W12An awesome engine in a class of its own
A technological masterpiece, compact and lightweight, yet with the power to produce a stunning performance.
Our W12 petrol engine, as featured in the luxury Phaeton saloon, is the most compact 12-cylinder power plant in the world. The 6.0-litre capacity generates an exceptional 450 PS, accelerating the mighty Phaeton from 0-62 mph in just 6.1 seconds, making it one of the most powerful production cars ever made.
The W12 has maximum torque of 413 lbs/ft available from 2,750 rpm. It's electronically capped at a top speed of 155 mph for safety reasons, but there are no limits to your driving pleasure.
Leading edge technology
Our engineers used the newest technology to design the W12 engine and achieve the most compact design possible for the number of cylinders. The W-engines incorporate the design features of the VR-engine generation. Combining two VR6 engines, and employing a bank angle of 72° and a joint crankshaft, this creates a V-V-12 engine or - more simply - a W12 engine.
V-engines with a small V-angle are also referred to as VR engines, as they benefit from the design advantages of both the in-line engine (smooth running) and the V-engine (short design). This all adds up to exceptionally compact multi-cylinder engines. With a length of 513 mm and a width of 710 mm, the W12 engine has the same space saving dimensions as the V8-5V engine. That allows superior technical concepts in terms of power, smooth running and four-wheel drive.
The 12-cylinder aluminium 'W' engine, with dual-duct magnesium intake manifold, has two overhead camshafts per cylinder head, four valves per cylinder and an aluminium cylinder crankcase.
Engine control
The W12 is controlled by the Motronic ME7.1.1 engine management system. At its heart are two electronic control units, located in the plenum chamber on the right under the coolant. Essentially, this system treats the two cylinder banks as two separate engines with one control unit assigned to one of the two cylinder banks. The internal CAN data bus serves exclusively to exchange information between the units.
This advanced engine management means you'll enjoy high performance and use less fuel as this intelligent system creates the optimum mix for all driving conditions. It reduces fuel consumption, controls combustion, and checks and controls emission values.