12 BIZARRE Car Engines You Won't Believe Exist

Are you ready to explore engines that, despite being strange and unique, actually made it to production and even gained a fan base? Ever wonder what makes these engines stand out? Since the invention of the first car, we've come a long way. Over the years, every idea engineers could come up with to build a better engine has been tested, and that's why we see so much progress in the auto industry today. A huge amount of engineering effort goes into making a car competitive in the market. Among all this, some truly unique and interesting engines have made their way into cars. In this video, we'll look at 12 of the most unconventional engines in automotive history. 1. The Wankel Engine The Wankel, or rotary engine, is completely different from the typical cylinder and piston engines. Instead of the usual piston movement, it uses a triangular rotor spinning inside a housing. Its benefits include smoother performance, higher power-to-weight ratio, smaller size, fewer moving parts, and compatibility with various fuels. However, high fuel consumption and emissions, along with sealing issues, have kept many manufacturers away. Designed by Felix Wankel in the 1950s, it was used in cars like the Citroën GS, Chevrolet Aravet, and more famously, the Mazda RX-7 and RX-8. Despite its flaws, this engine showed that it could be a valid alternative to traditional engines. 2. Opposed Piston Engine This one's pretty wild. Instead of one piston per cylinder, it has two that move towards each other to compress the fuel-air mixture, each in its own block. It's more thermally efficient and produces fewer emissions than regular engines, but its complex design and construction have limited its use in regular cars. However, it hasn't been abandoned. Engineers continue to work on improving it. Examples include a Chaitz Power, which is used in commercial vehicles and even military tanks, and it's also found in power plants and ships. 3. Flat or Boxer 12-Cylinder Engine Designed for some high-performance race cars, this flat or boxer 12-cylinder engine brings the height of the engine way down, lowering the car's center of gravity and improving handling in races. One of the most famous cars with this type of engine is the Ferrari Testarossa, 1984 to 1996, and the Ferrari 512, 1976 to 1984. Production stopped due to high costs and the difficulty of servicing the engine once installed. 4. Turbine Engine Though it's a type of internal combustion engine, the way it generates power is totally different. Instead of pistons, it uses turbines, known for their impressive power output, low emissions, and efficiency. The engine compresses a fuel-air mixture, ignites it, and uses the resulting high-pressure gases to spin the turbine and produce power. In the 1960s, Chrysler experimented with this in the Chrysler Turbine Car. However, the engine's complexity, maintenance costs, and difficulty controlling its sudden, massive acceleration led to its discontinuation in cars, though it's still widely used in aircraft and power plants. Note, don't confuse this with a jet engine, which uses thrust to move forward. The turbine engine uses torque to move the wheels and requires a gearbox. 5. H-16 Engine This 16-cylinder engine is essentially two 8-cylinder boxer engines stacked together, forming an H-shape. It's as crazy as it sounds, with two crankshafts eventually connecting. The idea came in 1966 from British Racing Motors to maximize the allowed engine capacity for racing. The engine was used in cars like the BRM H-16 and some Lotus models. Despite its innovation, durability issues limited its use. 6. V-4 Engine A four-cylinder engine in a V-shape? Sounds like it's built for tight spaces, right? This rare engine design was created for smoother performance and better balance compared to inline four-cylinder engines. Cars like the Saab 96 and Ford Taunus featured this engine. While it offered better fuel efficiency and acceleration, production costs and maintenance challenges led to its discontinuation. Though Audi and Volkswagen used V-4s in models like the S3 and Golf for some time. 7. Flat Four-Cylinder Engine These days, we're familiar with six-cylinder boxer engines in cars like Porsche or Honda Goldwing motorcycles, but the four-cylinder version is equally unique. With two pairs of opposing cylinders, this engine was mainly used by Porsche and Subaru. The layout lowers the center of gravity, improving handling, especially in rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive vehicles like the Subaru FV and Porsche 356. The engine's strengths include its low profile and smoother power delivery, but it's challenging to maintain and service due to its compact design. It's still used in cars like the Subaru WRX and Porsche Cayman today, with modern technology improving its reliability. 8. HCCI Engine The Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Engine, HCCI, is a relatively new technology. It works by compressing the fuel-air mixture until it ignites, leading to lower emissions and better fuel efficiency. One example is Mazda's Skyactiv-X engine. Although still in development, many companies, including Mazda, Ford, GM, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen, are investing in this eco-friendly technology. If you're enjoying the video so far, make sure to support the channel with a like and comment. 9. Radial Engine The radial or rotary engine is lightweight and has fewer moving parts than conventional engines. It offers excellent power and can rev really high, making it popular among power enthusiasts. However, it guzzles fuel and produces a lot of emissions. Radial engines also tend to burn oil, which is hard to control. Although mainly used in aviation, they were also installed in a few cars like the Bugatti Type 35, the 1925 Julian Sport Coupe, and the Tatra T77. 10. Odd Cylinder Engines Engines with an odd number of cylinders, like three or five, are rare because of the uneven forces they generate. Three-cylinder engines make sense for economic cars, but five-cylinder engines, especially in V-shapes, are quite unconventional. Examples include Volkswagen's VR5 and the Honda RC211V motorcycle. Despite their unusual layout, these engines can perform well. Hondas bike even one races. However, the imbalance causes more vibrations and reduces engine durability. Audi, however, has been a long-time fan of five-cylinder engines. 11. V10 Engines While not very common, V10 engines are known for delivering exceptional performance. Cars like the Dodge Viper, BMW M5, with the S85 engine, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche Carrera GT, and Audi are eight all-sported by V10 engines. Though they're not as prevalent in regular cars, performance enthusiasts love them for their power and acceleration. 12. V16 Engines The fascination with more cylinders isn't new. Back in the 1930s, Cadillac Series 452 and Marmon 16 had V16 engines. Despite high fuel consumption, complex engineering, and heavy weight, these engines have always attracted fans for their power, prestige, and luxury. Though rare today, Bugatti continues to produce V16 and W16 engines, with their cars often delivering over 1,000 horsepower. See you in the next video. Let's listen to the awesome voice of several engines together.