W8 engine

A W8 engine is an eight cylinder piston engine in a W configuration, or two juxtaposed V4 engine blocks, coupled to one crankshaft.

The VW W8 can be imagined as flat plane crank V8 made with VR4s instead of inline 4s, with a reduced Vee angle of 72 degrees instead of the customary 90. This design is short enough to fit where only a V6 could fit. Volkswagen Group currently produces a W8 based on its VR6 engine. The VW W8 was used in the Volkswagen Passat for a time, but sales were minimal. The 2006 redesign, with its engine re-orientation, was no longer equipped with the W8, and the 'large' 3.6 liter VR6 has replaced its position.