A V10 is an engine in V configuration, having 10 cylinders in two banks of five.
Mechanicals
The V10 configuration is inherently imbalanced in the vertical plane and generates a rocking moment causing vibration from end to end of the engine. To contain this issue a balance shaft is required. Theoretically, the best V-angle is 72°; with this angle there is no vibration in vertical and transverse directions. The complexity of designing this made the V10 difficult to engineer without computer-aided design (CAD), and therefore the V10 was never used before the 1980s. To save development and parts costs, many V10 engines available today are based on 90° V8 engines, which is less than ideal for balance.
