PRV engine
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The PRV engine is an automobile petrol V6 engine that was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo Cars and sold from 1974 to 1998. The PSA Group replaced this engine with their PSA ES engine family beginning in 1994.
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Corporate history
The PRV story begins in 1966 when Peugeot and Renault entered a cooperative agreement to manufacture common components. The first joint subsidiary, La Française de Mécanique (also called Compagnie Française de Mécanique or simply FM) was launched in 1969. The FM factory was built in Douvrin near Lens in northern France. The PRV engines are sometimes referred to as "Douvrin" engines, though that name is more-commonly applied to a family of straight-4s produced at the same time.
In 1971, Volvo joined Peugeot and Renault in the creation of the PRV company, a PLC in which each of the three manufacturers owned an equal portion. The company originally planned to build V8 engines, although these were later scrapped in favor of a smaller and more fuel efficient V6. The 1973 energy crisis and taxes levied against engine displacement greater than 2.8 L made large V8 engines somewhat undesirable and expanded the market for smaller engines. Additionally, Renault needed a V6 engine to fit in its new model, the Renault 30.
Machinery for assembling the engines arrived at Douvrin in early June of 1973 and buildings for producing the engines were finished in January of 1974. The first PRV engines were officially introduced on October 3, 1974 in the Volvo 264. Adoption was swift, and the PRV V6 had been sold in at least five different models by the end of 1975.
In 1984, the first commercially available turbocharged PRV V6 was sold in the Renault 25 V6 Turbo. This was the first to be even-fire with split crankpins and was the first of the second generation. Turbocharged versions went on to be used in the Renault Alpine GTA V6 Turbo (essentially the same engine as the 25 Turbo at 2458 cm³), Renault Alpine A610, Renault Safrane Bi-turbo (both 2975 cm³).
While Renault were working forced induction into the PRV, Peugeot and Citroen developed high compression even-fire three litre versions for the 605 and XM respectively. Both cars later got the 24 valve version as an option though this was extremely expensive and suffered cam wear problems. This was down to the exhaust valves sharing a single lobe, while inlet valves had a lobe each. This was at least partially solved by the use of ceramic followers.
Meanwhile, French supercar manufacturer Venturi had been developing their own versions of the PRV. The most powerful versions they built were in the Atlantique 300 at 281 PS (207 kW), and they successfully raced at LeMans with the 600LM with a twin turbocharged 24v 3.0 L pushing out over 600 hp (over 450 kW) in race spec, and the road-going spin-off, the 400GT managed 408 PS (300 kW). This used the PSA Group's 24 valve cylinder heads with mechancial tappets.
Peugeot too allowed a small group of engineers to create a team for endurance racing and after a few years the team grew to be called WM Peugeot. The ultimate version of the car used a low compression 3.0 L bottom end coupled to bespoke twin-cam heads. This car still holds the top speed record at Le Mans, and is the only DOHC PRV.
Volvo began to withdraw from the PRV consortium in the late 1980s, shifting its powerplant reliance onto in-house inline engines. Peugeot, Renault and Citroën continued using the PRV until 1997.
After producing 970,315 units, production of the PRV V6 was stopped on June 15, 1998.
Engineering
Ignition timing
The original engineering work done on the V8 can still be seen in the resulting V6: its cylinder banks are arranged at 90° instead of the much more common 60°. V8 engines nearly universally feature 90° configurations because this allows for a natural firing order. V6 engines, on the other hand, are generally arranged at 60° (again because of timing) but can be built as 90° engines with either staggered timing or split crankshaft journals.
First-generation PRV engines (1974-1985) featured uneven ignition timing. Second generation PRV engines (introduced in 1984 in the Renault 25 Turbo) featured split crankshaft journals and even ignition timing all electronically controlled. [1] Another similar design example is the odd-fire and even-fire Buick V6.
Specifications
- Power (DIN): 100 kW at 92 r/s (136 hp at 5,500 rpm) [2]
- Power (SAE): 97 kW at 92 r/s (130 hp at 5,500 rpm)
- Torque (DIN): 215 Nm at 48 r/s
- Torque (SAE): 208 Nm at 48 r/s (153 ft.lbf at 2,750 rpm)
- Compression ratio: 8.8:1
- Bore: 91 mm
- Stroke: 73 mm
- Displacement: 2,849 cm³
- Firing order: 1-6-3-5-2-4
- Weight: ~150 kg
PRV powered automobiles
The dates following each entry denote the introduction of a PRV V6-equipped model
- Alpine A310 (October 1976)
- Alpine A610 (1991)
- Alpine GT/GTA (1984)
- Citroën XM (1988)
- De Lorean DMC-12 (1981)
- Dodge Monaco (1990-1992)
- Eagle Premier (1988-1992)
- Helem V6
- Lancia Thema (1984)
- Peugeot 504 coupé/cabriolet (1974/1975)
- Peugeot 505 (July 1986)
- Peugeot 604 (March 1975)
- Peugeot 605 (1990)
- Renault 25 (1984)
- Renault 30 (March 1975)
- Renault Espace
- Renault Laguna
- Renault Safrane
- Talbot Tagora (1980)
- Venturi 400GT
- Venturi Atlantique
- Volvo 260 (October 3, 1974)
- Volvo 760 GLE (February 1982)
- Volvo 780 (1985)
PRV engine in racing
- Alpine A310 V6
- Fouquet buggies
- Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé
- Schlesser Original
- Venturi 400GTR and 600LM
- WM Peugeot
External links
- The Douvrin V6 Resource Center provides a very detailed history of the PRV V6.
- Renault Alpine Owners Club provides specific information on Renault Alpine vehicles using the PRV V6.
- ART - Alpine Renault Tuning provides tuning and performance parts for Renault Alpines using the PRV V6 turbo and non turbo.de:PRV-Motor