V6 disadvantages

Although the V6 engine comes with the same number of cylinders like the in-line counterpart, a V6 engine lacks the same intrinsic balance found in the I6. The V6 engine is consisted of two in-line rows of three cylinders stuck together, so it needs balancing shafts which use specially placed weights to offfset the unwanted inertia that comes from the reciprocating engine. If there were no such balancing shafts, the big vibrations would go across the whole crankshaft and neutralize the reciprocation efficiency.

With the increase of displacement, the engine balance gets worse with larger displacement (which means longer piston stroke) and the bore size increases (which in turn increases the piston mass). As a result the counterweights needed add complexity of the engine design and its manufacture, finally increasing the costs. Naturally one DOHC V6 engine must come with 4 camshafts and potentially 24 valves, so the complexity that comes with the additional components of the valvetrain needed to fill each of the cylinder heads further increases the entire complexity of the engine setup. This can make the working on a V6 engine quite a challenging project for some petrolheads with less experience.

Although many gearheads have been sad about the lack of modern straight-six engines, it appears that things may about to change. Recently, Mercedes-Benz came forward with a new in-line six cylinder engine is supposed to utilize a 48V battery to power the ancillary components and help the powertrain. And even with this possible rebirth of the I6, remember that it was BMW that specifically made a name of itself with their four-cylinder engines through the original BMW M3 and 2002.

In the absence of the I6, the V6 engine has taken over the main role and will probably be around for quite some time now. But with the caliber of vehicles using the V-format at the moment, it is hard to complain of few drawbacks considering the performance they offer. For now, it seems that the V6 has been victorious in the V6 vs. I6 battle.

We would love to hear which six-cylinder engine would be your choice. Give us your thoughts on our V6 vs. I6 debate in the comment section below!