Audi, Mercedes and Volvo all used 5 cylinder diesels...

Someone mentioned that "parts would be hard to find".. why? You can still find 356 parts 40+ years after they stopped being made. IIRC, a manufacturer is required to ensure parts are available for up to 7 years after production ceases. If the Cayenne/Panemera go away after 2016 (which I think would be odd) then parts are good till at least 2020-2023. By then won't all our cars, if they are still allowed, be electric? ;)

Back when Porsche was working the RS4, they were also doing Mercedes 500E/E500s - 5l v8s being dropped into the E-Class sedan. Then again, they were also on the phone with Toyota about how to change from becoming a "warehouse of parts" to a modern factory ;)

Earlier than that if I recall. In 1931 an Englishman named Foden employed an existing Gardener five-cylinder diesel in a flatbed lorry. Lots say the odd numbered engines are better in many ways. GM is developing a new 3 cyl turbo now.

One 'con' is they tend to be less smooth. I know that is the case with the 2.5L 5-cyl in my Volvo when compared to many modern 4 and 6 cylinder motors.

porsche hasn't made anything exciting since they made 356 longhood midyears

Don't forget they also helped Harley Davidson rise out their air-cooled dementia....:p

Bull Site, HD hired them to do a design job for them just like VW and PIC have! Often easier to outsource special projects than develop in house expertise! HD only made the one WCV2. U-no NASA doesn’t actually build rockets :p
Maybe HD will make a mini van, or riding mower. After all they used to make golf carts and mail trucks :lol:

But, if they built a riding mower, it would be less reliable then a Murray, weigh more than a Pinto and would have a interesting knock, I mean timing condition.

anything like this?
http://pistonheads.com/pics/news/20409/924kombi40-L.jpg