The Unsung Italian Genius Behind The First V6 Engine

V6 engines are so ubiquitous that few people realize they are a relatively recent invention, for which we have to thank an Italian engineer working in a war-torn country. V6 engines were uncharted territory until as late as the 1940s: not only did they not exist in production, but they weren't even mentioned in the period's technical literature. That's when the engineer Francesco De Virgilio, in force at Lancia's technical department under Vittorio Jano since 1939, began his painstaking research into the optimal configuration for a V6 engine in terms of V angle and crankshaft design. #v6engine #history #lancia #classiccars My articles on Medium:   / membership   My automotive books: Lancia Gamma Berlina & Coupé 1976 - 1984 ENGLISH: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TN45L8Q ITALIAN: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B09YVJRKH6 Six Appeal - The Story Of The Alfa 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1793931046 Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 - La Storia 1979-1987 (ITALIAN) https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0BHT3PCC7 Alfa Romeo Giulietta - The Story 1977 - 1985 ENGLISH: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1983393746 ITALIAN: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B098GVJ7RK Alfa Romeo Arna - The Full Story 1980 - 1987 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1656632500