Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 104: Engine Configurations Revisited

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 104: Engine Configurations Revisited

As of LCV 4.1.17, Automation currently allows players to select from one of 12 engine configurations. Some of these are inline configurations, where the cylinders are placed in a straight line; others are V configurations, where the cylinders are arranged in two banks forming a V-shape when viewed from the longitudinal axis. There are also flat configurations, in which the cylinders are positioned such that they face outwards and move in opposite directions to those on the opposite bank. Here is a brief refresher on each of them.

• Inline 3: The cheapest, smallest, lightest and roughest of all the configurations, it cannot make much power, but is ideal for small and cheap economy cars. This is also the only option for which turbocharging was never implemented during the Kee engine era.
• Inline 4: A bit larger, smoother, heavier and more expensive than an inline 3, but more powerful. Its low cost makes it a worthwhile option for many mass-market cars.
• Inline 5: Longer than an inline-4 but shorter than an inline-6, and falling halfway between the two in all aspects, this configuration was added in the transition to UE4. It is available from 1970 onwards.
• Inline 6: The longest inline engine configuration, and the most prestigious one of its kind. It is better suited to turbocharging than any other, since the single turbo receives exhaust gases from six cylinders (although twin-turbo setups for this layout have not been implemented yet).
• V6: A compact layout that is not as smooth as an inline-6, and is more expensive to develop, but takes up less longitudinal space, making it ideal for smaller engine bays. It can have either a 60- or 90-degree bank angle, with the latter being wider and less smooth but having a lower center of gravity, and is more easily developed if you have familiarity with a 90-degree V8 (see below).
• V8: A large, expensive and prestigious layout smoother than a V6 (but not to the same extent as an inline-6). It, too, can have a 60- or 90-degree bank angle, and if you choose the latter, you have the option of fitting a flat-plane crankshaft, which sacrifices smoothness for high-end power.
• V10: Sandwiched between the V8 and V12 in all aspects, this configuration is unlocked from 1985 onwards, and can only have a 90-degree bank angle. It is commonly used for applications where a V12 is too large and a V8 is not prestigious enough. As with the inline-5, this configuration was not present in the Kee era, but was introduced in the UE4 version.
• V12: Even smoother and more prestigious than a V10, but also larger, more expensive, and heavier, this is a configuration most often found in high-priced luxury cars and supercars, and can only have a 60-degree bank angle. It is also the most expensive configuration you can use unless you have an early access key for the V16 engine (see below).
• V16: The largest, heaviest, smoothest and most prestigious configuration available, and even then, only if you have the early access key to unlock it. Due to its extreme size, there are few bodies that are physically capable of accommodating it.
• Flat-4: A horizontally opposed engine with 4 cylinders. It has a lower center of gravity than an inline-4, but is the worst choice for turbocharging because each turbocharger only receives exhaust gases from two cylinders.
• Flat-6: Similar to a flat-four, but with three cylinders per bank instead of two, and is therefore more suitable for turbocharging (though not as much as an inline-6). It is more expensive than a flat-4, but smoother.

There are other engine configurations in real life, of course, but since the above 12 layouts are the only ones present in Automation as of LCV 4.1.17, I have only chosen to cover those in this summary.