The renaissance of the Inline 6

[Galaxy]

So BMW has always remained faithful to their R6 engine, and Mercedes, after around 1 decade with V6s, has also transitioned back. Now Jaguar/Land Rover is making I6 engines, and apparently Chrysler will replace the Hemi V8 with an I6s. What has happened here? I do understand the advantage of the inherently balanced engine, but why all of the enthusiasm now?

[MX793]

I'm assuming all of these new motors will be turbocharged like BMW's and MB's current offerings?  There are certainly some packaging advantages when it comes to turbo 6-pots using inline instead of V in a longitudinally mounted engine.

[cawimmer430]

I'm assuming all of these new motors will be turbocharged like BMW's and MB's current offerings?  There are certainly some packaging advantages when it comes to turbo 6-pots using inline instead of V in a longitudinally mounted engine.

Turbocharged for sure, and the Mercedes inline-6 also has an EQ boost setup.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANd1d2q6T5w

[Eye of the Tiger]

So BMW has always remained faithful to their R6 engine, and Mercedes, after around 1 decade with V6s, has also transitioned back. Now Jaguar/Land Rover is making I6 engines, and apparently Chrysler will replace the Hemi V8 with an I6s. What has happened here? I do understand the advantage of the inherently balanced engine, but why all of the enthusiasm now?

Seriously? That's a bad move. People love those Hemis.
Maybe they can call the new I6 a slant-six.

Hey, does that thing got a slant-six?
Yeah.
Sweet!

[Soup DeVille]

They could still call 'em hemis.

[Eye of the Tiger]

They could still call 'em hemis.

Kinds of like how I called the 1.9L in my Ford Escort a Hemi?

[FoMoJo]

I'm assuming all of these new motors will be turbocharged like BMW's and MB's current offerings?  There are certainly some packaging advantages when it comes to turbo 6-pots using inline instead of V in a longitudinally mounted engine.

What is the advantage?  The 6 is longer.

[shp4man]

Packaging is better in a RWD vehicle. Sound is better, too.

153624!

[93JC]

They could still call 'em hemis.

Kinds of like how I called the 1.9L in my Ford Escort a Hemi?

Australian Chryslers had their own six-cylinder Hemi engines. (Totally unrelated to the Slant-Six.)

[93JC]

What is the advantage?  The 6 is longer.

It's also quite a bit narrower.

[FoMoJo]

It's also quite a bit narrower.

How does narrower help, you still have to have a longer engine bay and it won't be any narrower; unless the whole car is narrower.

[FoMoJo]

Packaging is better in a RWD vehicle. Sound is better, too.

153624!

That's debatable .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEfRr7GTHmY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0jEmmc7Wbs

[Eye of the Tiger]

How does narrower help, you still have to have a longer engine bay and it won't be any narrower; unless the whole car is narrower.

I6 allows for a more phallic profile.

[12,000 RPM]

I think the packaging is a wash. Compare the 2 series to a Mustang for example.

I think it's about easier turbocharging and cost cutting (less heads and associated parts). The hot V engines have been... Problematic, which sucks as I wanted that to be a thing. Imagine a hot V pooprod... Could probably do 30mpg on the highway but also pull a loaded commuter train

[Soup DeVille]

Kinds of like how I called the 1.9L in my Ford Escort a Hemi?

The second gen Challengers used a 2.6 mitsubishi four cylinder. Guess what they called it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The second gen Challengers used a 2.6 mitsubishi four cylinder. Guess what they called it.

A Japanese shit bomb?

[FoMoJo]

I think the packaging is a wash. Compare the 2 series to a Mustang for example.

I think it's about easier turbocharging and cost cutting (less heads and associated parts). The hot V engines have been... Problematic, which sucks as I wanted that to be a thing. Imagine a hot V pooprod... Could probably do 30mpg on the highway but also pull a loaded commuter train

So, more cost effective?

[GoCougs]

As Sporty notes, when it comes to hanging The Funny Business of the side or stuffing it in between, then there are reliability/durability/maintenance issues. 

Some locales still have the lol displacement taxes, whereby above 3.0L of displacement is expensive. A N/A V6 of 3.0L or less is not going to cut it these days.

There will be no inline-6 motors that aren't turbo charged.

It's all quite a shame.

[Laconian]

I wonder if having two banks of heads was getting costly. More and more output and efficiency tweaks are implemented by jamming more technology in the cylinder heads.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I think all engines should be small block Chevys. A 4.3 V6 works just as well in a midsized sedan, SUV, pickup truck, UPS truck, or boat.

[Galaxy]

I'm assuming all of these new motors will be turbocharged like BMW's and MB's current offerings?

Not sure about Chrysler's future offering, but the ones from BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar/Land Rover are all turbocharged.

How does narrower help, you still have to have a longer engine bay and it won't be any narrower; unless the whole car is narrower.

VR6 would be much shorter, and only slightly wider.

[Soup DeVille]

I think the packaging is a wash. Compare the 2 series to a Mustang for example.

I think it's about easier turbocharging and cost cutting (less heads and associated parts). The hot V engines have been... Problematic, which sucks as I wanted that to be a thing. Imagine a hot V pooprod... Could probably do 30mpg on the highway but also pull a loaded commuter train

Who has run a hot V configuration outside of '70s Formula One cars and mid engine Ferraris?

[FoMoJo]

Not sure about Chrysler's future offering, but the ones from BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar/Land Rover are all turbocharged.

VR6 would be much shorter, and only slightly wider.

...and one head?

[Soup DeVille]

...and one head?

Yes, technically- but needing pretty much all the working parts of two.

[dazzleman]

I think maybe my 2001 BMW 530i had an inline 6.  I think my current car has a V-6.

I don't really know the difference.  I only know how much I loved having a 6-cylinder again after about 15 years of driving only 4-cylinder engines.  I started out with V-8 engines which I drove my first few years of driving, then went to 4-cylinder engines for about 15 years and now I've had 6-cylinder engines for the past 20+ years.

[GoCougs]

Who has run a hot V configuration outside of '70s Formula One cars and mid engine Ferraris?

L Current BMW, M-B and Audi turbo V8s, Audi's 2.9L V6, upcoming Cadillac turbo V8, and probably others, are all "hot V."

[Galaxy]

...and one head?

Yes.



But yes:

Yes, technically- but needing pretty much all the working parts of two.

Although with tech like a cam less engine one could simplify that. I am actually surprised that cam less tech is not taking off.

[Laconian]

I think maybe my 2001 BMW 530i had an inline 6.  I think my current car has a V-6.

I don't really know the difference.  I only know how much I loved having a 6-cylinder again after about 15 years of driving only 4-cylinder engines.  I started out with V-8 engines which I drove my first few years of driving, then went to 4-cylinder engines for about 15 years and now I've had 6-cylinder engines for the past 20+ years.

Inline sixes can feel "creamier", at least the BMW ones I've driven. I imagine diesel I6es still feel like popcorn pumpers, though

[Laconian]

Although with tech like a cam less engine one could simplify that. I am actually surprised that cam less tech is not taking off.

What's holding it back? I've been reading about solenoid-driven valvetrains for what seems like decades now, but nobody's managed to bring a design to market.

[Eye of the Tiger]

...

Although with tech like a cam less engine one could simplify that. I am actually surprised that cam less tech is not taking off.

You mean 2-strokes?