V8, V6, cylinders

I admit that I know nothing about cars. But I had always heard a V8 was more powerful than a V6. So I asked a relative if their car was V6 or V8, because their car seems to have more "go" then mine. The answer I got from them was that their car has 4 cylinders. What does that mean? Is their car V4? I didn't know that even existed in cars.

So, can someone please explain this to me? Thanks.

Car engines generally come with the cylinders either inline, in a V, or opposing (across from each other).

How much "go" a car has depends on far more things than the number of cylinders (power/weight, gearing, etc). For example, my 83 Toronado has a V8, but it is way slower than my 93 Sentra with an I4.

Inline 4
V6
Inline 6
V8

Those are all common configurations. In days of old there used to be production V4s and Inline 8s. Today there are a smattering of V10s and V12s, even a V16, but they're reserved for exotics. There are even a few inline 2s and 3s. The Geo metro came with a 1.0 liter 3-cylinder engine. Newer Smart cars can be ordered with a 2-cylinder diesel. How much power an engine makes is a function of how much air/fuel it can ingest and combust. I have a 5.0 liter V8 from 1987 that makes 140hp, and I also can point you to 2.5-liter I-4s that make 800 hp.

www.howstuffworks.com (http://www.howstuffworks.com)

Generally, most stock cars (no upgrades) are in the range of 120 HP to 240 HP (not including race cars or expensive models). Some have only 140HP and they feel like you're flying when you touch the gas. That's probably due to weak shocks and a light weight car. Others feel dead even with 240 HP because they're heavy or they're stable on the ground.
Generally, more cylinders means that you have a larger engine, which means you burn more fuel. Usually, that means more horse power. Sometimes, the extra friction and weight of the engine counteract all that power gain. It's really not a straightforward thing.