Between 1966 and 1969, Pontiac produced a special overhead cam straight six developed by John DeLorean that came in a high-performance variant known as the “Sprint Six.” Sprint Sixes went into first-generation Firebirds along with Tempest and LeMans models and topped with a Rochester quadrajet carburetor that could produce as much as 230 horsepower.
The inline six format is popular among automakers today for its simplicity, reliability, and balance. Jeep has used various I6 engines since the early 1970s, and BMW and Mercedes both rely heavily on straight sixes in their lineups. Some of the auto industry’s most reliable engines are straight sixes, and Nissan used a turbocharged I6 motor in the high-performance Skyline GT-R from 1989 through 2002.
GM has given up on its latest plans to keep its straight six tradition alive, however. Last year, the nation’s largest automaker announced plans to progress a twin-turbo inline-six for its lineup of SUVs and pickup trucks, but this spring, that project was scuttled in favor of inline four-cylinder and V8 engine options. Fortunately, the straight six lives on in vintage Pontiacs and modern offerings from many other manufacturers.
[Featured Image by Mr. choppers via Wikimedia Commons | cropped and scaled | CC-By 3.0 ]
