The Porsche flat-six engine series is a line of mechanically similar, naturally aspirated and turbocharged, flat-six boxer engines, produced by Porsche for almost 60 consecutive years, since 1963.[8][9] The engine is an evolution of the flat-four boxer used in the original Volkswagen Beetle.[10][11][12]
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Porsche flat-6 engine | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | ![]() |
Production | 1963–present |
Layout | |
Configuration | flat-6 |
Displacement | 2.0–4.2 L (122–256 cu in)[1] |
Cylinder bore | 80–102.7 mm (3.1–4.0 in)[2][3] |
Piston stroke | 66–80.4 mm (2.6–3.2 in)[4][5] |
Valvetrain | 12-valve to 24-valve, SOHC/DOHC, two-valves per cylinder to four-valves per cylinder[6] |
Combustion | |
Turbocharger | Yes (some models) |
Fuel system | Mechanical fuel injection Carburetor Direct fuel injection |
Fuel type | Gasoline |
Oil system | Dry sump |
Cooling system | Air-cooled[7] Water-cooled |
Output | |
Power output | 110–850 hp (82–634 kW) |
Torque output | 119–730 lb⋅ft (161–990 N⋅m) |
Dimensions | |
Dry weight | 387–507 lb (176–230 kg) |
The flat-six engine is most often associated with their 911 model, Porsche's flagship rear-engined sports car which has used flat-six engines exclusively since 1963.[13] The engines were air-cooled until 1999, when Porsche started using water-cooled engines.[14][15][16][17]
In April 2011, Porsche announced the third generation of the 997 GT3 RS with an enlarged 4.0-litre engine having a power output of 500 PS (368 kW; 493 hp). The naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine (the largest engine offered in a street-legal 911) was introduced with their 911 (997) GT3 RS 4.0, in 2011.[18] The engine itself uses the crankshaft from the RSR with increased stroke dimensions (from 76.4 mm to 80.4 mm). This change increased the power output to 500 PS (368 kW; 493 hp) at 8,250 rpm and 460 N⋅m (339 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 5,750 rpm.[19] giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 365 hp per ton. Only 600 cars were built.[18][20] At 493 hp (368 kW),[21] the engine is one of the most powerful six-cylinder naturally aspirated engines in any production car with a 123.25 hp (92 kW) per litre output.[22][6][23][24][25]
Other Porsche models that use flat-six engines are the 1970-1972 Porsche 914/6 (mid-engine), the 1986-1993 Porsche 959 (rear-engine), and the 1996-2021 Porsche Boxster/Cayman (mid-engine).[26][27][28]
The Porsche 962 sports prototype also used a twin-turbocharged flat-six engine.[29][30][31][32]
These engines have also been used by German tuning company RUF in various replica Porsche sports cars.
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