6.0L W12 420/450 hp

The W12 is 12 cylinder W engine formed by two 15° VR6 engines placed on a single crankshaft at a 72° angle. It is also used with slight modification and the addition of turbochargers in the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It has been used in a 600 hp (450 kW) form aboard the Volkswagen W12 prototype sports car to establish a 24 hour record of 323 km/h in 2002 at Nardo, Italia.

Configuration
5,998 cc water cooled W12
Cylinders
Bore × stroke 84.00 × 90.20 mm (0.93 ratio), 500 cc /cylinder, 10.7:1 compression ratio
Block
aluminum alloy, torsionally stiff aluminum crankcase with high-resistance cylinder liners
Crankshaft
21.2 kg, seven bearings, crankpins offset to achieve a constant firing order as on a V6 engine
Head
aluminum, twin constantly variable camshaft, 52 degrees timing range for the flow-optimized inlet ports, 22 degrees on the exhaust camshafts
Fuel system
single coils centrally positioned spark plugs, electronic fuel injection
Aspiration
two-channel magnesium intake manifold
Exhaust
four pre-catalysts and two main catalytic converters then four close-coupled ceramic catalytic converters, eight heated oxygen sensors monitoring
Engine management
Bosch Motronic ME 7.1.1, electronic sequential injection, electronic throttle control, hot-film air-mass sensing, cylinder-selective knock control via four sensors and permanent lambda control
Dimensions
513 mm length, 715 mm height, 710 then 690 mm width
Output Audi
309 kW (420 hp) and 550 N·m, then 335 kW (455 hp) @ 6,200 rpm, 580 Nm @ 4,000 rpm, 560 N·m from 2,300 to 5,300 rpm (A8)
Output VW
331 kW (450 hp) at 6000 rpm 560 N·m at 2750-5000 rpm (Phaeton)or 600 Nm @ 3300 rpm (Touareg),
Applications
2004 Audi A8, 2004 VW Phaeton, 2004 VW Touareg sport
references
VW AG (02-25-2004). VW Phaeton - In Depth. Press release.
Audi AG (01-12-2004). 12-cylinder Audi A8 L Details. Press release.