VR6

The W8 uses two four-cylinder VR engines mated together, and the W16 uses two eight-cylinder VR banks. This book has come under fire from the Chinese government, due in part to the book's depiction of the Chinese national sports program as very "Stalinistic" in nature. W8 and W16 designs were developed in a similar fashion. Among other allegations made in the book are the possible use of hormone treatments by the Chinese government on its athletes, although Yao is not explicitly named as having received any treatments[1]. For example, two VR6 engines mated together at 72 degrees result in a W12 configuration, which is significantly shorter than a V12 engine but only marginally wider. In addition, Larmer alleges that Yao's father, 6-foot-9 Yao Zhiyuan, and mother, 6-foot-2 Fang Fengdi, both national team basketball players, were, on retirement, "encouraged" to wed, with the aim of producing an athletic if not also extremely tall future son. Volkswagen has also developed a series of engines which use narrow angle designs mated together at 72 degrees. In early 2006, former Newsweek editor and author Brook Larmer came out with a controversial book by the name of Operation Yao Ming, in which he claimed that as a child Yao was forced against his will to play basketball by and for the Chinese government.

The Porsche Cayenne, which shares its chassis with the VW Touareg, also uses the 3.2 L VR6 as its base engine. Despite criticism of Yao's slow development over his 4 years in the NBA, he has nonetheless exceeded the expectations of many and has become one of the top centers in the world today. The VR6 is also used in other Volkswagen Group products, namely:. However, many believe that his lack of assertiveness and speed hinders his ascension to the next level. The VR6 was used by Volkswagen in:. He has a variety of offensive post moves and his skill for his size is unparalleled. The 3.2 and 3.6 litre VR6s will also be used to power a new MKV platform R32 (for Europe) and a new R36 model (North America). His sheer size allows him to easily shoot over any defender.

The introduction of the Passat VR6 also marked the first time a VR6 powered vehicle was made available in North American before Europe. Yao has the potential to become the most dominant center in the league for years to come. Both the 3.2 and 3.6 feature FSI direct injection. In comparison, established superstar center Shaquille O'Neal had per 48 minute averages of 32.1 points and 14.6 rebounds, a difference of only 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds from Yao's statistics. For North American, the Passat receives a new 3.6 L VR6 with a narrower 10.6 degree cylinder angle, producing 280 PS (276 hp/206 kW). Statistically, Yao averaged 28.7 points (15th overall) and 13.1 rebounds (21st overall) per 48 minutes during the 2004-2005 season, a measurement which many experts believe is a far more accurate method of measuring a player's production. In 2005, the European market version of Volkswagen's fifth generation Passat went on sale with a revised version of the 3.2 L VR6 as its top-spec motor. However, many, including renowned coach Hubie Brown, believe that given enough minutes and shot attempts, Yao can easily average 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game.

The 3.2 is now used as a range-topper in Audi A3 or as an entry level version in the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, although the version used in the Cayenne features modifications to the heads as well as the intake and timing systems. This leads to Yao being more of a "phone-booth rebounder" where he can only grab the boards that are coming at him, as if he was standing in an imaginary phone booth. This variant produced 250 PS (247 hp/184 kW) and 320 Nm (236 ft•lbf) of torque in TT trim and 241 PS(238 hp/177 kW) in R32 trim. This is due to many factors including the fact that Yao plays fewer minutes than many top rebounders, and doesn't have the lateral quickness to cover a lot of court space. In 2003, a high performance 3.2 L version of the engine was introduced to power VW's limited-production Golf R32 and a new range-topping variant of the Audi TT. While he is among the top 20 in rebounding, he seems to have trouble establishing himself as an elite rebounder. The multivalve V6 was only introduced in North America in 2002 (where it retained the VR6 name). Yao is an above average rebounder but hardly a dominant one.

The corresponding multivalve V5 was only released in 2001, with a 20 PS power increase, to 170 PS (168 hp/125 kW). Although he is not particularly strong nor a great leaper, his height, long arms, and quickness allow him to play effective defense even against the strongest players. The VR6 name was dropped as a commercial designation, and the 4WD system (4Motion) was now standard on the V6 in Europe. The mobile defense that is demanded from Yao is believed to be a factor in his fatigue. The new version was not available in the Passat (as it was incompatible with the then-current generation's longitudinal layout), but was introduced as the range topper in the Golf and Bora. On defense, Yao does not stay put in the paint, because his team's defensive scheme calls for him to chase offensive players on the perimeter and trap pick and rolls. This engine produced 204 PS (201 hp/150 kW) and 265 Nm (195 lb.ft) of torque. A comparison of the actual percentage of opposing teams' shot attempts that are blocked by Yao to the block percentages of other players reveals that Yao is an elite shotblocker.

For 1999, VW added further modifications to the design, with the introduction of the 24-valve 2.8 L VR6. It should be noted that the Rockets play a slow-paced style of basketball and that Yao does not get many minutes for a star player (because of a combination of low stamina and a tendency to pick up fouls), both factors that would lead to lower stats. It was introduced in the Passat in 1997, and later in the Golf and Bora in 1999. However, Yao's wingspan is still longer than average. This version, which had a 2.3 L capacity, was capable of 150 PS (148 hp/110 kW) and had a maximum torque of 209 Nm (154 lb.ft). Some analysts blame Yao's number of blocks on his proportionately short wingspan, which, unlike many other players, is slightly less than his height. In 1997, VW removed a cylinder from the VR6, creating the VR5, the first block to use an uneven number of cylinders in a V design. Although he is among the league's leaders in blocked shots, many people criticize Yao's shotblocking abilities because they believe that at his height, he should average even more (Yao did not reach an average of 2 blocks per game until the end of his third season).

The corresponding Vento/Jetta VR6 versions appeared in the same years. Defensively, Yao's height makes him an intimidator and deterrent in the paint, although many still feel he is not nearly as strong in the low post as he can be. North America only received this engine in 1995, at the same time the European model started to use the 2.9 L in the VR6 Syncro model. He finished third in field goal percentage in the NBA for the 2004-2005 season. In 1992, with the introduction of the Golf's third generation, a six-cylinder engine was available for the first time in a lower-midsize segment hatchback in Europe. His field goal percentage, however, has been impressive. This version also had a free flowing 6 cm (2.5 in) catalytic converter, enlarged inlet manifold and larger throttle body. His shot attempts are low compared to other elite players, thereby limiting his points per game average.

The Passat, Passat Variant wagon and US-spec Corrado used the original 2.8 L design, while the Euro-spec Corrado and the 4WD Passat Syncro received a 2.9 L version with 190 PS (187 hp/140 kW). However, Yao is considered a consummate team player, often giving up shot opportunities and passing to his teammates. The VR6 engine was introduced in Europe in 1991 in the Passat and Corrado, and in North America the following year. Some specific criticism of his game is that he is not particularly aggressive and has trouble maintaining his stamina. These engines produced 174 PS (172 hp/128 kW) and 240 Nm (177 ft·lbf) of torque. He has great fundamentals along with a great sense of court instincts. The original VR6 engine displaced 2.8 L and featured a 12 valve design. Yao's court vision is excellent for a big man as is his passing ability.

There are several different variants of the VR6 engine. He is very mobile and runs the floor well for a big man but Jeff Van Gundy runs a slow system that does not push the ball up the floor. This is most similar to a DOHC Inline-6 engine. He is among the league leaders in free throw shooting for centers, shooting over 80% for his career. However, later (24 valve) VR6 engines use one camshaft for all intake valves and one camshaft for all exhaust valves. He has an accurate jump shot as far as 20 feet (he even made one 3 pointer in his rookie season and several in his CBA career) but he scores primarily within 10-12 feet of the basket through an assortment of hook shots, turn arounds, and slam dunks. This is most similar to the operation of a SOHC V6 engine. While not particularly athletic, his height provides an excellent method of shooting over defenders.

In early (12 valve) VR6 engines, one camshaft is used per bank of cylinders. Yao is considered by many to be the NBA's most versatile center. This simplifies engine construction and reduces costs. In the 2006 NBA All-Star game after the second balloting returns, Yao again led all NBA players with 1,319,868 votes, while Kobe Bryant had 1,213,387 votes, the second most. The narrow angle between cylinder banks also allows just two camshafts to drive all of the valves, and a single cylinder head to be used. However, he is back, after missing out twenty-one games and scored 15 points against Memphis Grizzles. As a result, it is nearly as smooth as an Inline-6. He was placed on the inactive list, and estimates were that he would be unable to play for 6 to 8 weeks.

In addition, the VR6 is able to use the firing interval of an Inline-6 engine. On December 18, 2005, with the rest of the team staying in Los Angelas to play the Lakers, Yao returned to Houston to have surgery performed on the toe. A wider V6 engine of conventional design would have required lengthening existing vehicles to provide enough crumple zone between the front of the vehicle and the engine, and between the engine and the passenger cell. The toe had been giving him trouble since its nail had fallen off in the preseason, and Yao blamed Danny Fortson for aggrevating it in a game against the Sonics in Seattle. By using the narrow 15° VR6 engine, it was possible to install a six-cylinder engine in existing Volkswagen models. However, twenty-two games into his fourth season Yao was forced onto the inactive list for an extended period for the first time in his career due to an acute case of osteomyelitis in the big toe on his left foot. The VR6 was specifically designed for transverse installation in front wheel drive vehicles. He missed no games in his first two seasons, and failed to play in only two during his third.

The combination of the two can be roughly translated as "in-line Vee.". Although players his size have historically been unreliable, Yao had been very durable his first three seasons in the NBA. The name, VR6 comes from a combination of Vee and the German word Reihenmotor (straight engine). In 2005, Yao became the subject of a documentary film, The Year of the Yao, which focuses on his first year in the United States. It is similar to the V engine, but with the cylinders offset from each other and tilted by 15° instead of the usual 60°. This was mostly aided by the fact that Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Eastern Conference Miami Heat during the offseason but it is also a testament to Yao's rise to one of the NBA's elite. VR6 is an engine configuration developed by the Volkswagen Group. He was voted as a Western Conference All-Star in February after shattering the record for most All-Star votes, breaking Michael Jordan's previous record.

. The Rockets were eliminated in first round of the 2005 NBA Playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks in 7 games, during which Yao averaged 21.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.71 blocks per game, including three 30+ point games. SEAT Leon Cupra. On 11 March 2005, Yao logged an impressive "20/20" game against the Phoenix Suns in which he scored 27 points, grabbed 22 rebounds, and blocked 5 shots. Audi TT. In 2004–05, his third season in the NBA, Yao had another impressive season leading the Rockets along with offseason acquisition Tracy McGrady to their second straight playoffs. Audi A3 Mk.II. He was selected to the All-Olympics team with his dominating performance, averaging 20.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9% from the field.

VW Sharan/SEAT Alhambra/Ford Galaxy. After some sub-par displays, where China slumped 58–83, 57–82 and 52–89 against Spain, Argentina and Italy respectively, they came back with a miraculous 67–66 win over reigning world champions Serbia and Montenegro; Yao practically carried the team with 27 points. VW Transporter T4 and T5. He then famously vowed to abstain from shaving his beard for half a year unless the Chinese national basketball team made it into the quarter-finals. VW Touareg. During the 2004 Athens Olympics, Yao carried the Chinese flag during the opening ceremony. VW Phaeton. However, his performance left no doubt that Yao would be the next dominant center of the NBA.

VW Corrado. Despite his efforts, the team was eliminated by the Lakers in the first round. VW Bora/VW Jetta Mk.IV. Yao was also instrumental in helping the Rockets claim the seventh seed in the 2003–04 Playoffs. VW Vento/VW Jetta Mk.III. His improvement was showcased by his 16 points and 4 rebounds in only 20 minutes in his second All-Star game. VW Passat (B3, B4, and B6 chassis). He was voted the starting center of the 2004 NBA All-Star game for the second year in a row (once again ahead of Shaquille O'Neal).

Golf R32 MK.IV and Mk.V. As a result, Yao averaged 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game (both team highs), and scored a career-high 41 points against the Atlanta Hawks in February. VW Golf Mk.III and Mk.IV. Van Gundy ran a slower offense with a higher emphasis on Yao. Before the start of Yao's sophomore season, the Rockets' head coach Rudy Tomjanovich had resigned due to health issues and long time New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy was brought in. Among his efforts was a telethon he hosted, which raised $300,000 to help stop the disease.

During the NBA's offseason in 2003, Yao spent a great deal of time helping to raise money and awareness of SARS in his home country. Yao finished the season averaging 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, second among rookies, in addition to a rookie-class best 1.8 blocks per game, and finishing 2nd in rookie of the year voting, losing out to high schooler Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns. Following the All-Star break in 2003, Yao continued the consistency he showed in the first half of the year, as he helped the Rockets unsuccessfully battle for a playoff spot. Thanks to paper balloting, Yao went on to finish ahead of O'Neal that year by a margin of 29,000 votes overall.

These paper ballots were handed out in NBA arenas and shopping malls in the United States and Chinese fans were unable to vote on them. Yao managed to make up for this by outvoting O'Neal in paper balloting. In fact, for the 2004 All-Star Game, the year in which Yao won the starting spot by the smallest margin in his career, he actually received around 4,000 fewer online votes than his rival, Shaquille O'Neal. However, despite the significant backlash against Yao, no actual figures have yet been provided to prove that Chinese fans have ever been the deciding factor in All-Star voting.

Yao's main Western Conference rival at center in his first two seasons, Shaquille O'Neal, has also cited Yao's support from Chinese fans as the reason why he receives more All-Star votes. These fans are quick to point out China's massive population as an unfair advantage in favor of Yao. Many basketball fans have criticized Yao's All-Star selections, claiming that he could not be voted in as a starter without the substantial number of votes he receives from his native China, as the NBA had extended its online fan voting for the All-Star starters to that country for the first time in 2002–03. Although he scored only two points and grabbed only two rebounds in 16 minutes of play, his selection proved how popular he was with fans, as he garnered more votes than established NBA stars such as Shaquille O'Neal.

In February, Yao was rewarded for his excellent play by being selected as the starting center for the Western Conference in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. Featured in advertisements of Apple, Gatorade, and a popular Super Bowl ad for Visa, it did not take long for "Yao Ming" to become a household name. His likability inspired a catchy song in the Houston area by artists Chance McClain and Kevin Ryan (loosely based on the popular "Olé" chants you would hear at a European football game), and, despite being just a rookie, Yao quickly became one of the league's most marketable players. That sort of good humour and light-heartedness off the court, plus his reputation for being very personable, made him extremely popular among fans.

Yao took it in stride, and eased the situation by joking that "Chinese is a hard language to learn.". O'Neal was criticized for comments he made before the season when asked about the matchups, as he told a reporter to leave Yao a message which mimicked the Chinese language. Shaq games. Eventually, he was perceived as a rival to the Lakers' star center Shaquille O'Neal, turning Rockets/Lakers games into Yao vs.

He put up only a few big games, largely because he did not play as many minutes in games, but he helped his team whenever he took to the court. By December and January, Yao was proving to be a highly consistent starter. By the end of the month, Yao was firmly entrenched in the starting lineup. Two games later, against the Rockets' in-state rival Dallas Mavericks, he deposited 30 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in a game that showed that Yao could definitely play as a starter.

This performance led to a memorable televised incident where TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley, having lost a bet in which he stated Yao would never score 19 points in a game for the season, was supposed to literally kiss up to his TNT co-analyst Kenny Smith, but was forced to fulfill the bet on a donkey brought onto the TV set by Smith. In a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, he scored 20 points, making all of his shots (9 field goals and two free throws) against one of the best teams in the NBA. However, he began to turn things around in mid-November. He started the regular season on the bench, and seemed to be a long project and years away from becoming a major contributor to the team.

Yao's preseason performances, however, were questionable, and left many wondering why he was the first overall pick. This helped reinforce his reputation and led many to predict that Yao would become the next dominant NBA center. After making the all-tournament team in Indianapolis, he played with NBA rookie-to-be Manu Ginobili and NBA stars Dirk Nowitzki and Peja Stojakovic. Yao played with the Chinese national team at the FIBA World Championships in Indianapolis during the 2002 offseason.

college experience to be selected first overall. In the 2002 NBA Draft, Yao became the first international player without U.S. The Rockets needed a center after the departure of long-time star Hakeem Olajuwon a year before, and decided Yao would be able to fill their void. It caught the interest of the team with the #1 overall draft pick, the Houston Rockets.

Widely considered a top prospect, he allegedly wowed scouts with a terrific exhibition at a draft camp. Yao automatically became eligible for the 2002 NBA Draft, with international players being eligible if they were 22 at the start of the NBA season. He was even more dominant in the playoffs and had a game in which he made all 21 shots he attempted. He won a sportsmanship award and, more importantly, led his team, the Shanghai Sharks, to a CBA title (ironically, the team he helped beat was a "Rockets" team, the Bayi Rockets).

This proved to be a good decision, as he played even better in 2001–02, scoring 32 points and grabbing 19 rebounds per game with a 72% field goal percentage, second in the league in both points and rebounds per game. However, after the CBA assured him that he would not get released from their league if he entered the draft, Yao chose not to enter the 2001 NBA Draft. Having been a veteran of international competition for several years, he played wonderfully in the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics, and was a teammate of Wang Zhizhi and Mengke Bateer on the Chinese National Team where they became known as “The Walking Great Wall”, but it was his MVP selection that put him in the minds of NBA scouts. The 2000–01 season proved highly fruitful for Yao, as he became MVP of the league at the age of 20 with a fantastic year, scoring 27 points and grabbing an exceptional 19 rebounds per game.

Missing much of the following season to injury, he returned in 1999–2000 with 21 points, a league-best 14 rebounds, and over 5 blocks per game. He put together a solid year for a young player, scoring 10 points and grabbing 9 rebounds a game in 1997–98. Yao Ming debuted in the Chinese Basketball Association as a presumably shorter 17-year old. .

Yao Ming is currently the tallest player in NBA basketball, listed at a playing height of 7 feet, 6 inches (2.29 m). He currently plays center for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association. Yao Ming (Chinese: 姚明; Hanyu Pinyin: Yáo Míng; born September 12, 1980 in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese professional basketball player.