I believe the Borg-Warner "Velvet Drive" trademark can be a straight or
a V configuration.
They made both.

The "V drive" component is completely separate from the transmission. You still
need a gear box to select FNR, and I don't know why you couldn't use just about
any mfgrs tran. The straight shaft running from forward facing tranny couples
to the "V" drive assembly. The V drive is 1:1, so no additional calculating is
involved when considering reduction rations in the main gearbox.

Not uncommon for the stern tube to be directly *below* the engine on a V drive
configuration, allowing the engine(s) to be farther aft than on a straight
inboard.