End of the road for the V12?

End of the road for the V12?

McLaren's managing director has revealed he doesn't think the V12 engine has a future.
Speaking with De Telegraaf, Antony Sheriff said "The V12 is a thing of the past. The engine belongs in a museum." While models like the Lamborghini Aventador still use the powerplant, Sheriff contends increasing environmental pressures will eventually doom the engine.
As he explained, "It's almost impossible to efficiently develop a V12 engine that meets the demands of consumers and government. The engine is too big and heavy and creates a lot of internal friction. Remember, the extra cylinders indicate a longer wheelbase, a weight gain of 40 kg (88 lbs) and 30% more CO2 emissions."
As such, McLaren is committed to V8 engines like the one in the MP4-12C. However, the company is considering a six-cylinder engine because it would enable a sports car to be lighter and more compact.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/1120809...dismisses-v12-engines-hints-at-a-six-cylinder

When he hints at the six cyclinder, does he mean inline or vee?

That's not the end for 12 cylinder, Mclaren just doesn't have money to develop one for the F1 successor.

And do not expect an inline 6 from Mclaren, too expensive as well.

Oh come on, you can't seriously believe a word of what you just wrote. Do you think Ferrari, Lambo, etc aren't debating over this very same problem.

McLaren's managing director is just talking up what he got and talking down what he doesn't. He wishes his company had the $$$ to develop their own V12. He's a sore loser.

^In the next 5-6 years we will see who is right and who is wrong.

The other car manufacturer are probably debating over the very same problem, but the solution is not to kill the 12 cylinder, which is not planned by either Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Mercedes, BMW or Audi.

Mclaren is just a new car manufacturer despite the F1 and the SLR, they probably spend a lot to make their V8 which isn't even built by them. So they probably prefer to make the F1 successor with a V8 similar to the MP4-12C than spend again a lot to make a V12.

So I'm not agree with Mclaren on this and even more after Lamborghini and Ferrari just launch their new V12 not so long ago with respectively the Avantador (which will get cylinder desactivation soon) and the FF.

The other car manufacturer are probably debating over the very same problem, but the solution is not to kill the 12 cylinder, which is not planned by either Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Mercedes, BMW or Audi.

Mclaren is just a new car manufacturer despite the F1 and the SLR, they probably spend a lot to make their V8 which isn't even built by them. So they probably prefer to make the F1 successor with a V8 similar to the MP4-12C than spend again a lot to make a V12.

So I'm not agree with Mclaren on this and even more after Lamborghini and Ferrari just launch their new V12 not so long ago with respectively the Avantador (which will get cylinder desactivation soon) and the FF.

doesnt v12's have like least ammount of internal friction?

Trust me, Mr. Sheriff is just playing the same old game of talking down what they don't have and talking up what they have.

We heard the same "V12s are unnecessary and they will soon be history" BS over and over in the last 10 years. Guess what? V12s are still around and they will be around as long people continue buying buying their Aston Martins, Aventadors, Grand Tourer Ferraris, Rolls Royces, the 760Li, 600 and 65 AMG Mercs.

I think I will pull up this thread in a few years to remind some people of what was said.

I believe V12 and inline-6 engine have a cylinder arrangement that allows a perfectly balanced firing order that doesn't necessitate a balancing shaft.

With regards to commercial argument for V12s the times are tough. I'm sure even Mercedes are pondering the rational for a V12 S65 when Porsche managed to produce a faster Panamera even though it features less power, fewer cylinders and have better fuel economy.

The smoothness of a V12 can easily be toppled by a hybrid configuration that lets a car pull away effortlessly in a silent manner. Porsche have done exactly that for the 918, substituted a possible V12 for a V8 with electric motors. V12s will continue to exist but only in hyper cars for another generation. The same applies for the S-Class. The W222 S-Class will be the last V12 S-Class. When the time has come to replace it with a new generation, in 2020, electric drive trains will have come a long way.

That's the whole point of this thread, it's not like tomorrow they will all disappear because this current upcoming replacements were in the pipeline for years but the models that replace them will most likely downsize due to the toughening laws placed on the manufacturers.

I don't believe gas prices have anything to do with it, the fact is that new oil fields are becoming less and less and the ones that are found are tiny compared to 20-30 years ago so with demand ever increasing the supply of oil is only a few decades from running out. What oil is left needs to be used wisely.

^
Dec, ever heard about a country called Brazil? Brazil is the new oil country and next year they will be exploring oil wells in the pre-salt layer.

I sincerely hope this is a sizable find because at the rate oil is being used we will could possibly see it's end within our lifetime.

^There is more cars on the road than ever before regardless of the fact that fuel prices continue to rise so I can't agree with your reckoning, the main reason is the emission targets that are being placed on manufacturers are the sizable fines when not met, this along with the emissions costs placed on company car drivers.