Many carmakers have dabbled with the inline-six, but which one is your favorite? Something German? Something British?
Perhaps you enjoy something else entirely, like Japanese or even American?
Whatever it is, let us know in the comments below.
Many carmakers have dabbled with the inline-six, but which one is your favorite? Something German? Something British?
Perhaps you enjoy something else entirely, like Japanese or even American?
Whatever it is, let us know in the comments below.
Aston Martin or A jag 6cyl.
You know I gotta throw the S54 into the conversation.
All the revs–like 8000 rpm from the factory–plus individual throttle bodies. And it just looks good sitting there in the engine bay.
Just about anything Japanese for me, but this one has a special place in my heart:
3.8 L XKE 6 cylinder. Just beautiful. A workhorse six, the Trumph TR-6, really a tractor motor.
Aesthetically, the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 - 2500 from late-'20s into the '50s.
From personal experience, the Daimler-Benz M103 3.0L, silky-smooth for extended cruising at more than 2X the posted speed limit on the Interstate, I-95 in North and South Carolina.
My vote, based on sound, goes to the Triumph TR6 engine. I had one for a while and with the proper aftermarket exhaust system it was incredible. They don't call them the "hairy-chested sportscar" for nothing. I have had a couple of Z-cars over the years and based on performance they are better but they just didn't sound the same.
i think the the jaguar XK 3.8 is the pinacle of 6 cylinder design
I second the Jag XK 3.8L. All polished up with the triple carbs in an E-Type it's pure eye candy and sounds good too.
My dad had a Jaguar XK120 when new. He would always say it was the best sounding car ever, especially because the sound went straight to your gut. I have had the pleasure of driving around in an XK120, and I understand what he is saying completely.
I find the BMW straight six sounds to be terrible. Someone below says their TR6 was great - but I personally have never experienced a great sounding TR6.
Finally I will say that the best sounding straight 6 I've ever heard driving by was a 240Z with triple Webers, custom exhaust headers, and straight pipe. It was very much like my dad said about the XK120 - you could hear and feel that vroom straight to the gut.
The Jag engine is an early long stroke design that looks great but doesn't produce much power for the displacement. I have owned several and enjoyed them, by they are by no means a contender for favourite.
The TR-6 engines was a travesty of smog gutted pushrod engines - it had c. 105 bhp while the one built the way the should have been (same engine with fuel injection in the British home market cars) had 150 bhp.
My choice is the same as David mentioned, the S54 BMW six. I own one in a Z4M coupe and it is amazing - 7900 rpm (8,000 in the M3) with 338 bhp and one of the best sounding straight 6 engines I can remember.
There will be some who tout the Toyota 2JZ engines and they are indeed admirable units - similar to the S54 except that they 'cheated' and had to use twin turbos to get there. They are, however, immensely strong and can be easily made to produce silly power levels (- 500-700 is easily attainable for street use.
Clearly, the best inline six cylinder engine is the Jaguar XK series engines. Whether it's a 3.4, 3.8 or 4.2, they pull like a freight train, are quite reliable and make one the the best exhaust notes ever played on a exhaust sytem.
Not an engine that would be suitable for a sports car or sports sedan but one that could tow your trailer to the track and last forever - the 300ci Ford!
similar to "what's the best food?", there are inevitably ctegories and coditions...
The BMW M30 was rated "the most sophisticated in-line six in the world" way back when, very durable and reliable, cheap to own and run... I had several.
More modern...I'd go for my S52B32s... I have 3 ( and a 1995 US S50B30)...more modern engine maanagement, some VVT (=VANOS), yet still super reliable, durable, cheap to own and run. A notch better in these regards over the S54 from what I can tell. You can choose your own compromise with either one.
The Toyotta 2JZ has a phemonimal reputation; I've never owned one. It deserves to be in the final countdown as well.
Every mother thinks her child is beautiful and makes the best noises, so I personally don't put much emphasis on these qualities.
YMMV!
Not blessed with twin cams or exotic parts, the Mopar slant six (aka the leaning tower of power). The car it powered would dissolve into a rust heap but this engine would still be ready to go. AMHIK.
I'm leaning toward the Slant Six.
I love the smoothness of my 4.2l 1966 Jaguar E-Type, but … first choice has to go the engine from my former 1993 BMW M5, the S38B38. ITBs and all that power (at least at the time.)
Absolutely agree with the BMW S54 choice. Honorable mention to many of their non-turbo sixes. The Jaguar 3.8 was very close as an alternative.
The worst, and I say this from personal experience, was the BMC 6 cylinder used in the MGC. Took me 5 years to determine the cause of overheating-studs that would stretch in length as the engine warmed, allowing coolant into the combustion chamber.
Another hononorable mention goes to the Rambler aluminum inline six from the early 1960's. When coupled with the factory upgrade 'performance' parts, it was a reliable and capable engine of its time.
In reply to slantvaliant (Forum Supporter) :
I see what you did there. 
How about an archaic Ford 200 and hopping it up to within an inch of its life?
Got to go with my 2000 XJ 4.0L in-line six. Got me thru many a snowy Canadian winter. Couldn't beat that 4WD low stump pulling trans either.
Fuel injected 4 litre Jeep XJ Cherokee.
My Jeep Cherokee XJ 4.0L inline 6 takes #1 . . . Big power pulled me out of 16 inches of 4x4 fresh powder in Colorado! I met an XJ owner with 408,000 miles on it!
BMW M30. They make decent power and last forever. I have ~230k miles on mine, I know guys who have over 400k on theirs.
The European straight six engines were probalbly the best since the companies involved invested a great deal in their development and engineering while Amercan companies focused on the V8 engines. But we should not forget some of the American in-line six engines such as the Pontiac overhead cam Six, and the Chrysler slant six (yes, already mentioned above. I think the Pontiac OHC six was very interesting as OHC engines of any type rarely came out of American car companies. For its displacement and six it produced some great power, as well. The slant six was known for its dependability and ability to power vans and trucks. So what other little-know straight six engines can you think of?
You'll need to log in to post.
