The V10 configuration is inherently imbalanced in the vertical plan and generates a rocking couple causing vibration from end to end of the engine. To contain this issue a balance shaft is required. This make the V10 difficult to engineer without CAD. Thus the V10 was never used before the 1980s.
V10s have never been a popular configuration for road cars: a V12 is almost as cheap to build and runs more smoothly. The only major use of the V10 has been in Formula 1 racing, after the introduction of the 3.5 litre rule made the V10 seem the best compromise between the V8 and the V12.
wikipedia.org dumped 2003-03-17 with terodump