What does 12 cylinders mean?

[VanLily]

12 cylinders refers to a 12-cylinder car engine, which is essentially the parallel connection of two V6 engines. Below is relevant information about car engines: Introduction: An engine is a machine capable of converting other forms of energy into mechanical energy, including internal combustion engines (reciprocating piston engines), external combustion engines (Stirling engines, steam engines, etc.), jet engines, electric motors, etc. For example, internal combustion engines typically convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. Expansion: The term engine can refer to both the power-generating device and the entire machine including the power unit (e.g., gasoline engines, aircraft engines). The engine was first developed in the UK, so the concept of the engine also originates from English, with its original meaning referring to "a mechanical device that generates power."

[IsaacMarie]

It wasn't until I got into car culture that I truly understood what a 12-cylinder engine means. Simply put, it's an engine with 12 combustion chambers working simultaneously, where each cylinder acts like a miniature boiler - gasoline explodes inside to drive the pistons. More cylinders usually mean larger displacement, with common configurations reaching 6.0 liters, effortlessly producing over 500 horsepower. Regular family cars get by with 4 cylinders, luxury sedans use V6 or V8 configurations, while V12 is essentially reserved for top-tier luxury vehicles. I once rode in my friend's W12 Audi A8 - when you floor the accelerator, the car remains rock steady as if glued to the road, with no engine roar during acceleration, just a deep, continuous breathing sound. These engines are inherently well-balanced, unlike the vibration-prone 4-cylinders, though their structure is as complex as precision clockwork - changing spark plugs might require disassembling half the engine. By the way, the Bugatti Veyron's W16 engine is essentially a hybrid of two V8s, representing a super-evolved version of the 12-cylinder design.

[Jesse]

In the jargon of our auto repair shop, a 12-cylinder engine is the crown jewel of the engine world. Unlike ordinary four-cylinder engines that rely on turbocharging to squeeze out horsepower, it delivers power through the genuine collaboration of twelve cylinders. Each cylinder fires in a specific sequence, working in harmony with an ultra-long stroke design that allows the crankshaft to rotate with exceptional smoothness. I've handled several BMW 760s with V12 engines—lifting the hood reveals two cylinder banks set at a 60-degree angle, with exhaust pipes intricately interlaced like works of art. The biggest advantage of this design is its linear power delivery, with 90% of torque available below 3,000 RPM, while cruising at high speeds maintains lower revs compared to smaller-displacement cars. However, city driving fuel consumption is staggering, with older models easily exceeding 20L/100km. Plus, with three times the number of spark plugs as a regular car, every major maintenance session is akin to performing open-heart surgery on the engine.

[VonHadley]

Last week, I accompanied my husband to test drive the Rolls-Royce Ghost. The salesperson told me to remember two things about its 6.7-liter V12 engine: First, there's absolutely no vibration when starting—the dashboard gyroscope can balance on the steering wheel without falling. Second, pressing the accelerator is as smooth as pulling silk. I specifically noticed during a red-light start that the car glided off at just 1,200 RPM, with the engine sound quieter than a refrigerator running. Later, I learned from research that the 12 cylinders evenly distribute the power output, much like 12 people carrying a sedan chair is far more stable than 4. However, the salesperson also quietly mentioned that this car can barely manage 400 kilometers on a full tank of gas on the highway, replacing an air filter requires removing the front bumper, and the maintenance cost is enough to buy ten limited-edition lipsticks.

[DelAdalynn]

After a decade as an automotive editor, I've tested enough V12 models to fill an entire showroom. At its core, this engine combines two straight-six units at a 60-degree angle, with cylinders firing every 30 degrees of crankshaft rotation, delivering power as smooth as Dove chocolate. A 12-cylinder engine typically has 2.4 times more valves than a regular car – the Ferrari 812's 65-degree V12 packs 84 valves, completing 297 combustion cycles per second at its 8,900 rpm redline. But there's always another side to the coin: the engine block weighs more than a grown man, leaving not a finger's width of space in the bay. Once at the track, I witnessed a McLaren F1's V12 spontaneously combust – its twelve exhaust pipes glowing red until fire trucks doused it with three tons of water. Now in the hybrid era, even the Mercedes S680's V12 incorporates an ISG motor, marking the inevitable swan song of pure high-displacement engines.