This five-cylinder engine exceeds 16,000 RPM and is not an inline-5 or a VR5 | Carscoops

      A five-cylinder motorcycle engine is quite rare, yet MV Agusta's concept offers impressive power, a compact design, and a unique configuration.

      MV Agusta has unveiled a concept for a five-cylinder motorcycle engine that can rev up to 16,000 rpm and produce up to 240 hp. Its U-shaped configuration is both shorter and narrower than a V4.

      Motorcycle engines come in various designs: single-cylinder, parallel twins, inline-threes, high-revving fours, robust V4s, V-twins, and even the occasional flat-eight. However, the five-cylinder layout is quite uncommon. MV Agusta has created such an engine, which defies expectations.

      This engine is not an inline-five like the one Audi uses in the RS3, nor is it reminiscent of Volkswagen's old VR5. Instead, it features a compact trapezoidal layout with two cylinders positioned above three.

      Despite its unusual appearance, this engine boasts impressive performance.

      The five-cylinder engine was first shown as a concept in early November at EICMA in Italy, the premier motorcycle show. MV Agusta has since indicated that the engine's displacement can range from 850 cc to 1150 cc (0.9 to 1.2 liters), delivering an astonishing 240 hp and 99.5 lb-ft (135 Nm) of torque at 8,500 rpm.

      Engine Designed to Reach 16,000 RPM

      In comparison, the current leader of superbikes, the Ducati Panigale V4 R, achieves 218 hp and 84.4 lb-ft (114.5 Nm). MV's five-cylinder engine, however, can rev up to an impressive 16,000 rpm, comparable to smaller four-cylinder engines from competitors.

      MV has designated the engine as the Cinque Cilindri, and it is both lightweight and powerful, weighing under 60 kg (132 lbs), which is remarkable given its output. MV notes that the firing order significantly influences the engine's character, providing strong, linear torque without the need for variable valve timing.

      Packaging is also noteworthy. It is narrower than a traditional inline-four and shorter than a V4. The engine features an unusual configuration with a three-cylinder crankshaft at the front and a separate two-cylinder crankshaft at the rear.

      An Unconventional Layout

      Though it carries the name, this is not merely a reiteration of VW's VR5, which utilized a staggered V design to fit five cylinders into a compact area. MV Agusta adopts a different method, loosely drawing inspiration from a square-four arrangement and adding a fifth cylinder to create a distinct engine. The outcome resembles a mechanical trapezoid more than anything else.

      When Can We Expect to See It on the Road?

      Currently, the engine has only been introduced as a concept, but this is likely to change soon. MV Agusta has confirmed that the engine will be incorporated into a much-anticipated new model, which will be revealed in the upcoming years.

      Details regarding the specific bike model remain unclear, but MV asserts that the engine has been engineered for various categories, ranging from Supersport to Naked bikes and Touring motorcycles.