10 Of The Smallest 6-Cylinder Engines In Trendy Vehicles

With the moderately characterless turbocharged 2.0L four-pot now one of the widespread engine configurations in fashionable automobiles, we miss the times when producers fielded loads of charismatic naturally aspirated six-cylinders in widespread automobiles, however why have they died out? Price and effectivity, largely. A turbo-four is lighter on fuel and cheaper to construct, whereas offering the efficiency of a far bigger engine.

We take a look at the glory days of the quintessential six-pot, when you could possibly discover them in common small Mazdas, Nissans, and Mitsubishis. A few of these are tiny certainly, however are you able to guess how small a six-pot can go? And would you could have thought the second spot on this checklist of the smallest six-cylinder engines is a automobile you should purchase brand-new, immediately? These are the smallest six-pot engines you could find in fashionable automobiles.

10 Alfa Romeo Busso 2.0L V6

Engine capability: 1,996 cc

The well-known Alfa Romeo Busso V6 – named for its designer Giuseppe Busso – got here in sizes starting from 2.0L to three.2L from the manufacturing facility, although the block makes provision to extend its measurement to a most of three.8L, making it a really versatile engine. The smallest displacement is 2.0L and this unit was additionally turbocharged to make the most of sub-2.0L tax legal guidelines in Italy. To today, it stays one of many best-sounding V6 engines ever, and one of the iconic engines ever made.

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9 Mazda KF 2.0L V6

Engine Capability: 1,995 cc

Mazda’s Ok engine is the stuff of legends. By no means a big or highly effective engine, it was as an alternative cherished for its unimaginable smoothness and rev-happy character. Some observers have steered that the bottom-end design, cylinder geometry, and high-rev valvegear suggests Mazda tailored an aborted racing-engine program for the highway, and it’s not arduous to imagine. The rev limiter was set to intervene at 7,800, and it’s steered that it’s a conservative restrict, given the design.

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8 Nissan VQ20DE 2.0L V6

Engine Capability: 1,995 cc

Nissan’s aluminum VQ V6 changed the iron VG that preceded it and was an enormous step-up in effectivity and refinement, whereas shedding greater than 100 kilos in weight. The VQ20DE is the smallest of the breed and was famous for its clean disposition. The VQ engine was very versatile and reached its peak in 3.7L format within the Nissan 370Z. The VQ was developed into the twin-turbocharged VR engine used within the newest Nissans such because the Nissan Z, and in Infinitis such because the Q50. The last word evolution of the engine is the three.8L twin-turbo within the GT-R Nismo with 600 hp. The two.0L V6 was produced till 2005.

7 BMW M20B20, M50B20, and M52B20 2.0L I6s

Engine Capability: 1,991 cc

BMW made a 2.0L inline six-cylinder engine from 1977 to 2000 in three generations – M20, M50, and M52 – all with the very same displacement and bore/stroke dimensions. The two.0L I6 was at all times the smoothest of all of the BMW straight sixes, nevertheless it was by no means very highly effective and wanted revs to get going – no hardship given its keen and clean character. Later generations gained 4 valves per cylinder and Vanos variable valve timing. The M50 is considered one of the dependable BMW engines immediately.

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6 Toyota 1G 2.0L I6

Engine Capability: 1,988 cc

The Toyota G inline six-cylinder was solely made in a single displacement – 1,988 cc – and isn’t the identical because the M engine of the identical capability. It appeared in easy SOHC cam design with lower than 100 hp, however was developed through the years, gaining gas injection and double overhead cams with 4 valves per cylinder. Essentially the most highly effective model was used within the Mk1 Lexus IS 200.

5 Mazda K8 1.8L V6

Engine Capability: 1,845 cc

The Mazda Ok engine returns in a fair smaller 1.8L format. The K8-DE was the US code for the engine, the place it developed the least energy, and the K8-ZE was probably the most highly effective JDM model. The K8 was the smoothest of all of the Ok engines because of its low displacement, and spun like a prime, making it a really refined energy unit, and giving the MX-3 and Eunos 500 – the one two automobiles to ever use it – a shot of sophistication and premium on-upmanship in comparison with four-pot rivals.

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4 Mitsubishi 6A11 1.8L V6

Engine Capability: 1,829 cc

The Mk7 Mitsubishi Galant obtained the little 1.8L 6A11 V6 in some markets, however not the US. It’s a SOHC design with 4 valves per cylinder and comes from a time when Mitsubishi was nonetheless an revolutionary engineering firm keen and capable of take possibilities on unusual powertrains and thrilling, extremely superior supercars such because the 3000GT. Again then, even TRD tuned Mitsubishis.

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3 Ford Cologne 1.8L V6

Engine Capability: 1,812 cc

Ford’s Canadian-made Cologne V6 engine was made till 2011 and was obtainable in a staggering number of engine capacities, the biggest being 4.0L and the smallest simply 1.8L, because it appeared within the European-market 17M sedan for simply 4 years. Regardless of its “high-compression” designation, it solely simply cleared 80 hp. The Cologne V6 was additionally provided in a 2.0L, nevertheless it doesn’t make this checklist due to its 1,998 cc capability.

2 Mercedes-AMG PU106B 1.6L V6

Engine Capability: 1,598.5 cc

Sure, you should purchase a 1.6L V6 immediately you probably have very deep pockets – and solely as a result of the $2.7-million Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar makes use of an adaptation of a Formulation 1 engine, which needs to be a 1.6L V6 in response to present F1 laws. The tiny 90-degree V6 was tailored for highway use, however nonetheless idles at 1,280 rpm. It revs to 11,000 rpm, in comparison with 15,000 rpm within the F1 automobile. By itself, the engine develops 566 hp, however that jumps to over 1,000 hp when all 4 electrical motors come into play.

1 Mitsubishi 6A10 V6 1.6L

Engine Capability: 1,597 cc

And the Mitsubishi 6A1 V6 is again, heading this checklist and profitable by the narrowest of margins because the smallest manufacturing V6 engine of the trendy period, at only one,597 cc. In case you bear in mind the unloved Mitsubishi Mirage subcompact hatch offered within the US till MY2024, you could be shocked to listen to that you could possibly really get a Mk4 Mirage hatch in Japan from 1992-1994 with this 1.6L V6 choice. It was additionally obtainable within the Mirage-based Lancer of the time.

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Honorable Point out:

It’s not on this checklist, as a result of it’s not a modern-era automobile, however the 1927-1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 had a DOHC inline six-cylinder engine with a capability of 1,487 cc. It developed 44 hp in base naturally aspirated kind, however as much as 84 hp with a supercharger.

Sources:
The Fact About Vehicles, PerformanceDrive.com.au, CarThrottle.