The I, V and W in engines.
Engine cylinders are typically arranged in a vertical orientation, lined up one after another from the front to the rear of the engine, or in a V-shaped orientation with an equal number of cylinders on each side. When engine cylinders are vertically oriented, the engine has an "inline" configuration, which is used in conjunction with 4, 5, or 6 cylinders. As all the cylinders are in a straight line, manufacturers sometimes refer Inline engine as the 'Straight Engine'. In line engine can have upto 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8 cylinders. But cylinders more than 6 are very rare. Inline engines can easily accomodate odd number of cylinders like 3 or 5. The I-engine are most commonly used in commercial purpose as their manufacturing cost is low. A V engine, or Vee engine is a common configuration for an internal combustion engine. The cylinders and pistons are aligned, in two separate planes or 'banks', so that they appear to be in a "V" when viewed along th...