The PRV V6 engine — architecture, generations & engine codes

Architecture

An unusual 90° vee

The norm for a V6 is a 60° vee, which keeps the engine compact. The PRV kept the 90° angle of the stillborn V8 it descended from — a rare choice that gave it a distinctive character.

On the first generation, the flat-plane crankshaft with non-offset crankpins made the firing intervals uneven — the root of its early reputation. The 1985 second generation cured it with an offset-crankpin crankshaft.

90°

VEE ANGLE · INHERITED FROM THE V8

6

CYLINDERS

60°

THE NORM

90°

PRV

Two generations

The PRV evolved

1ST GENERATION 1974 — 1985

Carburettor & mechanical injection

Non-offset crankpins, uneven firing
Carburettors & mechanical injection
2664 & 2849 cm³ · 12 valves
Volvo 264, Renault 30, Peugeot 604, DeLorean

2ND GENERATION 1985 — 1998

Turbo, electronic injection & 24V

Offset crankpins, finally smooth
Turbo (1985) & electronic injection
Hydraulic lifters — no more valve-clearance adjustment
2458 (turbo) · 2963 & 2975 cm³ · 24-valve heads from 1989
R25 V6 Turbo, Citroën XM, Peugeot 605, Alpine, Venturi

Specifications

The PRV V6 in figures

ARCHITECTUREV6 · 90°

DISPLACEMENT2458 · 2664 · 2849 · 2963 · 2975 cm³

VALVETRAIN12 & 24 valves

FUELLINGCarburettor → mechanical inj. → electronic inj.

ASPIRATIONNaturally aspirated · Turbo · Bi-turbo

POWER125 → 408 bhp

TORQUE203 → 520 Nm

PRODUCTION970 315

YEARS1974 — 1998 · Douvrin

Engine codes

Every known code

The PRV wore two code families: the Renault/Peugeot/Citroën Z-codes (Douvrin) and the Volvo B-codes. Here are the known variants, listed one code per line, by displacement — from the 2.5 L turbo to the 3.0 L 24-valve bi-turbo.

2 458 cm³ 2.5 L · Turbo · 12V Z7U file →

Z7U 700205 bhp

TurboFenix 3B injection12-valve

Renault 25 V6 Turbo

Z7U 702182 bhp

TurboBendix injection12-valve

Renault 25 V6 Turbo

Z7U 730200 bhp

Turbo12-valve

Alpine GTA V6 Turbo · Venturi 200

Z7U 732180 bhp

Turbo12-valve

Alpine GTA V6 Turbo (US)

Z7U 734185 bhp

Turbo12-valveCatalysed

Alpine GTA Le Mans (catalysed)

Z7U 734 · Danielson210 bhp

Turbo12-valveHomologated kit

Alpine GTA Le Mans (Danielson preparation)

2 664 cm³ 2.7 L · Naturally asp. · 12V

ZM · ZMS136 bhp

Carburettor12-valve

Peugeot 504 Coupé & Cabriolet · 604 SL

Z6V131 bhp

Carburettor12-valve

Renault 30

B27A125 bhp

Carburettor12-valve

Volvo 264

112-730150 bhp

Carburettor12-valve

Alpine A310

ZMJ144 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valve

Peugeot 604 Ti · STI

Z7V144 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valve

Renault 30 TX · Renault 25

B27E140 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valve

Volvo 264 GLE

B27F140 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valveUS market

Volvo 262C · 264 (US)

2 849 cm³ 2.8 L · Naturally asp. & Turbo · 12V

Z6W-A160 bhp

Carburettor12-valve

Alpine GTA V6 (naturally aspirated)

B28A126 bhp

SU-HIF6 carburettor12-valve

Volvo 262C

B28E155 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valve

Volvo 264 · 265

B28F130 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valveUS market

Volvo 264 (US)

ZMJ-159130 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valve

DMC DeLorean

Z7W 706160 bhp

Renix injection12-valve

Renault 25

Z7W 707153 bhp

Renix injection12-valve

Renault 25 (catalysed) · Renault Espace V6

ZNJ155 bhp

K-Jetronic injection12-valve

Peugeot 604 GTI

ZN3J170 bhp

LH-Jetronic injection12-valve

Peugeot 505 V6

B280 E156 bhp

LH-Jetronic injection12-valve

Volvo 760 · Volvo 780

B280 F156 bhp

LH-Jetronic injection12-valve

Volvo 760 · Volvo 780

ZN3J147–150 bhp

Electronic injection12-valve

Lancia Thema 6V

Z7W · EIA260 bhp

Turbo12-valve

Venturi 260

2 963 / 2 975 cm³ 3.0 L · Naturally asp. & Turbo & Bi-turbo · 12 & 24 valves

ZPJ167–170 bhp

Injection12-valve

Peugeot 605 · Citroën XM

Z7X167–170 bhp

Injection12-valve

Renault Safrane · Laguna

Z7X 711150 bhp

Injection12-valve

Eagle Premier · Eagle / Renault Medallion

Z7X 715150 bhp

Injection12-valve

Dodge Monaco

ZPJ4200 bhp

Injection24-valveACAV intake (PSA)

Peugeot 605 SV24 · Citroën XM V6 24S — a 24-valve specific to PSA, with its own cylinder heads and variable-geometry (ACAV) intake, a different breed from the Renault Z7X.

Z7X 744250 bhp

Turbo12-valve

Alpine A610

Z7X 726268 bhp

Bi-turbo12-valve

Renault Safrane Biturbo

ZPJ4 · EIAup to 408 bhp

Bi-turbo24-valveEIA-reworked

Venturi 400 GT

Note — from 1997, a 60° “PR” (Peugeot-Renault) V6 — called L7X at Renault and ES9 at Peugeot — succeeded the PRV on several cars that had carried it: Renault Safrane, Laguna and Espace, plus Peugeot 605 and Citroën XM. This V6 is not a PRV — only the PRV versions appear here (the phase-1 3.0 12-valve of the Safrane/Laguna; the early ZPJ4 24-valve of the 605/XM).

The engine

An unusual 90° vee

The PRV evolved

Carburettor & mechanical injection

Turbo, electronic injection & 24V

The PRV V6 in figures

Every known code

And on the road?