A W12 is a 12-cylinder engine in a W configuration. Some prototype W12 engines have used three banks of 4 cylinders though none have ever gone into production. All production W12 engines to date (April, 2005) use four banks of three cylinders (two narrow-angle V6 engine blocks), coupled to a common crankshaft.
Volkswagen Group currently produces W12s, based on two of its narrow-angle VR6 engines. The narrow angle of each set of cylinders allows just two camshafts to drive each pair of banks, so just four are needed in total. Note that this design differs from the W18 that Volkswagen produced for its Bugatti concept cars of 1998 and 1999.
The VW W12 is used in some high-end luxury models:
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Volkswagen's VR6 and W-engines
