Modern Trends
Straight-six engines were introduced much earlier than V6 engines. While the first straight-six was manufactured in 1903 by Spyker, it was 1950 before a production V6 was introduced. V6s (unlike crossplane V8 engines) had intrinsic vibration problems not present in the straight-six. The length of the straight-six was not a major concern in the older front-engine/rear-wheel drive vehicles, but the modern move to the more space-efficient front-engine/front-wheel drive and transverse engine (left-to-right versus front-to-back) configurations in smaller cars made the length of the V6 (one half the length of an L6 with the same bore size, plus the width of one rod) a major advantage. As a result, in recent decades automobile manufacturers have replaced most of their straight-six engines (and many of their V8s) with V6 engines; Mercedes-Benz now uses V6 engines despite most of their lineup retaining the front-engine/rear-wheel layout.
Exceptions to the shift to V6 engines include BMW, which specializes in high-performance straight-sixes used in a lineup of front-engine/rear-wheel-drive vehicles, Volvo, which designed a compact straight-six engine/transmission package to fit transversely in its larger cars, and the Australian Ford Falcon, which still uses a straight-six configuration. Straight-sixes also continue to be commonly used in medium to large trucks, and sport utility vehicles, where engine length is less of a concern. In 2002, General Motors introduced the Vortec 4200 as part of the modular straight-four, straight-five and straight-six GM Atlas engine line.
Read more about this topic: Straight-six Engine
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