THE VW W12, THE 12-cylinder design study with 600 bhp, has premiere in Tokyo today. Volkswagen is presenting a further highlight of its product offensive in the top segment at the 35th Tokyo Motorshow opening today: the production standard design study of the W12 Coupé.

The six-litre, large twelve-cylinder engine is mid-mounted in this new concept vehicle, first shown as the yellow roadster in 1997, the red coupe followed the year after. At 5800 rpm the engine in the latest orange version develops a maximum torque of 620 Nm. With a top speed of more than 350 km/h and an acceleration of less than 3.5 sec. to 100 km/h, the W12 Coupé is one of the most exclusive and fastest sports cars in the world.

The technology of the twelve-cylinder engine integrated in the design study W12 Coupé: with a length of 513 mm, a height of 715 mm and a width of 710 mm, the engine is particularly compact. The capacity of the W12, which weighs just 239 kg, is 5998 cc. The basic layout of the W12 engine is made up of two very thin V6 four-valve modules, which are configured at an angle of 72 degrees with a joint crankshaft with seven main bearings to make up a V-V arrangement, i.e. a "W".

Volkswagen is showing two cars at the Japanese motorshow: The orange Coupé at the images and the black car, that broke the 24H speed record at Nardo October 14, as described in News of the Day yesterday at sportscartesting.com.

FACTS
· VW W12 Coupé close-to-production concept car
· Midengine
· 6-litre W12
· 600 bhp at 7000 rpm
· 620 Nm at 5800 rpm
· 3.5 sec
· 350 km/h
· 19 in magnesium wheels
· 255/35 ZR front
· 275/40 ZR rear

Images
VW W12 super sports car – W12-engine midship – 600 bhp – 620 Nm – 350 km/h.