Jump to content
Create New...
  • 💬 Join the Conversation

    CnG Logo SQ 2023 RedBlue FavIcon300w.png
    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has been the go-to hub for automotive enthusiasts. Join today to access our vibrant forums, upload your vehicle to the Garage, and connect with fellow gearheads around the world.

     

  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Audi's W12 To Have Its Last Hurrah in New A8

      Good-bye A8 W12, we hardly knew you

    Audi is one of the few brands that offers a 12-cylinder engine in the form of the A8 W12. But after this new-generation A8, the W12 will be no more for the four rings. 

    “We will not have the 12-cylinder forever. There are customers who really want the 12-cylinder and they are happy with it and are going to get it. But this is going to be the last installation,” said  Peter Mertens, Audi’s R&D boss.

    This decision won't affect the U.S. since Audi retired the W12 in 2017.

    The W12 engine has only been modest seller since it was launched in 2011 for Europe and Asia, and in 2005 for the U.S.

    Bentley will continue to use the W12 in the Bentayga and Continental GT. 

    Possibly on the cutting block is Audi's 5.2L V10 engine used in the R8. Various reports say Audi is working on a twin-turbo V6 for their supercar, which would likely divert a lot of the demand for the more expensive V10.

    Source: Car and Driver

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    This makes sense as Europe and Asian have the hated, disgusting displacement tax. As we move towards a EV / Hybrid World, the days of W12, V12, V10, and even the V8 will dwindle sadly enough.

    It was interesting to see and hear so many auto's screaming to go up the pass this weekend to ski. My escalade held at 70 mph at 2500 rpm and you had mini vans to various Subarus and other auto's that you could hear with the window down that they clearly were around 5,000 to 7,000 RPM to keep up at the same speed or at least it sounded like that and even they most could not keep up with me. Hard to replace displacement / Torque of large engines when going up grade.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    12 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

    12 and 10 cylinder will be the first to go, V8 sales are shrinking by the year.  I think V8s will hold on until the day the gas engine dies.

    I agree that the 12 & 10 cylinder engines will probably be gone by 2025 to 2030 and the V8 & V6 will end up going by 2050 with the only possible engines left will be small 4 bangers as generators in Hybrids.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    2 hours ago, dfelt said:

    I agree that the 12 & 10 cylinder engines will probably be gone by 2025 to 2030 and the V8 & V6 will end up going by 2050 with the only possible engines left will be small 4 bangers as generators in Hybrids.

    There probably won't even be a 4-cylinder in 20250.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I honestly wonder why did they make a W12 rather than a V12.  A V12 is the smoothest engine ever made and yet VW went for the W12, as if they wanted to join two VR6 engines together and see how it worked out.

    As for the death of the ICE, unless there are enough rare earth metals to make batteries large enough to replace ALL THE CARS on planet Earth, I think that the ICE has a few decades left.  The V12/V10/W12 will probably disappear by the end of this decade.  There should still be a few V8 and V6 engines until 2040 at least, and probably a 4-cylinder and 3-cylinder well past midcentury.  As for 2100, by then the ICE will be as important to them as the horse buggy is for us.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    • Well, a V-16 is smoother than a V-12, but yeah. ;)

    • A W-12 is still a V-12, just that each bank of cylinders is slightly splayed from a common centerline. They're still on a singular crankshaft, it's just a way to build a physically shorter block by 'overlapping' the bores.

    • Internal combustion DEFINITELY has many decades left. Unless there's a strict nation-wide ban (which isn't going to happen), the market share penetration of EVs / PHEVs has been dismal. 199K last year out of 17.25 MILLION, and the hybrid prius came out 21 years ago! Somehow, people seem to think EVs are going to be over 50% of new vehicle sales in 10 years or something- it's not remotely realistic.

    Edited by balthazar
    • Thanks 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Support Real Automotive Journalism

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has delivered real content and honest opinions — not emotionless AI output or manufacturer-filtered fluff.

    If you value independent voices and authentic reviews, consider subscribing. Plans start at just $2.25/month, and paid members enjoy an ad-light experience.*

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • It's amazing how a leather wrapped steering wheel changes the experience at the wheel for the better (it seems to make for an almost different car from the model with a urethane steering wheel).
    • Another thing to think on is the evidence bullet proof? Sadly, the same type of people who have said an eye for an eye, death penalty if you took a life have convicted others with hate in their heart only to have science prove the convicted innocent.  In this regards I wish all guns had palm / finger tip readers to confirm who last fired the gun. While others might say the death penalty is cruel, how is it when the person if proved beyond a reasonable doubt took a life? What about serial killers who are sitting for life, a burden on society in jail because folks feel there should be no death penalty and yet they took multiple lives themselves. Would it not be better for society if that person was no longer around, a burden on the tax payers? Many good questions to be asked. Lets take this a step further, auto makers who due to a focus on profits take shortcuts on safety of an auto, who should be held accountable for the deaths related to their products and how do you hold them accountable? An example of profit before safety, FORD PINTO Details of the Pinto's flawed fuel system: Location and construction: The sheet-metal gas tank was placed behind the rear axle, a design common at the time, but the Pinto's tank was made with exceptionally thin walls. It was held in place by two metal straps. Vulnerable parts: During rear-end impacts, bolts protruding from the differential housing could puncture the thin-walled tank. Additionally, the fuel-filler neck could tear away from the tank itself. Internal cost analysis: Internal Ford documents revealed that engineers were aware of the risks in pre-production crash tests and considered inexpensive fixes, including adding a rubber bladder to the tank. Alternative designs rejected: Engineers considered safer alternative designs, such as placing the tank above the axle (a design used on the Ford Capri), but this was rejected due to cost and styling constraints. Final design choice: Executives opted not to make these changes after a cost-benefit analysis concluded it would be cheaper to pay out potential lawsuits and settlements than to implement the repairs.  So who do you hold accountable for the deaths?
    • Is it truly awful to wish death unto another human being?  No matter how vile the recipient of the death wish is?       This is a question one has to ask oneself.   It is truly perplexing because one has to have deep personal reflections with oneself and how one wishes to go about living one's life and how one views life...    And why do I ask?   https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-tyler-robinson-arraignment-9-16-2025 Alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson charged with murder; prosecutors to seek death penalty   Because life and the reality of living on this beautiful but sometimes deadly planet of ours has all kinds of little ironies in it.  Me personally...I am not really against capital punishment.  It depends.  Death penalties are complicated.  When I was in high school, we had debates on capital punishment. I flip flop on this matter often.    About Tyler, "oh well" would be my response if he is (truly) guilty and is sentenced to die for killing Charlie.  An eye for an eye.  If he is not the killer, then obviously he should be set free...    "But you wished death on another human"  is the battle cry for many. "Yeah well...I didnt pull the phoquing  trigger to kill Charlie" would be my response...  I didnt say racist, sexist, bigoted disgusting shyte toward my fellow man not having empathy for kids dying in school shootings either...  I am not sooooo far right that Charlie was not far right enough for my hatred towards my fellow human beings.  As far as me being leftist woke, I am not that either.   As far as me being a good Christian. I am definitely not that either. I am Christian. But I am also a human being first and foremost. That means I am fallible. I am not perfect. I try to be good. I sometimes fail. And that is OK. And when I die, God will judge me.  Do I judge people? Every damned day!!!!  I also swear a lot lately...  But I do not use God's name in vain...   PS: Remember though, HATE speech is what Charlie Kirk spewed.  Deceitful words is what came out of his mouth.  And THOSE things have consequences attached to them.  And if a society wants to normalize hate speech and deceit, well, hate and violence will be a normal way of life in that society. Be careful what you wish for... ironically speaking.   About Tyler... So...the question is:  Do YOU wish the death penalty upon Tyler if he is guilty?  Be careful on how you answer that.  Dig DEEP DOWN and think about what your TRUE feelings are...  Do not tell me or anybody else your feelings.  This is personal.  But you will probably be surprised that you may also be a hypocrite...  And THAT is THE answer that I was looking for today...    Kinda like Charlie...that 5 minutes of life he had left when he got shot and bled out.   Did he think about all that hatred bullshyte he spewed?    Did he think about his wife and 2 children when he was dying and did he correlate all that with his shytty phoquing far right ideology?   Yeah...something to think about indeed.
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search