How Many Cylinders Turn You On? (With Poll)

Whoever sang "three is the magic number" can't have been singing about engines.

Three cylinders are quite common these days, but if they're magic, what does that make four, five, six, eight, and more? What is the perfect number of cylinders, if such a thing exists?

Below, you get to choose: Have a read, listen to the clips below, and vote in our perfect piston poll to find the sonorous sweet spot.

Two Cylinders

At the moment, there's only one twin unit in the car market, despite them being popular on motorcycles. Fiat's TwinAir engine promises maximum economy from a tiny capacity, but it's the sound that we're more interested in. Instant character boost to any car it's dropped in.

Three Cylinders

Three-pots have been around for years, often in small economy cars like the Kia Picanto. They aren't always the smoothest units, but some have the added bonus of sounding a bit like a six - Smart's three sounds Porsche-like, while BMW's in-development 3-pot does a good impression of the company's inline-sixes.

Four Cylinders

The most common cylinder count, but there's plenty of scope for variety. Some fours may be harsh and unpleasant, but you'd never say that of an old Lotus or Alfa Romeo twin-cam. Honda has a reputation for making some incredibly rev-happy 4-pots too, and there's loads of character to an old Saab V4 or Subaru boxer. Incidentally, even if the sound doesn't float your boat, the vid below is worth watching for the tekkers alone...

Five Cylinders

There aren't many fives around these days - Audi's TT-RS has an inline unit, and VW has dabbled with V5s in the past. But if one car defines the five, it's the old Audi Quattro. If you could define it in one word? "Warble". Just listen and you'll understand.

Six Cylinders

Like fours, some sixes can sound a little dull - but some are anything but. Good ones? Think E36 or E46 BMW M3, any Alfa Romeo with the 'Busso' V6 (the 147 and 156 GTAs in particular), the Ferrari Dino and Lancia Stratos, or the howling VW VR6.

Eight Cylinders

Nobody does a seven, so we're up to eight - and what choice! Do you like the race-car howl of a flat-plane crank Ferrari? Or the air-ripping growl of a cross-plane lump of American V8 iron? Don't even get us started on some of AMG's recent V8s. And how about Volkswagen's W-shaped eight? We've a sneaking suspicion that 8-pots will do well in the poll...

Ten Cylinders

Ten-cylinder units are largely uncommon in road cars, but there have been a few significant ones. Porsche Carrera GT, anyone? There's one in the Lamborghini Gallardo too (and the Audi R8 V10), and who could forget the Dodge Viper? Certainly not anyone who's heard it, that's for sure.

Twelve Cylinders

This is the cylinder count of real exotics. Any self-respecting Lamborghini or Ferrari should have twelve pistons to reciprocate their orchestral tune. Then, of course, there's the McLaren F1. The VW group has dabbled in W12s, too...

Sixteen Cylinders

This gloriously over-the-top cylinder count is currently the preserve of the Bugatti Veyron, in a W formation. Some have criticised the noise, but there's still something unique about it - is it enough to win on numbers alone?

Your Vote