The return of the twelve-cylinder dream
While most automakers are chasing electrons and power plugs, Porsche just did something radical. It patented a brand-new W12 engine.
Yes, in 2025, as the world turns electric, Stuttgart is quietly reinventing the internal combustion engine. And not as a throwback, but as a revolution in mechanical design.
This is not the same old Bentley-style W12. Porsche’s concept combines a fresh geometry, smarter airflow, and possibly a six-stroke cycle. It is an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) reimagined, where precision meets defiance.
What is a W12 engine, and why does it exist?
A W12 engine is essentially twelve cylinders arranged in a “W” formation, think of two narrow-angle V6s joined on one crankshaft. The result? Compact, powerful, and smoother than a traditional V12.
The W12 engine of the Volkswagen Group, famous in Bentley and Audi, uses:
- Four banks of three cylinders each (two VR6s)
- A 72° angle between the two blocks
- Twin turbochargers producing up to 650hp.
That setup has powered luxury cars for two decades. But Porsche, being Porsche, saw room to push the limits.
Porsche’s twist: The three-bank revolution
Porsche’s new W-engine patent describes a three-bank architecture that could be scaled to various cylinder counts. While the initial filing can be configured as a W12, the layout itself, a three-bank 12-cylinder design, is what’s revolutionary.
Imagine a Y-shaped block: three arms meeting perfectly at the crankshaft, each arm holding four cylinders.
Key innovations
- Three banks instead of four, reducing complexity while improving compactness.
- Central intake plenum directly above the heads, giving air a short, vertical path to each cylinder.
- Three turbochargers, one per bank, for perfectly balanced boost.
- Thermal separation between intake and exhaust channels for improved cooling and efficiency.
- Scalable architecture, the same geometry could exceed 12 cylinders, potentially going up to a W18.
This is not a refinement of an old formula. It is a complete re-architecture of what a W-engine can be.
In Porsche’s world, the letter “W” just got rewritten.
| Feature | Volkswagen Group W12 | Porsche’s New W12 Patent |
| Cylinder banks | 4 (two VR6 blocks) | 3 (three symmetrical banks) |
| Cylinders per bank | 3 | 4 |
| Overall shape | Double-V “W” | Tri-V “Y” or “W3” |
| Turbo layout | Twin turbo | Likely three turbos (one per bank) |
| Intake system | Side-mounted plenums | Central plenum above cylinder heads |
| Cooling strategy | Crossflow layout | Vertical separation of intake/exhaust |
| Bank angle | 72° total | Undisclosed, possibly tighter |
| Power potential | ~650 hp (Bentley) | TBD, likely higher |
| Purpose | Luxury performance | High-efficiency innovation |
VW’s W12 was a clever packaging solution for luxury power. Porsche’s W12 is a performance rethink, designed for future fuels and ultimate efficiency.
Enter the Six-Stroke engine
The plot thickens: around the same time, Porsche filed another patent: US20240301817A1, describing a six-stroke engine.
Instead of the traditional four-stroke cycle (intake, compression, power, exhaust), Porsche’s design adds two more strokes to effectively create a second power stroke.
The patent details a ‘two times three strokes’ cycle, essentially re-compressing the post-combustion gas and igniting it a second time to extract maximum energy. It results in two power strokes per 1080° (three crankshaft rotations).
This is made possible by:
- A planetary crank and ring gear system that dynamically varies the piston’s bottom and top dead centers.
- Using two compression strokes and two power strokes per cycle.
Why it is genius:
- Potential 50% jump in thermal efficiency.
- More complete fuel burn, thanks to re-combusting residual fuel.
- Perfectly suited for synthetic e-fuels due to an added scavenging phase.
- Two power strokes per three crank revolutions = smoother torque and higher output.
Is this six-stroke concept tied to the new W12? The patents do not explicitly confirm it, but the timing, philosophy, and intent line up perfectly. A hyper-efficient W12 is the ideal vessel for this kind of breakthrough technology.
Is this the perfect match for E-Fuels?
Porsche’s W12 may be designed for the next generation of carbon-neutral fuels.
The company’s e-fuel pilot plant in Chile, developed with Siemens and HIF Global, already produces renewable gasoline from captured CO₂ and hydrogen.
Combine that with a hyper-efficient multi-bank, multi-stroke engine, and you get the best of both worlds: classic performance with future-proof sustainability.
Why Porsche still builds combustion engines
Because Porsche doesn’t just build cars, it builds engineering statements. We have seen it multiple times, and lately on the Porsche Turbo S with the hybrid turbos.
Even in a world rushing toward electrification, Porsche continues to refine the internal combustion engine:
- As a technological hedge for e-fuel development.
- As a performance benchmark for hybrid systems.
- As an engineering showcase for precision combustion.
- And, let’s be honest, because a mechanical symphony of twelve cylinders still gives goosebumps.
The innovation never stops
The Porsche W12 engine patent is not about resisting the electric revolution, it is about elevating combustion to its final, most refined form.
- Three banks instead of four.
- Smarter airflow, cooler operation.
- Potential integration with six-stroke technology.
- Designed to run on renewable e-fuels.
Porsche isn’t looking backward, it is proving that innovation does not stop just because a drivetrain changes.
What this means for car enthusiasts
This engine could power:
- A next-generation hypercar beyond the 918 Spyder.
- A future Le Mans hybrid prototype.
- Or perhaps, simply, a rolling test-bed of what’s still possible with internal combustion.
Whatever form it takes, the message is clear: Performance doesn’t die. It evolves.
Final Thoughts
Porsche’s new W-engine patent shows us something few expected in 2025, that even in an electric age, there is room for combustion brilliance. Dodge just proved it as well with the 1,000-horsepower Hellephant A30 426 engine.
With its three-bank architecture, potential six-stroke cycle, and compatibility with e-fuels, it is a symbol of mechanical artistry and forward thinking.
The world may be going quiet, but somewhere in Stuttgart, twelve pistons are getting ready to sing again. The future of performance might still burn, not in defiance of the electric age, but as its hyper-efficient, gloriously singing counterpoint.
