A car distributor question.

Why would you need them? The bearing area you require doesn't increase with the engine power, assuming that this is just a proportionate increase with the extra cylinders (i.e. you don't start siamesing them). It's a different problem from the single bank / two bank / three bank problem that affects vee engines (now you really do have two pistons fighting over the same crankpin), or especially when a successful vee gets turned into a poor broad-arrow.

The bearings on that engine were narrower than you'd expect for an engine of that size. Nor were they much larger in diameter. And it was also a long stroke engine (to keep the length down) which has higher loads on the bearings than a short stroke one.

Think only Volvo also attempted a transverse 6. Most don't go beyond 5. But now the V-6 rules for this app.