Editing W12 engine (section)

== Road car engines ==
[[File:Volkswagen W12.jpg|thumb| [[List of Volkswagen Group petrol engines#6.0 WR12 48v|Volkswagen's 6.0 WR12 48v]] engine]]

[[File:Bentley Continental Flying Spur engine TCE.jpg|thumb| [[Bentley]]'s 6.0 twin-turbocharged W12 engine]]

The only mass-production W12 engine is the [[List of Volkswagen Group petrol engines#6.0 WR12 48v|Volkswagen 6.0 WR12 48v]], a four-bank design that was first released in 2001. The engine is constructed by mating two narrow-angle 15° [[VR6 engine]]s at an inclined angle of 72°. The narrow angle of each set of cylinders allows just two overhead camshafts to drive each pair of banks, so the WR12 engine has both a crankshaft design, and the same number of camshafts as the V-12 engine. Where the VR6 is a staggered-bank straight 6, the WR12 in turn is a staggered-bank V-12 in terms of engineering design. As a consequence, it cannot be considered a true three-block W-engine, in the manner of the Life F-1 engine, or the Napier-Railton.

Within Volkswagen, the engine is designated a WR engine, terminology in derivation of its use of the VR6 geometry for each bank. Early Volkswagen and Audi cars using this engine were badged with a W with inset V, to emphasise the engine design. Later badging (after 2001 approximately) of cars with this engine did not make use of that particular badging, leading to confusion of the staggered-bank V-12 with a true W engine in the public mind.

The naturally aspirated variant of the WR12 engine has been used in the brands of Audi and Volkswagen. In 2003, a twin-turbocharged version of the WR12 engine was produced to be used exclusively in the [[Bentley Continental GT]] and [[Bentley Flying Spur (2005)|Bentley Flying Spur]].

The WR12 engine has a very compact design for a 12-cylinder engine, with the overall size of the {{convert|6.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} engine being smaller than Volkswagen's contemporary {{convert|4.2|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} V8 engine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newcartestdrive.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2005_Audi_A8&ReviewID=2934 |title=2005 Audi A8 Review and Photos |publisher=New Car Test Drive |access-date=2011-12-06}}</ref>

The first application of the Volkswagen WR12 was the 2001 [[Volkswagen W12|Volkswagen W12 Nardò]], a [[mid-engined]] concept car which set the 24‑hour world endurance record in 2001 with a distance of {{convert|7085.7|km|1}} and an average speed of {{convert|295|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}. 

The first production car to use the WR12 engine was the 2001 [[Audi A8#D2 (Typ 4D; 1994–2002)|Audi A8 (D2)]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Audi A8L details|url=http://www.worldcarfans.com/104011211032/3|date=2004-01-12|publisher=Audi of America|work=WorldCarFans.com|access-date=2009-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730103426/http://www.worldcarfans.com/104011211032/3|archive-date=2013-07-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> The succeeding Audi A8 (D3) and Audi A8 (D4) also had the WR12 as an upgrade engine only for the long-wheelbase variant, the Audi A8L W12, which was last available in the 2018 model year.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2005/02/audi-a8l-w12/ | title=Audi A8L W12 Review | date=31 January 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2008-audi-a8-l-review/ | title=2008 Audi A8 L W12 review: 2008 Audi A8 L W12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.autoblog.com/2018/03/19/audi-a8-w12-engine/ | title=A8 is the last Audi to get the W12 engine, exclusive of Bentley }}</ref> The Audi A8L W12 with its all-wheel drive was unique among its German contemporaries, as 12-cylinder rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz used V12 engines with rear-wheel drive.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15120291/2012-audi-a8l-w12-road-test-review/ | title=2012 Audi A8L W12 | date=30 April 2012 }}</ref>

Other cars to use the WR12 engine are the [[Bentley Continental GT]] (2003–2024), [[Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)|Bentley Flying Spur]] (2005–2024),<ref>{{cite web|title=Continental Flying Spur specification|url=http://www.bentleymotors.com/models/continental_series/continental_flying_spur/specification/default.aspx|publisher=[[Bentley|Bentley Motors Limited]]|work=BentleyMotors.com|access-date=2 September 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Continental Flying Spur Speed specification|url=http://www.bentleymotors.com/models/continental_series/continental_flying_spur_speed/specifications/default.aspx|publisher=[[Bentley|Bentley Motors Limited]]|work=BentleyMotors.com|access-date=2 September 2009}}</ref> [[Bentley Bentayga]] (2015–2024), [[Volkswagen Phaeton|Volkswagen Phaeton W12]] (2004–2011)<ref>{{cite web|title=Volkswagen Phaeton - in depth|url=http://www.worldcarfans.com/102030111810/3|date=2002-03-01|publisher=[[Volkswagen Group|Volkswagen AG]]|work=WorldCarFans.com|access-date=2009-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423020413/http://www.worldcarfans.com/102030111810/3|archive-date=2013-04-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Volkswagen Touareg#First generation (7L; 2002)|Volkswagen Touareg W12]] (2005–2010). The engine was also used in the 2006 [[Spyker C12 La Turbie]] and 2008 [[Spyker C12 Zagato]] low-volume sports cars.

In 2023, [[Bentley Motors]] announced that it will retire the W12 engine in April 2024, citing emissions targets and the brand's impending electrification.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bentley W12 engine 2003-2024: this was your life |url=https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/bentley/bentley-w12-engine-2003-2024/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=CAR Magazine |language=en}}</ref> The last Volkswagen Group W12 engine was completed by [[Bentley Crewe]] in July 2024, marking the end of the engine's production.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pappas |first=Thanos |title=Bentley’s W12 Engine Bows Out Of Production After 20 Years {{!}} Carscoops |url=https://www.carscoops.com/2024/07/bentleys-w12-engine-bows-out-of-production-after-20-years/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240729162013/https://www.carscoops.com/2024/07/bentleys-w12-engine-bows-out-of-production-after-20-years/ |archive-date=2024-07-29 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.carscoops.com |language=en}}</ref>
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