The engine layout that uses two cylinder banks set at an angle on one crankshaft is a V engine. Viewed from the front, the two banks form a shape resembling the letter V and share a common crankshaft.
V engines are identified by the number of cylinders, producing familiar configurations such as the V6, V8, and V12. Compared with an inline engine containing the same number of cylinders, a V engine is generally shorter, although it is wider and often more complex to manufacture. The layout is especially useful when designers need to fit many cylinders into a limited engine-bay length.
The first V engine was a two-cylinder V-twin designed by Wilhelm Maybach and used in the 1889 Daimler Stahlradwagen. V engines later became important in cars, aircraft, boats, and racing vehicles. A V8 became especially associated with American performance and full-size cars, while V12 engines became famous in luxury and racing applications.
A straight, or inline, engine places its cylinders in one row. A flat engine also uses two banks, but they lie opposite each other rather than forming an upward angle. Radial engines arrange cylinders around a central crankshaft, making each a distinct layout.