Daimler 6-Cylinder Engines Go Straight

Daimler AG's transition from V-6 to inline six-cylinder engines will begin with the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Autocar reports.

Mercedes is well into the development of a modular family of 3-, 4- and 6-cylinder engines, the British magazine reports. The company phased out its inherently smoother I6 engines in favor of more compact V-6s in the mid-1990s.

Engineers note that an inline 6 typically weighs less and is simpler because it has only one head and valvetrain.

After the I-6 debuts in the E-Class, more variants from the new engine family will appear in the 2017 C-Class as part of a mid-cycle refresh, according to Autocar.