All posts in “Bugatti”

This $4.7 Million Bus Comes with a Bugatti Chiron Inside – Road Yacht

Volkner Mobil specializes in motorhomes for the uber rich, the German company offers a wide variety of motorhomes with prices in the millions. They start life as ordinary buses but are then transformed thoroughly after application of high end luxury materials and equipment.

Featured here today is the Performance S model which is specially made for gearheads with extra coins in their wallets. The start price is 1,600,000 euros and can get well into the 2 million euro range after all the options have been ticked. Ideally, ordering one of these is no different than ordering a yacht from scratch. The Volkner Mobil Performance S is yacht on wheels or a road yacht if you will.

The Performance S starts life as a Volvo or Mercedes diesel bus, it measures 12 meters in length, 2.5 meters in width and 3.85 meters in height. But that’s not where the dimensions end, there is a wall-out or slide out feature that extends from the side of the motorhome by 50cm, increasing the interior space from 30 to 35 square meters.

Motorhome
there is a wall-out or slide out feature that extends from the side of the motorhome by 50cm

The company has patented what they call the ‘central car garage’ which is basically a garage inside the motorhome to store your favorite sports car. In our case, the 2.5 million euros Bugatti Chiron is the travel companion. Most sports car enthusiasts will usually take their cars with them on vacation but on trailers, not in this case. More so, the garage can be used as a terrace with chairs and a table for those stop-over picnics or even as a storage for your favorite water and fishing toys.

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The interior can be tailored to suit all needs and is fully customizable, just like a yacht. The motorhome is fitted with top of the line heating systems, air conditioners and 1830 watt solar system – engine heat, diesel engine, gas and electricity are all used as sources of energy to run all systems onboard.

$9.3 Million Bugatti Centodieci in Final Testing Phase Before Deliveries Begin

Bugatti has dedicated a team of 27 engineers to test the limited edition Centodieci in extreme weather conditions in the USA. The model will undergo cold-climate testing, high-speed and endurance testing and hot-climate testing which is the most important development element.

In the deserts of the USA, temperatures occasionally exceed 50°C which creates a hostile environment for both humans and machines. Nevertheless, Bugatti benefits from this weather in the development process of creating a model that performs perfectly in all weather and traffic conditions.

There are eight hyper sport cars on the road from Molsheim accompanying the Centodieci- three Chiron Pur Sports and four Chiron Super Sports all going through similar tests.

The Bugatti fleet has been to high altitudes of up to 2,800 meters and temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius. The models have been tested on low-speed stop-start traffic, they have been left in the blazing sun with the air condition on full and also driven at 320km/h in a closed road environment.

The engineers checked the key systems like electronics, telemetrics, fueling process, radio frequencies and air conditioning at every stage to ensure the vehicles are performing perfectly. All the cars including the Centodieci have been fitted with 200 sensors for delivering data to the development team at Wolfberg and to the engineers on site.

The Centodieci is powered by an 8.0 litre W16 engine delivering 1,600hp at 7,000 rpm. It has also been equipped with an additional air intake mounted near the oil cooler for regulating the engine temperature.

After completing the hot-weather tests, the Centodieci will be taken to its final high-speed drives and endurance test over a distance of 30,000 kilometres in Europe. The production of the Centodieci will be limited to 10 units only. Deliveries will begin next year.

The Bugatti Centodiece is almost ready for production

It took Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. about two years to go from the unveiling of their Centodiece in 2019 to an actual production prototype, and now they are putting this EB110 homage through some horrendous testing to make sure each of the only 10 cars that have been sold to customers, are exactly what those fortunate clients are expecting, a hypercar that’s a perfect balance between speed, performance, and luxury … a super-high-speed GT so to speak, which is exactly what Ettore Bugatti envisioned his cars would be.

A Bugatti has been known for being fast ever since Ettore founded his company back in 1909 in Molsheim, France … and today this philosophy hasn’t changed, making a comfortable hypercar that can outrun just about anything it might encounter on the open road, and while you can do a lot on the computer these days in terms of virtual testing before actually building the car in real life, some things can only be found out by taking a fully functional test mule into the world.

The Bugatti Centodiece is being created by the one-off and few-off projects department at Molsheim, all 10 units have been sold a long time ago, with a base price of €8,000,000 (nearly US $10 million), and it hasn’t been too long ago we published an article on the first production prototype of the Bugatti Centodiece assembled, and once they completed this prototype she faced her inspiration, two of the rarest Bugatti EB110 in the world, a blue EB110S LM and a silver EB110S SC GTS-1, the only two official factory prepared race cars ever made based on the EB110 that inspired the Centodiece.

But that encounter was just to ‘run in’ the new 1,600 PS W16 8-Liter engine, once that was done the bright white prototype was taken into the wind tunnel for the first fine-tuning and ‘stress-test’, which allows the aerodynamics and cooling setup to be tested in a way that wouldn’t be possible on the open road, remember supercars were tested in the Sixties with small tuffs of wool taped to the body and taken onto the road with a follow vehicle to see how those tuffs react to the airflow … those days are gone now, in comes a 9,300 PS engine with an eight-meter propeller generating a wind force larger than a hurricane … in fact, it would allow an airplane to take off easily, so the aerodynamics of the Centodieci better be on point, or this multi-million dollar prototype goes flying into the air.

And it seems Bugatti is bringing the Centodiece to each possible event to draw attention, a rather strange decision as all 10 units were sold back in 2019 already, but that that didn’t stop them from showcasing this amazing automobile at the 2021 edition of the famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este event, where the white beauty was joined by a very special, Bugatti blue EB110 … this rare car was once owned by none other than Romano Artioli, the Italian businessman that made the Bugatti EB110 possible back in the Nineties when he obtained the right to use the Bugatti name on a car and built the famous ‘Blue Factory’ in Campogalliano in Italy to make supercars under the brand name Bugatti Automobili S.p.A.

Today we’re back at building hypercars as Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., with Stephan Winkelmann as the CEO, and while the Bugatti Centodiece was mainly a static beauty on display on the banks of Lake Como, apart from a small parade, things changed considerably for this unique prototype shortly after leaving Italy to head over to Mount Lemon to the north of Tucson, Arizona in the United States of America for high-altitude and high-temperature testing … up to 45°C (113°F).

A convoy of Bugatti hypercars, led by the Centodiece prototype, thunder down State Route 1 while the extreme heat makes the road ahead appear to shimmer, a team of 27 engineers flew to the US to take several Bugatti through their paces in blisteringly hot conditions, the decision to take the cars into the US deserts was made as the temperature can go over 50°C to create an extremely hostile environment for hypercars like the Bugatti Centodiece.

“Testing in the hot, dry desert is a huge help for us in the development process. All Bugatti models have to function perfectly no matter how high the temperature, including the few-of Centodieci. Even if we are only creating ten cars, as with the Centodieci, the testing procedure is just as grueling. Every model has to run flawlessly in all weather and in all traffic conditions,” explains Stefan Schmidt, an engineer in Overall Vehicle
Development at Bugatti.

In total Bugatti took 8 cars to California, four units of their Chiron Super Sport, three units from the Chiron Pur Sport, and naturally the bright white Centodiece, which contrasts heavily with the otherwise matt black wrapped hypercars following her for 800 km (500 miles) between California and Arizona … some real-world testing on the Central Pacific Highway passing through San Diego during this road trip.

This test allowed the engineers to take these hypercars to altitudes up to 2,800 m where the air is a lot thinner than on sea level when they took the convoy up Mount Lemons in Tuscon, going over rough roads, hitting stop-and-go traffic, having the cars standing still in the hot sun with the AC on to keep cool. They even managed to shut down a stretch of road to allow high-speed runs at 320 km/h (198 mph), all in an effort to get as much real-world data as possible to make sure this car lives up to her expectations when they get delivered in 2022.

“During hot-climate testing, we focus specifically on the chassis, engine, transmission, thermal management, and electrics as well as on the vehicle as a whole,” reveals Pierre Rommelfanger, Head of Overall Vehicle Development at Bugatti. The team checks interior components and body parts for thermal expansion, look, and feel, leaving no detail unchecked, no matter how small.

After these ‘hot’ test sessions, the Bugatti Centodiece will return to Europe for final high-speed stints and endurance testing, which will add tens of thousands of km to the odometer before the car will be ‘signed-off’ by the development team … only when all the t’s have been crossed and the i’s have been dotted will the production of the 10 Bugatti Centodiece start at Molsheim.

Bugatti’s EB110-inspired Centodieci is one hot step closer to production

Bugatti’s heritage-inspired Centodieci is related to the Chiron, but it’s different enough to require its own set of validation tests. After taking on the Nürburgring, the limited-edition hypercar was put through its paces in the scorching heat of the American Southwest’s deserts.

“Testing in the hot, dry desert is a huge help for us in the development process,” explained Stefan Schmidt, an engineer in Bugatti’s overall vehicle development department. “Every model has to run flawlessly in all weather and in all traffic conditions,” he added.

With no less than 27 engineers in tow, the Bugatti team started the hot-weather test in California and meandered east for about 500 miles until it reached Arizona, where temperatures sometimes climb to over 120 degrees. The convoy included eight cars: a Centodieci prototype, three examples of the Chiron Pur Sport, and four examples of the Chiron Super Sport. Each one was fitted with approximately 200 sensors that record various parameters that get sent to the engineers traveling with the convoy and to the development team in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Heat takes a toll on cars in normal driving conditions, but Bugatti went the extra mile to torture its prototypes. It subjected them to low-speed stop-and-go traffic, it reached nearly 200 mph (on a closed track, of course), and it left them sitting in the sun with the air conditioning on. The aim is to see how different components (ranging from the fuel delivery system to the materials used to build the cabin) hold up to extreme heat. The data gathered during the tests was compared to the numbers obtained through simulations to identify areas of concern.

Taking the Centodieci to the American desert was important; it’s notably fitted with an additional air intake near the oil cooler.

“The Centodieci’s newly-developed bodywork, airflow changes, and its engine bay cover manufactured from glass mean the temperature behavior is quite different, especially in such extreme heat conditions,” said André Kullig, the manager of few-off projects at Bugatti.

The firm notes that the Centodieci passed the hot-weather tests with flying colors. It has one final hurdle to clear before it enters production: nearly 20,000 miles of high-speed and endurance testing in Europe. When that’s over and everything checks out, the project will be signed off and production of the 10 examples planned will begin in Molsheim, France. Deliveries should start in 2022, and the model is sold out.

Related Video:

Bugatti Centodieci at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este

The Bugatti Centodieci was unveiled over two years ago, at the 2019 edition of Monterey Car Week in the United States, but none of the 10 units that are to be built at the Atelier in Molsheim has been delivered to her owners yet, and that’s while all of them were already sold before the car was even shown in August 2019.

The Bugatti Centodieci is a special anniversary model, a celebration of the 110th anniversary of Bugatti as a company and inspired by the famous EB110 from the Nineties, the Centodiece comes with the famous 8-Liter W16 engine that delivers 1,600 PS and the first customer car will be finished in 2022, but Bugatti already has a production prototype that has been used for testing, and it’s that white beauty they brought to the 2021 edition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como in Italy.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is a famous event in Europe, held for the first time in 1929 already, and Bugatti enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the event, back in 2019 the La Voiture Noire took first prize in the ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ category, but other important models such as the 1937 Type 57S four-seater sports tourer, the 1934 Type 59 Grand Prix car, and the 1938 Type 57SC Atlantic, have all taken away significant awards over the last years, so this year Bugatti displayed the Centodiece in the ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ area, where we also admired the 1971 Lamborghini Countach LP500 prototype recreation.

Villa d’Este is a five-star resort alongside the famous Lake Como boasting some of the most breath-taking architectural works of the sixteenth century, the place to be for the rich and famous for many years, and the annual Concorso d’Eleganza brings owners and enthusiasts from all over the world to this picturesque place to admire the best of the best when it comes to classic and modern cars.

We already mentioned the Bugatti Centodiece is a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Bugatti, but the inspiration for the design of this new hypercar is taken from another Bugatti that is actually celebration her 30th anniversary this year, the 1991 EB110, more specifically the EB110 Super Sport edition, and just for the Concorso d’Eleganza they had both cars available, the beautiful but aggressively styled Centodiece, and the traditional Bugatti Blue finished EB110 SS … but not just any of the 30 Super Sport models, this specific EB110 SS was once owned by Romano Artioli.

Romano Artioli was the Italian businessman that made the Bugatti EB110 possible back in the Nineties when he obtained the right to use the Bugatti name on a car and he built the famous ‘Blue Factory’ in Campogalliano in Italy to make supercars under the brand name Bugatti Automobili S.p.A.

Powered by a 3.5-Liter V12 engine with four turbochargers and five valves per cylinder, the Bugatti EB110 was ahead of its time in 1991, built on a carbon fiber chassis, this car came with angular styling and upward-opening doors, to create a luxurious driving experience, the engine came with an integrated transmission to safe space, but the EB110 still featured four-wheel drive … sadly the economic crisis in the early Nineties caused production of the EB110 to cease by 1995, only 30 of the EB110 SS models would be built, one recently changing hands for €2,242,500 or US$ 2,600,000 at the Bonhams The Zoute Sale auction.

Today the company is officially called Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. and the headquarter is located in Molsheim, France, where the Atelier is creating the most impressive hypercars ever since, and the Bugatti Centodiece was presented as a static display within the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este ‘Concept Cars & Prototypes’ area on Saturday 2 October and again on Sunday 3 October, the car also participated in the dynamic presentation parade.

Please enjoy some more photos of these amazing cars at one of the most impressive events of the year:

Ferrari F40 shatters estimate at auction

Last week we posted two articles about some really interesting classic supercars that would pass the auction block over the weekend … well, the results are in, and they are surprising, to say the least, the highlight of the day went for halfway between the low and high estimate, but one car really took things to the next level by going for way more than her high estimate.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

The Bonhams The Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist in Belgium managed to sell over €26,000,000 (US$ 30,000,000) in just one day, and almost 10% of that number was thanks to one car in particular, the 1994 Bugatti EB110 SS finished in Grigio Chiaro metallizzato (or Light Grey metallic) over a dark blue interior, initially estimated between €2,000,000 and €2,500,000 (US$ 2,300,000 and $2,900,000), this one of 30 Super Sport sold for €2,242,500 or US$ 2,600,000, she didn’t reach her high estimate, but she was the most expensive car changing hands that day.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

But the second most expensive car to go to a new owner was the very low mileage 1989 Ferrari F40, the estimate on that specific car was set at €1,000,000 to €1,500,000 (US$ 1,155,000 to $1,734,000), but when the hammer finally came down the bidding reached €1,840,000 or US$2,131,000 including fees, well above the estimate and a very high price for an F40, it is clear someone was really interested in adding this specific unit to his, or her collection.

The third car in the top three of highest estimated sales was a very intriguing 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster, a Storck Vintage Edition that came with an estimate between €850,000 and €1,250,000, but that car didn’t sell on October 10, 2021, so the third most expensive car to actually sell during The Zoute Sale was a stunning dark blue 1968 Ferrari 365 GTC with coachwork by Pininfarina, this car was chassis no. 12209 with a matching engine no. 12209, changing hands for €655,500, only a third of the Ferrari F40 above.

One of 30 Bugatti EB110 SS

We’ve mentioned The Zoute Sale by Bonhams in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, Europe a few days ago when we talked about an amazing opportunity to buy a rare Ferrari F40 with only just over 1,000 miles on the counter, but that’s not even the highlight of the upcoming auction, with an estimate between US$ 1,155,000 and $1,734,000, this Ferrari surpassed with ease by this 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport Coupé, estimated to reach an auction price between US$ 2,300,000 and $2,900,000 … almost double the value of the Ferrari F40, so why is that you might ask.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

It because of rarity, provenance, and the current market climate for high-value super and hypercars, there are countless millionaires and billionaires out there that are willing to spend a lot of money to buy an older, classic supercar to complete their collection, most of these will probably never leave their airconditioned, heated, moisture regulated garage, but that’s the current market, prices on cars have skyrocketed over the last year or so, and it all comes down to supply and demand, and with nearly 1,400 units of the Ferrari F40 in this case, there were only 30 Bugatti EB110 SS built, so it’s a lot rarer in the automotive world.

The Bugatti EB110 was the brainchild of the Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli, who resurrected the Bugatti name in the car world when he built a state-of-the-art factory in Modena, near Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini, for the production of the EB110, as an homage to Ettore Bugatti’s birthday exactly 110 years earlier, with a design by Marcello Gandini, yes, the very same Bertone designer that gave us the Miura and the Countach from Lamborghini. While engineering behind the Bugatti EB110 GT was thanks to Paolo Stanzani, also related to Lamborghini, and while the upward-opening doors on the EB110 were a clear hint of Lamborghini influence, the engine was something totally different, still a V12, but with no less than four turbochargers, the Bugatti EB110 could reach 340 km/h with her 561 bhp power output.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

But that was just the ‘base model’ from Bugatti, only six months after the official unveiling of the EB110 GT, Bugatti amazed the world at the 1992 Geneva Motor Show with the EB110 SS, or Super Sport, the lightweight version of the GT model, Bugatti managed to remove a lot of weight from the original GT by using carbon-kevlar parts instead of aluminum ones and by fitting BBS wheels. Changing the ECU, installing larger fuel injectors, and fitting a different exhaust system caused power output to rise beyond the 600 bhp mark … top speed of the Bugatti EB110 SS: 355 km/h (or 220 mph), in 1992!

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

But all that power and exclusivity came at a price, $380,000 back in 1992, unfortunately, the early Nineties saw a devastating economic recession which meant the company would go into receivership in 1994, only two years later, after 125 units left the factory gates to customers around the world (Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher and HRH the Sultan of Brunei both owned EB110 SS cars), among those 95 were the more luxurious EB110 GT version, while just 30 of the EB110 Super Sport lightweight were built, and the car presented here is among the last ever to be built at Modena.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

Just as it happens to be today, ordering a supercar puts you in for a long wait, almost a year went on between ordering this car in June 1993 and taking delivery in April 1994, keeping in mind Bugatti Automobili SpA ceased operations in September 1995, the car was delivered to a Bavarian Dr by Auto König in Germany, but this specific EB110 SS came with some additional options: blue anodized aluminum control pedals, gear shift knob, and window switches that matched the dark blue leather interior, the customer had an additional request: upgrade the power even further, making this Bugatti number ‘B110.01 085’ one of the most powerful in the world.

The car would change hands a few times over the years after Dr Bernd Pöhlmann sold her in 1997 to Mr Jürgen Jaudszims, who subsequently sold her again in 2003 to Jan Van Stuivenberg in the Netherlands. The latter would keep this special Bugatti EB110 SS for a period of ten years before he decided to part with her in 2013, when this Italian lady returned to Germany, to Munich more precisely where she would stay until being put up for auction today by Bonhams at The Zoute Sale in Belgium … note the car is still registered in Germany today as the last owner regularly drove her and she was maintained perfectly over the years.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

While this metallic grey lady is now 27 years old, she showed no signs of any accidents during a complete inspection by B.Engineering in Campogalliano, they also performed a full service just prior to the auction and even certified this rare Bugatti EB110 SS, finished in Grigio Chiaro metallizzato (or Light Grey metallic), she comes with paperwork that shows the car was serviced at the Bugatti Customers Service Department just three times, in November 2005, in February 2014, and finally, just recently in July 2021, this EB110 SS now shows 29,995 kilometers on the clock.

This really is a masterpiece from the Nineties, and being so rare, a Bugatti EB110 SS really is in a world of her own, which reflects in the auction estimate naturally, which could be a lot higher when the hammer comes down if the right person is bidding on this amazing piece of automotive history, she comes complete with a huge file of service and maintenance invoices, and the all-important Certificato di Autenticità supplied by Bugatti, just in case you are wondering, there is even a sports exhaust included, and if you are a larger person, this car comes with a special seat to accommodate you, how cool is that?

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

Interested in this car? From an enthusiast point of view, or perhaps as a buyer … just head over the official Bonhams page and register now.

Rare Ferrari F40 up for auction

Imagine you are a wealthy individual back in the late Eighties, you’ve got some money to spend on cars, and you already have a nice collection of Prancing Horses in your garage you’ve all bought brand new since the Seventies when Ferrari unveils their F40 in 1988, the top of the line V8, a stripped-down, street-legal race car almost. So you think about it for a while, not too long, and you head over to your local Ferrari dealership to put your name on an order sheet … which is exactly what happened in Belgium back in June 1989, at the famous Garage Francorchamps, where this specific F40 got ordered, albeit with some creature comforts, the client requested the optional airconditioning and regular, wind-down side windows for practicality.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

To make it even more interesting, business-wise, the car was put into a lease agreement for the owner’s company in mid-December 1989, making this a very late 89 model, but the story gets a lot more interesting when the lease is canceled in 1992 and the car is stored in a heated facility, never to be registered nor driven for the next 29 years, with just 1,790 km on the odometer, barely broken-in I guess.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

Now we are talking about a ‘non-cat, non-adjust’ model of the rare Ferrari F40, one the most sought-after, pure versions of this legendary supercar from the Eighties, this was the car that came with a top speed in excess of 320 km/h, in 1988! Powered by a 3-Liter V8 four-valve per cylinder engine with dual IHI turbochargers, the F40 delivered 478 bhp in standard trim, while another 200 bhp could be added with a factory tune.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

The Ferrari F40 took Formula One experience onto the road by using composite technology, the body was a single-piece molding that would be bonded onto a tubular steel chassis while the doors, front hood, engine cover, and various add-on panels were made from lightweight carbon fiber styled by the legendary Pininfarina with the entire front section tilting upward (much like the current Lamborghini Huracan STO) while most part of the rear section, including that massive, integrated rear wing, is also hinged at the back of the roof, and you didn’t even have to open the engine cover to admire that impressive V8 because the F40 came with a transparent cover so you could admire the engine ‘as-is’.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

The Ferrari F40 was built up to 1992 as production reached 1,315 units, and apart from some special order models, all of them were left-hand drive and came in red, just like chassis ZFFGJ34B000083620 we now see listed for auction by Bonhams during their The Zoute Sale in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, where this very special Ferrari F40 has been hiding for so long, because this is such an important, early production car, the estimate on this specific car is set at €1,000,000 to €1,500,000 (US$ 1,155,000 to $1,734,000).

What makes these early Ferrari F40 even more interesting compared to the later production versions is the fact these are still the pure performance models Ferrari intended the F40 to be, uncompromising with a focus on speed and performance, without too much comfort and without electronics to watch your back when your experience can’t keep up with the car, these F40 were rather unforgiving. Later during production, the F40 got a little more refined, Ferrari added ABS, catalytic converters, and adjustable suspension.

Photo courtesy of Bonhams

Keep in mind this Ferrari F40 has been sitting in a garage for almost 30 years, the maintenance records even show the car was expected for her second visit in the Garage Francorchamps workshop when she reached 6,000 km, which they estimated would be 1993 … that didn’t happen as the car was unregistered since 1992, this probably means this is not a driver at this point in time. A major overhaul will be required, including some new tires for this beauty, but in return, you will be able to obtain a car so close to new the red seats show virtually no wear at all, neither does the entire interior, as matter of fact the entire car, both inside and outside, looks like she was just delivered a few weeks ago, this is a time-capsule Ferrari F40 and I’m sure the next owner will enjoy adding this beauty to the collection.

10 Supercars Whose Tech Changed the Industry

There’s no shortage of adequate supercars in the industry. Carmakers devote significant time and resources to harnessing available technology to create performance machines that do all that’s asked of them. But every once in a while, a particular car comes along that is simply exceptional. The best supercars throughout history have been unicorns that pushed against the boundaries of automotive technology and innovation to deliver the ultimate adrenaline high behind the wheel.

These are supercars that shake up existing standards and blaze trails for others to follow. They include cars like the Porsche 959, McLaren F1, or Bugatti Veyron, which are so extreme in terms of performance, power, and price that they either kickstart a new automotive trend or, in some cases, spawn an entirely new class of cars. This list is not exhaustive, but it does showcase some of these game-changing supercars that sent shockwaves through the automobile industry.

Supercar #10: Porsche 959

The Porsche 959 is the first in Porsche’s line of flagship supercars that includes the Carrera GT and, most recently, the 918 Spyder. It had its debut in 1983 as a prototype, but various delays meant first customer deliveries of the road-going variants did not start until 1987. The delays resulted from Porsche’s desire to create something never seen before in the automobile industry.

Black Porsche 959 sitting in driveway outside houseVia Mecum.

This German supercar boasted a raft of innovative technologies and was undeniably one of the automotive icons that emerged during the ‘80s. An adjustable ride height, carbon-kevlar construction, active aerodynamics, lightweight hollow wheels, and adjustable suspension dampening were just some of the revolutionary features found on the Porsche 959. It all made for a complicated setup that required a total of seven onboard computers to manage at a time when most other vehicles had just one—if they had any at all.

The original intention behind the car’s development was participation in the Group B racing series, but that racing program was canceled in 1986 before the 959 had any real chance to stretch its legs. However, it was still able to race at the 1986 Paris-Dakar rally, where it clinched the first two positions (and the sixth, for good measure). Away from the racing circuits, the road-legal 959 was also one of the fastest production cars, bested only by the legendary Ferrari F40.

Supercar #9: Ferrari F40

The Ferrari F40 may have been less advanced than the Porsche 959, but it was infinitely more popular. Created to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, the F40 was the poster car for an entire generation of car enthusiasts.

Everything about the car was geared towards performance. Creature comforts were, therefore, furthest from the minds of the designers and engineers. As such, they ditched items like carpets, door trims, and a radio.

Not even the door handles were spared. The US-bound F40 supercars got an air-conditioning system only because it would have been otherwise impossible to sit in the sweltering cabin. Driver aids like power steering and ABS were also noticeably absent.

Red Ferrari F40 sitting in parking lot behind buildingVia Mecum.

The flipside of all these compromises was a brutally focused, high-performance auto that demanded all of the driver’s attention. The F40 had a blistering turn of pace, too. In 1987, it became the first production car to crack the mythical 200mph speed barrier.

That feat quickly attracted the attention of other carmakers. The F40 was soon joined in its elite club by vehicles like the Jaguar XJ220, Bugatti EB110, RufCTR Yellowbird, and the famous McLaren F1.

Supercar #8: McLaren F1

Even today, we still speak of the imperious McLaren F1 supercar with a sense of awe and reverence. This British beast, designed by the legendary Gordon Murray, completely rewrote the supercar rule book.

It’s still one of the fastest naturally-aspirated cars ever made, and some of the technology it pioneered for road-going cars is still in use today. The McLaren F1 is widely regarded as the first production car to use a complete carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) monocoque chassis structure.

Grey McLaren F1 sitting on road in forest with doors openVia Gooding & Company.

That carbon fiber monocoque has since been used on every other McLaren, in one form or the other. Pagani, Koenigsegg, and Bugatti are examples of other carmakers using carbon fiber monocoque in their supercars. The material helps save weight while offering high stiffness and strength at the same time.

Another unique feature of the McLaren F1 was the gold foil lining in the engine bay. This is not a fashion statement; gold is an excellent reflector of heat and helps keep the heat generated by the BMW-sourced 6.1-liter V12 away from the fuel cell.

Supercar #7: Jaguar XJR-15

The McLaren F1 might have pioneered using a carbon-fiber monocoque, but the little-known Jaguar XJR-15 was the first production car constructed entirely from carbon fiber. The car had a production run of 53 units and was manufactured by JaguarSport, a subsidiary of Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing. The intention behind using carbon fiber was straightforward: make the car as light as possible and maximize the 450 hp power output from the 6.0-liter V12 engine.

Navy Jaguar XJR-15 sitting on tarmac outside garageVia Classic Driver.

The Jaguar XJR-15 weighed just 2,341 pounds and needed only 3.2 seconds to hit 60 mph. It could continue accelerating until it peaked at a maximum speed of 191 mph. It did not take long for the carbon fiber idea to catch on in the industry, and today, there’s hardly any carmaker that does not use carbon fiber in some form during the manufacturing process.

Supercar #6: Lamborghini Miura

Heralded as the first true supercar, the Miura impressed with its sleek lines and low-slung profile upon its debut at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. However, aesthetics were only a small part of why the car was such a game-changer for the raging bull brand.

Bright red Lamborghini Miura sitting on road with trees in backgroundVia Mecum.

Lamborghini engineers broke with tradition and opted for a transverse, mid-mounted V12 engine positioned just behind the cockpit in designing the Miura. It improved the Miura’s silhouette and gave the car excellent weight distribution and superior handling. The Miura was the first supercar with this engine placement, but it soon kickstarted a widespread industry trend that continues to this day.

Supercar #5: Honda NSX

Honda stunned the car community when it released the first-generation NSX. Here was a car that decisively challenged assumptions about the affordability of supercars. It was also easy and fun to use, with reliability levels that made it ideally suited to the demands of daily driving—and that was just the beginning.

Honda cut no corners in developing their supercar. The company relied on extensive consultation from Aryton Senna—one of Formula One’s greatest names—to create something truly magical.

Bright red 1991 Honda NSX sitting on cobblestones outside buildingVia Top Gear.

The car’s list of innovations includes the world’s first all-aluminum body, the first-ever independent 4-wheel ABS on a production car, electronic power steering, titanium connecting rods, and variable valve timing. Few vehicles could match that level of sophistication and functionality at the time. It’s no wonder then that the car is still highly sought after today by collectors and car purists.

Supercar #4: Porsche Carrera GT

In 2004, shortly after its official launch, the Carrera GT was awarded the ‘Engineering Excellence of the Year’ award at the 34th Annual Innovation Awards Program. The event is hosted annually by the Automotive Division of the Society of Plastic Engineers to recognize breakthrough engineering feats. The Carrera GT earned praise for its carbon fiber reinforced plastic engine frame (CFRP) and ceramic composite clutch plate, a first in the automotive industry.

Grey Porsche Carrera GT on road cutting through grassy fieldVia Mecum.

The carbon fiber engine frame was one of several critical weight-saving measures implemented for the car. The Carrera GT also pioneered the use of forged magnesium wheels, saving up to 25% in weight compared to aluminum alloy wheels without compromising durability. Meanwhile, the ceramic clutch plate offered a much longer lifespan than other alternatives, amongst other advantages.

It required skilled hands at the wheel to exploit the full extent of the Carrera GT’s tech, and those who qualified were rewarded with a driving experience unlike anything else on the road at the time. Even today, the Carrera GT, with its awesome-sounding V10 power plant, remains the stuff of legend.

Supercar #3: Bugatti Veyron

Financial hardships forced Bugatti into bankruptcy in 1995—but three years later, the Volkswagen Group stepped in and acquired the brand, injecting new life into the company. The company busied itself developing concepts for the next couple of years, displaying them at various auto shows.

Then in 2005, the first production model under Volkwagen ownership was unveiled—the formidable Bugatti Veyron, with an 8.0-liter W16 engine and four turbochargers. That power plant squeezed out 1,001 metric horsepower and was enough to propel the 2-ton behemoth to a top speed of 253.51 mph, a world record for production cars at the time.

Gold and white Bugatti Veyron on city street with skyscrapers in backgroundVia Mecum.

A total of 450 Veyrons were built (including the different variants) over ten years. The Veyron’s speed and acceleration were its main strengths and gave it bragging rights over competitor offerings. It ushered in a new era of obsession with horsepower and speed. It was not long before other carmakers like Hennessey and Koenigsegg responded with road rockets of their own to challenge for the title of the ultimate speed king.

Supercar #2: Ferrari LaFerrari

The lads at Ferrari weren’t mucking around when they named their flagship model ‘LaFerrari’ back in 2013. That name simply translates to ‘The Ferrari’ and was meant as a clear statement of intent. Then-Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said, ‘We chose to call this model LaFerrari because it is the finest expression of our company’s unique, unparalleled engineering and design know-how, including that acquired in Formula One.’

The LaFerrari represented the peak of the brand’s engineering excellence at the time and was a worthy rival to anything competitors had to offer, including the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder.

Bright red Ferrari LaFerrari on road with white fence and trees in backgroundVia Mecum.

A highlight of the LaFerrari was its Formula One derived HY-KERS hybrid setup. This system consisted of an electric motor and a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) to complement the naturally aspirated V12 power plant.

The LaFerrari, together with fellow hybrid hypercars—the McLaren P1 and the 918 Spyder, commonly referred to collectively as the ‘Hypercar Trinity’—ushered in a new performance age in the automobile industry. The LaFerrari was also a testbed of sorts for technology that has now found its way, in some form or another, to Ferrari’s latest hybrid creation—the SF90 Stradale.

Supercar #1: Rimac Nevera

Yes, the production-spec Nevera was only unveiled earlier this year, and customer deliveries haven’t even begun. However, make no mistake: this Hyper-EV is already making big waves in the automobile industry—and this is only the beginning.

The car’s ground-breaking technology was enough to make Bugatti take notice and come calling. Their interest eventually resulted in a Bugatti-Rimac joint venture while Bugatti prepares for a future headlined by a new lineup of all-electric (or hybrid) high-performance vehicles. Pininfarina is another carmaker interested in Rimac’s technology, and they’re already using the company’s quad-motor powertrain in their hypercar—the Pininfarina Battista.

Via Top Gear.

Mate Rimac, Founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili, said, ‘This is it. This is the car I had in mind when I embarked on the ‘impossible’ journey ten years ago. All our hard work has resulted in the Nevera – our record-breaking hypercar. This car was born to outperform and to raise the bar, redefining the norm for performance cars. And not only in performance—but as an all-around package.’

It’s hard to doubt his words. One of the car’s most exciting features is its unique torque vectoring system, capable of sending instant power to the wheel with the least amount of wheelspin. That, coupled with a 1,914-hp powertrain, has enabled the car to blitz its way to several speed records already, setting the stage for an enthralling future in the EV space as far as performance vehicles are concerned.

The Bugatti Bolide is The Most Beautiful Hypercar

Back in 2020 famous hypercar make Bugatti unveiled something really special … La Bolide. A design exercise from the Bugatti Atelier to show what they could do if they had a brief to design the best, fastest, no-bars held hypercar that had to adhere to no regulations whatsoever … neither for the road nor for the track, the result was the most radical-looking Bugatti ever with a massive power output of 1825 hp.

But La Bolide was a design concept, fully driveable, but just a test mule for a ‘what if’ question … until Pebble Beach 2021, when Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. revealed they would turn the La Bolide into a limited edition production car, still track-only, but at least some high-net-worth individuals would be able to obtain the best of the best from the Bugatti Atelier in Molsheim.

Only 40 units of the Bugatti Bolide will be made for the entire world, and chances are that by the time you are reading this, all of them are sold out already with a price set at €4,000,000 before taxes, that’s about $4,700,000 in the United States of America. Power comes from the famous W16 engine, which on 110 Octane racing fuel is capable of 1,850 PS, but it seems the production version will be set to 98 RON fuel, which compromises power to ‘only’ 1,600 PS, keep in mind this Bugatti comes with a monstrous torque output of 1,600 Nm at just 2,250 rpm … that will rip up the pavement for sure.

At the 36th Festival Automobile International de Paris, an expert jury comprised of design professionals selected the La Bolide from Molsheim as the world’s most beautiful hypercar, taking the victory in the ‘Hypercars’ category by a substantial margin, among a total of four finalists. “It’s an honour for us that the resulting design has won such a highly coveted award, voted for by experts in our field. Praise must go to the entire design team, each dedicated to their craft in harmonizing and perfecting all aspects of the Bolide’s design during an innovative four-months, purely digital process” explains Bugatti Design Director Achim Anscheidt.

It will take the development team at Bugatti three more years to create a production-ready version of the current experimental concept, but they promise the final car customers will be receiving by 2024 will be very close to the prototype we can admire today, with very few changes, technically or visually. The intention is to optimize the areas of design, aerodynamics, quality, and safety for a production version of the Bugatti Bolide with a weight of just 1,450 kgs to achieve a weight-to-power ratio of 0.9 kg per PS when 98 RON gas is used.

“Although extremely functional, the Bolide is brimming with Bugatti’s distinctive personality and tradition. Its creation was inspired by the weight-to-power philosophy of a young Ettore Bugatti, who upturned the world of motorsport in the 1920s by designing lightweight and nimble cars, such as the Type 35, that became practically unbeatable. Bolide is the ultimate culmination of that philosophy, pure in its design and its purpose. Just like those early 1920s racers, that purity brings with it an inescapable beauty,” explains Nils Sajonz, Bugatti Design Head of Special Projects.

Enjoy some more photos of the aggressive but beautiful and instantly recognizable as a Bugatti, La Bolide:

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ ready for delivery

The fastest Bugatti ever will reach 305 mph and set you back $3,900,000 while only 30 will be made worldwide, and all of them are finished in visible, Jet Black carbon fiber only available on the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, developed specifically for straight-line performance over a time period of two years, the first 8 units of the limited production run have just been completed at the atelier in Molsheim.

“The Chiron Super Sport 300+ will forever remain a cornerstone of our marque’s illustrious history as it elevated automotive performance to levels that were once thought to be unreachable,” comments Christophe Piochon, Managing Director of Production and Logistics. “It is the fastest hyper sports car Bugatti has ever made and is a true testament to the engineering passion, technical expertise, and relentless pursuit of performance our brand is synonymous with. We are excited to deliver the first eight units of this record-setting pioneer to our customers, and for them to experience the sheer sensation of speed behind the wheel.”

This record-setting masterpiece from Molsheim made a pass at 304.773 mph (490.484 km/h) back in 2019 already as a concept, but to mark the 110th anniversary of Bugatti they announced a limited production run of 30 units, this performance was only possible because of the 1,600 PS W16 engine, 8-Liter displacement, and a quad-turbo setup, it didn’t take too long for all 30 build slots to sell out, years before the first production car was even built.

When you are looking at this kind of performance a lot of variables come into play that aren’t even to be considered at lower speeds, like cooling the engine, but also the transmission and all rolling components. And then we get to the engine management, which is different from the regular Bugatti Chiron on this top speed model … but probably the most important distinction between a standard Chiron and the Super Sport 300+ version is aerodynamics.

Because the Chiron Super Sport 300+ has to remain stable at extremely high speeds, Bugatti implemented the ‘longtail’ philosophy onto this model, making her 25 centimeters longer compared to the regular Chiron, vertical fins at the front cope with tunneling air onto the sides while vents behind the wheels create less pressure in that area and even reduce drag.

Naturally, the Bugatti Chiro Super Sport 300+ boasts exposed jet-black carbon fiber with just a touch of Jet Orange in the shape of a racing stripe while the famous Bugatti Macaron logo for this model is made from genuine silver and black enamel, the magnesium alloy wheels get covered in a bespoke black called ‘Nocturne’.

8 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ Delivered for $4.1 Million a Piece!

The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ was unveiled in 2019, the vehicle officially completed its extensive two-year testing and development program and deliveries of the first eight units are currently underway.

The Chiron Super Sport 300+ is the fastest hyper sports car ever built by Bugatti, the model surpassed the 300 mph barrier at a speed of 304.773 mph therefore setting a new world record. The unit will be limited to only 30 units worldwide and they will be built at Bugatti’s Atelier in Molsheim.

The vehicle is powered by a 8.0 litre W16 engine delivering a maximum output of 1,600hp, the engineers also equipped the vehicle with a new thermal management system for the gearbox and engine to ensure they remain cool even when travelling at top speed.

In addition, the software refinement to the engine, gearbox, turbochargers and powertrain contribute to the overall performance and high speed competency of the vehicle.

The vehicle features a Longtail rear end that extends the body by 25cm and significantly reduces the aerodynamic stall by 40%. The Air curtains on the front corners are for dispersing excess air pressure to the sides whereas the air outlets at the wheel arches and behind the front wheels divert excess air pressure away from the wheel arches and produce a small amount of negative lift to reduce drag.

The streamlined bodywork of the Chiron Super Sport 300+ has been crafted using exposed jet-black carbon fibre complemented by a jet-orange racing stripe at the centre of the car.

Additionally, the engine cover and the windscreen wiper have also been finished in carbon components, the ‘Macaron’ logo is made of genuine silver and the light magnesium alloy wheels have been finished in a bespoke color ‘Nocturne’.

The starting net price of the Chiron Super Sport 300+ is 3.5million euros.

The Bugatti EB 110, the super sports car of the 1990s

Let’s take a trip back to September 15, 1990, the Champs Élysées in Paris, a Bugatti EB110S drives down this famous road as a celebration of Ettore Bugatti’s 110th anniversary. With angular styling, Lamborghini style doors, and a massive amount of power … the super sportscar for the 90s was unveiled, the Bugatti EB110.

We are talking about a V12 powered supercar with a quad-turbo setup complete with intercoolers mounted on a lightweight carbon monocoque with about 550 hp being delivered to all four wheels through two differentials. If we compare that to the Lamborghini Diablo that was unveiled in January 1990, the Bull from Sant’Agata came with 492 hp and didn’t offer four-wheel drive until the 1993 Diablo VT version) … so it’s safe to say the Bugatti EB110 was very impressive at that time.

And that also reflected itself in the price, the 1990 Bugatti EB110GT was listed at 450,000,000 Lira (about $200,000 in 1990), but it did come with service and parts included for three years, the later released EB110 Super Sport had an MSRP of 550,000,000 Lira ($240,000 in 1992) compared to the Lamborghini Diablo VT MSRP in 1993 of $239,000 those numbers aren’t too crazy … but today’s values are even more impressive, only ten years ago, in 2011, a Bugatti EB110 would change hands for under $300,000, today we are talking about $3,000,000 for one that was recently sold by RM Sotheby’s.

The story of Bugatti was started in 1909 when Ettore Bugatti founded his company in Molsheim in the Alsace where he built the famous Bugatti Type 35, the Type 41 Royale, and the beautiful Type 57 Atlantic, sadly Ettore passed away in 1947, and even more unfortunate, his son Jean Bugatti was taken from him in 1939 already, so there was no successor to run the car building company and after about 8,000 Bugatti were built the Bugatti factory was bought by Hispano-Suiza in 1963 and the Bugatti cars went into the automotive history chronicles.

About 25 years later, in 1987, Romano Artioli was able to buy the rights to the Bugatti name and start building cars again, as he was Italian he opted to have Bugatti Automobili SpA located in Italy, in Campogalliano, Modena more precisely, and the design of his new factory made it unforgettable, even today, the at the time highly modern production facility was designed by a star architect and boasted state-of-the-art technology. The “Fabbrica Blu,” or blue building for the Development department sported the Bugatti emblem, and the large white ventilation ducts symbolized the heart of the factory.

But the economic collapse in the ’90s meant the number of customers for a super sports car like the Bugatti EB110 was dwindling fast, and a series of setbacks resulted in another demise in automotive history, Bugatti Automobili SpA ceased operations in September 1995, but five more EB110SS would be made by 1997 as German-based Dauer Racing obtained a license to build the EB110 and they even obtained the remaining stock from the factory grounds in Campogalliano, the factory itself was sold to a different company that went out of business before moving in, so this amazing production facility stood empty ever since.

In 1998 the Volkswagen Group came into the picture, obtaining the brand name and starting Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. with a headquarter that returned to Molsheim, back where Ettore Bugatti started this journey 90 years earlier, and some of the world’s most impressive hypercars were built, from the Bugatti Veyron in 2005 to the Bugatti Chiron from 2016, but this year, 2021, they are also finalizing the Centodiece, as an homage to the EB110 from the Nineties, a car that celebrates her 30th anniversary now.

To celebrate the fact the Bugatti EB110 was unveiled 30 years ago, owners took a total of twelve classic Bugatti EB110 back to Campogalliano to visit the famous Blue Factory again to pay tribute to their birthplace, ranging from the EB110GT to the EB110 SS and even the two factory race-spec models, this impressive collection of Bugatti EB110 was joined by the production prototype of the Bugatti Centodiece.

“With the EB 110, Bugatti developed a completely innovative super sports car 30 years ago that was pioneering not only for the brand but also for the automotive industry,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “Already 30 years ago, the technology, innovations, design, and handling were years ahead of the competition. At the same time, the EB 110 established the DNA of modern Bugatti hyper sports cars with its combination of a carbon monocoque, all-wheel drive, and four turbochargers.”

In the end, a total of 95 units of the Bugatti EB 110s and just 39 Bugatti EB 110 Super Sport cars were built in Campogalliano between 1990 and 1995, so only 135 original Bugatti EB110 exist worldwide, one of them being the famous yellow EB110 SS owned by Michael Schumacher, making the Bugatti EB110 a collector’s item for sure, and their value will only rise over the years to come.

Bugatti Built a Pool Table for 30 Hyper Rich People…Carbon Fiber Galore

Bugatti Lifestyle collection recently unveiled the new Bugatti Pool Table, a US customer will receive the first licenced Bugatti Pool Table featuring a unique plate decorated with EB logo and an engraved edition number 1/30.

Complimentary items that will accompany the new Pool table include a wall-mounted cue support finished in carbon fibre, a high resolution 13 inch touch screen to keep track of the scores and lamp operations.

Additionally, the carbon fibre pool cues feature anodized, CNC-machined aluminium ends formed in the same design as the buttons of the Bugatti Chiron and Divo.

Customers can fully customize their Bugatti Pool Table by selecting individual carbon and leather colors they desire. The Bugatti Pool Table will be limited to 30 units only.

Best Turbocharged Engines Ever Produced

Ever since turbochargers started featuring on road cars in the mid-1960s, they’ve become an integral piece of the puzzle in the global effort to reduce emissions and in most cases, also set the performance threshold higher than what was once possible. By design, turbochargers improve fuel efficiency without increasing power (and with all other things being equal) compared to a naturally-aspirated unit. Conversely, the use of turbochargers has also become the conventional method of achieving high horsepower figures in both factory and aftermarket applications.

It’s only now that we’re starting to see that pendulum swing the other way, with hybridization and electrification now taking the automotive landscape by storm. That’s not to say that turbochargers don’t remain prevalent today, nor will they cease to be in the near future; they’ve been improved as much as any other technology that has been around for the past few decades, and are capable of producing more power, emitting less emissions, and consuming less fuel than ever before. Even some of their more traditional drawbacks, such as “turbo lag”, have for the most part been factored out of the equation in modern applications.

We’ve compiled a list of the best turbocharged engines ever made. Along with limiting our selection to road-going production models, our criteria uses performance as the primary metric. While this naturally tends to favor newer and more recent technologies, we’ve also made some ‘vintage’ picks; such were their roles as revolutionaries in their day, that their presence is now immortalized by those who worship the automotive deities.

Here are 10 of the Best Turbocharged Engines Ever Produced, curated for your viewing pleasure.

Nissan RB26DETT

Nissan RB26DETT

The 2.6L twin-turbocharged inline-6 from Nissan – the RB26DETT – has become something of a legend. It would take nothing short of the absolute best from the Japanese automaker to produce something worthy of powering a car amicably referred to as “Godzilla”, and the RB26DETT has never disappointed. While it was limited to 280 hp from the factory – thanks to the gentleman’s agreement between Japanese manufacturers to cap engine outputs at the time – the R34 Skyline GT-R was anything but docile, even when left untinkered.

The engine’s true capabilities were the worst kept secret in the industry, with a simple flash of the ECU (to effectively remove the restrictions) plus a few bolt-on performance modifications allowing the RB26DETT to produce much, much more. While the power plant has become popular as a swap option these days, it doesn’t feel quite at home in anything other than a proper Skyline; both the car and its engine are synonymous with the legacy that has been created by this iconic duo.

Porsche MDH.NA

Porsche MDH.NA engine

Suffice to say, the 991 GT2 RS is the absolute peak of 6-cylinder performance. The GT2 RS in its entirety is more closely based on a Turbo S than it is to its closest GT relative, the 911 GT3 RS. After all, at the heart of the GT2 is a revamped version of the Turbo S engine (known as MDH.NA), while the GT3 has its own unique naturally-aspirated 4.0L power plant. The 3.8L flat-6 was fitted with larger variable-geometry turbos and was given an increase in peak boost to 22.5 psi, which is 24% higher than the Turbo S.

Larger intercoolers, a water-spray system, larger exhaust manifold primaries and redesigned pistons work in synergy with the aforementioned to provide the GT2 RS with 700 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm and 553 lb-ft of torque. Porsche has long buried the traditional notion of “turbo-lag” in its cars with VarioCam Plus and the GT2 RS is no different, making peak torque from 2,250 rpm to 4,000 rpm. Want to set record lap times on the Nürburgring? Just remember that it’s ‘do so at your own peril’: 700 hp in a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive car is no joke.

Bugatti 8.0L Quad-Turbocharged W16

Bugatti 8.0L Quad-Turbocharged W16

Needless to say, the 16-cylinder engine (commonly referred to as the W16) has a lot of things going for it. For starters, it’s the only one of its kind in the world being produced by a mainstream automaker – Bugatti’s parent company: The Volkswagen Group. The quad-turbocharged unit – which is the amalgamation of two V8 engines – is the platform upon which all Bugatti hypercar models are powered.

When it first debuted in 2005, the W16 was a spectacle. In the Bugatti Veyron, it produced over 1,000 hp and could hit a mind-boggling top speed of 254 mph. This made the Veyron the fastest production sports car in the world by all meaningful metrics. This story was just beginning though, as the W16 would continue to evolve since then. Today, the engine retains the same architecture but is a much stronger, faster, and better version of itself. In its modern form, the W16 powers the likes of the Bugatti Divo and Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, where it produces 1,479 hp and 1,600 hp respectively; the latter car is able to reach a top speed of more than 400 km/h!

Mercedes-AMG M178

Mercedes-AMG M178 engine

The modern day Mercedes-AMG line-up is blessed with their omnipotent ‘M178’ 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8, which itself deserves all the plaudits and is a shoo-in for selection. While it’s the most advanced iteration of the automaker’s V8, our personal favorite would have to be the ‘M156’ 6.2L V8 first powered the 467 hp naturally-aspirated C63 AMG. Like its successor, the M156 would feature in almost every Mercedes-AMG model of that era, including the SL63.

The ultimate version of this V8 motor would be the ‘M159’, which was equipped in the automaker’s flagship SLS supercar, producing 622 hp. The SLS has since been succeeded by the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, which produces 720 hp from its twin-turbocharged ‘M178’, and recently set the new production car lap record at the Nürburgring. This ultimately proves that AMG is still very much at the forefront of the perpetually evolving performance car segment, and is doing more than its fair share in helping to set the bar higher.

Toyota 2JZ-GTE

Toyota 2JZ-GTE engine

The Toyota Supra was equipped with the ubiquitous 3.0L inline-6 2JZ engine in all its models. The most recognized version of the Supra – the Turbo – possessed a twin-turbocharged engine known as the 2JZ-GTE, which was specced with up to 326 hp. The two turbochargers operated sequentially and not in parallel. This essentially meant that one of the turbochargers was designed to provide near-maximum torque as early as 1,800 rpm, while the second turbine would be engaged in a “pre-boost” mode until around 4,000 rpm where thereafter both turbochargers would be spinning at full blast.

This translated to better low-end throttle response, less ‘turbo lag’, increased boost at higher engine speeds, and a relatively linear delivery of power – all of which was difficult to achieve in unison, with the technology available at the time. The 2JZ-GTE-equipped Turbo model was able to sprint from 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds and complete the standing ¼ mile in an impressive 13.1 seconds. Top speed was recorded at 155 mph. Today, the 2JZ-GTE remains amicably referred-to in performance tuning and sports car culture.

McLaren M838T / M840T

McLaren M838T / M840T engine

Despite only producing V8-powered automobiles since as recently as 2011 (via the MP4-12C), you could argue that McLaren are now the world’s artisans of the V8 engine, and few would dispute that. After all it’s virtually all they know these days, with every single McLaren model – bar the V6-hybrid McLaren Artura – fitted with some adaptation of their M838T or M840T twin-turbocharged V8 motors.

The 3.8L M838T is found in its Sports Series range of cars, which includes the entry-level McLaren 540C and goes all the way up to the indomitable 666 hp McLaren 675 LT. The 4.0L M840T features on all of the Super Series cars, which covers the ‘700 range’ of models, plus the addition of the McLaren GT. In its Ultimate form, the 4.0L unit – dubbed the M840TR – produces 814 hp in the McLaren Senna GTR. The McLaren Speedtail hybrid ‘hyper-GT’ produces some 1,035 hp through the combination of an M840T and electric motor.

Ferrari F154

Ferrari F154 Engine

Ferrari’s F154 family of V8 engines could very well go on to become the G.O.A.T; especially when it has been scrutinized under the incredibly high standards that have been set in the modern era of automobiles. The engine is as potent as it is versatile, powering just about every flavor of Ferrari car since being introduced in 2014; the comfortable California convertible, the grand-touring Roma, the race-bred 488 Pista and F8 Tributo, and even the 986 hp SF90 Stradale hybrid hypercar.

While some continue to jeer at the F154 for its unfortunate role in closing the chapter on naturally-aspirated Ferrari V8 engines, it has on the other hand, been received with critical acclaim by those who base their verdict on performance and engineering merit. The F154B and F154C variants have dominated the awards spectrum since 2016, winning four straight ‘Best Performance Engine’ awards through to 2019. In total, the F154 has won 14 awards in the International Engine of the Year competition included a ‘Best of the Best’ award in 2018. Still not convinced? Just get behind the wheel of any one of Ferrari’s current V8 models and see what all the fuss is about…

Dodge Supercharged Hemi

Dodge Supercharted Hemi Engine

Mind you, this is a supercharged engine – and the only one on this list – but we consider it to be a contemporary of our other selections. Dodge’s Hellcat series of cars have really taken the world by storm, offering almost unfathomable power in a non-exotic production vehicle – or any vehicle for that matter.  It’s truly a revival of the “American muscle” movement, with the supercharged Hemi able to produce as much as 807 hp and 717 lb-ft of torque via the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Super Stock. Handling, agility, and all that other kind of stuff aside, this makes the Hellcat Challenger/Charger the quintessential American sports car which can be had for well under the 6-figure mark brand new.

The automaker is now offering the 6.2L ‘Redeye’ V8 as a crate engine (aptly nicknamed ‘Hellcrate’) through Mopar. It can be purchased at a starting price of US$21,807. The ‘Redeye’ version comes with a larger supercharger than the previous Hellcrate engine, and has been tuned for more boost, a slightly higher redline, and a host of other improvements. These are what has allowed it to improve from 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, to its current 807 hp state. An absolute unit.

Bugatti 3.5L Quad-Turbocharged V12

Bugatti 3.5L Quad-Turbocharged V12 engine

This Bugatti engine has had a very decorated career, albeit a short one, which makes it all the more impressive. Featured exclusively on the (1991-1995) Bugatti EB110, this 3.5L quad-turbocharged V12 is responsible for some very notable distinctions. First, that would indeed make it the first quad-turbocharged engine to power a Bugatti before the W16 came along. It is also widely regarded as being one of the catalysts in the revival of the French marque, even though it failed to be directly responsible for this. It became the world’s fastest production car of its time, beating the Jaguar XJ220 in the process.

Suffice to say, it grabbed all the headlines, and really, that was the whole point. I mean, for what other purposes would the use of four turbochargers be given the green light for? Sure, it produced a whopping 553 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, but you would have to argue that this likely could’ve been achieved with a more conventional design. After all, quad-turbocharged engines never really proliferated, and there’s probably good science behind why that’s been the case. Yes, the W16 does put that notion into some question, but technology has improved substantially since then. Nevertheless, there’s nothing un-iconic about a V12 engine with almost as many turbochargers as you can count on one hand; and we love it all the same.

Ferrari F106

Ferrari F106 engine

Ferrari’s F106 V8 engine dates as far back as 1973, where it first featured in the Dino 308 GT4. Right from the get go, it produced an impressive 250 hp from a 2.9L naturally-aspirated engine, which featured a flat-plane crank and dual-overhead cams. As proud as they were of their creation, surely even the Ferrari engineers didn’t foresee what was to come for the F106 and the venerable roster of cars it would go on to power.

Such was the longevity and capability of the F106 unit, that it continued to be used – with significant updates and revisions along the way, including electronic fuel injection and multi-valve heads – for more than 30 years. Notable models which were equipped with the engine include the F355, 360 Modena and arguably the most famous Ferrari of them all; the Ferrari F40, which fashioned a twin-turbocharged version of the F106 producing 471 hp. It really doesn’t get more epic than that; and while some would say that the engine is riding on the coat-tails of the famous car it powers, it remains nothing short of an absolute legend on its own.

Bugatti took the Centodieci to the wind tunnel

The Bugatti Centodieci is a few-off from the famous Molsheim company, as a celebration of the classic EB 110 that was created about three decades ago when Romano Artioli revived the Bugatti name and built a factory in Campogalliano that would eventually build 96 units of the EB 110 GT and a mere 32 units of the EB 110 Super Sports … the last car left Campogalliano in 1995.

The super sports car of the Nineties was built around a carbon-fiber monocoque and had a mid-mounted V12 engine capable of 550 PS with the help of four turbochargers, the all-wheel-drive would deliver a top speed over 350 km/h, unseen at that time, but figures that are dwarfed by the new Centodieci with her 8.0-liter W16 engine boasting 1,600 PS that is capable of speeds over 350 km/h … only ten will be built, with a starting price of €8,000,000, and no, you can’t order one … they were sold out in a matter of hours.

So selling the 10 Bugatti Centodiece for a total of more than €80,000,000 didn’t pose a problem, now it’s time to live up to the expectations and create a car worthy of that price tag, the Centodieci has obtained a legend status even before the first client car is delivered, and development of such a high-end hypercar means taking her into a state-of-the-art wind tunnel … which is exactly what Bugatti did recently.

This allows the aerodynamics and cooling setup to be tested in a way that wouldn’t be possible on the open road, remember supercars were tested in the Sixties with small tuffs of wool taped to the body and taken onto the road with a follow vehicle to see how those tuffs react to the airflow … those days are gone now, in comes a 9,300 PS engine with an eight-meter propeller generating a wind force larger than a hurricane … in fact, it would allow an airplane to take off easily, so the aerodynamics of the Centodieci better be on point, or this multi-million dollar prototype goes flying into the air.

But it’s not only the wind that blows onto the new Bugatti, on the floor of this wind tunnel are five bands, one under each wheel and a fifth one underneath the body itself, but this also allows the wheels to be spun and the airflow underneath the car to be simulated to speeds up to 300 km/h to get a full impression of how the Centodieci should be tuned according to André Kullig, Technical Project Manager for one and few-off projects at Bugatti.

It doesn’t matter if Bugatti will build one unit like the La Voiture Noire, or ten as is the case with this Centodieci, they all are thoroughly trialed and tested before being given the ok, every single unit built has to meet or exceed the quality and safety standards applicable to mass production, in case of the Centodieci, the small but flat front design with the typical horseshoe shape, influences the airflow considerably when compared to models like the Chiron or Divo, especially at speeds above 350 km/h.

Bugatti development engineers first start with computer simulations to achieve initial targets that have been pre-calculated in development, once those computer simulations are finished the development prototype is taken into the wind tunnel, as is the case with the Centodieci now, once wind tunnel testing is completed, it’s finally time to take the new hypercar into the wild for actual high-speed testing on a test track … which is where the fun begins for the test drivers.

But back to the wind tunnel, the Centodieci gets her initial test to see what can be improved, and then they start working on changing the angle of the front diffuser flaps and that massive rear wing, modifying the angle minutely to see what the best position is, keep in mind the Centodieci will come with a fixed rear wing, so it has to be perfect at every speed. “Even once we have identified the ideal settings, we continue to try others in order to see how the Centodieci responds,” says André Kullig.

After that the Bugatti development engineers start looking at downforce for each wheel individually, it has to be set up as close to neutral as possible so the Centodieci is handling correctly at the tremendous speeds this hypercar is capable of thanks to her 1,600 PS. “No matter what speed and what driving situation, the Centodieci is sportily neutral and can be managed at all times in spite of its immense power,” according to  André Kullig.

And while we are still talking about a development prototype, not even a pre-production prototype in this case, just take a look at the amazing blue leather interior, it is perfect and reminiscent of the one inside the customer cars, Bugatti doesn’t cut corners, not even on a prototype that will likely be seeing thousands of kilometers during testing, and probably in the harshest conditions … but the car looks good, and will still be amazing after she is put aside and production begins, and let’s not forget, each one of the 10 production cars is sold at €8,000,000 net, this development prototype is valued at a multitude of that number.

Bugatti even published a short YouTube video of the wind tunnel testing of the Centodieci … enjoy it below:

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Bugatti opens showroom in Singapore

Bugatti is known around the world for being the pinnacle when it comes to automotive design and engineers, together with performance and limited edition hypercars, some of which aren’t even street-legal like their upcoming Bolide, a true race car that can’t be driven on the road, nor be entered into any official races, but she looks absolutely stunning.

Owning a Bugatti is the dream of many car enthusiasts out there, and for a select group of fortunate clients, this dream becomes a reality, therefore Bugatti needs to expand its official dealer network constantly, and this time they opened the first Bugatti showroom in Singapore, an island city-state in maritime Southeast Asia that is known as one of the world’s most successful and stable economies.

The global Covid pandemic actually had an interesting effect on Singapore as many ultra-high net worth individuals have chosen to move and stay in Singapore for lengthy periods or settle permanently, further boosting the regional economy and the demand for luxury goods, and that also goes for buying and owning supercars and hypercars, which is where Bugatti comes into the picture now.

As a joint venture between Bugatti and Wearnes, the latter being a renowned luxury automotive retailer established in 1906, the new Bugatti Southeast Asian showroom is already opened for clients and enthusiasts, located south of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, this new showroom is another spectacular location, finished to the utmost standards required to meet the company’s new visual identity we already described in our Bugatti Global Network article.

At the time of writing the stunning Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is on display at this new showroom, being the fastest, most powerful production super sports car in their 110-year history, but this white hypercar is probably not for sale, however, the staff at Bugatti Singapore’s showroom will be more than happy to let you touch and feel the sumptuous leather swatches or browse through stunning catalogs before putting together their dream car digitally on the in-house configurator.

Konstantinos Psarris, Bugatti’s Regional Director of the Middle East & Asia, explains: “Singapore’s resilient economy, which has generated an unprecedented number of ultra-high net worth individuals, is the envy of the world. The city state’s energy and ambition are reflected in its remarkable architecture, making it an exciting place to live. Both the timing and location are perfect for Bugatti to establish a new home in Southeast Asia to meet the needs and desires of our growing numbers of customers on the continent. We look forward to enjoying a collaborative partnership with Wearnes, which has unmatched knowledge and experience of the local market.”

Rimac CEO on Porsche-Bugatti deal: ‘I am not somebody to play it safe’

Mate Rimac is used to being the underdog. At the Geneva auto show in 2009, the then-21-year-old Croat walked to the Koenigsegg booth looking for his idol, Christian von Koenigsegg. In those pre-YouTube-saturation years, Rimac didn’t know what the namesake of his favorite car brand looked like. And no one knew him. So he approached “the most serious-looking guy” at the stand and went on to befriend his idol, Rimac said in an interview on Aug. 13 in Carmel, Calif.

Twelve years on, Rimac, now 33, has more than leveled the playing field with his Swedish friend. On July 5 his Rimac Automobili — the tech and supercar company he founded in his garage — announced a joint venture with Porsche AG to take control of Bugatti. The 112-year-old French crown jewel in parent company Volkswagen AG’s crown, Bugatti sells cars like the 1,480-horsepower Chiron Pur Sport, which gets 8 mpg in city driving. The brand traditionally does not disclose specific sales results but is known to deliver roughly 80 vehicles globally each year. Rimac has characterized the acquisition as “removing some distractions” from VW.

According to the terms of the deal, Rimac holds a 55% stake in Bugatti-Rimac while Porsche owns the remaining 45%. Earlier this year, Porsche had also separately increased its stake in Rimac to 24%.

Rimac himself will take the helm of Bugatti-Rimac, while Porsche’s Oliver Blume and Lutz Meschke will join a supervisory board for the company. It’s all quite a change of view for a guy used to working behind the scenes.

“The stakes are getting bigger,” Rimac said. “But I am not somebody to play it safe. Never. Not even close. So if there is going to be some friction with our shareholders and more experienced people that come into the company, it’s going to be that.”

The arrangement marks the first time Volkswagen has ceded control over one of its brands to a company and a person so young. It also signals a subtle stratification of the company’s premium marques, dividing those aligned with Rimac, which includes Porsche and Bugatti, from those such as Audi and Bentley that are likely to continue using VW’s own electric components.

“We are already developing stuff that will be soon in high-volume Porsches,” Rimac says. “Not special projects, but the mainstream.” The company provides EV tech such as batteries for carmakers including Koenigsegg and Pininfarina.

At this point, Rimac admits that his 1,000-person, decade-old operation is far from an underdog. Porsche just paid the company $70 million, he says, and Rimac’s $2.4 million Nevera supercar recently turned in the quickest quarter-mile time ever for a production car. The Bugatti-Rimac venture will retain both Bugatti’s headquarters in Molsheim, France, and Rimac’s headquarters in Zagreb, Croatia.

“It feels really interesting when you think where we came from — this country has never had an automotive industry,” Rimac says of Croatia. “We had absolutely no idea what we were doing. And now our tech is in so many cars, and with Bugatti this whole thing is a huge responsibility.”

He is used to the pressure by now. Call it discipline à la automaker.

“I was told by our big OEM customers, if you screw up, the next day we send 30 trucks, they pick up everything, you are dead,” Rimac says. “If you screw up and you don’t deliver, everything stands still, and then you are dead. You are dead.”

Related Video:

Bugatti Bolide will be built

It seems the several customers for hypercars are ready for the next step, track-only versions of their street-legal dream cars, we’ve seen it with the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12, an extreme version of the Aventador, but also with the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the track-only version of the already limited edition Valkyrie … and now Bugatti joins this exclusive club with their Bolide.

Similar to Lamborghini’s Essenza SCV12, Bugatti will be offering only 40 units of a production version of their Bolide, built in 2020 as a one-off concept, the Bolide was an experimental car created as a test-bed for future technology from Bugatti, as the ultimate driving machine in terms of power, lightness, and pure acceleration … the most extreme version of the famous Bugatti 8-Liter W16 engine.

Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti, explains why they will build 40 units of this car that was never meant to be sold to customers: “The Bolide generated a great deal of enthusiasm and intrigue last year. Following its presentation, a significant number of enthusiasts and collectors asked us to develop the experimental Bolide as a production vehicle. I was absolutely amazed by the reactions and feedback from customers from all over the world. We therefore decided to make the Bolide a few-off in order to give 40 customers the opportunity to experience this incredible vehicle. Our team has now been developing a production model – the ultimate driving machine for the track.”

The Bugatti Bolide was created with the idea of ‘what if?’ … what could we do with the existing W16 engine if there were no restraints … and that is how the Bolide’s minimal bodywork was designed around the 1,850 PS engine (on 110-Octane racing fuel) … but for the Bolide production version the engine will be configured for 98 RON fuel, that will reduce the power output to 1,600 PS but still offer a massive 1,600 Nm of torque as low as 2,250 rpm, with a modified rev setup for use on the race track, together with an intake and exhaust system, this car will achieve faster, more spontaneous, and very extreme responsiveness.

The impression from the front of the Bugatti Bolide is unmistakenly that of a Formula One car, thanks to the elaborate number of air ducts and aerodynamics, the Bolide also boasts an extremely low ride height, and you can’t have a hypercar like this without a big roof scoop that runs into a massive rear wing and equally impressive rear diffuser.

While clients will most likely not be able to enter their Bugatti Bolide into any official racing class, the car is being developed with FIA rules in mind when it comes to safety and driving experience, among the safety features developed by Bugatti for the Bolide are a HANS system compatibility, an automatic fire extinguishing system, pressure refueling with a fuel bladder, central wheel locking, and a six-point safety belt system.

The Bugatti Bolide production version will come in at 1,450 kg, a weight-to-power ratio of 0.9 kilograms per PS when 98 RON gas is used, but the car is still being developed at Molsheim at the moment of writing, this will take another three years according to Bugatti, with the first customer cars ready for delivery by 2023 … at a net price of €4,000,000 each, or about US $4,680,000, but you should be quick as only 40 units will be available worldwide.

50 Best Engines of All Time

I’m going to steal a line from an early-2000s TV commercial starring Jacques Villeneuve on behalf on Honda, and then use it as a segue into articulating the whole purpose of this list. “In every Honda car, there’s a Honda engine” he would ultimately exclaim at the end – the brand’s powerful marketing slogan which arguably has less backing these days, but has withstood the test of time nevertheless.

Similar self-proclamations could easily be adapted for use on any one of the world’s most iconic automobiles, of which there are many, yet at the same time, so few. Whether they be small, but vivacious 4-cylinder engines in compact roadsters, versatile 6-cylinder engines which have no meaningful shortcomings despite their apparent size handicap, V8 engines which never fail to deliver a classic form of tenacity and physicality, or epic V10 and V12 engines oozing with verve, muscle and dexterity…

…there can be no doubt that each and everyone one of our favorite sports cars are a product of the power plants that breathe life, identity and purpose into them.

Here’s our shortlist for the “50 Best Engines of All Time”, curated (and categorized by # of cylinders) for your reading pleasure:

“The crème de la crème of unadulterated performance” – Best V12 Engines Ever Produced

As far as internal combustion engines go, V12 engines are at the zenith. This is while still acknowledging the omnipotent W16 motors seen in today’s Bugatti hypercars, while not forgetting the likes of mainstream automakers – such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz – also having flirted with the idea of series-production V16 engines in the past. With the 16-cylinder power plants essentially synonymous with the French automaker, the V12 is the de facto ruler for the broader spectrum of ultra-high-performance automobiles.

The diversity of this list fully demonstrates the universal appeal that V12s have around the world, to both producers and consumers alike. This unanimous and long-spanning support for the technology has helped to spawn some of the most impressive engines ever produced. The usual suspects are at play here, with Ferrari and Lamborghini making their totally not unexpected appearances. The British – via Aston Martin, Jaguar, and GMA – have shared their own highly impressive interpretations as well, while more conventional brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and even Toyota have had their say.

For the most part, these engines are naturally aspirated and characteristically rev all the way to the moon. In totality, each and every one of them is nothing short of a legend.

Ferrari Colombo V12Ferrari Colombo V12 Engine

Originally designed by Gioacchino Colombo, this engine can trace its roots back to the very first Ferrari-branded model designed by Ferrari Enzo – the 1947 Ferrari 125 S – where it debuted as a 1.5L V12. The core design of the engine would persevere for more than 4 decades; along the way growing in size, having various levels of forced induction, and becoming a dual-overhead-cam configuration with EFI. Many credit the motor’s longevity to its reputation for being bulletproof.

Successful in both road-going and race track derivatives, the list of Ferrari cars this engine has graced has no shortage of automotive icons; the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, Ferrari 250 GTO, and Ferrari 365 GTB/4, just to name a few.

BMW S70/2

BMW S70/2 Engine

Despite being produced by BMW, the S70/2 didn’t feature in one of the Bavarian automaker’s own production cars. Nevertheless, it did end up powering none other than arguably the most iconic supercars ever made – the 1992-1998 McLaren F1. The 6.1L naturally-aspirated unit produced 627 hp and was capable of 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds, and had a top speed of 240 mph. It wouldn’t be until the next millennium before those figures could be surpassed.

Interestingly enough, BMW wasn’t Gordon Murray’s first choice to supply the engine for his groundbreaking supercar, with collaborations with the likes of Honda and Isuzu falling apart before they would opt for the Munich-built power plant. Whatever might’ve happened if things turned out differently, who’s to know? But what we do know is that BMW got things absolutely spot-on with the S70/2, which continues to be regarded as one of the true and timeless masterpieces in automotive history.

Jaguar V12

Jaguar V12 Engine

Jaguar’s first foray into the world of V12 engines began in motorsport as early as 1951, with its 1964 XJ13 Le Mans race car eventually serving as the trickle-down technology source for its production cars. For the latter, this would begin with a 5.3L naturally-aspirated unit in the 1971 Jaguar E-Type and would even go on to be used by other automakers such as Daimler and Panther. An HE (or “high-efficiency”) version of this engine would be released in 1981 – featuring on the XJ12, XJ-S, and Daimler Double-Six – which improved fuel economy by almost 50% compared to its predecessor, without affecting performance.

In its final iteration, the V12 would evolve into a 6.0L HE unit which produced as much as 333 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque. It was likely to be some variation of this engine which was initially being marketed for use on the Jaguar XJ220, before the British automaker controversially decided on a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 engine instead. The last Jaguar V12 engined was produced on April 17, 1997.

Lamborghini V12 L539

Lamborghini V12 L539 Engine

Like Ferrari, Lamborghini also has a long and storied history with V12 engines, having created its very own first version of this power plant for its mid-’60s era Lamborghini 350GT production car. Starting off as a considerably brawny 270 hp 3.5L naturally-aspirated unit, the “Bizzarrini” engine would evolve into a 661 hp 6.5L naturally-aspirated unit and be fashioned by models as recent as the 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP-670 SV.

As long as the Bizzarrini engine persisted, we feel that the most significant statement of Lamborghini’s V12 mastery comes in the form of its latest iteration of the engine, dubbed ‘L539’. This power plant would share its debut with the 2011 Lamborghini Aventador, of which it initially powered with 690 hp via a 6.5L naturally-aspirated configuration. With a fresh design, the new engine was over 18 kg lighter than its predecessor and was programmed with a new firing order.  The all-wheel-drive supercar would see significant improvements during its lifecycle, with the latest iteration of the L539 car producing 770 hp in the limited-edition 2021 Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae.

Ferrari F140

Ferrari F140 Engine

If the F140 had only powered the (2002-2005) Ferrari Enzo – the first Prancing Horse model where it featured – it would have been no less significant or legendary than it is today. The 65-degree V12 engine debuted on the Enzo as a 6.0L naturally-aspirated V12 unit which produced a staggering 651 hp @ 7,800 rpm and 458 lb-ft of torque @ 5,500 rpm. Over the years, 6.3L versions of the F140 have powered the likes of the hybrid LaFerrari and the F12berlinetta.

It has since evolved to its current peak as a 6.5L power plant – dubbed the F140 GA – which produces 789 hp @ 8,500 rpm and 530 lb-ft of torque @ 7,000 rpm in the 812 Superfast; this makes it the most powerful naturally-aspirated production car engine ever produced to this day. It is likely that this could be one of the final generations of Ferrari V12 engines – whether it be naturally aspirated, turbocharged, or even hybridized – so appreciate it while it’s still around!

Mercedes-Benz M120 / M297

Mercedes-Benz M120 / M297 Engine

When Mercedes-Benz caught wind of archrival BMW’s side-hustle with Gordon Murray, let’s just say that there was no resting on any laurels going on at their Stuttgart headquarters. With a clever riposte, Mercedes would debut their first-ever V12 engine through the 1993 600 SEC (later to be renamed the S600 Coupé, and frequently referred to as the S-Class). The 6.0L naturally-aspirated power plant was good for 389 hp, 420 lb-ft of torque, and a top speed of 155 mph in its initial configuration.

Not only did Mercedes-Benz one-up BMW by using the engine for their own cars, but they also borrowed a page from their opponent’s playbook and had their M120 engine fashioned for use in the magnificent Pagani Zonda supercar as well. Hand-built and tuned by AMG, the M120 also featured on the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR race car and also saw its displacement increased to 7.3L for use on the SL73 AMG and CL73 AMG – and at which point it was commonly referred to as the M297.  The most powerful iteration of the M120 features in the Pagani Zonda Revolución, with the non-street-legal car good for 789 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque.

Aston Martin NA V12

Aston Martin NA V12 Engine

With one of the best sounding V12s (and automobile engines, period), the story of how the Aston Martin (naturally-aspirated) V12 came to be is rather more peculiar and convoluted. The project had less, should we say, glamorous beginnings, when things basically started off with the development of a 2.5L naturally-aspirated V6 engine. This particular unit was essentially the brainchild of Suzuki and Mazda, with the latter’s then-majority owner, Ford, then taking the blueprint to Cosworth, who would go on to build the Duratec V6.

Needless to say, the story didn’t end there, and Aston Martin would end up bolting two of those engines together to create the 5.9L naturally-aspirated V12 it would stamp its name on (and market as a 6.0L). Having more in common with a Ford Taurus than owners or enthusiasts would like to admit, the motor produced 414 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque in the 1999 DB7 V12 Vantage. Aston Martin continues to employ a V12 engine to this day, with the 2017 DB11 having fashioned a 5.2L twin-turbocharged version. More recently, the company has referred back to the naturally-aspirated configuration, with a 6.5L unit designed to power its Valkyrie hypercar with over 1,000 hp @ 10,500 rpm (plus an additional 160 hp with its hybrid-electric system).

Toyota 1GZ-FE

Toyota 1GZ-FE Engine

To call Toyota’s 1GZ-FE the “Godfather” of Japanese automobile engines would be neither an understatement nor unbefitting. After all, the venerable V12 from the land of the Rising Sun – which exclusively powers the Toyota Century luxury sedan – is both one-of-a-kind and has a penchant for attracting a particular type of “underworldly” owner in its homeland. It’s the only production V12 engine to come from Japan and still manages to invoke all of the essential philosophies of Japanese craftsmanship – such as reliability, build quality, and refinement.
That being said, it’s certainly not the most powerful engine on this list and remained at around the 300 hp mark during its lengthy production run from 1997-2016. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most unique engines on this list and is no less iconic than its near-1000 hp contemporaries. This engine is prime for swapping into other platforms, with automotive personality Smokey Nagata fitting a twin-turbocharged version to his ‘Top Secret’ Toyota Supra. Thanks in large part to its distinctive engine, the Century remains a status symbol in Japan; in the way a Rolls-Royce Phantom does the same just about everywhere else.

GMA Cosworth V12

GMA Cosworth V12 Engine

It’s impossible to speak about the naturally-aspirated engine in the GMA T.50, without getting into how it’s involved in so much more than just spinning the new supercar’s rear wheels, or about how other design elements of the car are built around it. As impressive as a 12,100 rpm redline sounds, its 654 hp and 345 lb-ft of torque doesn’t sound extraordinary by today’s standards. But rest assured this engine, and this car, are on the cusp of a truly “redefining” moment in automotive history. Crucially weighing at just 178 kg, the engine plays a huge factor towards the T.50’s overall curb weight of just 980 kg – about one-third that of a contemporary supercar or hypercar.

The GMA T.50 is the culmination of decades of Gordon Murray’s aerodynamic and mechanical engineering experience. Part of what makes the T.50 so exciting, is that it incorporates the design and function of the infamous Brabham BT46 “Fan Car.” A gigantic fan –  powered by the camshaft of the engine and coupled with the curved underbody of the BT46 – created an active venturi effect that quite literally vacuumed the car onto the road, and allowed it to corner at barely believable speeds and levels of grip. The T.50 will feature something similar, and likely more advanced. On a road car. We can’t wait to see this in the flesh.

Bugatti 3.5L Quad-Turbocharged V12

Bugatti 3.5L Quad-Turbocharged V12 Engine

This Bugatti engine has had a very decorated career, albeit a short one, which makes it all the more impressive. Featured exclusively on the (1991-1995) Bugatti EB110, this 3.5L quad-turbocharged V12 is responsible for some very notable distinctions. First, it is widely regarded as being one of the catalysts in the revival of the French marque even though it failed to be directly responsible for this. It became the world’s fastest production car of its time, beating the Jaguar XJ220 in the process.

Suffice to say, it grabbed all the headlines, and really, that was the whole point. I mean, for what other purposes would the use of four turbochargers be given the green light for? Sure, it produced a whopping 553 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, but you would have to argue that this likely could’ve been achieved with a more conventional design. After all, quad-turbocharged engines never really proliferated, and there’s probably good science behind why that’s been the case. Nevertheless, there’s nothing un-iconic about a V12 engine with almost as many turbochargers as you can count on one hand; and we love it all the same.

“10’s all around for these special and iconic high-performance motors” – Best V10 Engines Ever Produced

Most people probably don’t know it, but V10 engines are kind of the awkward middle child within the high-performance engine family. They are often overlooked for their smaller, more compact, and just-as-spirited V8 siblings, yet still somehow manage to cut a notably less brawny figure next to the larger V12 motors. In terms of outcomes, this is probably why even the most hardcore car enthusiasts will have a difficult time recalling more V10 production cars than you can count on one hand – there are less of them than you’re likely thinking, and perhaps there should be more of them for this reason; but that’s for a different discussion.

Interestingly, it’s the Volkswagen Group which currently has the monopoly on supplying this particular engine, via Lamborghini and Audi production models which are under the corporation’s umbrella (plus its namesake Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI – more on that below). Meanwhile, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Ferrari would at the very least have delved into the art of the V10 -which they did, though only to produce such engines for Formula 1 cars from 1996 to 2005.

Quantifiably speaking, yes, there are less V10s out there than the other engines most closely related to it. However, each V10 engine mentioned on this list is undeniably iconic and rightfully potent, particulary when it comes to panache. So while this middle child might not always steal the spotlight, nor hog affection that goes to its siblings, it is in no way lacking any of the talent in its DNA.

Lamborghini / Audi 5.2L V10

Ever since 2008 – when the refreshed Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 was released – all V10 engines used in the Lamborghini line-up have been based on the 5.2L architecture. This has carried over to the Gallardo’s successor – the Lamborghini Huracán – with each and every one of its models having been fitted with the aforementioned power plant, up to this point. In the current stage of its evolution, the 5.2L naturally-aspirated V10 is mechanically identical to Audi’s version of the engine (which uses ‘Fuel Stratified Injection’) and is seen Audi’s own R8 supercar; however, power outputs vary depending on the trim levels of the respective models.

Audi 5.0L V10 Biturbo

The sharing of tech (and a healthily-stocked pantry of engine parts) between Lamborghini and Audi spans back more than a decade now, and the engine used in the C6-generation Audi RS 6 has to go down as one of the best collaborations to date. Derived from the outgoing 5.0L naturally-aspirated V10 unit from the Lamborghini Gallardo, the motor in the RS 6 was repurposed with a pair of turbochargers. This allowed the super-wagon to produce 571 hp and 478 lb-ft of torque, on its way to becoming Audi’s most powerful car ever, in 2010. While it was handily more powerful than its competition – the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63 – it also cost quite a bit more (almost double, after conversion) which is likely the reason why it didn’t reach US shores.

Audi 5.2L V10 FSI 40V

Unlike the C6-generation Audi RS 6, the 5.0L unit used in the third-generation Audi S6 is less related to a Lamborghini-equivalent and has more in common with an Audi 4.2L V8. For starters, it has a longer stroke and wider bore than the Lamborghini 5.0L V10 seen in the Gallardo, making for the better low-end power which is more befitting of the larger sedan. When considering the internals, the 5.2L motor in the S6 more closely resembles the aforementioned 4.2L V8 which was once used in the B6-generation Audi S4. Thanks to the tweaks mentioned above, this engine was good for 444 hp in the four-ringed luxury sports sedan.

Lamborghini Huracán Performanté 5.2L V10

The 5.2L naturally-aspirated V10 power plant we’ve been speaking so much about in this list, is at the peak of its evolution via the current Lamborghini Huracán Performanté. In this configuration, the engine produces 640 hp @ 8,000 rpm and 443 lb-ft of torque @ 6,500 rpm; this makes the supercar good for 0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds and a blistering top speed of 325 km/h, all without the assistance of any type of forced induction. Augmented with the greatest technologies available today, the motor produces its power more efficiently than ever before as well, with more than 70% of its torque already available as early as 1,000 rpm.

Dodge Viper ACR 8.4L V10

Even if the Dodge Hellcat is hogging all the headlines these days, there’s always something you have to admire about the lunacy of a naturally-aspirated 8.4L V10 engine. No, the Dodge Viper doesn’t do subtlety very well. Yes, it does happen to fall under the ‘Old Testament’ definition of “awesome”. With 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque being produced from that colossus of an all-aluminum engine, the Viper has the exhaust note of a semi-dormant volcano. It would make absolutely no sense at all if it wasn’t just so damn fast. Variants such as the SRT-10 and ACR-X took the road-going version of the car to the next level, with the latter being a turn-key, non-street legal race car which participates in Viper racing leagues around the world.

Lexus LFA 4.8L V10 (1LR-GUE)

Many regard the Lexus LFA as one of the best supercars ever made. Lexus only made 500 units, and I assumed those 500 sold out quickly. I was wrong. Despite the fact that Lexus hasn’t produced the LFA since 2012, there are still seven brand new LFA supercars for sale in the US, according to Carscoops. With all that said, the LFA came with one of the best V10 engines ever produced by a Japanese automaker. The 4.8L naturally-aspirated V10 – dubbed 1LR-GUE – made 552 hp and 352 lb-ft of torque. Developed in collaboration with Yamaha, it was a free-revving engine with an exhaust note that is truly unlike any other on the planet. As the sole representative from Japan, the 1LR-GUE is certainly one for the ages.

Porsche Carrera GT 5.7L V10 (980/01)

What makes the Porsche Carrera GT engine so special is that it is technically a race car engine. Not in that loosely-based sense – as is often used as a gimmick by salespeople – but in the true sense of the word. In the late 1990s, Porsche engineers in Zuffenhausen were assigned the task of developing a naturally-aspirated V10 concept engine, which was to later be used in a race car for the infamous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Sadly, the completion of that race car never came to fruition, but the efforts of the engine builders would not go to waste.

Porsche decided to adapt the engine for use in the Carrera GT and took the necessary steps to not only refine it in order to satisfy production car protocols, but also managed to make it a more powerful version than the original unit. The result is a 5.7L naturally-aspirated V10 engine, which produces 612 hp @ 8,000 rpm and 435 lb-ft of torque @ 5,750 rpm. This allowed the Carrera GT to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 0-100 mph in 6.9 seconds, with a top speed of 205 mph.

BMW M5 V10 (S85)

Released in mid-2005, the E60 M5 sedan featured a high-revving and ultra-powerful V10 engine, which was the only one of its kind in a series-production car at that moment in time (while also being the marque’s most powerful production car engine ever made). The 5.0L naturally-aspirated unit shared more than just the same number of cylinders with the Formula 1 engine that powered the BMW Williams F1 team. Technology forged in the heat of motorsport had enhanced the processes and components used in creating this new powerhouse. As you would expect from BMW M, this high-performance motor generates enormous pulling force over its entire speed range.

VW Touareg V10 TDI

What makes this particular automobile so remarkable is not that it’s a Volkswagen, or an SUV, or diesel-powered, but that it’s all of those things with a twin-turbocharged 10-cylinder engine thrown into the mix. This Frankenstein-ish power plant would only feature for a couple of years before the whole Dieselgate fiasco, and had it not been for the calamity which ensued, it surely would have garnered more recognition than it has mustered to this day. All of its characteristics exude a bias towards low-end power, and the stats certainly reflect this – 309 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000 rpm. Oh, and don’t forget, a very utilitarian tow rating of 7,700 lbs.

Dodge Ram SRT-10 8.3L V10

Imagine a Viper engine swapped into, then modified for use in a Dodge Ram pick-up truck, and voila. So what exactly does this magic trick entail? Well for starters, in July 2004, a Dodge Ram SRT-10 driven by NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan, set the Guinness World Record (and the SCCA record) for the world’s fastest production truck when it achieved an average top speed of 154.587 mph. This was all possible with the help of the 500 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque that the naturally-aspirated motor produced, with 90% of its torque available at 1,500 rpm. It could even tow up to 7,500 lbs; though we would bet that most owners would forgo any procedures that might keep them from optimizing their 1/4 mile times.

“The greatest of the eight-est” – Best V8 Engines Ever Produced

In almost all cases, manufacturers who choose to equip their cars with a V8 engine do so knowingly and deliberately. After all, such engines represent the first big step in crossing over a threshold to where performance becomes the sole focus; efficiency and economy are often not even invited as guests for a ride-along in the back seat.

With a quick glance at the back mirror, those pesky 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines begin to disappear into the horizon. Then, with the proverbial “pedal-to-the-medal”, the V8 power plant unanimously declares “all-in” with a loud roar – because this journey is all about thrill-seeking and checking things off the bucket list.

While high-performance V8 engines have normally been reserved for exotics – and muscle cars, in the more distant past – its application has been seen more in the mainstream these days. With the proliferation of automotive technologies, the V8 engine has become a gateway into the world of attainable supercar performance; each new engine is better than the one before it.

Ferrari F106

Ferrari’s F106 V8 engine dates as far back as 1973, where it first featured in the Dino 308 GT4. Right from the get go, it produced an impressive 250 hp from a 2.9L naturally-aspirated engine, which featured a flat-plane crank and dual-overhead cams.

Such was the longevity and capability of the F106 unit, that it continued to be used – with significant updates and revisions along the way, including electronic fuel injection and multi-valve heads – for more than 30 years. Notable models which were equipped with the engine include the F355, 360 Modena and arguably the most famous Ferrari of them all; the Ferrari F40, which fashioned a twin-turbocharged version of the F106 producing 471 hp.

Dodge Supercharged Hemi

Dodge’s Hellcat series of cars have really taken the world by storm, offering almost unfathomable power in a non-exotic production vehicle – or any vehicle for that matter. It’s truly a revival of the “American muscle” movement, with the supercharged Hemi able to produce as much as 807 hp and 717 lb-ft of torque via the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Super Stock. Handling, agility, and all that other kind of stuff aside, this makes the Hellcat Challenger/Charger the quintessential American sports car which can be had for well under the 6-figure mark brand new.

The automaker is now offering the 6.2L ‘Redeye’ V8 as a crate engine (aptly nicknamed ‘Hellcrate’) through Mopar. It can be purchased at a starting price of US$21,807. The ‘Redeye’ version comes with a larger supercharger than the previous Hellcrate engine, and has been tuned for more boost, a slightly higher redline, and a host of other improvements. These are what has allowed it to improve from 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, to its current 807 hp state. An absolute unit.

BMW S63

Like other automakers on this list, BMW is no stranger to producing some of the world’s best V8 engines. The latest incarnation would be its masterpiece ‘S63’ – a 4.4L twin-turbocharged engine which produces at least 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque in the current-gen BMW M5 sedan.

Thought its true that this grants the quintessential luxury-performance saloon some serious supercar credentials, a look back to days gone by reminds us that engines such as the ‘S62’ and ‘S65′ deserve just as much recognition for their contribution to the Bavarians’ V8 platform. Respectively, each engine displaced 4.9L and 4.0L and were both naturally-aspirated.

Lexus 2UR-GSE

The 2UR-GSE is the latest iteration of Lexus’ increasingly iconic naturally-aspirated V8 power plant. Currently reserved for the marque’s high-performance models – such as the IS F, RC F, GS F, LC 500 and brand-new IS 500 – the 5.0L engine blends typical Lexus reliability with high-revving Japanese character. In its most powerful configuration, the 2UR-GSE produces 475 hp in the Lexus LC 500. Amidst an ever-changing landscape shifting towards hybridization and electrification, we hope that Lexus’ legendary naturally-aspirated V8 lives on for as long as possible

Much like our other selections, the 2UR-GSE owes much of its distinctions to predecessors such as the 1UZ-FE which debuted in 1989. This 4.0L V8 engine has proven to be bulletproof over the test of time, in addition to universal recognition it has received for being smooth, refined and sufficiently powerful for its intended application. It has served as the platform upon which the formidable GSE would eventually be conceived.

Ferrari F136

The F136 succeeded the legendary F106, first appearing as a 4.3L naturally-aspirated engine in the 2004 Ferrari F430, producing 483 hp. Like the F106, the F136 would see widespread application throughout the Ferrari lineup; however, it was also featured on a number of Maserati models in concert with the relationship between the two marques.

Most notably, a 454 hp, 4.7L version of the F136 featured on the Maserati GranTurismo and is widely regarded as having one of the best engine/exhaust notes to come out of the V8. The F136 would reach its zenith in the Ferrari 458 Italia Speciale, where it cranked out a massive 597 hp from its 4.5L naturally-aspirated power plant.

Perhaps the most significant (and regretful) fact about the F136, is that it is the last naturally-aspirated V8 engine Ferrari would ever produce. It was replaced by the twin-turbocharged F154 V8 engine in 2015, where it debuted on the Ferrari 488 GTB.

McLaren M830T / M840T

Despite only producing V8-powered automobiles since as recently as 2011 (via the MP4-12C), you could argue that McLaren are now the world’s artisans of the V8 engine, and few would dispute that. After all it’s virtually all they know these days, with every single McLaren model – bar the V6-hybrid McLaren Artura – fitted with some adaptation of their M838T or M840T twin-turbocharged V8 motors.

The 3.8L M838T is found in its Sports Series range of cars, which includes the entry-level McLaren 540C and goes all the way up to the indomitable 666 hp McLaren 675 LT. The 4.0L M840T features on all of the Super Series cars, which covers the ‘700 range’ of models, plus the addition of the McLaren GT. In its Ultimate form, the 4.0L unit – dubbed the M840TR – produces 814 hp in the McLaren Senna GTR. The McLaren Speedtail hybrid ‘hyper-GT’ produces some 1,035 hp through the combination of an M840T and electric motor.

GM Small Block LT1/LT2

Introduced in 2014 for the C7 Corvette, the 6.2L naturally-aspirated V8 LT1 engine is part of GM’s 5th-generation small black engine family. It continues to be used on the present-day Camaro, with a new version of the engine – known as the LT2 – carrying on the bloodline via the brand new mid-engine C8 Corvette. The LT2 retains the 6.2L capacity but is more powerful that the LT1, producing at least 495 hp and 470 lb-ft in its latest configuration.

This was achieved by designing more efficient air-intakes sand exhaust manifolds, while also featuring a better lubrication system and more resilient camshaft. While it’s not a monster-out-of-the-box like say, Dodge’s Hellcat engine, the lightweight naturally-aspirated powerplant remains perfectly suited for what the Corvette is the best at delivering – brilliant all-around performance at a fraction of the cost of comparable options. The still-relevant LT1 is now being offered as a crate engine via GM’s performance division, with its 460 hp on tap for under US$10,000. Project car, anyone?

Audi 4.2L FSI

When Audi’s 4.2L FSI V8 engine was introduced, it was a bit of a departure from what Audi enthusiasts had grown accustomed to over the years. As one of the marques which helped to proliferate the use of turbochargers on production cars, the aforementioned engine first appeared in the 2006 Audi RS4 as a high-revving naturally-aspirated power plant.

Over time, it proved to be a fan-favorite in spite of its lack of forced induction and featured on such models as the RS5 and mid-engined R8. As a naturally-aspirated unit, the FSI V8 was able to rev up to 8,250 rpm and had a distinctively exotic exhaust note, regardless of the model it was mounted in.

The engine remained naturally-aspirated up until its use in the 444 hp Audi RS5; since then, recent iterations of the engine are now turbocharged and produce up to 600 hp.

Mercedes-AMG M178

The modern day Mercedes-AMG line-up is blessed with their omnipotent ‘M178’ 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8, which itself deserves all the plaudits and is a shoo-in for selection. While it’s the most advanced iteration of the automaker’s V8, our personal favorite would have to be the ‘M156’ 6.2L V8 first powered the 467 hp naturally-aspirated C63 AMG. Like its successor, the M156 would feature in almost every Mercedes-AMG model of that era, including the SL63.

The ultimate version of this V8 motor would be the ‘M159’, which was equipped in the automaker’s flagship SLS supercar, producing 622 hp. The SLS has since been succeeded by the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, which produces 720 hp from its twin-turbocharged ‘M178’, and recently set the new production car lap record at the Nürburgring.

Ford ‘Voodoo’ Flat-Plane

The ‘Voodoo’ engine produced by Ford is a 5.2L naturally-aspirated V8 which was made specially for cars such as the 526 hp Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R. Suffice to say, the Voodoo was a match made in heaven for the line-up’s most balanced and track-focused Mustang models. By utilizing a flat-plane crankshaft, the engine is weighs less and revs faster and higher (to 8,250 rpm) than the otherwise standard engines in other models. Its configuration also gives it an almost-exotic exhaust note, border-lining on ‘un-American’ – but owners won’t mind, as their domestic car hangs just fine with the exotics and other high-end sports cars on the race-track.

Following the template of past flat-plane V8 engines, the Voodoo applies the similar principles as engines that once powered hot-rods and muscle cars back in the 20th century – with impressive bang-for-buck, the engines produced big horsepower at a fraction of the cost of what was used in European sports cars and even domestic rivals. This provided owners with a rightfully potent automobile, and extra money left in the bank. It’s hard to argue with that!

“The Smooth. The Superb. The Sublime. The best 6-cylinder engines of all time” – Best 6-Cylinder Engines Ever Produced

In this modern automotive era, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to the wide array of supercars, hypercars and now EVs, to choose from. At this level of the game, the V12 engine is often seen as the standard bearer, while a V8 is the lowest benchmark. It’s no wonder the 6-cylinder engine often gets overlooked, despite continuing to power some of the world’s greatest sports cars and supercars. This isn’t just hyperbole. Case in point: the Porsche 911.

With the help of turbochargers, superchargers and in some cases, electric motors, 6-cylinder engines can often squeeze out just as much performance as their larger counterparts, while retaining the benefits of being more compact, lightweight and fuel-efficient. So while they aren’t typically as flashy nor headline-making as the V12s and V8s of the world, they are at the very least, an extremely versatile and dependable option to have in the engine war chest.

It’s no wonder the proliferation of the 6-cylinder engine has been democratized by auto manufacturers internationally, with the platform remaining ever-present across all continents. The Germans, Japanese and Italians are amongst those who persist with their undying trust in the 6-cylinder engine; so much so that it is still being improved and continues to power some of the best automobiles to this day.

Porsche M97.74

Porsche M97.74 engine

Appearing in the 997.2 GT3 RS 4.0, this truly special engine was the swan song for both the 997-generation (2005-2012) of Porsche 911 cars, as well as the Mezger engine design. Borrowing a number of components from the RSR race car, the 3.8L engine in the ‘regular’ 997 GT3 RS was then upgraded to a 4.0L flat-6 (hence the name) which produced 500 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, while having an astronomical 8,500 rpm redline.

So convincing was this move, even to Porsche’s own brass, that the following two generations (991 and 992) of 911 cars would continue to employ the 4.0L naturally-aspirated engine in the GT3 lineup, proving that the ‘godfather’ RS 4.0 was also well ahead of its time.

With the proliferation of PDK transmissions, amongst other safety-centric technological advancements, many consider the M97.74 and the GT3 RS 4.0 it powered, to be the final rendition of the purists’ GT3 RS.

BMW S54B32

Collectively, the BMW E46 M3 (2000-2006) is one of our favorite cars here at supercars.net, and this is in no small part thanks to its S54B32 inline-6 engine. The naturally-aspirated unit is as pure as it gets from the Bavarian company, with a peak 333 hp being produced at 7,900 rpm on route to its 8,000 rpm redline. Other stand-out features include individual throttle bodies and drive-by-wire operation, further accentuating the car’s inherent rawness and driving purity.

When mated to the 6-speed manual transmission, it really doesn’t get much better than this – from BMW or any other company, for that matter. If BMW ever wanted to revert back to a more minimalist philosophy, the S54B32 and E46 M3 would be writing the playbook.

Nissan RB26DETT

Nissan RB26DETT engine

The 2.6L twin-turbocharged inline-6 from Nissan – the RB26DETT – has become something of a legend. It would take nothing short of the absolute best from the Japanese automaker to produce something worthy of powering a car amicably referred to as “Godzilla”, and the RB26DETT has never disappointed. While it was limited to 280 hp from the factory – thanks to the gentleman’s agreement between Japanese manufacturers to cap engine outputs at the time – the R34 Skyline GT-R was anything but docile, even when left untinkered.

The engine’s true capabilities were the worst kept secret in the industry, with a simple flash of the ECU (to effectively remove the restrictions) plus a few bolt-on performance modifications allowing the RB26DETT to produce much, much more.

Porsche MDH.NA

Porsche MDH.NA

Suffice to say, the 991 GT2 RS is the absolute peak of 6-cylinder performance. The GT2 RS in its entirety is more closely based on a Turbo S than it is to its closest GT relative, the 911 GT3 RS. After all, at the heart of the GT2 is a revamped version of the Turbo S engine (known as MDH.NA), while the GT3 has its own unique naturally-aspirated 4.0L power plant. The 3.8L flat-6 was fitted with larger variable-geometry turbos and was given an increase in peak boost to 22.5 psi, which is 24% higher than the Turbo S.

Larger intercoolers, a water-spray system, larger exhaust manifold primaries and redesigned pistons work in synergy with the aforementioned to provide the GT2 RS with 700 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm and 553 lb-ft of torque. Porsche has long buried the traditional notion of “turbo-lag” in its cars with VarioCam Plus and the GT2 RS is no different, making peak torque from 2,250 rpm to 4,000 rpm.

Honda C30A

Honda C30A engine

The original 1990 Acura NSX was fitted with a 3.0L naturally-aspirated V6 engine which produced 270 hp. At the time, that was more than sufficient to go shoulder-to-shoulder with any of its supercar contemporaries; particularly Ferrari, its target rival. What truly made the C30A – and as a whole, the NSX – so special, was that it broke the mold of what a supercar could and should ought to be: reliable and useable. Almost blasphemous thinking at the time, the idea of the “everyday supercar” was still a twinkle in the eye of exotic car auto makers.

The engine demanded very little, if anything, above the expected maintenance laundry list and associated costs of keeping a Honda Accord running. It was refined. It performed. It was comfortable. You could drive it whenever you wanted to. The NSX is widely recognized as one of the forefathers of the modern supercar, going on to inspire the likes of the McLaren F1. That puts it in pretty high regard, I’d say.

Alfa Romeo ‘Busso’ V6

Alfa Romeo 'Busso' V6 engine

There is no other power plant on this list which has been as long-serving or as versatile as the ‘Busso’ engine. Named after its chief designer, Giuseppe Busso, the foundation of this engine was its 60° V6 configuration. From there, a colorful variation of engines were built upon it, with displacements ranging 2.0L to 3.2L plus the use of turbochargers (or none at all) depending on the intended application of the automobile it was being fitted to. This meant you could see a Busso producing as little as 130 hp in a 1983 Alfa Romeo Alfa 6, and up to 247 hp in a 2005 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA.

Regardless of its specs, every Busso engine shares the same reputation for being remarkably smooth, having good low-end power delivery, and an incredibly unique engine note at higher rpms. Needless to say, the Busso would go on to be the centerpiece of the brand for a good 30+ years.

Nissan VR38DETT

Nissan VR38DETT engine

While there was a general expectation that the latest iteration of the GT-R would (or should) be powered by a V8 engine prior to its official release, Nissan inevitably stuck to its guns and continued the tradition of powering its flagship car with its tried and trusted 6-cylinder unit. This time, the engine would be produced in a 60° V6 configuration to ensure that the massively sized and massively powerful engine, could fit under the front hood.  In the very first R35 GT-R cars, the 3.8L twin-turbocharged V6 produced 485 hp, before being upped to 545 hp for the 2012 refresh.

Since then, the hand-crafted power plants have been continuously improved over the years, with the most powerful factory version of the car – the Nissan GT-R Nismo – producing some 600 hp. Perfectly matched with Nissan’s dual-clutch transmission and proven all-wheel drive system, the VR38DETT continues a legend while forging one of its own, all at the same time.

Jaguar JRV-6

Jaguar JRV-6 engine

It’s rather humorous that the JRV-6 would not have made it on this list if not for a gaff on the part of Jaguar, who had originally marketed and went as far as promising that the XJ220 would be delivered to its first customers with a V12 engine. Nevertheless, the eventually-fitted twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder unit was borrowed from a Group B Rally car – the Rover Metro 6R4. It was rightfully potent, and actually made more power than the naturally-aspirated V12 which was originally proposed.

Able to produce up to 542 hp, the XJ220 would even go on to become the fastest production car in the world at the time, topping out at a brow-raising 217 mph. While its credentials were proven in the real world, I’m sure many buyers were still a bit miffed at the fact that the final product came with half the number of cylinders they had put down their deposits down for.

Toyota 2JZ-GTE

Toyota 2JZ-GTE engine

The Toyota Supra was equipped with the ubiquitous 3.0L inline-6 2JZ engine in all its models. The most recognized version of the Supra – the Turbo – possessed a twin-turbocharged engine known as the 2JZ-GTE, which was specced with up to 326 hp. The two turbochargers operated sequentially and not in parallel. This essentially meant that one of the turbochargers was designed to provide near-maximum torque as early as 1,800 rpm, while the second turbine would be engaged in a “pre-boost” mode until around 4,000 rpm where thereafter both turbochargers would be spinning at full blast. This translated to better low-end throttle response, less ‘turbo lag’, increased boost at higher engine speeds, and a relatively linear delivery of power – all of which was difficult to achieve in unison, with the technology available at the time.

The 2JZ-GTE-equipped Turbo model was able to sprint from 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds and complete the standing ¼ mile in an impressive 13.1 seconds. Top speed was recorded at 155 mph.

Alfa Romeo 690T

Alfa Romeo 690T engine

The fact that the engine in the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA is derived from the Ferrari F154 platform, automatically puts it in some highly esteemed company. After all, other variations of the F154 are used in the likes of cars such as the Maserati Quattroporte, Ferrari F8 Tributo and even the hybridized Ferrari SF90. While the F154 takes on a V8 configuration, the Alfa Romeo variant (known as the 690T) is a 2.9L twin-turbocharged V6 which produces 540 hp. Capable of 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds, the 690T isn’t exactly blistering by today’s standards, but it does become an integral part of the car’s overall philosophy of balance and agility; this was probably one of the main reasons Alfa Romeo chose to go with a smaller unit rather than going the copy/paste route with the Ferrari setup.

The GTA / GTAm are about as track-ready as any production car can get when also factoring in its insanely aggressive aerodynamic and chassis upgrades.

“As far as four bangers go, these are the best” – Best 4-Cylinder Engines Ever Produced

There are a variety of reasons manufacturers choose to fit a 4-cylinder engine in their cars. They’re compact, lightweight and typically more fuel-efficient compared to all other mainstream alternatives. This makes them ideal for smaller cars – particularly those with economy being top of mind – but can serve just as well in heavier cars (which are often AWD) with a turbocharger providing some assistance.

For the Japanese automakers, the proliferation of 4-cylinder engines was born mostly out of necessity; stricter emissions standards as well as restrictions on engine and vehicle sizes for their domestic market, forced them to think smaller. This would in no way become a hindrance on engineering ingenuity – quite the opposite actually – as many of these companies would become the world’s artisans for the sport compact car. This unwavering dedication to mastering one’s craft has produced the likes of the F and K Series engines from Honda, and the 4G63T and EJ25 from Mitsubishi and Subaru respectively; both of whom would go on to become one another’s legendary rival.

However, the Japanese weren’t the only ones who were both industrious and creative when it came to the art of the four banger. With the ever-growing popularity of fuel-sipping and smaller vehicles world wide, the Europeans also began to fashion their own interpretation of the ideal compact-efficient package. The Scandinavians for one, have been unapologetic about their extreme commitment to eco-friendliness for many decades now, with the likes of Swedish automakers Saab and Volvo leading the charge in their continent.

The Americans, through Ford, would eventually bring their aptly-named EcoBoost engines to the market, while Italian outfit Fiat (owned by Chrysler) produces power units that are small in scale, but never lacking in character nor performance.

Honda F20C/F22CHonda F22C engine

When the Honda S2000 first made its appearance in 1999, its naturally-aspirated F20C engine stole the spotlight. It was revolutionary for its time, and in many respects maintains that reputation to this day. A 9,000 rpm redline and being able to produce 120 hp/liter would be the main attractions at first, but the F series engine has also proven to be dependable and well regarded to this day.

It’s a huge reason the S2000 is one of the most sought after cars on the used market today, often fetching astronomical prices not too far off the original MSRP (or sometimes more). Halfway through the car’s lifecycle, the engine would see its displacement increase to 2.2L (with an 8,200 rpm redline) while power figures remained virtually unchanged; acceleration and low-end response were slightly improved as a result.

Volvo Redblock B230FT

Volve 2.3L B230FT engine

Volvos – particularly some of the older platforms and their engines – have been the subject of a growing following over the years, as performance enthusiasts and grassroots circuit drivers alike have discovered the now hard-to-keep-secret that is the Redblock B230FT engine. Built on a decidedly Scandinavian philosophy of minimalism and straight-forwardness, the Redblock engines have a reputation above all else, for being extremely bulletproof. This is the reason you see more of those old-school Volvo wagons and sedans (amicably referred to as “Turbo Bricks”) on the road today than maybe you should.

However, what is becoming increasingly significant about these cars is the value their engines bring to the larger automotive community. Because of their inherent indestructible qualities, the B230FT is becoming a popular choice for reliable high-horsepower builds, and even engine swaps into cars with native power plants that are otherwise less dependable.

Ford EcoBoostFord Mustang EcoBoost Engine

Ford’s EcoBoost engines are amongst the most recent and significant line of 4-cylinder engines being produced by any manufacturer today. While there is certainly a monumental shift towards electrification – of which Ford is very much a part of – the petrol-powered engine remains relevant and continues to be improved amidst stricter emissions standards. Besides going full-on EV or hybrid, there is no other drivetrain unit that is more fuel efficient than a modern day turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

They’re also capable of extraordinary performance, with the 2.3L EcoBoost unit in the Ford Focus RS good for around 350 hp. Recognizing the all-around benefits of the EcoBoost, Ford has used the powerplant throughout its entire lineup; you can find one in a Ford Mustang, a Ford Ranger, and even a Ford Bronco. Though it’s true that the internal combustion engine will be phased out sooner than later, the EcoBoost will be about as good as it gets before the transition is complete.

Toyota 3S-GTE

Toyota 3S-GTE engine

It can be argued that the Toyota 3S-GTE does not get all the plaudits it deserves, because it shared the stage with the A80 Supra (and its 2JZ engine) which would ultimately end up stealing the show. But the 3S-GTE has a lot of things going for it, not least of them being that it was used to power two of the most legendary Japanese sports cars – the Toyota MR2 and Toyota Celica GT-Four.

Typical of the brand and the era, the 3S-GTE was basically bulletproof thanks to its cast iron block and forged aluminum internals. When properly cared for, the engine has a shelf life of around 180,000 miles, which is pretty impressive coming from a 2.0L turbocharged inline-4 which produced 252 hp, and was built in the mid 90s.

Honda K Series

Honda 2.0L K20C1 engine

The K Series would ultimately replace the outgoing B Series engines (which would be in the honorable mention section, if there was one) for a number of Honda vehicles, most notable of which included the likes of the Civic Type R and Integra Type R.  The most recent and advanced version of the K series engine has found its way into the current Civic Type R, with the turbocharged K20C1 supplying the company’s popular sports saloon with 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.

Such is the K20C1’s reputation that Honda Performance Development has recently begun to offer crate engines for use in racing and off-highway applications. Other notable K Series engines include the K20A2 (Integra Type R, RSX Type S) and the K24A2 (Acura TSX). Honda reliability, fantastic performance – I don’t doubt that we’ll be talking about the K Series engines for many more years to come.

Mitsubishi 4G63T

Mitsubishi 4G63T engine

Tracing its roots as far back as the early 1980s, the 2.0L 4G63 engines have truly withstood the test of time. The first turbocharged version of the engine, known as the 4G63T, was first seen in the 1998 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. This engine would go on to become the heartbeat of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution line of cars from 1992 to 2007, which would go on to dominate the World Rally Championships. Suffice to say, the 4G63T, through the Lan Evo, would go on to define the brand for the greater part of two decades and also become the company’s most sought after sports car in both road-going and race-only configurations.

Today, the platform remains popular in grassroots rally racing and circuit racing and also for drag racing builds, due to the incredible amount of power it can make with the proper work.

Volkswagen EA888

Volkswagen EA888 engine

While Volkswagen’s EA888 engine is another on this list that wouldn’t have made it if reliability was the key metric, there is no question about the powerplant’s performance potential and impressive fuel economy. Today, it most notably appears in the Volkswagen Golf R and Audi S3 where it produces a smidge less than 300 hp. This, along with being very light weight, makes it an ideal match for a modern hot-hatch and compact sedan, but owners can also benefit from relatively lower costs at the pump (provided that it’s not being hooned all the time).

The EA888 engines are extremely popular amongst the tuning community, as a simple build using mostly bolt-ons can easily yield a reliable 500+ hp. Suffice to say, the EA888 is also a solid platform upon which VAG can build more powerful and advanced versions in the future, which I’m sure we’ll be seeing in newer generations of the aforementioned cars and more.

Subaru EJ20

Subaru EJ20 engine

Ok. So while the EJ20 probably won’t go on to pip any of the other engines on this list for the “most reliable” awards, it remains a prolific engine that has powered an iconic car for the greater parts of each of the past 3 decades. The car specifically, is the WRX STi, which is one half of an epic rivalry between Japanese (and rally car) giants Subaru and Mitsubishi. Despite the well documented issues with head gasket failures and the like over the years, the EJ20 has still proven itself through the test of time, with the latest iteration of the engine being used as recently as 2019, coinciding with release of the Subaru WRX STi Final Edition.

The EJ20 has never been short on character, with its Boxer configuration and the use of unequal-length headers giving the car its distinctive “burble” – a sound which has become synonymous with the car and instantly recognizable to any moderately trained ear.

Saab B234R

Saab B234R engine

These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who remember Saab as a brand, nor as one of the pioneers of bringing turbochargers to the mainstream. But, they were most certainly both of those things, with the company’s heyday taking place during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Saab’s B234R engine was the golden boy of this era; forged internals and an iron block were the backbone of an extremely reliable platform.

In its complete packaging, the turbocharged engine – via a 5-speed manual Saab 9000 Aero – produced 225 hp and a whopping 300 ft-lb of torque. This helped propel the otherwise unassuming euro sedan from 0-60 mph in just 6.7 seconds. Undoubtedly quick for its day and capable of so much more. It’s no wonder the car has a niche (but passionate) following to this day.

Fiat MultiAir Turbo

Fiat MultiAir Turbo engine

In my opinion, Fiat has become the de facto micro car producer; at least in North America, where there are far fewer options than in Europe and Asia. Without a doubt, this is in large part owed to fact that Fiat is owned by American automotive conglomerate Chrysler, who leveraged their position to become the dominant force in this market segment. While subcompact cars have yet to really take off west of the Atlantic, Fiat have proven that while micro cars need to be powered by micro engines, their performance can be anything but.

The pinnacle of this is displayed through their 1.3L and 1.4L MultiAir Turbo engines, which have gone on to win numerous awards. Currently, these engines power the Fiat 500X and 500L models, and produce 177 hp and 160 hp respectively, alongside the company’s best-ever fuel consumption and emissions figures.