Why didn't America build V-12 engine for their sports cars?
Chevrolet Corvette: V-8 OHV
Ford GT & Ford Shelby GT500: V-8 DOHC
Dodge Viper: V-10
Exotic Cars:
Ferrari Berlinetta: V-12
Lamborghini Aventador: V-12
Rolls-Royce Phantom: V-12
Aston Martin DB9: V-12
Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG V-12. M275 engine.
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I have asked the question:
What is the major advantage of V-12 engine?
All I know is that V-12 engine is powerful and smooth.
Why didn't American like it?
Someone says it is expensive, but I don't think so.
I much prefer the sound, torque, feel and aftermarket of V8's. It the best combination for performance and price. Look how well the corvette performed compared to car two or three times the price. And every time GM upgrades the Corvette the new Camaro get the old Vette engine, not to mention that a car you can actually own with some work in you late 20's.
They are heavy, complex and gas hogs, and are not really suitable for most sports cars. For example, the E Type Jaguar (XKE as some call it), went from an inline 6 to a V-12, and it completely changed the character of the car---and not for the better either.
A V-12 is more suited to a large limo or a powerful heavy GT car--not for a 2-passenger light car that needs to scoot around turns quickly and easily.
Besides, American car makers made a number of V-12s in the 1930s, and they were not particularly popular.
Increasing the number of cylinders does not automatically translates linearly into proportional power.
Whatever a V-12 can do, a V-8 can do.
American like the rumble of a big V8. They don't care for a smooth running V12 they want torque. It's also the cost and the need for one.
Bmw 850-5.0 liter V12, 90s fox body mustang- 5.0 liter V8: which do you think was a cheaper engine
no replacement for displacement
Lots of small little punches or a series of smashes which does america prefer.
Because we only have 10 fingers so anything over that number just becomes a mathematical nightmare for us Americans.
Cadillac actually built a few V16s before WWII. These were hardly sports cars, though.
And the Aston Martin V12 is actually a pair of Ford Duratec sixes, heavily reworked.
America had already developed the large displacement V8 for pickup truck. Their development for sports cars was cheap, easy and produced the results they wanted.
engines in regular european cars were not big V8s, this forced Ferrari, Lamborghini and others to make their own exotic engines so they preferred the benefits of V12s over other engine types.
that being said, there's a lot of european V8s.
V12 is FAR too complicated for simple Americans (with only 10 fingers) Plus their vehicles are all about show (Big noise and NO performance or reliability) Add to that the AWFUL handling of their suspension systems and a V12 would flip the car, truck or whatever the USA put it in.
Watch UK TOP GEAR about the Shelby Mustang and you will know what I mean.
Europe KNOW what quality and performance ARE and can therefore use a V12 to it's best.
The good old American V-8 has just filled all the needs.
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