W16

W16 is a designation used in automotive engineering to describe a 16-cylinder internal combustion engine configured in a W layout. In this arrangement the cylinders are split into four banks of four and share a common crankshaft, forming a wide but relatively compact engine compared with a traditional straight- or V-16. The W16 concept emphasizes high displacement and power output while aiming to reduce overall length, though it remains large and heavy by typical car standards.

The best-known applications of the W16 are in Bugatti’s hypercars. The Bugatti Veyron, introduced in the mid-2000s, uses an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 that delivers around 1,000 metric horsepower and over 1,200 Nm of torque, enabling a top speed near 407 km/h in early variants. Its successor, the Bugatti Chiron, further develops the architecture to produce approximately 1,480–1,600 horsepower and about 1,600 Nm of torque, with standard top speeds around 420 km/h and higher figures achieved by special editions such as performance-focused variants. The W16 configuration is exceptionally complex, requiring advanced cooling, lubrication, and exhaust systems, as well as specialized maintenance and components, which limits its use to a narrow class of high-performance vehicles.

In production, the W16 has been closely associated with Bugatti and Volkswagen Group’s performance-focused engineering, and it remains a niche technology due to its cost, weight, and packaging challenges. While other manufacturers have explored similar multi-bank layouts, the W16 has not seen widespread adoption beyond these limited hypercars. See also W engine and Bugatti Veyron for related topics.