At the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show, Volkswagen Group showcased a prototype Volkswagen Nardo W12 Coupe, a mid engined, rear wheel drive supercar powered by a 6.0 L W12 engine, producing 600 HP. A week before, the W12 Coupe broke the 24 hour world endurance record. A total distance of 7085.7 km (4402.8 mi) was covered at an average speed of 295.24 kmh (183.45 mph), breaking the old record by 12 kmh (7.5 mph). Production of the W12 Coupé was considered, but was subsequently canceled.
Volkswagen Group currently produces W12 engines; it is constructed by mating two narrow angle 15° VR6 engines at an inclined angle of 72°. The narrow angle of each set of cylinders is allowing just two overhead camshafts to drive each pair of banks, so just four are needed in total (note that this design differs from the W18 engine that Volkswagen Group produced for its Bugatti concept back in 1998 - 1999). Due to this distinction, the W12 engine is sometimes described as "WR12". It's advantage is it's compact packaging, allowing VAG to build a 12 cylinder car with all wheel drive, whereas a conventional V12 engine could only have a rear wheel drive configuration as it would have no space in the engine bay for a differential and other components required to power the front wheels. The 6.0 L W12 in the Audi A8 L W12 appears slightly smaller than the 4.2 L V8 in the same car.
The 2011 Audi A8 L W12 debuted a revised 6.3 L directly injected version of the W12 (WR12) engine producing 500 HP.
The Volkswagen Group W12 engine is used in some high-end luxury models:
-Audi Avus quattro (concept version only)
-Audi A8 L W12
-Bentley Continental GT
-Bentley Continental Flying Spur
-Bentley Bentayga
-Spyker C12 La Turbie
-Spyker C12 Zagato
-Spyker D12 Peking to Paris (prototype version only)
-Volkswagen Phaeton W12
-Volkswagen Touareg W12
-Volkswagen GTI W12 - 650 (prototype only)
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