Editing V6 engine (section)

== Use in automobiles ==
[[File:Lancia V6 engine v TCE.jpg|thumb|right |1950-1970 [[Lancia V6 engine]] ]]
[[File:GTAengine32.jpg|right|thumb|2002-2005 [[Alfa Romeo V6 engine]] ]]

In 1906, a few years after 4 cylinder engines and V8 engines had come into existence, the first known V6 engine was built. This V6 engine was a single prototype automotive engine built by [[Marmon Motor Car Company]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Marmon Automobile 1902-1908 Part 1 & The Nordyke and Marmon Co. |url=https://www.american-automobiles.com/Marmon-1902-1908.html |website=www.american-automobiles.com |access-date=17 December 2019}}</ref> The engine did not reach production. Similarly, a single prototype engine was produced by [[Buick]] in 1918.<ref name="Borgeson">{{cite book|last=Borgeson|first=Griffith|title=The Golden Age of the American Racing Car|edition= 2nd|publisher=Society of Automotive Engineers|year=1998|isbn=0-7680-0023-8}}</ref>{{refpage|pages=77–78}}

In 1910 [[Delahaye]] produced the first 30° 3.2-litre V6 which was installed in the 1911 Delahaye Type 44 automobile.<ref>{{Citation |title=6-12-10. Salon 1910. [Moteur Delahaye] 6 c[ylindres] 18/24 HP :  [photographie de presse] |date=2010-12-06 |url=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6915017z |access-date=2023-08-08 |others=Agence Rol}}</ref><ref>Hull, Peter. "Delahaye: Famous on Road and Race Track", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. ''World of Automobiles'' (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 5, p.523.</ref>

The [[Lancia V6 engine]] was introduced in the 1950 [[Lancia Aurelia]]. Lancia had been producing V4 engines for approximately 30 years, and one of the key goals was to reduce the vibrations compared with the V4 engine. The V6 engine used a 60 degree V-angle and six crankpins, resulting in an evenly-spaced firing order to reduce vibrations.<ref>{{cite book | last= Goldberg | first= Geoffrey | date= 2014 | title= Lancia and De Virgilio: At the Centre | publisher= David Bull Publishing | location= Phoenix, Arizona | isbn= 978-1935007258 }}</ref>{{page needed|date=September 2018}}

Other manufacturers took note and soon other V6 engines were designed. In 1959, the [[GMC V6 engine]] was introduced in the form of a 60-degree {{convert|305|cuin|L|0|abbr=on}} petrol engine used in pickup trucks and [[Carryall#Automobile|carryalls]]. The [[Buick V6 engine]] was introduced in 1962 and was based on the all-alloy [[Buick V8 engine|Buick 215 V8]], which shared its 90'''°''' bank angle, but unlike the Buick V8, used all-cast iron construction. Initially an uneven-firing engine, Buick later redesigned the crankshaft to a "split-pin" configuration to create an "even-firing" version. After it became the 3800 V6 in 1990, the engine gained a reputation as a reliable, powerful, fuel-efficient workhorse that became a mainstay of GM's FWD mid-size and full-size cars. It was discontinued in 2008. Over 25 million units had been built, making it one of the most-produced engines in history, and it was on [[Ward's 10 Best Engines|Ward's 10 Best Engines of the 20th century list.]]

Ford introduced its European road car engines in 1965 with the German division's [[Ford Cologne V6 engine|Cologne V6]], and the [[Ford Essex V6 engine (UK)|Ford Essex V6 engine]], introduced by Ford's United Kingdom division in 1966; both engines used a 60-degree V-angle. The 1967 [[Dino 206 GT and 246 GT#Dino 206 GT|Dino 206 GT]] was Ferrari's first V6 road car, which had a 65-degree V-angle.

The 1979-2005 [[Alfa Romeo V6 engine]] was introduced in the [[Alfa Romeo Alfa 6]] luxury sedan and later used in many other Alfa Romeo models. This engine used a 60 degree V-angle, an all-aluminium construction and two valves per cylinder. A turbocharged version was introduced in 1991 and a four valve per cylinder version was introduced in 1997. Also in 1970, the [[Citroën SM]] grand tourer was introduced, powered by a 90-degree V6 built by Maserati. The [[Chevrolet 90° V6 engine]] was introduced in 1978 and produced for 36 years.

The first mass-produced Japanese V6 engine was the [[Nissan VG engine]], a 60-degree design which was produced from 1983 to 2004. The [[Honda C engine]] was introduced in 1985, followed by the [[Mitsubishi 6G7 engine]] and the [[Mazda J engine]] in 1986, the [[Toyota VZ engine]] in 1988, and the [[Isuzu V engine]] in 1992. Hyundai introduced the first South Korean [[Hyundai Sigma engine]] based on technology shared from the Mitsubishi unit in 1995.

German car manufacturers were relatively slow to adopt V6 engines, because engineers believed that they lacked the smoothness of an inline-6 engine. Eventually, the first German V6 engine was a 2.8 liter 90'''°''' V6 that was launched in the 1990 [[Audi 100]], and the narrow-angle [[VR6 engine|VR6]], which was introduced across Volkswagen's mid-size and sports car lineup in the 1990s. In 1998, Mercedes-Benz introduced the [[Mercedes-Benz M112 engine|M112]], its first V6 engine, while BMW has continued to use inline-6 engines. Mercedes-Benz discontinued its V6 engines in 2017, and has since returned to making inline-6 engines.

The first independently designed British V6 engine was the [[Rover KV6 engine]], which replaced the [[Honda C engine]] that was previously used in the [[Rover 800 series|Rover 800]]. Jaguar used the Ford-based [[Jaguar AJ-V6 engine|AJ-V6 engine]] until 2011 in their smaller cars, but also shared a V6 version of the 90'''°''' [[Jaguar AJ-V8 engine|AJ-V8 engine]] with Land Rover for use in the XE, XF, XJ, F-Type and the F-Pace. Land Rover used it in the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar, and the Discovery 4.

The 90'''°''' V6 engine was discontinued in 2020, and Jaguar Land Rover replaced it with the new [[Ingenium engine family|Ingenium engine]], which has an inline-6 variant for JLR's bigger cars and SUVs.

By the mid-1990s, the V6 layout was the most common configuration for six-cylinder automotive engines, with V6 engines having replaced most of the straight-six engines. Today, it is being progressively replaced across the car industry by turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, which can produce similar power, but in a smaller package that produces cleaner emissions, has better fuel economy, and are less expensive to produce.

=== Motor racing ===
[[File:Mercedes V6 DTM Rennmotor 1996.png|right|thumb|Mercedes-Benz V6 [[Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters|DTM]] engine]]

The Lancia Aurelia (the first series production car with a V6 engine) was also successful in motor racing. Four of the ''Aurelia B20 Coupes'' were entered in the 1951 [[Mille Miglia]] with the best placed cars finishing second and fourth.<ref>{{cite web |title=1951 ex-Mille Miglia, ex-Le Mans, Lancia Aurelia B20GT |url=https://www.thornleykelham.com/1950-ferrari-195s/1951-mille-miglia-lancia-aurelia-b20gt-series-1/ |website=www.thornleykelham.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mille Miglia - 1951 |url=http://grandprixhistory.org/mille_miglia_1951.htm |website=www.grandprixhistory.org |access-date=25 December 2019}}</ref> A tuned {{convert|3102|cc|cuin|0|abbr=on}} version of the Lancia V6 engine producing was {{convert|230|PS|kW|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} used in the [[Lancia D24]]. The D24 competed in sports car racing and won the 1953 [[Carrera Panamericana]] with [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] at the wheel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lancia D24 |url=http://petergiddings.com/Cars/LanciaD24.html |website=www.petergiddings.com |access-date=25 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship 1953 |url=http://wsrp.ic.cz/wsc1953.html |website=www.wsrp.ic.cz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222005144/http://wsrp.ic.cz/wsc1953.html |archive-date=22 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The initial version of the [[Ferrari Dino engine]] was a {{convert|1.5|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} racing engine used in Formula Two racing in the 1957 season. It had a V-angle of 65 degrees and dual overhead camshafts. The Dino V6 underwent several evolutions, including a {{convert|2.4|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} version used in the 1958 [[Ferrari 246 F1|Ferrari 246]] Formula One racing car.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ferrari 246 F1 |url=https://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/116 |website=www.f1technical.net |access-date=14 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allf1.info/engines/ferrari.php |title=Ferrari engines |website=www.allf1.info |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180531045018/http://www.allf1.info/engines/ferrari.php |archive-date=31 May 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A few years later, the 1961-1964 [[Ferrari 156 F1|Ferrari 156]] Formula One car used a new V6 engine with a V-angle of 120 degrees and a displacement of {{convert|1.5|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ferrari Dino 156 |url=https://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/148 |website=www.f1technical.net |access-date=14 December 2019}}</ref> This engine was shorter and lighter than the Ferrari Dino engine, and the simplicity and low center of gravity of the engine was an advantage in racing. It won a large number of races between {{f1|1961}} and {{f1|1964}}. However, Ferrari's founder had a personal dislike of the 120 degree layout, preferring a 65 degree layout, and after that time it was replaced by other engines.<ref name="Ludvigsen">{{cite book|last=Ludvigsen|first=Karl|title=Classic Racing Engines|publisher=Haynes Publishing| year=2001|isbn=978-1-85960-649-0}}</ref>{{refpage|pages=138–141}} The Dino engine was also used in the [[Lancia Stratos]], which was a highly successful rally car that won the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

A notable racing use of the Alfa Romeo V6 engine was the [[Alfa Romeo 155#155 V6 TI|Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI]], designed for the [[1993 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft season|1993 DTM season]] and equipped with a {{convert|2.5|L|cuin|abbr=on}} engine making a peak power of {{convert|490|PS|kW|abbr=on|order=flip}} at 11,900 rpm.

The ''Renault-Gordini CH1'' was a 90 degree V6 engine with an iron block. It was introduced in the 1973 ''Alpine -Renault A440'' sportscar racing car. This engine won the European 2&nbsp;L prototype championship in 1974 and several [[European Formula Two Championship]]s. A turbocharged {{convert|2.0|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} version was used in the [[Renault Alpine A442]], which won the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in 1978.

A turbocharged {{convert|1.5|L|cuin|0|abbr=on}} version of the ''Renault-Gordini CH1'' engine was introduced in the 1977 [[Renault RS01]] Formula One car. Renault struggled with reliability issues in 1977 and 1978; however, the 1979 season saw some good results at a few races. In 1981, the [[Ferrari 126C]] Formula One car used a turbocharged V6 engine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ferrari 126CK |url=http://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/469 |website=www.f1technical.net |access-date=14 December 2019}}</ref> Ferrari won the [[Formula One constructors' championship]] with turbocharged V6 engines in 1982 and 1983. Initial versions used a 120 degree V-angle, before switching to a 90 degree V-angle for the 1987 [[Ferrari F1/87]] racing car. Other successful turbocharged V6 Formula One cars in the era of 1982-1988 were the [[McLaren MP4/2]], [[McLaren MP4/3]], [[McLaren MP4/4]], [[Williams FW10]], [[Williams FW11]], [[Williams FW12]], [[Lotus 95T]], [[Lotus 97T]], [[Lotus 98T]], [[Lotus 99T]] and [[Lotus 100T]].

The [[Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo]] and [[Nissan NPT-90]] competed in the [[IMSA (racing)|IMSA]] sports car prototype category from 1985 to 1994 and used a turbocharged V6 engine loosely based on the Nissan VG30ET production car engine.<ref>{{cite web |title=1989 - 1994 Nissan 300ZX IMSA - Images, Specifications and Information |url=https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/5983/Nissan-300ZX-IMSA.html |website=www.ultimatecarpage.com |access-date=26 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Steve Millen's IMSA 300ZX and the Dream Season of 1994 |url=https://autoweek.com/article/car-life/steve-millens-imsa-300zx-and-his-dream-season-1994 |website=www.autoweek.com |access-date=26 December 2019 |language=en |date=11 November 2014}}</ref> The [[Nissan 300ZX]] used a similar engine to compete in the 1996-1997 [[All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship]] (now known as the 'Super GT' championship).<ref>{{cite web |title=JGTC 1996 |url=https://www.classicscars.com/wspr/results/jgtc/jgtc1996.html |website=www.classicscars.com |access-date=26 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=JGTC 1997 |url=https://www.classicscars.com/wspr/results/jgtc/jgtc1997.html |website=www.classicscars.com |access-date=26 December 2019}}</ref>

Downsizing to V6 engines in open-wheeler racing became more common:

* the [[IndyCar Series]] switched to turbocharged V6 engines in 2012.
* the [[GP3 Series]] switched to [[Naturally aspirated engine|naturally aspirated]] V6 engines in 2013.
* the [[Formula One|Formula One World Championship]] switched to turbocharged hybrid V6 engines in 2014.
* the [[FIA Formula 2 Championship]] (formerly known as the GP2 Series) switched to turbocharged V6 engines in 2018.
* the [[FIA Formula 3 Championship]] (created from the merger of the GP3 Series and the FIA Formula 3 European Championship) began using naturally aspirated V6 engines from 2019.