▁an ▁inline ▁six . ▁Also , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁even ▁number ▁of ▁power ▁stro kes ▁per ▁revolution , ▁a ▁straight - e ight ▁does ▁not ▁produce ▁un ple asant ▁odd - order ▁harm onic ▁v ibration ▁in ▁the ▁vehicle ' s ▁dri vel ine ▁at ▁low ▁engine ▁spe eds . ▁ ▁The ▁smooth ▁running ▁characteristics ▁of ▁the ▁straight - e ight ▁made ▁it ▁popular ▁in ▁lux ury ▁and ▁racing ▁cars ▁of ▁the ▁past . ▁However , ▁the ▁engine ' s ▁length ▁demanded ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁a ▁long ▁engine ▁compart ment , ▁making ▁the ▁basic ▁design ▁un accept able ▁in ▁modern ▁vehicles . ▁Also , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁engine , ▁t ors ional ▁v ibration ▁in ▁both ▁c rank sh aft ▁and ▁cam sh aft ▁can ▁advers ely ▁affect ▁reli ability ▁and ▁performance ▁at ▁high ▁spe eds . ▁In ▁particular , ▁a ▁phenomen on ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" c rank sh aft ▁wh ip ," ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁cent rif ug al ▁force ▁on ▁the ▁c rank ▁throws ▁at ▁high ▁engine ▁r pm , ▁can ▁cause ▁physical ▁contact ▁between ▁the ▁connecting ▁ro ds ▁and ▁c rank case ▁walls , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁engine ' s ▁destruction . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁design ▁has ▁been ▁disp la ced ▁almost ▁completely ▁by ▁the ▁shorter ▁V 8 ▁engine ▁configuration . ▁ ▁Early ▁period ▁( 1 9 0 3 – 1 9 1 8 ) ▁The ▁first ▁straight - e ight ▁was ▁conce ived ▁by ▁Char ron , ▁Gir ard ot ▁et