The all-new 5-cylinder Quadrato is a concept engine developed at MV Agusta’s R&D headquarters in Schiranna, Italy. Information regarding this unique powerplant concept is limited, though the Italian motorcycle maker is sharing several technical tidbits that have piqued our interest.
First, let’s discuss the name Quadrato, which directly translates to “square” in English. In practice, the layout is more of a trapezoid than a square, using what MV Agusta calls its “U” crankshaft configuration — a three-cylinder front crankshaft and twin-cylinder rear crankshaft all in the same cylinder head.
The compelling engineering solution results in compact dimensions that should be narrower than typical inline-four-cylinder mills and shorter front-to-back than V4 or V-twin engines. Additionally, it’s said to weigh 132 pounds. Similar designs have been used in the automotive space, including Volkswagen’s VR5 engine.
MV Agusta has stated that this concept uses a modular design, allowing it to be offered in a variety of displacement ranges from 850 to 1150cc. Furthermore, MV is indicating that it could be applied to supersport, naked, and touring applications. All these claims hold water with manufacturers streamlining production and repeatedly using powerplants in a variety of models in their respective brand lineups.
What captures our attention in MV’s brief press release is that the 5-cylinder engine is said to have a redline exceeding 16,000 rpm, capable of producing 240 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque at a mere 8500 rpm. That would make it one of the most powerful production engines in the world, narrowly beating the Ducati Panigale V4 R when equipped with its full-race exhaust and specified engine oil.
MV also touts other advantages of the well-balanced 5-cylinder firing order, noting it can produce impressive low-end torque without variable valve timing, a solution increasingly common in the motorcycle realm. Moreover, the Italian firm employs electric-powered water and oil pumps, which are typically used strictly in racing applications due to their efficiency advantages. To our knowledge, this would be the first standard production engine to use such hardware.
There is plenty of mull over with this mill. However, the communication closes by stating that “the debut of the 5-cylinder engine is planned for a highly anticipated model that is currently no longer in the lineup, which will be unveiled in the coming years.” Looking at the brand’s current lineup, a replacement for the now-defunct MV Agusta F4 superbike looks like a likely candidate for this concept. Time will tell. For now, check out some photos of what could be one heck of an engine.