The Craziest Engines Volkswagen Has Ever Made
From the rare W8 to the monstrous V10 TDI, Volkswagen has built some crazy engines. Discover the most unique VW engines ever made and their pros and cons!
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Volkswagen is known for producing reliable and efficient cars, but over the years, they’ve also developed some truly insane engines. From the unique W8 to the monstrous V10 TDI, VW has pushed the boundaries of engineering in some unexpected ways.
In this blog, we’ll look at some of the craziest engines Volkswagen has ever built, their pros, cons, and the cars they powered.
Volkswagen W8 – The Weirdest Engine in a Family Sedan
Engine Specs:
- Configuration: 4.0L W8
- Power: 271 hp @ 6,000 rpm
- Torque: 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) @ 2,750 rpm
- Cars Used In: 2001-2004 Volkswagen Passat W8
Volkswagen’s W8 engine is one of the most unusual powerplants ever fitted to a family car. Designed as a stepping stone between their V6 and W12 engines, the W8 featured two narrow-angle VR4 engines joined together.
Why It’s Crazy:
- The only W8 engine ever produced for a production car.
- Offered V8-like power in a compact package.
- Mated to 4Motion AWD, making it a sleeper sedan the could rival the BMW, Lexus and Mercedes of the time in terms of power and luxury.
Why It Was Flawed:
- Extremely complex, making it difficult and expensive to repair.
- Poor fuel economy – 15-20 mpg wasn’t great for a mid-size sedan.
- Heavy front end due to the bulky engine.
The W8 was a really cool experiment but never really caught on and for good reason, it was incredibly complicated and very poor on fuel considering the Passat also came with a fuel efficient diesel alternative.
Volkswagen V10 TDI – A Diesel Supercar Engine?
Engine Specs:
- Configuration: 5.0L V10 Turbo Diesel
- Power: 309 hp @ 3,750 rpm
- Torque: 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) @ 2,000 rpm
- Cars Used In: Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI (2002-2010)
The V10 TDI was an absolute monster of a diesel engine, designed to power the Volkswagen Touareg, a luxury SUV. This engine was so powerful it was even used to tow a Boeing 747 jet in a VW commercial.
Why It’s Crazy:
- Insane torque – More pulling power than most supercars from an SUV!
- 10 cylinders in a diesel engine is almost unheard of.
- Had huge tuning potential, with some modified versions producing over 1,000 Nm of torque which is Veyron territory.
Why It Was Flawed:
- Massively expensive to repair, with costly turbo replacements, making it a harder sell compared to it’s luxury counterparts.
- Extremely difficult to work on, requiring the engine to be removed for most major repairs.
- Weighed over 400kg, making it one of the heaviest passenger car engines ever.
The V10 TDI was a torque beast but a mechanic’s nightmare. The fact it was only ever fitted to a Toureg made it almost silly to spend the money on one when you compare the car to a similarly priced counterpart from another brand.
Volkswagen W12 – The Forgotten Supercar Engine
Engine Specs:
- Configuration: 6.0L W12
- Power: 444 hp @ 6,000 rpm
- Torque: 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) @ 3,000 rpm
- Cars Used In: Volkswagen Phaeton, VW W12 Nardo Concept, Bentley Continental GT
Before Volkswagen owned Bugatti, they experimented with the W12 engine, essentially two VR6 engines combined into one. While this engine found a home in Bentley models, Volkswagen toyed with the idea of putting it in their own cars.
Why It’s Crazy:
- Powered the VW W12 Nardo Concept, a supercar that broke speed records.
- Gave the luxury Phaeton sedan a supercar heart.
- Became the basis for the Bugatti W16.
Why It Was Flawed:
- The Phaeton was too heavy to fully exploit the engine’s power, so it was slow and drank fuel (but it does sound good).
- Maintenance and repair costs were astronomically high.
- The W12 never gained mass-market appeal (it didn’t make much sense).
A brilliant but underutilized engine, overshadowed by the W16 that was put into the Bugatti Veyron.
Volkswagen VR6 – The Cult Classic Engine
Engine Specs:
- Configuration: 2.8L – 3.6L VR6
- Power: 174-300 hp
- Torque: 240-350 Nm
- Cars Used In: Volkswagen Golf R32, Passat, Corrado, and more
The VR6 engine has one of the most iconic sounds of any Volkswagen engine. Unlike a traditional inline-6, the VR6 had a narrow-angle design, allowing it to fit in compact cars like the Golf and Corrado.
Why It’s Crazy:
- Instantly recognizable exhaust note – one of the best sounds in VW history.
- Smooth power delivery and great reliability.
- Allowed Volkswagen to put a 6-cylinder engine in small cars as it was so compact.
Why It Was Flawed:
- Heavier than a 4-cylinder, which hurt front-end balance and caused massive understeer when cornering.
- More expensive to maintain than a standard inline-4 turbo, it was also worse on fuel and not much more powerful.
A legendary engine that enthusiasts still love today. It has made it’s way into endless different models and is a very popular choice for people doing engine swaps.
Volkswagen’s Craziest Engines
Engine | Best Feature | Biggest Flaw |
W8 | Rare and unique | Complex & expensive to repair |
V10 TDI | Insane torque | Heavy and unreliable |
W12 | Supercar-level power | Found in heavy luxury cars |
VR6 | Iconic sound | Front-heavy weight balance |
Volkswagen isn’t always known for crazy engines, but when they take risks, they produce some truly special powerplants. Whether it’s the high-revving VR6, the torque monster V10 TDI, or the insane W8, these engines prove that VW can think outside the box and the Germans do have a sense of humour.
If you are lucky enough to own a car with one of these incredible engines and need work doing then find a local company on our directory HERE.