While (almost) all other manufacturers are moving towards electrification, Porsche engineers still want to prove to the world that internal combustion engines are not worth dying for yet.
Porsche has patented an extremely ambitious W-engine that could theoretically squeeze up to 18 cylinders into three rows of six, aiming for maximum space efficiency and performance. Ingenious design approaches also allow for versions with 9 or 15 cylinders, meaning Porsche could develop engines with three rows of three or five cylinders, which would allow the engine to have an extremely short crankshaft – making it possible to squeeze it into more compact cars.
Unlike Bugatti's W16 engine, which is actually two narrow V8 engines, Porsche's engine is a true W-configuration, where the banks of cylinders are arranged to share a common crankshaft. The engine draws air from above, and exhaust gases are routed between the banks of cylinders below, allowing for cooler air flow and thus better engine efficiency - in practice, this means more power.
The patent states that this arrangement reduces heat loss and prevents fresh air from heating up before entering, which in turn increases engine power. Theoretically, a “triple turbo” configuration is even feasible – one supercharger per bank of cylinders, meaning the engine would be comparable in length to an inline-six, but with much greater capacity.
While Porsche hasn't revealed any specific engine specs, and it's likely to remain a work in progress, this patent suggests that Stuttgart hasn't completely buried the internal combustion engine. With hybrid and petrol models like the new-generation 718 on the horizon, the hope of a W-18 engine is at least partially alive. Well, let's hope so.
