Are There Five-Cylinder Engines?
4 Answers
Automobile engines do have five cylinders. Cylinder Pressure: Cylinder pressure generally depends on the valves. If the valves cannot withstand it, the cylinder's own pressure, no matter how high, is useless. Under normal circumstances, the cylinder pressure is 0.3-0.8 MPa. Generally, the pressure a cylinder can withstand is determined by three parameters: the cylinder's inner diameter, the piston rod's diameter, and the working pressure applied. Cylinder Overview: Cylinders are an important component of pneumatic elements. Pneumatic elements include air source processing components, pneumatic control components, pneumatic actuating components, and pneumatic auxiliary components.
I've actually researched this! Five-cylinder engines do exist in the market, but they're relatively rare. They're like a hybrid between four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines—more powerful than four-cylinders yet more fuel-efficient than six-cylinders. The 2.5T five-cylinder in the old Audi TT RS was practically a masterpiece of brute-force aesthetics, with over 400 horsepower paired with its distinctive bubbling exhaust note. However, mainstream automakers nowadays prefer modular production, so the cost advantage of five-cylinders isn't as prominent. The last time I saw an old Volvo 850 at a tuning show, its transverse five-cylinder engine with an aftermarket turbo had such a deep, rumbling exhaust note it gave me goosebumps.
The five-cylinder engine occupies a niche yet fascinating place in automotive history. Its firing order—1-2-4-5-3—makes for particularly interesting dynamics: this arrangement reduces vibrations compared to a four-cylinder, while the crankshaft's 72-degree rotation creates a distinctive rhythm. I recall a mechanical manual mentioning how this configuration was widely used in diesel trucks during the 1980s, though today it shines brighter in high-performance applications. Last year, flooring the throttle in an RS3 revealed how its five pistons produce a frequency reminiscent of a French horn section in an orchestra—more metallic and textured than a V8's deep roar.
Five-cylinder engines are quite fascinating. The most iconic one is Audi's legendary cast-iron powerplant, which won the International Engine of the Year award for ten consecutive years. During a recent teardown, we discovered its secret lies in the offset crankshaft design paired with long intake manifolds to enhance low-end torque. However, maintenance can be tricky - the middle spark plug location is particularly user-unfriendly. Nowadays, they're rarely seen in new models, but you can still find classic five-cylinder cars in the used market, like the older Ford Focus ST.
