Editing V12 engine (section)

== Usage in automobiles ==
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In automobiles, V12 engines are less common than engines with fewer cylinders, due to their size, complexity, and cost. They have been mostly used for expensive sports and luxury cars thanks to their power, smooth operation, and distinctive sound.

=== 1910s ===
[[File:1916Packard1-35TownCarLimoKimballEngine.jpg|thumb|right|1916 [[Packard#1906–1930|Packard Twin Six]] engine]]

One of the earliest recorded uses of V12 engines in automobiles was in October 1913, when a custom-built racing car competed at the Brooklands circuit in the United Kingdom. The car was entered by [[Louis Coatalen]], who was chief engineer of the Sunbeam Motor Car Company. It was named 'Toodles V' (after Coatalen's pet name for his wife) and achieved several speed records in 1913 and 1914.<ref name="Ludvigsen"/> The V12 engine had a displacement of {{convert|9.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}}, an aluminum crankcase, iron cylinders with L-shaped combustion chambers, a cam-in-block valvetrain and a V-angle of 60 degrees. Each bank of the engine consisted of two-cylinder blocks with three cylinders each. Valve clearance was set by grinding the relevant parts, the engine lacking any easy means of adjustment. This reflected the intention for the engine to be later used in aircraft since any adjustment method that could go wrong in flight was to be avoided. As initially built, the V12 was rated at {{convert|200|bhp|kW|-1|abbr=on|order=flip}} at 2,400 rpm and weighed approximately {{convert|750|lb|kg|0|abbr=on|order=flip}}.

Amongst the first production cars to use a V12 engine were the 1915 [[Packard#1906–1930|Packard Twin Six]],<ref>{{cite web |title=1915 Packard Twin Six |url= https://larzanderson.org/history/the-collection/1915-packard-twin-six/ |website=larzanderson.org |access-date=21 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Counting to Twelve: The Packard Twelve and Twin Six |url= https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/packard-twelve-twin-six-history/ |website=ateupwithmotor.com |access-date=21 February 2020 |date=26 June 2010}}</ref> the 1915 ''National'' V12 engine{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} and the 1917 [[Weidely Motors Company|Weidely Pathfinder]];<ref>{{cite web |title=The Great Pathfinder – "King of the Twelves" |url=http://theoldmotor.com/?p=106867 |website=theoldmotor.com |access-date=21 February 2020 |archive-date=28 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128005355/http://theoldmotor.com/?p=106867 |url-status=dead }}</ref> all of which were built in the United States.

=== 1920s to 1940s ===
[[File:1931Cadillac370AcoupeV12-engine.jpg|thumb|right |1931 [[Cadillac V-12#Series 370 (1931–1935)|Cadillac Series 370A]] engine]]

During the late 1920s, the number of marques offering V12 engines for their passenger cars increased and peaked in the 1930s. The lack of vibration and sound, inherent smoothness, and increased power were cited as key benefits for V12 engines.<ref>{{cite book |last=Georgano |first=G.N. |author-link=G.N. Georgano |title=Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930 |publisher=Mason Crest |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-59084-491-5 |page=Chapter 3: Painless Sophistication |url-access=registration |url= https://archive.org/details/worldofwheels0000unse }}</ref> Automobile petrol produced in the 1920s and 1930s had lower [[octane rating]], leading to lower engine performance ratings, and [[Bushing (isolator)#History|vibration isolating engine mounts]] were rarely fitted to the passenger cars in the 1920s and the early 1930s. Adding more cylinders to the engine was one of several techniques for performance increase.

European passenger cars with V12 engines were:
*[[Fiat 520|Fiat 520 'Superfiat']] (1921–1922)
*[[Daimler Double-Six sleeve-valve V12|Daimler Double-Six]] (several models built at different times from 1926 to 1938)
*{{ill|Horch 12|de|vertical-align=sup}} (1931–1934)
*[[Hispano-Suiza J12]] (1931–1938)
*[[Maybach Zeppelin]] DS 7 (1928–1930) and DS 8 (1930–1938)
*[[Rolls-Royce Phantom III]] (1936–1939)
*[[Tatra 80]] (1931–1935)

American passenger cars with V12 engines were:
*[[Auburn Automobile|Auburn V-12 Speedster]] (1932–1934)<ref>{{cite web |title=1932 Auburn V-12 Speedster |url= https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/AZ12/Arizona/lots/r241-1932-auburn-v-12-speedster/280418 |website=rmsothebys.com |access-date=21 February 2020 |language=en |date=21 July 2017}}</ref>
*[[Cadillac V-12]] (1931–1937) 
*[[Franklin (automobile)|Franklin V-12]] (1932–1934)<ref>{{cite web |title=1932–1934 Franklin V-12 |url=https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1932-1934-Franklin-v12.htm |website=howstuffworks.com |access-date=21 February 2020 |language=en |date=24 October 2007 |archive-date=21 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221103350/https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1932-1934-Franklin-v12.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*[[Lincoln K series|Lincoln K-series/Model K]] (1931–1940)
** [[Lincoln Custom|Custom]] (1941–1942)
** [[Lincoln Continental#First generation (1940–1942, 1946–1948)|Continental]] (1940–1948)
*[[Lincoln-Zephyr|Lincoln-Zephyr V-12]] (1936–1942)
** [[Lincoln-Zephyr#H-series|H-series]] (1946–1948)
*[[Packard Twelve|Packard Twin Six]] (1916–1923 and 1932)
** Packard 905 (1916–1923)
** [[Packard Twelve]] (1933–1939)
*[[Pierce-Arrow|Pierce-Arrow Twelve]] (1932–1938)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1932-1938-pierce-arrow-twelve.htm |title=1932–1938 Pierce-Arrow Twelve |website=howstuffworks.com |access-date=2 September 2020 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925143514/https://auto.howstuffworks.com/1932-1938-pierce-arrow-twelve.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
** [[Pierce Silver Arrow]] (1933)

Economic hardships caused by the [[Great Depression]] meant that all American automakers except for Lincoln had discontinued production of V12 engines by the end of the 1930s. Lincoln themselves would cease V12 production in 1948, and no American automaker has built V12 engines since. Improvements in engine design, namely combustion chamber, piston form, fuel delivery system, and such enabled the lighter and cheaper V8 engines to surpass V12 engines in performance.

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=== 1945 to 1960s ===
[[File:1961 Ferrari 250 TR 61 Spyder Fantuzzi engine.jpg|right|thumb |1961 [[Ferrari Colombo engine]] in a ''Ferrari 250TR Spyder'']]
Following the end of the Second World War, the economic austerity and changes in taste in many European countries led to the demise of luxury automobiles with V12 engines in the 1940s and 1950s. Lincoln continued the limited production of luxury cars with V12 engines from 1946 to 1948. The American manufacturers focused on continuously improving V8 engines and their performances through the 1950s, leading to the first "horsepower war" in the 1960s.

In Italy, [[Enzo Ferrari]], who had long admired the V12 engines of [[Packard]], [[Auto Union]], and his former employer [[Alfa Romeo]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Ferrari: A Complete Guide to All Models | last = Acerbi | first=Leonardo|year=2006|publisher=Motorbooks |isbn=9780760325506|page=5}}</ref> introduced his first passenger car, [[Ferrari 166 Inter]], in 1948 and fitted it with {{convert|2.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} [[Ferrari Colombo engine|Colombo]] V12 engine. Dissatisfied with the reliability and crudeness of his Ferrari 250 GT, [[Ferruccio Lamborghini]] wanted to develop his own passenger cars that were more cultured and more reliable than the cars produced by Ferrari. His first passenger car, a grand tourer, was [[Lamborghini 350 GT|350 GT]] with {{convert|3.5|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} DOHC engine. Both manufacturers have a long history of producing vehicles with V12 engines, which continues uninterrupted to this day.

Cadillac experimented with V12 engines in 1963 and 1964 as a potential engine option for its first-ever front-wheel-drive car, [[Cadillac Eldorado]]. However, Cadillac was unsatisfied with the performance of its V12 engine, having little advantage over the large displacement V8 that was cheaper to enlarge for more power.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/why-gms-v-12-engine-of-the-future-never-made-production/ |title=Why GM's V-12 "Engine of the Future" never made it to production |first=Don |last=Sherman |date=20 May 2020 |work=Hagerty}}</ref>

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=== 1970s to present ===
[[File:Jaguar V12 engine.jpg|thumb|right|1971–1975 [[Jaguar V12 engine]] in a Jaguar E-type Series 3]]
[[File:AMG Mercedes V12.jpg|thumb|right |1991–1997 [[Mercedes-Benz M120 engine]] ]]

In Europe, several manufacturers added V12 engines to their line-up, as listed below:
* Jaguar: The [[Jaguar V12 engine]] was an all-aluminium SOHC design with displacements of {{convert|5.3|-|6.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} that was produced from 1971 to 1997 in the [[Jaguar E-Type|E-Type]], [[Jaguar XJS|XJS]], and [[Jaguar XJ|XJ.]] The first application for the engine was a 5.3&nbsp;litre version used in the Jaguar E-Type Series 3 sports car.<ref>{{cite web |title=V12 Engine 1971–1997 |url= https://www.jaguarheritage.com/jaguar-history/jaguar-engineering/v12-engine/ |website=jaguarheritage.com |access-date=23 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Jaguar V12 : Evolution |url= http://www.xj13.eu/XJ13Blog/post/2010/07/14/The-Jaguar-V12-Evolution.aspx |website=xj13.eu |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130414084742/http://www.xj13.eu/XJ13Blog/post/2010/07/14/The-Jaguar-V12-Evolution.aspx |archive-date=14 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jagweb.com/jagworld/v12-engine/ |title=Technical history of the Jaguar V12 |publisher=Jag Web |access-date=29 January 2015 |archive-date=4 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404101440/http://www.jagweb.com/jagworld/v12-engine/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
* BMW: Production of V12 engines began with the [[BMW M70]] SOHC engine introduced in the 1987 [[BMW 7 Series (E32)|E32 7 Series]] luxury sedan. The engine was also used in the [[BMW 8 Series (E31)|E31 8 Series.]] The engine was upgraded to a DOHC V12 engine in 2003, then to a turbocharged DOHC V12 engine which has been in production from 2008 to the present in the 7 Series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130722/CARREVIEWS/130719803|title = 2013 BMW 760Li review notes|date = 21 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url= http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q3/2010_bmw_760i_760li-first_drive_review|title= 2010 BMW 760i/760Li |journal=Car & Driver |date=July 2009 |access-date= 2011-09-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url= http://autoweek.com/article/car-reviews/2013-bmw-760li-review-notes |title=2013 BMW 760Li review notes |date=July 21, 2013 |magazine=Autoweek |access-date=7 February 2015}}</ref> BMW V12 engines have also been used in several Rolls-Royce models, beginning in 1998 with the [[Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph]].
* Mercedes-Benz: The company's first V12 engine was the [[Mercedes-Benz M120 engine|M120]], a {{convert|6.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} DOHC engine introduced in the 1991 ''Mercedes-Benz 600 SE'' luxury sedan. This engine was replaced by a SOHC V12 engine in 1998, then a turbocharged SOHC V12 engine which has been in production for 2003 to the present.<ref>{{cite magazine|url= http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130826/CARREVIEWS/130829907 |title=2013 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG review notes |date=August 25, 2013 |magazine=Autoweek |access-date=29 January 2015}}</ref> Mercedes-Benz V12 engines have also been used in several Maybach models, beginning with the [[Maybach 57 and 62]] in 2002.
* Aston Martin: The 1999 [[Aston Martin DB7#V12 Vantage|Aston Martin DB7 V12 Vantage]] used the company's first V12 engine, a {{convert|362|cuin|L|1|abbr=on|order=flip}} DOHC design. Variations of this engine were used in the [[Aston Martin Vanquish|Vanquish]][[Aston Martin DB9|, DB9]], [[Aston Martin DBS V12|DBS V12]], [[Aston Martin Rapide|Rapide]], [[Aston Martin Virage|Virage]], and [[Aston Martin Vantage (2005)|V12 Vantage]]. This engine was replaced by a turbocharged DOHC V12 engine, which was introduced in the [[Aston Martin DB11]] and has been produced from 2016 to the present.
* Audi: The 2008–2012 [[Audi Q7|Q7]] SUV was powered by the [[List of Volkswagen Group diesel engines#5.9 V12 48V TDI CR DPF 368kW|Audi 6.0 V12 48v TDI engine]], which was the first V12 diesel engine used in a production car.

In the United States, no mass-produced V12 engines have been built since the 1940s, with U.S. manufacturers preferring to use large displacement V8 engines instead.

Japanese manufacturers rarely produce engines with large displacements, therefore V12 engines are very rare. The sole Japanese V12 engine is the 1997–2016 [[Toyota GZ engine]], a {{convert|5.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} DOHC design which was used in the [[Toyota Century]] limousine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Toyota's new Century flagship loses V12 in favor of hybrid V8 |url= https://www.autoblog.com/2017/10/05/toyotas-new-century-flagship-loses-v12-in-favor-of-hybrid-v8/ |website=autoblog.com |date= 5 October 2017 |access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Japan's Only V12 Is Not Much To Look At |url= https://jalopnik.com/japans-only-v12-is-not-much-to-look-at-493135625 |website=jalopnik.com |date= 6 May 2013 |access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref>

In China, the 2009 [[Hongqi HQE]] limousine, powered by a {{convert|6.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} DOHC V12 engine, is the sole Chinese car to be produced with a V12 engine.{{citation needed|date=February 2020|reason=Need proof that this car actually reached production}}<ref>{{cite web |title=The Most Expensive Chinese Car, $1.2-Million Hongqi HQE, is Getting Ready for Volume Production |url= http://chinaautoweb.com/2010/11/the-most-expensive-chinese-car-1-2-million-hongqi-hqe-is-getting-ready-for-volume-production/ |website=chinaautoweb.com |access-date=22 February 2020}}</ref>

=== List of V12 production engines ===
{{Main|Category:V12 engines}}

=== Motor racing ===
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V12 engines have often been used in Formula One, particularly from the [[1966 Formula One season|1966 season]] to the [[1969 Formula One season|1969 season]]. The first V12 engine used in Formula One was in the 1964 [[Honda RA271]] racing car, and continued through to the 1968 [[Honda RA301]] racing car. The 1966 season saw V12 engines become popular, with new V12 engines from Ferrari, Maserati, and Weslake. Ferrari's engine debuted in the [[Ferrari 312]] racing car and was used up to the 1975 [[Ferrari 312B]], after which Ferrari switched to a flat-twelve engine. Maserati's engine was introduced in the [[Cooper T81]] and was used until the 1969 [[Cooper T86]]. The Weslake V12 engine was used from 1966 to 1968 and was introduced in the [[Eagle Mk1]] racing car. BRM produced V12 engines from the 1968 [[BRM P133]] racing car until the 1977 [[BRM P207]]. The [[Matra Sports V12 engine]] was introduced in the 1968 ''Matra MS11'' racing car and used until the 1978 [[Ligier JS9]]. Few V12 engines were used in the following decade, with the exception of the Alfa Romeo V12 which was first used by the 1979 [[Brabham BT48]] and then by Alfa Romeo until the 1982 [[Alfa Romeo 182]].

A resurgence of V12 engines in Formula One began in 1989, with the introduction of the [[Ferrari 640]] racing car. Ferrari continued to use V12 engines until the 1995 [[Ferrari 412 T2]] became the last Formula One car to use a V12 engine. The [[Lamborghini V12#Formula One|Lamborghini LE3512]] engine was used by various teams between 1989 and 1993. The ''Honda RA122-E'' engine was first used in the 1991 [[McLaren MP4/6]] and was raced until the 1992 [[McLaren MP4/7A]]. The ''Yamaha OX99'' engine was used in the 1990 [[Brabham BT59]] through to the 1992 [[Brabham BT60]]. The most powerful naturally-aspirated V12 engine used in Formula One was the ''Tipo 043'', used by [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] in {{F1|1994}}, which produced {{convert|850|hp|kW|abbr=on}} @ 15,800 rpm.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.scuderia.com/2017/06/01/ferraris-f1-engines-pursuit-power/ |title=Scuderia Ferrari F1 engines |access-date=2021-08-17 |archive-date=2021-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515085321/http://www.scuderia.com/2017/06/01/ferraris-f1-engines-pursuit-power/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In prototype sports car racing, the highly successful 2006–2008 [[Audi R10 TDI]] used a [[Turbodiesel|diesel twin-turbo]] V12 engine. The [[Peugeot 908 HDi FAP]], introduced in 2007, also used a diesel twin-turbo V12 engine.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px" caption="Formula One engines">
File:Lambo V12 F1.JPG |1989–1993 [[Lamborghini V12#Formula One|Lamborghini LE3512]]
File:Honda RA121E engine front Honda Collection Hall.jpg |1991 [[Honda in Formula One#Spirit, Williams, Lotus, McLaren and Tyrrell (1983–1992)|Honda RA121E]]
File:Matra MS11 (3).jpg |1968 [[Matra MS11]]
</gallery>