All the Difference Between V12 and V8 Engine

Fast acceleration is the major feature that attracts car enthusiasts. Acceleration of a vehicle is dependent upon a number of factors like body type, load capacity and others. Majorly it depends on the engine capacity of the vehicle. Generally, sports cars use vertical engines (V12 and V8). Though V12 and V8 primarily differ only on the basis of the cylinder, there are many subtle differences between these engines.

In this guide, we will elaborate on V12 Vs V8 in more detail.

Comparison Between V8 Engine and V12 Engine

The topic of V12 engine Vs V8 engine has long been discussed by car enthusiasts. Both the engines are used by leading car manufacturers in their supercars and are known for their performance. However, due to the change in the number of cylinders, there is a slight difference in engine efficiency.

We have mentioned all the details about specifications and performances of both the engines in the following headings.

Design

The anatomy of engines is different from each other, as they contain different numbers of cylinders at different angles. The cylinders are mounted at 90° generally, it can also be at 45°, 60° or 72°. Despite being on balanced angles it uses an additional balance shaft to reduce vibrations.

The V12 engine contains 12 cylinders (6 on each side) mounted on the crankcase. Unlike V8 engines, V12 cylinders can have a V angle of only 60°. Due to this, it does not require a balance shaft as there is only one angle.

Blue print of V8 engine — Blue print of a V8 engine elaborating its design and cylinder

Size

Continuing the list of V12 Vs V8 engine, V8s are larger and heavier in size. One reason for this is that it contains heavyweight crankshaft balance to maintain the weight of cylinders. Furthermore, the complex crankshaft design for reducing vibrations increases the number of engine parts. Therefore, a V8 engine can weigh up to 200 kg depending upon the material used in it. However, due to a lesser number of cylinders, it is smaller in size on the contrary to V12 engines.

Front of V12 engine — Front view of a large V12 engine fitted inside a car

In similar displacements, V12 engines are lighter than V8 engines. The presence of only one V angle excludes heavy balance shafts. The bore diameter is 95mm and the cylinder stroke is 76.5 mm which makes it only 848 mm wide (more than V8). However, it is heavier than a V8 engine and can weigh anywhere between 250 to 300 kg.

Efficiency

The efficiency of an engine depends on a number of factors like compression ratio, thermal efficiency and brake capacity. From a physical perspective, a V12 engine must be more efficient, as it contains a greater number of cylinders. In the following paragraphs, we have compared V8 and V12 engines on the basis of ideal parameters used to measure engine efficiency.

Anatomy of V engines reflecting internal parts which increases their effeciency

The thermal efficiency of V8 engines is between 29% to 40%. In contrast, the thermal efficiency of a V12 engine can be 50%. However, the maximum brake power capacity of the V12 engine is 19,300 hp, and the V8 engine is 10,000 hp. The engine compression ratio of the V12 engine is 9.5:1, and the V8 engine is 13.7: 1.

Output

The output of the engine is measured on the basis of the torque and horsepower it produced. Torque is a rotational force that differs from horsepower. The maximum torque that can be generated by a V8 engine is 650 ft-lbs. Whereas the maximum horsepower is 707.

The V12 engines can generate a torque of 509 ft-lbs with a horsepower of 850.

Sound

Engine sound also matters for car enthusiasts. Discussing about V8 Vs V12 sound, V12 engines have a firing order from right to left pistons and a 90° crankshaft which makes less sound. On the contrary, the filing order in V8 engines has an irregular firing sequence which increases the sound. Therefore, V8 engines have a distinctive throbbing sound in comparison to V12 engines.

This was all about the V12 Vs V8 engines. Both the engines have their own configurations and power generation capabilities. If V8 engines are used in cars because of their compressed size, V12 are used because of their efficiency. If you want to experience these engines, browse through these used cars for sale in the UAE. We have also shortlisted some of the best models with V8 and V12 engines.

Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information on car engines.