MB going to inline engines including diesel
 

In line engines have huge advantages for servicing by people like US...

Mercedes-Benz Inline-Six

i read about this a couple of years back glad its coming to fruition

Auto magazines are giddy that BMW went back to an inline-six after some years with a V-8. My 64 Valiant has a slant six, which I love. Many people fuss "wimpy six", but one slant guy ran <10 sec 1/4 mile, albeit after adding a turbo. The biggest drawback to an in-line six is the length. But, that does force a long-hood, giving a classic look, kind of anti-cab forward.

Interesting that M-B followed Chrysler's initial "quickie V-6" by chopping 2 cylinders off a V-8, keeping the same 90 deg V (shakes) in their "Magnum" V-6 (late 90's). Their later V-6's have a better ~60 deg V.

Re turbos, plumbing a single is easy in a straight six. I think they use duals because one is a small guy that spins up fast to avoid "turbo lag". Many new designs are doing that.

That slant six is one of the longest production line engines ever...along with the 318 v8 of the same era...... after being cancelled in cars it was still used in marine and industrial situations like forklifts...
For an inline engine... the fact that it was tilted to the side... really helped the hood line be more like non inline engine cars...

I don't know, I own 3 inline 6 engines from 2 different brands and they're all a pain in the ass to work on. I don't see what all the fuss is about.

or couple days ago...

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/381753-new-mb-engines-including-new-straight-6s.html


:D

I know where one of those Pontiac slant 4 ones is, with a 326 head on it

Sounds like the 192" IH four popper in the Scouts... half the 392. They are odd looking if you have never seen one.

My Jetta's 2.5, 5 cyl is 1/2 of a Lamborghini V-10, I'm told.

VW can't lose it fast enough. Me either.

Modular engines are nothing new, adding and subtracting cylinders is a pretty old game.
I'm not sure that servicing an inline looks that easy when I gaze down into my new I-4 diesel though, where's the engine in there?

They haven't said whether they'd be transverse mounted or not. Doesn't matter what it is I4, I5, I6 or even I8, if they are mounted inline with the vehicle they are a breeze to work on. Transverse is a whole different jungle.

Inline or not, theyre buried in harnesses, plumbing, accessories, etc. I pulled off the cover on my inline bluetec and cant see the turbos, the block, or the head.
Trying to meet emissions these days has these engines looking like a cat in a basket of yarn.

The OM642 is like that. But at least they made the wiring harness easy to unfasten and peel back and lay in the space between the block and the radiator. And many of the hoses have quick connect clamps that make it easy to remove. You can tell a good bit of thought went into the assembly to make it easy to take apart and put back together again.