The first V engine, a two-cylinder V-twin, was designed by Wilhelm Maybach and used in the 1889 Daimler Stahlradwagen automobile.
[2][3] The first V12 engine was produced the following year by Putney Motor Works in London, again for use in racing boats.
The "V-angle" (or "included angle") between the cylinder banks varies significantly between engines.
Alternative configurations are separate crankpins per cylinder (such as several V-twin engines) or articulated connecting rods.
Advantages include better visibility in a single-engined airplane, a higher thrust line, and resultant increased ground clearance for the propeller.