Best V8 Engines Of All Time

The V8 is the engine that defines American motoring, but it is loved around the world.

What is this obsession that Americans have with the V8? Straight-sixes and V12s are smoother, four-cylinder motors offer better economy and an inline-five or V10 can sound superb. It may have taken a few false starts to get going but by 1915 Cadillac had started mass-producing its first V8, a 5.4-liter 70-hp unit that could power its early cars to an impressive 65 mph. Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Ford all soon followed suit and by the late ‘30s this engine configuration had truly taken off. Part of their appeal was that the basic layout allowed for a lot of flexibility.

Engineers could choose to go with a flat-plane crank for more power or cross-plane crank for additional torque. The compact V layout meant that it could just about fit into the space of a four-cylinder engine bay and it was shorter than six or 12-cylinder designs. Most V8s were fitted to more aspirational cars but Henry Ford’s flathead V8 became one of the first to be fitted to more accessible vehicles. Engine technology has moved on greatly since those early days and today’s V8s have overhead camshafts, direct injection, variable valve control, turbochargers and in some cases even electrical assistance.

Ford Flathead

But let’s start with that flathead V8 that Henry Ford introduced to the world in 1932. Its advanced crankshaft design, high pressure oil lubrication and one-piece block were pretty revolutionary for the time. The low price point was an additional draw card and variations of this engine powered countless Fords well into the ‘50s. Hot rodders also loved the Flathead V8, as it could be run on a shoestring budget and it dominated the modifying scene until the more efficient OHV V8s started to arrive.

Rover V8

The V8 may have been invented by a Frenchman and used in a Rolls-Royce before American entrepreneurs got their act together, but once they did they made it their own. An example of this can be found in the Rover V8, the most British of all V8s. It was built in the UK from 1960 all the way up until 2006 and found its way into everything from TVRs to Land Rovers and even limited-production Morgans. What most people don’t know is that the design began life as the Buick 215. It was an all-aluminum unit and was also fitted to the Oldsmobile Jetfire, the world’s very first turbocharged engine.

Chevy Small-Block

The Chevy small-block V8 started life off in 1955 fitted to the first-generation Corvettes. It was stuffed into countless other models in capacities ranging from 4.3 all the way up to 6.6 liters. The small-block design lasted until 2003 with the Gen II small-block arriving in 1992. These versatile engines could produce up to 390 hp in standard form and they are still available to order as ‘crate motors’ and are a favourite among tuners looking for reliable horsepower. The all-new LS V8s were introduced in 1996 and this is the line of engines that powers current GM vehicles. The latest Gen V units feature direct injection, active fuel management and even variable valve timing.

Chrysler HEMI

The Chrysler Hemi engines have become synonymous with power and performance since they first hit the scene in 1951. The nickname ‘Hemi’ was derived from the fact that these engines had hemispherical combustion chambers. The design was not unique to Chrysler nor was it necessarily a superior way to extract more power from an engine, but most Hemis were large capacity motors that made plenty of power. There have been some truly iconic Hemi V8s. The first being the 426 Hemi fitted to the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda and most recently, the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 fitted to the Dodge Charger Hellcat and even madder 840-hp Challenger SRT Demon.

Ferrari F106

The Ferrari F106 V8 was first used in the awkwardly proportioned (and named) Dino 308 GT4 2+2 back in 1973. It made a very strong 250 hp from 2.9 liters and unlike the overhead-valve pushrod designs that dominated the American scene, used a flat-plane crank and had dual-overhead camshafts. This layout was the basis for every mid-engined Ferrari V8 right up until the 360 that ceased production in 2005. It saw duty in the 308, F355 and even the twin-turbocharged F40. Multivalve heads and electronic fuel injection were introduced over the years, helping power outputs grow to 400 hp in unboosted form and 477 hp when fitted with turbos.

Maserati/Ferrari F136

The F136 made its debut in the 483-hp 4.3-liter F430 in 2004, it peaked in the 458 Speciale making a massive 597 hp from just 4.5 liters. The Maserati Quattroporte and GranTurismo models also received a modified cross-plane crank version of this motor, best known for having one of the most captivating exhaust notes ever. The 454-hp 4.7-liter Maserati GranTurismo was perhaps the best sounding of the lot. The Ferrari 488GTB replaced the 458 in 2015 and brought with it a new turbocharged F154 V8, signalling the end of the naturally aspirated Ferrari V8.

Audi FSI

Audi has been pushing turbocharged motors on us for decades, so it came as a bit of a surprise then when their BMW M3–rivalling B7 generation RS4 came fitted with a high-revving 420-hp 4.2-liter V8. It was perhaps even more surprising to find a dry-sump lubricated variant in their mid-engined R8 sports car. It proved to be a very capable power unit, featuring stratified fuel injection for the first time on a production car and able to rev to 8,250 rpm, and it also made all the right noises. The naturally aspirated V8 was last used in the previous generation 444-hp RS5. Audi has gone back to turbocharging its V8s and the latest versions develop up to 600-hp.

BMW V8

BMW has been fitting V8s to their luxury models for many decades and two of the best have been the S65 414-hp 4.0-liter unit in the old E90 M3 and the S62 400-hp 4.9-liter engine fitted to the late-‘90s M5. These marked the pinnacle of non-turbo V8 development at BMW, but the latest 4.4-liter twin-turbo S63 is a modern masterpiece. In standard form it makes a formidable 600 hp and provides the latest generation M5 with the firepower to take on supercars. It responds instantaneously to throttle inputs and with 553 lb-ft of torque, provides in-gear acceleration that the naturally aspirated V8s could never match.

Mercedes 6.2-liter

Mercedes has also gone the route of turbocharging for their latest 4.0-liter V8s. The one we still love, though, is the M156 6.2-liter V8 that initially powered the 467-hp C63 AMG. It featured a whole host of performance upgrades compared to the rest of the Mercedes range and went on to power just about every range-topping AMG model from the CL63 AMG right up to the SL63 roadster. The ultimate version of this motor was dubbed the M159 and was used in the SLS supercar, producing 622 hp. Mercedes’ V8 legacy continues in cars like the AMG GT R Coupe, with its 577-hp twin-turbo V8.

McLaren V8

McLaren Automotive opened its doors in 1963 and while it has been extraordinarily successful in motorsport, it wasn’t until much later that it turned its focus to road cars. The game-changing McLaren F1 was first to arrive in 1992 but we had to wait until 2011 for the MP4-12C for their first V8-powered supercar. And what a car that was. The M838T twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 in that model made 592 hp and peaked at a mighty 727 hp in the hybrid P1 hypercar. The recently released 720S is the first new model to feature a comprehensively updated engine, codenamed M840T, making 710 hp in this application and we expect some big numbers from it in upcoming models.

Lexus 1UZ-FE

While there are many more great V8s out there we just couldn’t leave out our sole Japanese entrant. The 4.0-liter Lexus 1UZ-FE was introduced in 1989, featuring dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. It was relatively advanced for its time, while its supreme smoothness and bulletproof reliability made it popular over the years. Fitted to cars like the luxurious LS400, these engines initially produced 256 hp but made 300 hp with the addition of variable valve timing and other updates in later versions. Like the Chevy small-block motors, these 1UZ-FE motors have found their way into a huge number of varied applications from powerboats to off-road racers.

BMW Readying A Handful Of Engines For New X2 And Range-Topping X7

Things are getting a little crazy at BMW's X department.

Buried somewhere in the 177-page BMW document that was obtained by supramkv.com, which previously outlined how the new Toyota Supra would be getting a pair of BMW engine options, is important information on other upcoming models from the Blue and White Roundel. Obviously news about the M2 Competition is well received, but more important to the bean counters interested in gaining further traction in the US are the two SUVs listed in the leak, the upcoming X2 and X7.

Thanks to the Supra fan site, we now know that the X2—coming to the US to steal away young BMW customers who need around town utility—will be derived from the X1 but given more aggressive styling reminiscent of the X2 Concept we saw at the 2016 Paris Auto Show. A front-drive platform will house the X2 sDrive 28i and an all-wheel drive xDrive version of that, both powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four producing 228 horsepower. For richer customers who smirk at the small wannabe luxury connoisseurs in the X2, the X7 should be an apt choice. The document leak details a few exciting options for the range-topping SUV, which seems to have three separate engines to choose from.

First up is the xDrive 40i with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six producing 335 horsepower, followed by an xDrive 50i with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 pushing out 445 horsepower, and finally an xDrive 40d with a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel engine. The first two models have been confirmed but the diesel is still a maybe according to what internal sources have told Car and Driver. Also unconfirmed but a predictable option is a plug-in hybrid X7 to lessen the guilt of luxury leather lovers who care about the planet. When the X7 does eventually make landfall in the Red, White, and Blue, it’ll go toe to toe with the emerging three-row luxury SUV class, which includes the Land Rover Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GLS. Gotta love capitalism.

10 Cars That Deserved Better Engines Than They Got

Potentially legendary machines, let down by what lay under the hood.

The engineering that goes into our favorite cars is a wonderful thing; finely tuned suspension, gloriously sonorous exhausts, pinpoint accurate steering, and sometimes, glorious engines that complete a model by adding that cherry on top of an already almost perfect package. But just as the Honda S2000s high revving F20C engine was a perfect match for the balanced convertible chassis in which it was equipped, there have been vehicles let down by the engines under their hoods. We’ve selected 10 cars that we feel were let down by their engines when everything else was going so well for them.

Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 was the latest and at this stage final Mazda to feature a rotary engine. It was a 2+2 seat sports car that was well ahead of its time in many aspects, making use of a carbon fiber driveshaft – much the same as we now see in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio – to reduce weight and inertia to improve throttle response, as well as centering weight between the axles for ultimate handling balance. It looked great, and it handled exceptionally. The 13b-REW Renesis Wankel engine sounded great too, and in true rotary nature, it revved to high heavens. But, the 13b Renesis was notoriously unreliable, and let’s face it, without turbos the 13b engine was weak on the torque front. The lack of torque paired with poor reliability – not exactly a strong suit of the rotary engine in any case – will go down as a massive travesty, with the RX-8 really deserving better.

Toyota 86

When Toyota repeatedly teased a concept for the 86 sports car, it seemed too good to be true. A spiritual successor to the AE86 Corolla of pop-culture infamy, front-engined, and rear-wheel drive, it sounded like a bedtime story. But it came to fruition, and alas, it proved to be incredible to drive, with a balanced chassis, low center of gravity, a slick manual gearbox, and skinny rear tires that meant the 86 was easily driftable. The low weight and equally low price made the 86 an affordable enthusiasts’ car. But the chassis is so good that many say it deserves more than the 200-odd horsepower the standard engine delivers. While many may argue its lack of power is what makes it exploitable, there are even more who believe the Subaru-sourced 2.0-liter Boxer motor deserves a turbocharger to really give the 86 proper sports car credentials.

Subaru WRX STI

The Subaru Impreza WRX STI was once an absolute giant slayer; back in its heyday of WRC the pairing of boost and all-wheel drive made it formidable on any surface, and the affordable price point made it an absolute performance bargain. The latest generation may have dropped the Impreza name, but the recipe is still the same – a boosted Boxer 4-cylinder engine, manual gearbox, and all-wheel drive with the trick DCCD differential, though for added effect there’s now brake-based torque vectoring that makes the new chassis better than it’s ever been before. Why then, does Subaru insist on using the same EJ257 motor used in WRX STIs since the 2004 model? In 14 years the EJ257’s reliability sure hasn’t improved – prone to ringland failure – and it hasn’t received a power increase either aside from the 5hp extra it gets in current Type RA trim. That means the once giant-slaying 300 hp EJ motor is now barely able to keep up with a Golf R, and the STI nameplate deserves better than that.

Foxbody Mustang

Mustangs with V8 engines are as American as apple pie, and the V8 models generally tend to be the best offering in the ‘Stang line-up; with one exception being the 1980 and 1981 Foxbody Mustang. Due to the oil crisis in 1979, Ford dropped the 4.9-liter V8 previous used in the Foxbody in favor of a 4.2-liter one for better fuel economy. But the 4.2 was the least powerful Mustang V8 ever, producing just 120hp, and mated only with a 3-speed automatic transmission. That left the ‘performance’ model of the range to the 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder Mustang, which itself was fraught with problems of its own – mainly on the reliability front.

Honda CR-Z

Honda’s little hybrid hatch oozes cool, and as a throwback to the CRX – a hatch that itself could’ve done with a more potent engine – it lives up to the requirements of a modernized CRX. But it’ll forever be just a little hybrid hatch because it never got a proper engine to turn it into the hot hatch it was always dying to become. While it’s taken Honda some time to switch over to turbocharging, can you imagine what a 2.0-liter, 200 hp, rev-to-9000 engine would’ve been like in the CR-Z’s small body? Instead, all we got was 121 combined horsepower of disappointment.

Nissan 240SX (S14)

The Nissan S-chassis is famous amongst enthusiasts, particularly those who like to drift, and while in the drift arena engine swaps may be the common practice, that might not happen as much if Nissan had given us the engine we actually we wanted, the engine the S14 240SX actually deserved. What’s particularly sore about this is that elsewhere in the world, the S14 lived up to expectations. With a chassis the equivalent of automotive gold, it could’ve done so in the US too, but instead of equipping the 240SX with the 2.0-liter turbocharged SR20DET developing around 220 horsepower and with massive tuning ability, they gave the US the KA24DE, a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter developing 155 hp. It was such a dog it was even used in the Frontier. What kind of engine is that to equip in a sports car?

BMW 320i (E90)

The E90 generation BMW 3 Series had a lot going for it. It looked good – still does today – drove pretty well, and had some solid engines in the line-up. Who can forget the fire-breathing 4.0-liter V8 in the M3, and the 335i’s turbo-6? But the 320i was the runt of the family, downsizing to a 4-cylinder engine, but forgetting to add the turbo needed to drag what was a relatively heavy body for the motor. Though the claimed outputs were good – 168 hp in later model years – it never drove that well. I suppose you could’ve bought a 325i, but it would’ve been cool if even the lower end of the spectrum had a good engine behind it.

Lexus RC F

I think I’m one of the few who genuinely loved the RC-F from the moment I saw it. Sure, the engineering may have been a little flawed, utilizing heavy bits and pieces from multiple other models, but I thought it looked daring, and the concept of a naturally aspirated V8 in an era of turbocharging sounded great! But, the 5.0-liter V8 was essentially the same one Lexus used in the IS-F super-sedan from 7 years earlier. Though power was increased from 417hp to 470 hp, the V8 still struggled with a lack of torque, and the heavy RC F needed torque if nothing else.

Mercedes-AMG SLC43

Mercedes-AMG is synonymous with thunderous V8 engines. In all but their front-drive based vehicles, we expect snorting V8 engines up front and smoking tires behind. In the case of the SLK, the brand’s smallest convertible, that was always the case. But when the German brand renamed the SLK to SLC, it made one crucial change, and it dropped the V8 from the line-up, with the range-topper being the SLC43. In place of the 415 hp, 5.5-liter V8, Mercedes-AMG saw fit to drop a twin-turbo V6, not only down on displacement and cylinders but down on power too with just 385 hp. It’s slower than the SLK55 was, and though it might be sharper in the handling department, the SLC deserves a V8 range-topper.

BMW i8

Yes, we know the BMW i8 has been built to start the ball rolling on the future of electric propulsion – it’s a stepping stone to future all-electric sports cars from BMW – but a 3-cylinder engine, really BMW? Though the i8’s combined output of 369 hp might be fairly impressive, and the performance figures equally so, when the battery runs out of juice you’re left with a 228 hp carbon fiber sports car that sounds like a sewing machine. Imagine if BMW had equipped it with something more powerful, more sonorous, or even something with a little bit of heritage. The only other mid-engined BMW ever built was the inline-6 powered M1, so how cool would the lightweight i8 have been with the M3’s turbo-6 dropped into the engine bay? Maybe then we’d have the performance to back up the incredible looks.

The Best 6-Cylinder Engines In The World

We take a look at some of the best new and old 6-cylinder engines and the cars they have been fitted to from around the world.

The 6-cylinder engine is one of the more versatile powerplants around. It can offer a compact packaging solution in a V or horizontally opposed configuration or perform almost as smoothly as a V12 in an in-line layout. Historically, performance cars used to be associated with V8s but with modern high-efficiency designs and forced induction,

6-cylinder powerplants are often just as powerful as these bigger engines while using less fuel too. Over the year
s there have been many very special 6-cylinder motors and we take a look at some of the very best past and present offerings.
BMW Inline-Sixes

The inline-six is a rare layout nowadays. It requires a lot of space under the hood and is best suited to a RWD or AWD drivetrain thanks to its longitudinal layout. Despite this, BMW has stuck with this configuration thanks to its durability and a level of smoothness second only to a V12. Two of the most iconic naturally aspirated engines have been the 277-hp M88 3.5-liter unit in the original M1 supercar and the 333-hp S54 engine as found in the E46 M3. The

current M3 utilizes a 425-bhp 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six called the S55B30T0. It puts out an impressive 406 lb-ft of torque and still revs strongly to the red line despite being turbocharged.

Mercedes-Benz Sixes

The 300SL Gullwing was quite a machine in its day. Aside from those distinctive gullwing doors, it also debuted fuel-injection for the first time in a production car. The 215 hp 3.0-liter inline-six gave the 300SL a 160 mph top speed which made it the fastest thing on the Autobahn. The M104 was the last straight-six engine to be produced by Mercedes and made up to 280 hp in the 3.6-liter C36 AMG. Mercedes abandoned the inline-six layout in 1997 in favor of the more compact V6 but is now back with a technically advanced inline engine to take on BMW at their own game.

Jaguar Sixes

The XK6 Jaguar engine was manufactured from 1949 all the way up to 1992. Capacities stretched from 2.5-liters all the way up to 4.2-liters and these inline-sixes powered some iconic Jags over the years. Of them, the E-Type is one of the most historically significant. It came in both 3.8 and 4.2-liter versions with power outputs of around 265 hp, making the E-Type one of the fastest sports cars of its time. The current F-Type uses a far more modern direct injection supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine (AJ126) which produces anything between 335 and 395 hp and up to 339 lb-ft of torque.

Jaguar XJ220 - A Special Case

The XJ220 was initially showcased as a V12-powered supercar but ended up with a heavily reworked V6 taken from the MG Metro 6R4 Group B rally car instead. It may have irked some customers and seemed less exotic than a V12, but with 540 hp and a massive 475 lb-ft of torque on offer, it gave the XJ220 a 217 mph top speed which made it the world’s fastest production car until the McLaren F1 arrived. The 3.5-liter V6 was pedigreed in its own way, seeing as it shared some design features with the Cosworth DFV Formula One engine.

Nissan GT-R Sixes

The Skyline GT-R is a modern performance icon that can trace its roots back to the original 160 hp 2.0-liter inline-six which debuted in 1969. The inline-six configuration peaked with the 1999 R34 Skyline GT-R which had a twin-turbo 2.6-liter motor (RB28DETT) that was famed for its ability to be tuned to well over 600 hp and remain reliable. We never did get these Japanese supercars in the US but its replacement most definitely did make it here. The GT-R 35 (Skyline name was dropped) arrived in 2007 and debuted a new 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 (VR38DETT) and 11 years after its introduction is still a force to be reckoned with.

Porsche Flat-Sixes

The Porsche 911 has used a rear-mounted flat-six engine since the very first 130 hp model rolled off the line in 1963. (There was also a short-lived four-cylinder 912). The flat-six has gone through huge changes over the years, doubling in capacity from its original 2.0-liters. It has also gained water cooling, direct injection and turbocharging. The original Mezger design peaked with the 493 hp 4.0-liter 997 GT3 RS however the flat-six continues (mostly in turbocharged form) in the latest generation 911. The current 700 hp GT2 RS is the most powerful ever and has lapped the Nurburgring faster than any production car in history.

Alfa Romeo Sixes

The Giuseppe Busso designed Alfa Romeo V6 debuted in 1979 and was offered in capacities ranging from 2.0-liters right up to 3.2-liters. Multivalve heads, fuel-injection and even turbocharging were introduced over its 26-year run. Torque was never this engines strong point, but it sounded superb and made good power for its capacity, peaking at 250 hp in the 3.2-liter 156 GTA sedan. The latest V6s are actually Ferrari-derived twin-turbo engines and make 503 hp in

the new Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUVs. An uprated 641 hp version of this 2.9-liter engine is rumored to be fitted to the upcoming Giulia coupe, that is sure to upset some actual Ferraris too.
Acura NSX Sixes

The original 1990 NSX was fitted with a 270 hp 3.0-liter V6 that could match contemporary V8 Ferraris in performance but was just as reliable and useable as a family sedan. It did remain in production for a bit too long though. The final models handled superbly and had uprated 290 hp 3.2-liter motors, but by 2005 the game had moved on. The second-generation NSX debuted in 2016 and it is as complex as its predecessor was straight-forward. The new engine is a longitudinally mounted 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 which is aided by no less than three electric motors. The combined output is a huge 573 hp and as far as hybrid sportscars go, there is not much out there that can match it.

American Performance: Buick Grand National

American performance cars are more often than not powered by great big V8s. The Buick Grand National ignored that commonly accepted route and came packed with a turbocharged V6 instead. Early turbo cars made 200 hp but the final GNX (Grand National Experimental) variants came with intercoolers, fuel injection, computer-controlled ignition and a serious 276 hp. Performance levels eclipsed many contemporary V8s and this boxy Buick could even outrun some European exotics with a few modifications. The '90s GMC Syclone pickup and Typhoon SUV were some other notable performance machines that featured turbocharged sixes in an era when V8 muscle ruled the States.

Korean Kia Stinger Six

The recently launched Kia Stinger is a refreshingly sporty offering from the Korean automaker. Aside from the usual small capacity inline-four that you would expect to find in a Korean sedan, you can also spec a 365-hp 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. This engine gives the Stinger performance that matches pricier German sports sedans. It offers an aluminum block and head design as well as variable valve timing. Not cutting-edge stuff but the V6 Stinger is a reassuring sign that more advanced performance models will be coming out of South Korea in the future.