n The patent diagrams for the new motor show an 18-cylinder, three-bank engine. The block is like that of a V12, but with an extra bank of six cylinders crammed into the middle. Or like three straight-sixes sprouting from a common crank, all at 60 degrees from one another.

Many media outlets are referring to the motor as a W engine. Its three banks have a different profile than the VW Group’ s other W motor, the 12-cylinder previously available in the VW Phaeton and Touareg, plus Bentleys and Audis, and the W16 in the Bugatti Veyron and Chiron. Those engines used two narrowangle Vs, so four different cylinder angles, not the shape of a W at all. This new engine still doesn’ t resemble a W; if anything, it’ s more like a trident or the Greek letter psi: Ψ. Not as catchy, perhaps. Porsche states that the design can accommodate any number of cylinders

in multiples of three, plus turbochargers. But there are a few hints that this engine is designed to only ever be naturally aspirated. Instead of a conventional cross flow head, each bank has its inlet mounted on top of the head feeding two valves, centrally-located along he head’ s length. Each head then has two exhaust manifolds, one for each side that are both fed by one valve per cylinder. The design allows for a very straight path for air to enter the cylinder, particularly beneficial on a naturally aspirated engine. Turbocharging is even less likely, as each exhaust manifold would need a turbo of its own, so a minimum of six. Or the manifolds would need to connect in a complex snaking of exhaust tubes.

This is just a patent, though, so Porsche may never fit such an engine to a race or road car. What we can say, for sure, if it ever does get made, is that this will be no cheap, cheerful or easy-topackage

engine. The sheer complexity of those many exhaust manifolds ruins any semblance of practicality, so don’ t expect to see a trident engine nestled into the middle of an entry-level Boxster.

New Porsche engine is being referred to a W-engine, we think it looks more like trident