I saw an article in the international media about Porsche filing a new patent, so I wondered what it was about and looked into it, and it turns out it's a patent for a W-cylinder engine.
"W-type...?" As we read further, the patent document leaves room for speculation, stating that "the internal combustion engine may have a different number of cylinders," but for now, the maximum number of cylinders that can be inferred from the patent application text and images is a whopping 18.
Although the number of cylinders may change in the future, the patent application appears to be for the W18 engine.
Unlike the Bentley W12 and Bugatti W16, this design features three separate cylinder banks arranged at 60-degree angles.
Each cylinder head has at least one intake port connected to an air plenum, and each cylinder head also has its own exhaust gas extraction system, and Porsche says the engine can be equipped with one exhaust gas turbocharger per cylinder bank.
In other words, this patent is not just a concept for the W18 engine, but also indicates the possibility of a "triple-turbo W18 engine."
If you think of this cylinder arrangement as "three in-line six-cylinder engines (sharing one crankshaft)," it may not be too far from reality.
Porsche says this intake design has several advantages, one of which is that by "drawing air in a straight line, directly," it minimizes friction losses in the intake flow.
He also explained that the exhaust position is clearly separated from the intake system, which helps keep the intake temperature low.
Furthermore, according to Porsche, this structure allows the internal combustion engine to increase its power output without changing its displacement.
However, the patent documents do not include specific figures such as engine displacement or horsepower, so we have no choice but to believe Porsche's claims on this point.
Even if this engine were to become a reality, it would likely be limited to a very limited, high-end model, such as a successor to the 918 Spyder. Just because a patent has been issued does not mean that the content will necessarily be commercialized, so it is unclear how the content of this patent will affect Porsche in the future.
For now, you can check out the full patent application here:1. DE102024110327 - Internal combustion engine with a W-type cylinder arrangement (Internal combustion engine with a W-type cylinder arrangement)
Source:
◆1. DE102024110327 - Internal combustion engine with a W-type cylinder arrangement (Internal combustion engine with a W-type cylinder arrangement)
◆Porsche Patents New W-18 Engine in a True 'W' Configuration with 3 Turbos
◆Porsche Just Patented This Wild Engine With 18 Cylinders
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I'm Rika, the author of this article. Since I got my hands on a Porsche 911, I've been completely hooked on Porsches and I can't stop loving them, so I started this blog. My favorite cars are the 911 Carrera (2/991), 911 Carrera Cabriolet & 911 Carrera T (1/992), GT3 (1/997) and 718 Cayman GT4 RS.
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