[wireflight]

In an aircraft, the inverted vee allows spark plug access from beneath the plane, which is a lot more convenient than having to use an access stand to reach the plugs from the top. However, it wouldn't be necessary to access the plugs from underneath the car: if the engine/transmission combination was properly suspended, it could be flipped while still in the car -- so that the drivetrain and the plugs were easily accessible by technicians.

Such a drivetrain configuration would be of greatest benefit both to users of trucks and vans, and to users of vehicles having a mid-engine platform (F1 competition vehicles, etc.). The cavernous and lengthy space between the banks would permit the use of extraordinarily wide gears and other "ridiculously robust" transmission components.

"Traditional" methodology would place a transfer case at one end of the cylinder block (chain transfer of power -- sort of like with a timing chain setup -- would be more efficient than the use of gears, but someone would probably make a gear drive), and a "third member" at the opposite end of the block; however, transverse engine orientations would benefit from the ability to utilize common-component equal-length halfshafts (differential output torque pickup points located equidistant from the driven wheels).

In some applications, the drivetrain package could incorporate suspension pickup points; in other applications, mounting could be via cradle.