Porsche has filed a radical internal‑combustion patent for a true W‑format engine built from three cylinder banks converging on a single crankshaft, scalable up to 18 cylinders & provisioned for one turbocharger per bank, signaling ongoing ICE research alongside electrification, even if no production program is confirmed yet.
What The Patent Describes
The filing outlines an engine composed of three inline‑style banks arranged roughly 60° apart around a common crank, creating an actual “W” geometry rather than the double‑V approach used by earlier VW Group W engines like Bentley’s W‑12 or Bugatti’s W‑16, which relied on four banks in two narrow‑angle vees. Porsche’s document leaves cylinder count modular, allowing up to 18 total cylinders (six per bank) but explicitly permitting different counts, such as three or five per bank for W‑9 or W‑15 variants to suit packaging or application needs.
Tri‑Turbo Provision & Airflow Strategy
The architecture reserves space for a turbocharger per bank, yielding a tri‑turbo layout that matches the three‑bank design & shortens exhaust plumbing for faster response while keeping components compact, at least in theory for ultra‑high‑output use cases. The patent emphasizes straight, short intake runners above each bank to reduce airflow friction while routing hot exhaust between & beneath the banks, thermally isolating the intake charge to keep it cooler & denser for improved specific power at a given displacement.
Packaging & Modularity
Analyses of the drawings note that three compact banks can deliver cylinder count & turbo capacity far beyond a conventional inline engine while retaining favorable length, potentially fitting in spaces where wide Vee engines struggle, which is central to Porsche’s “space‑optimized” goal stated in the filing context. Visualizing the layout as three inline‑six modules sharing one crank is a useful mental model echoed across technical coverage of the patent text & figures.
What It Is Not (Yet)
Porsche has made no announcement linking this patent to a specific model, & automakers often file protective IP that never reaches production, so expectations should remain measured despite the concept’s engineering intrigue & headline‑grabbing cylinder count. Commentators suggest only an ultra‑low‑volume halo, think hypercar‑class or hybridized track special, could justify the complexity, but that remains speculation absent official product signals from Stuttgart.
Why It Matters For This Region
For Middle Eastern enthusiasts & collectors who prize mechanical theater, endurance capability, & track‑day durability in extreme climates, the three‑bank layout’s cooling separation & compact packaging could, if ever realized, offer thermal headroom & serviceability advantages versus tightly packaged Vee engines, benefits that align with long‑hot‑season supercar use across the GCC. Even if it never reaches showrooms, the patent underscores that combustion R&D persists in parallel with Porsche’s EV & hybrid programs, keeping doors open for exotic future applications that resonate strongly in regional hypercar culture.
Key Technical Takeaways
- Three cylinder banks at roughly 60°, one crankshaft, true W layout, scalable cylinder counts up to 18.
- Provision for one turbo per bank enables tri‑turbo configurations with short exhaust paths & cooler, straighter intake tracts for higher power density.
- “Space‑optimized” packaging aims to deliver extreme cylinder density within dimensions more manageable than large Vee engines, aiding fitment flexibility.
- No displacement, HP, or torque figures are specified; the filing frames principles, not production specs or timelines.
Bottom Line
Porsche’s W‑18 tri‑turbo patent is a bold ICE architecture study that promises compact packaging, cleaner airflow, & thermal separation for serious power potential, but with no announced program, it remains an IP stake rather than a product roadmap, at least for now.
