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| The '''straight-6''' (also '''inline-6''', '''I-6''', or '''I6''') is an [[internal combustion engine]] with six cylinders aligned in a single row. The name '''slant-6''' is sometimes used when the cylinders are at an angle from the vertical.
| | #REDIRECT [[Straight-6 engine]] |
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| Straight-6 engines have perfect primary and secondary [[engine balance|balance]] and require no [[balance shaft]].
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| Usually a straight-6 was used for [[engine displacement]]s between about 2.5 and 4.0 L. Sometimes this configuration is used to make smaller engines which tend to be powerful and very smooth running, but also rather expensive to manufacture and physically longer than alternative layouts. The smallest production straight-6 was found in the [[Benelli]] 750 sei motorcycle, displacing 747.7 cc. The largest are used in tractor-trailer combinations and some low speed diesels in cargo and passenger ships. These engines have a displacement of 1000 L or more.
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| Straight-6 engines were historically more common than [[V6]]s, mainly because the length of such engines was not such a concern in rear wheel drive vehicles but also because V6s (unlike the [[crossplane]] [[V8]]) were somewhat difficult to make smooth-running. The widespread use of front-wheel-drive and transverse ("east-west") engine configurations in smaller cars saw that the shorter engine length of the V6 became highly desirable, and these days most six-cylinder engines are made in the [[V engine|V]] configuration. | |
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| ==Inline-6 engines in Europe==
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| Many manufacturers build cars equipped with straight-6 engines. Manufacturers [[BMW]] and [[Volvo]] both produce multiple models with straight-6s. BMWs are [[rear-wheel drive]], but Volvo builds cars equipped with [[front-wheel drive]] (as well as rear-wheel drive) and a [[transverse engine|transverse]] straight-6.
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| Although [[Mercedes-Benz]] used to build many straight-6s, it has recently abandoned the layout and now only engineers V6 engines (they have retained the straight-6 layout for medium duty diesel applications such as the MBE 906).
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| BMW, on the other-hand, is one of the few remaining manufacturers to persist with the straight-6 configuration, making [[petrol]] and [[turbocharger|turbo]]-[[diesel engine]]s ranging from 2.0 to 3.2 L in displacement ([[as of 2005]]). In [[2006]], they announced that the upcoming 335i model of their [[BMW 3-Series#E92|E92 3-series coupé]] will have a 3.0L [[Twin-turbo|twin-turbo]] straight-6, showing the company's continued dedication to the straight-6 engine configuration.
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| [[Opel]] has also used a straight-6 engine in the 1970s until the early 1990s, ranging between 2.5 and 4.0 L. They powered Opel's top of the line models, including the [[Opel Monza|Monza]], the [[Opel Omega|Omega]] and the [[Opel Commodore|Commodore]].
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| In [[1959]], [[Saab Automobile|Saab]] had an experimental car with ''two'' transverse [[straight-3]] engines bolted together — the [[Saab Monster]].
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| ===Inline-6 engines in Britain===
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| The straight-6 was the archetypal British engine for sports and luxury cars for many years. [[Rolls-Royce]] used straight-6 engines until changes in their design made the shorter [[V8]] layout more suitable.
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| [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]] used them, from [[1949]] until the mid [[1990s]] in form of the legendary twin-camshaft [[Jaguar XK6 engine]], until, reputedly at Ford's insistence, they adopted a V8. [[Aston Martin]] used a straight-6 for many years, as did [[Austin-Healey]] in their [[Austin-Healey 3000]]. [[MG (car)|MG]] also used a straight-6 in their MGC.
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| [[Bristol Cars|Bristol]] produced a straight-6 until [[1961]], based on BMW plans, that was also used in many small manufacturers' cars.
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| The compact [[Triumph Motor Company|Triumph]] straight-6 powered their high-end saloon and sports cars from the mid [[1950s]] to the mid [[1970s]].
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| British sports car company [[TVR]] has designed its own straight-6, known as the [[TVR Speed Six|Speed Six]], and now uses it exclusively in all of their models.
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| [[Land Rover]] used a 2.6L straight-6 from 1967 in certain series Land Rover models.
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| ==Inline-6 engines in the United States==
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| Engines of this type were popular before [[World War II]] in mid-range cars. Most manufacturers started building straight-6 engines when cars grew too large for the [[straight-4]].
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| After the war, larger cars required larger engines, and the straight-6 became the base engine model used on economy cars only. The vast majority of American cars during this period had V8s.
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| The [[Chrysler Corporation|Chrysler]] Corporation had noteworthy [[Chrysler Slant 6 engine|slant-6 engines]], used in the [[Plymouth Valiant]] and [[Dodge Dart]] [[Chrysler A platform|A-body]] models of the 1960s and 1970s.
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| When cars began to get smaller again in the [[1970s]], the trend was towards the greater compactness enabled by the V6 layout, and straight-6 engines became rare in American cars except for trucks and vans. [[Jeep]]s were an exception to the rule, getting the [[AMC straight-6 engine]] as the base engine option in 1972, and getting a high-performance [[AMC straight-6 engine#4.0|4.0 L]] option in 1987. Usage of the AMC 4.0 has been declining in Jeep vehicles since the 2002 replacement of the [[Jeep Cherokee]] with the [[Jeep Liberty|Liberty]], which features the Chrysler 3.7 L V6 instead. It has declined further since the 2005 introduction of the third generation [[Jeep Grand Cherokee]], which also uses the 3.7 L V6. The last application of the 4.0 was in the 2006 [[Jeep Wrangler]]; for 2007 the engine has been replaced with a 3.8 L V6.
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| Ford used an straight-6 in baseline Mustangs. They were also found in many F150's up until 1997 when they were replaced with a V6.
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| In 2001 [[General Motors Corporation|General Motors]] introduced a new family of straight engines, the ''[[GM Atlas engine|Atlas]]'', for use in the newly-introduced [[Chevrolet TrailBlazer]]/[[GMC Envoy]]. The straight-6 was chosen for development because of the desirable operating characteristics of its self balanced design.
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| As far as passenger vehicles are concerned, straight-6 engines might be making a comeback in some larger vehicle types such as [[truck]]s and [[Sport utility vehicle|SUV]]s. Examples include the 5.9 L [[Cummins]] Turbo Diesel engine used in [[Dodge Ram]]s and GM's 4.2L "Vortec 4200".
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| ==Inline-6 engines in Asia==
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| The Japanese have used the straight-6 with great success since the 1960s in a wide range of applications, from passenger vehicles, to sports cars, to SUV's. Both [[Datsun]] and [[Toyota]] were among the first in this trend, though Prince Motors (later acquired by Datsun) and others offered straight-6s in that time too.
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| Toyota started with their [[Toyota M engine|M]]-series engine and later the F, FZ, [[Toyota G engine|G]], and [[Toyota JZ engine|JZ]] engines, and Datsun started with their H-series and later the L and RB (used in the [[Nissan Skyline]] up through the 'R34' model in which they offered a Neo-straight-6). engines. Honda build the [[Honda CBX]] motorcycle from 1978 till 1981. In 1990's Toyota offered representatives of all 5 families in their vehicles: the G in the [[Toyota Altezza|Altezza]] (and others); the M and its replacement, the JZ, in the [[Toyota Supra]] (and others); and the F and its replacement, the FZ, in the [[Toyota Land Cruiser|Land Cruiser]]. In the 2000's, Toyota's still offers the FZ-series, G-series and the JZ-series engines.
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| In Korea, GM Daewoo's [[Daewoo Magnus|Magnus]] (sold abroad as the Chevrolet Evanda, Chevrolet Epica or Suzuki Verona) comes with a Daewoo-designed straight-6.
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| ==Inline-6 engines in Australia==
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| Historically, all three manufacturers in Australia used straight-6s. Chrysler had built the [[Chrysler Slant 6 engine|Slant 6]] in Australia and the unique to Australia [[Chrysler Australian engine|Hemi straight-6]]. These engines were used in the [[Chrysler Valiant]] and the [[Valiant Charger]] producing up to 320hp. Chrysler no longer owns any factories in Australia.
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| Holden built 161, 186 and 202in^3 straight-6s from 1968-1984. They were used in the [[Holden Kingswood|Kingswood]], [[Holden Torana|Torana]] and in the early [[Holden Commodore|Commodores]]. Modern Commodores use V6s.
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| Ford Australia has been producing straight-6s since 1960 and is the only manufacturer in Australia to still build them. Ford has built 144, 200, 240 and 250in^3 engines, with the 240 being called the 3.9l or 4.0l and the 200 being called the 3.3l. They have been used since 1960 in the [[Ford Falcon|Falcon]], 1970-1982 in the [[Ford Cortina|Cortina]] and from 2004 in the [[Ford Territory]]. The current straight-6 engines in the Falcon and Territory are called the [[Ford Barra engine|Barra]].
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| The high-performance division of Ford Australia, [[Ford Performance Vehicles]], produce vehicles equipped with the 4.0 litre DOHC 24-valve turbocharged straight-6 with variable cam timing, which produces 270 kW (362 hp) @ 5250 rpm and 550Nm (406 ft·lbf) @ 2000 - 4250 rpm — the highest level of torque in any Australian production car to date.
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| ==Diesel inline-6 engines==
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| The straight-6 in [[diesel engine|diesel]] form with a much larger displacement is commonly used for various industrial applications. These range from various types of [[heavy equipment]] to [[power generation]] to [[transit buses]] or [[coaches]]. As with everyday passenger vehicles, the smooth running characteristics of the straight-6 engine is what makes it desirable for industrial use. In addition, an straight-6 engine is mechanically simpler than a V6 or V8. It has only one [[cylinder head]] and half as many [[camshafts]] as a V engine.
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| ==See Also==
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| {{Piston engine configurations}}
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| [[Category:Engines]]
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