How many cylinders are in a V12 engine?

A V12 engine has 12 cylinders, arranged as two banks of six around a common crankshaft.

The “V” describes the layout: the cylinders are split into two angled rows rather than placed in one straight line. This arrangement makes a twelve-cylinder engine shorter than a straight-twelve while retaining excellent balance and smooth power delivery. Those qualities helped V12s become associated with luxury cars, high-performance sports cars, aircraft, boats, and tanks.

The first V12 was built in 1904 by Putney Motor Works for racing boats. V12 aircraft engines later reached their peak during World War II, before jet engines displaced most piston aircraft powerplants. In Formula One, V12s were especially common from the late 1960s into the early 1990s.

The number 12 refers to cylinder count, not the engine’s displacement or the angle between its cylinder banks. A V12 is different from a W12 or flat-12, even though each also has twelve cylinders. V12 engines are smooth but expensive and complex, so modern manufacturers use them mainly in premium and exotic vehicles.