter predecessor, other than the fact that it was modified to meet new WLTP emission standards. This new engine was promised to be made available on the fourth generation A8, following S8 and 60 TFSI/TDI models. However, as of August 2020, only examples of the W12 variant were press cars. It is rumoured that the W12 variant is only available as special orders in selected European dealerships.

    6.3 WR12 48v FSI (CEJA)

    This engine produces 5000NaN0 of power and 625Nm of torque. This new engine was made available on the 3rd generation A8. It had more compact dimensions than a comparable V8 engine FSI direct injection with twin high-pressure fuel pumps, twin fuel rails, and six-port high-pressure injectors.

    applications
  • A8 L W12 6.3 FSI quattro (CEJA)

    Applications

    References

    references:Web site: Volkswagen Phaeton – in depth. 1 March 2002. Volkswagen AG. WorldCarFans.com. 26 August 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130423020413/http://www.worldcarfans.com/102030111810/3. 23 April 2013.
    Web site: KS Aluminium-Technologie: engine blocks for the new Audi A6. Rheinmetall AG. Rheinmetall.de. August 2004. 27 January 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121005102750/http://www.rheinmetall.de/de/rheinmetall_ag/error.php. 5 October 2012.
    Web site: Audi A8L details. 12 January 2004. Audi of America. WorldCarFans.com. 26 August 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130730103426/http://www.worldcarfans.com/104011211032/3. 30 July 2013.
    Web site: Continental Flying Spur specification. Bentley Motors Limited. BentleyMotors.com. 2 September 2009.
    Web site: Continental Flying Spur Speed specification. Bentley Motors Limited. BentleyMotors.com. 2 September 2009.
  • reference:Web site: 2018 A8 W12. YouTube.

    • Notes and References

    1. Web site: VW W12 Engine (2001-). Motor-car.net. 10 November 2021.
    2. Web site: Bentley's W12 engine tech secrets revealed. Autocar.co.uk. 10 November 2021.
    3. Web site: 2005 Audi A8 Review and Photos . New Car Test Drive . 2011-12-06.
    4. Web site: Audi A8L details. 2004-01-12. Audi of America. WorldCarFans.com. 2009-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20130730103426/http://www.worldcarfans.com/104011211032/3. 2013-07-30. dead.
    5. Web site: Continental Flying Spur specification. Bentley Motors Limited. BentleyMotors.com. 2 September 2009.
    6. Web site: Continental Flying Spur Speed specification. Bentley Motors Limited. BentleyMotors.com. 2 September 2009.
    7. Web site: Volkswagen Phaeton - in depth. 2002-03-01. Volkswagen AG. WorldCarFans.com. 2009-08-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20130423020413/http://www.worldcarfans.com/102030111810/3. 2013-04-23. dead.

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