If you’re a child of the 1990s, a V6 is probably part of the soundtrack of your youth, just like the Backstreet Boys. These engines were once the default choice when automakers needed a little more power in sedans, SUVs, minivans, and more. There are also many notable V6-powered performance cars, from the Buick GNX to the R35 Nissan GT-R. But V6s just don’t inspire the same passion as other engine formats. V6-powered cars have their fans, but not the engine itself.
The reader I explored why this happens in a new YouTube video, and it starts with technical compromises. Companies began experimenting with V6 engines before World War II, and Lancia introduced the V6 into mass production in the Aurelia in 1950, but the V6’s history as a truly mainstream engine began in 1962 with General Motors. Looking to save money, the automaker’s Buick division cut two cylinders from one of its smaller V8s to create the “Fireball” V6. It was all about saving engineering costs because, apart from the different number of cylinders, everything else was the same.
The Buick V6 was notable for its longevity (its descendants were produced until 2008), and a 3.8-liter turbocharged version powered the aforementioned GNX. But this engine was primarily supposed to be cheap, and so GM ignored the inherent roughness caused by adapting a 90-degree V8 block to a V6, which lacks the inherent balance of a V8 because it has an odd number of cylinders in each bank. Lancia chose a 60-degree V-angle for its engine, and this proved to be the winning solution for other car manufacturers as well. Custom-designing a V6 cost more, but these engines were more refined, more powerful and more compact. Compactness in particular helped V6s dominate as front-wheel drive transverse configurations became the norm.
Even GM, which never reached a cost it didn’t want to reduce, developed its own 60-degree V6, which debuted in the 1980 Chevrolet Citation. The Citation was an ambitious attempt to build a modern compact car that was both space-saving and fuel-efficient, but neither of those things made it interesting. This contributed to the V6’s image problem, as it contributed to the Citation’s complete failure in the market. The V6 became associated with downsizing, economy, and a move away from the golden age of rear-wheel drive and V8 performance cars.
No V6 has effectively countered this narrative. Most of the big ones, like the R35’s VR38DETT or the second-generation Ford GT’s EcoBoost engine, rely on turbocharging to achieve their greatness. The Maserati Nettuno – a virgin V6 with F1-style pre-chamber ignition developed for the MC20 supercar (now the MC Pura) – was met with indifference. In the world of half-ton trucks, V6s are often the most capable engines, but they’re so uncool that automakers are bringing back V8s for aesthetic reasons.
Hatred of the V6 is certainly not rational, but it is linked to the clash between the passion of car enthusiasts and the impartiality with which the industry is often managed. Watch the full video to find out more.
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