Although they are phasing out now for many reasons, the V8 engine did reign in the automobile market for tens of decades. However, it is tough to pin down which is the best V8 engine. Be it the Ford Flat Head V8 or Chrysler 426 Hemi, the General Motors LS1or the Ferrari F106 V8 Dino, each has their own history and distinct characteristics.
Based on their performance, build quality, reliability, output, and significance in the development of automobile technology, the 6.2L Hemi SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8 and its9 other companions are among the top of the best V8 engine list.
Read Ahead:
- 6.2-liter Hemi SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8
- Ferrari 3.9-liter F154 Twin-Turbo V8
- BMW 4.4-liter Twin-Turbo V8
- Mercedes AMG 'Hot-V'
- Chrysler 426 Hemi
- Ford Boss 302
- General Motors LS1
- Ferrari F106 V8 Dino Engine
- Rover V8 Engine
- Ford Flat Head V8
From modern powerplants likeBMW's 4.4-liter Twin-Turbo V8 to last century'sFord Flat Head V8, there is a lot to explore. After all, these V8 engines are popular and will likely be for a long time in the future asthey are rather well-balanced and the vibration is less as compared to other engine configurations like V10 engines. You can pick the LS1 for your first workshop project as they are easy to modify or install theChrysler 426 Hemi in your old car to give it wings.
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10. Ford Flat Head V8
The first engine on the list is the iconic Ford Flathead V8 engine, and this engine is legendary due to the fact that this was the first mass-produced V8 engine that was launched in the market in 1932.
The engine took six years and its development started in 1926. No ist in the world would be complete without this iconic engine.
Ford Flat Head 3.6 L V8 Engine | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
Designer | Henry Ford and Ford Engineering Team |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 65 hp |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 1932-1953 |
The 1932 Ford Flathead V8 had a displacement of 3.6L and it generated 65 hp of power, which by today’s standard might be very less but back in 1932 it was revolutionary. Later some changes were made and from 1935 onwards this engine's power output went up to 85 hp. It was used till 1953. It was first used in the Ford Model A.
9. Rover V8 Engine
This iconic engine from the 1950s was first designed by the Buick division of General Motors and it started its journey as the Buick 215 V8 engine.
The most iconic part about this engine was that it was an all-aluminum OHV pushrod engine which drastically reduced the weight of the engine to only 317 lb. This was later adopted by Rover and it debuted in Britain in 1967.
Rover V8 Engine | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | General Motors |
Designer | NA |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 215 hp |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 1960-1963 |
The Rover was an all-aluminum engine with an initial displacement of 3.5 L engine which generated around 215 hp in the Oldsmobile Jetfire Turbocharged version. Rover later increased the displacement to 3.9/4.0L, 4.2L, 4.3L, 4.4L, 4.5L, 4.6L, 5.0L, and 5.5 L. The engine is hugely popular and a modern-day example of the use of the 5.0 L V8 engine is in the TVR Griffith and the TVR Chimaera.
8. Ferrari F106 V8 Dino Engine
The next engine on the list is what is known as the Dino Engine from Ferrari which has powered many cars in the Ferrari line for around 40 years. The idea for this engine was conceived by Alfredo Dino Ferrari who was the son of Enzo Ferrari.
Initially, a V6 version of the engine car but later the V8 version was produced. Alfredo Ferrari never lived to see this engine in action but his discussion with Vittorio Jano led to the manufacturing of this engine.
Ferrari F106 V8 Dino Engine | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | 2.9 L V8 Engine Ferrari |
Designer | Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari and Vittorio Jano |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 250 hp |
RPM band | Upto 7700 rpm |
Years used | 1959-2004 |
The 2.9L V8 engine initially produced 250 hp of power and this engine was used in various Ferrari vehicles like the Ferrari 308 then the Ferrari 328, after that in the Ferrari 355, and finally in the Ferrari 360. This engine had a rev-happy nature as it easily climbed to 8800 RPM.
7. LS1
The next engine on the list is the LS1, which is the first engine of the LS series that made its debut in the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette. The specialty of the engine was that it was made from aluminum, which made this a lightweight engine, as compared to cast iron engines.
This also ensured that the performance of the engine was excellent as aluminum heats fast and dissipates the heat better than cast iron as a result it reduced the overheating issues to a large extent.
General Motors LS1 5.7L V8 | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | General Motors |
Designer | NA |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 345 HP to 400 HP |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 1997- Present |
The LS1 which initially drove the Corvette C5 generated around 345 hp of power, but later General Motors revised the engine in 2001 and it started generating 350 hp of power and 365 lb-ft of torque. Later the upgraded version of the LS1 called the C4B which powered the HSV GTO managed to generate 400 hp of power and 376 lb-ft of torque.
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6. Ford Boss 302
The next engine on the list is the Ford Boss 302 engine that powered the 1969 Ford Mustangs and the Mercury Cougar Eliminator.
The engine was specially designed by Larry Shinoda when Bunkie Knudsen, the then CEO of the company said that he doesn’t want anybody else's name on the Mustang with a reference to Caroll Shelby. A total of 638 units of this engine were manufactured.
Ford Boss 302 | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
Designer | Larry Shinoda |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 290 hp |
RPM band | Upto 6,150 RPM |
Years used | 1969-1970 |
The Ford Boss 302 engine had a displacement of 4.9L and it could generate 290 hp of power and 290 lb-ft of torque. The engine could rev up to 6150 RPM and the robust build quality of the engine ensured that it was built to last and could support further modifications as well.
5. Chrysler 426 Hemi
The next name on this iconic list is none other than the Chrysler 426 Hemi engine designed by engineer Tom Hoover after Lynn Townsend authorized for the performance engineering group.
The engine was massive and the shape of the cylinder head was of Hemisphere which made it more efficient and allowed it to generate more power as well. The engine was sensitive to the octane rating of the fuel but these engines were quite reliable.
Chrysler 426 Hemi | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | Chrysler Corporation |
Designer | Tom Hoover |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 425 hp |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 1964–1971 |
The Chrysler 426 Hemi engine generated 425 hp of power and 490 lb-ft of torque. These engines had a displacement of 7.0L and were manufactured between 164 and 1971. These engines powered some of the iconic cars like the Dodge Charger, Plymouth Barracuda, Jensen Interceptor, Dodge Coronet, Dodge Challenger, and Plymouth Superbird to name a few. This engine was nicknamed the Elephant Engine.
4. Mercedes AMG 'Hot-V
The next engine on the list is the Mercedes AMG Hot-V engine which the engine is in a shape that allows the Twin-Turbos to sit closer to the cylinder banks as a result there is less loss of heat and the catalytic converter is also within the V shape, the reason being both of them work better when they are hot.
This results in increased efficiency due to the high temperature between the banks of the piston.
Mercedes AMG 'Hot-V' M178 | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | Mercedes-AMG |
Designer | NA |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 503 hp |
RPM band | Mercedes-AMG |
Years used | 2015-present |
The Mercedes AMG 'Hot-V engine is manufactured by the AMH division of Mercedes. The engine has a displacement of 4.0 L and two turbochargers are attached to it which generate 503 hp of power and 479 lb-ft of torque. These engines were developed back in 2015and are still in use on their performance cars like the Mercedes-AMG GT, the AMG GT S, and the Mercedes-AMG C63. These engines also have the feature of cylinder deactivation for better fuel efficiency.
3. BMW 4.4-liter Twin-Turbo V8
The Next engine on the list is what is known as the BMW Hot Vee engine which comes with a similar design to the AMG engine. This engine has been around since 2008 and was known as the N63B4400, but this engine was troublesome as it continuously encountered problems like defective fuel injectors, bad fuel sensors, faulty mass air flow sensors, and more.
BMW continuously updated this engine making it better and in 2012 a newer improved version of the engine came into existence known as the N63B4401, BMW did not stop there and kept updating their engine to a reiterated N63B44T3 which was way more powerful.
BMW 4.4-liter Twin-Turbo V8N63B44T3 | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | $6,615 |
Manufacturer | BMW |
Designer | Paul Rosche |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 523 hp |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 2008- Present |
The BMW N63B44T3 engine featured a displacement of 4.4L with two turbochargers placed inside the V which generates 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. These engines are really reliable and their M series cars like the BMW M5 are powered by this engine.
2. Ferrari 3.9-liter F154 Twin-Turbo V8
The next engine on the list is the iconic Ferrari 3.9L F154 Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine which is considered one of the best engines ever made. The engine was first launched in the year 2013 and since its launch, it has garnered 14 awards total in the International Engine of the Year competition while winning the best engine award consecutively for four years from 2016-2019.
This is the first time Ferrari has used a Turbocharged engine since 1987 when it used the 2.9-liter F120A V8 in the iconic F40.
Ferrari 3.9-liter F154 Twin-Turbo V8 | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | NA |
Manufacturer | Ferrari |
Designer | NA |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 552 hp - 769 hp |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 2013–present |
The Ferrari F154 engine features a displacement of 3.9L and is paired with two twin-scroll parallel turbochargers which in combination generate power between 552 hp to 769 hp and torque between 557 lb-ft to 590 lb-ft. The engine was featured in all the sports cars including the Ferrari California T, the Ferrari 488 GTB, the Ferrari F8 Tributo, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, and the Ferrari SF90 Spider.
1. 6.2-liter Hemi SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8
The next engine on the list is the current generation 6.2-liter Hemi SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8 which is a generation III Hemi engine from the Chrysler Corporation.
The engine alone comes with a price tag of around $ 21,807. The insanely powerful engine has various versions and the power output differs based on the octane rating of the fuel used. The engine is named after the Grumman F6F Hellcat WWII fighter jet and it lived up to the expectation.
6.2-liter Hemi SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8 | Specs |
---|---|
Suspected Price | $21,807 |
Manufacturer | Chrysler Corporation |
Designer | NA |
Cost of RnD | NA |
Horsepower | 707 hp - 840 hp |
RPM band | NA |
Years used | 2014- Present |
The Gen III Hemi SRT Hellcat Supercharged V8 engine has a displacement of 6.2L and it generates power between 707 hp to 840 hp depending on various factors. The torque band of the engine lies between 650 lb-ft to 770 lb-ft. The engine was first launched in late 2014 and it was first seen under the hood of the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat.
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