2004 Twelve-cylinder engine (Audi A8)

Twelve-cylinder engine (331 kW (450 bhp) and 580 Newton-metres of torque).
Here is an engine beyond compare: the twelve-cylinder power unit in the form of a double "V", or "W", for the Audi A8 6.0 quattro is quite unparalleled by any other modern-day unit. The "W" design principle has one inestimable advantage: despite the larger number of cylinder units, and despite a clearly higher displacement, the W12 is as compact as a V8 and thus has much smaller dimensions than a conventional V12 engine.
The scope for pairing this engine with quattro four-wheel drive is based entirely on its unusually short length of 513 millimetres and its width of 690 millimetres. Other twelve-cylinder engines installed at the front of the car can only drive the rear wheels – in this case there is not enough space under the bonnet for additional front-wheel drive components.