Engine guide
W12 vs V12: what is the difference?
Both engines have twelve cylinders, but they are built very differently. A V12 is a long engine with two banks of six cylinders. A W12 folds those cylinders into four banks of three, which makes it much shorter. This page explains what that means in practice.
The short answer
A V12 arranges twelve cylinders in two banks of six forming a "V". A W12 arranges them in four banks of three, which looks like two narrow V engines joined on one crankshaft — hence the "W". The result: the W12 gives twelve-cylinder power in a package about as short as a V8.
| V12 | W12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cylinder banks | 2 banks of 6 | 4 banks of 3 |
| Crankshaft | One | One |
| Length | Long | Short, close to a V8 |
| Width | Narrow | Wider |
| Smoothness | Naturally very smooth | Needs balancing measures |
| Complexity | High | Very high |
| Found in | Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Audi Q7 V12 TDI | Bentley, Audi A8, Volkswagen Phaeton and Touareg |
What is a V12?
A V12 has two rows of six cylinders set at an angle (typically 60°) around a single crankshaft. It is the classic layout for high-end grand tourers and supercars.
Its main virtue is natural balance: the forces produced by the pistons largely cancel each other out, so a V12 runs very smoothly without extra counterweights. Its main drawback is length: six cylinders in a row make a long engine, which constrains the car's proportions and weight distribution.
What is a W12?
The Volkswagen Group W12 is built from two narrow-angle "VR6" engines (cylinders only about 15° apart) set at a wider angle on a common crankshaft. Seen from the front, the four banks of three cylinders draw a "W".
Because the cylinders are staggered and packed together, the engine is much shorter than a V12 of the same displacement. That is why a twelve-cylinder could be fitted to cars like the Audi A8 and the Volkswagen Phaeton, and to the Bentley Continental GT, without a very long bonnet. The price is a wider, more complex engine that needs dedicated balancing to run smoothly. For the full story, see the architecture section of the main page.
Key differences in practice
Size and packaging
The W12 is the compact one: its length is comparable to a V8. A V12 is longer but narrower. Which one is easier to fit depends on the car, but the W12's short length leaves more room for the cabin and the front axle.
Smoothness and sound
A V12 is renowned for its smooth, high-pitched sound and its lack of vibration. A W12 is smooth as well, but its sound is generally described as deeper and more muted, and it relies on engineered balancing rather than on the layout itself.
Power delivery
The W12 is most often paired with turbochargers in recent Bentleys, delivering very high torque at low revs. Many famous V12s are naturally aspirated and love to rev. This is a matter of tuning rather than of the layout itself, but it shapes how each engine feels.
Cost and maintenance
Both are expensive to build and service. The W12's tightly packed layout makes some operations more labour-intensive, which is worth considering when buying a used car.
Which cars use which engine?
| Engine | Cars |
|---|---|
| W12 | Bentley Continental GT, Bentley Flying Spur, Audi A8 W12, Volkswagen Phaeton W12, Volkswagen Touareg W12 |
| V12 | Ferrari V12 models, Lamborghini V12 models, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Audi Q7 V12 TDI |
See the iconic models section of the main page for figures on the main W12 cars.
Did Volkswagen ever make a V12?
People often search for "Volkswagen V12", "VW V12" or "Touareg V12". Volkswagen's twelve-cylinder engine is the W12, not a V12, and it is used in the Phaeton and the Touareg. A true V12 inside the wider Volkswagen Group is the 6.0 V12 TDI diesel that Audi fitted to the Q7. Bentley's twelve-cylinder is also a W12.
Frequently asked questions
Is a W12 better than a V12?
Neither is simply better. The W12 wins on compactness; the V12 wins on inherent smoothness and simplicity of layout. Engineers choose according to the space and the character they want.
Is a W12 two engines in one?
In a sense: it is built from two narrow-angle VR6 engines sharing one crankshaft, but it is a single engine with one block and one crankshaft.
Does Bentley still make the W12?
Bentley confirmed the end of W12 production at the end of 2024; the next-generation Continental moves to a plug-in hybrid V8. Existing cars remain on the road, and the engine's history is covered on the history section.