There have been some truly iconic Hemi V8s. In 1980 GM rushed a diesel engine design in to production with severe consequences. Known as a Hemi due to the shape of the combustion chamber, the second generation Chrysler 426 V8 is the holy grail of muscle car enthusiasts. What most people don't know is that the design began life as the Buick 215.

Straight-sixes and V12s are smoother, four-cylinder motors offer better economy and an inline-five or V10 can sound superb. Multivalve heads and electronic fuel injection were introduced over the years, helping power outputs grow to 400 hp in unboosted form and 477 hp when fitted with turbos. First produced in 1967, the Chevy 350 is the best known small block in GM's engine inventory.

After World War II, all American auto companies were mass producing V8 engines, and with few exceptions, still continue to this day. Any car enthusiast admires the power, sound and performance of a V8 engine.

The game-changing McLaren F1 was first to arrive in 1992 but we had to wait until 2011 for the MP4-12C for their first V8-powered supercar. The Maserati Quattroporte and GranTurismo models also received a modified cross-plane crank version of this motor, best known for having one of the most captivating exhaust notes ever. It saw duty in the 308, F355 and even the twin-turbocharged F40. Related: These Are The Least Reliable Cars From Ford…Ever. It came in numerous horsepower and torque configurations, and is also considered one of the easiest engines to rebuild with aftermarket parts. It featured a whole host of performance upgrades compared to the rest of the Mercedes range and went on to power just about every range-topping AMG model from the CL63 AMG right up to the SL63 roadster. Part of their appeal was that the basic layout allowed for a lot of flexibility. The same great updates found on the normal 5 Series. Related: 8 Old Pontiac Cars That Stood The Test Of Time (And 7 That Did Not). For a variety of reasons, car manufacturers have produced engines that have become famous for all the wrong reasons.

The 4.2 was an option in the Mustang and provided a whopping 118 horsepower and 194 ft-lbs torque.

Known as a Hemi due to the shape of the combustion chamber, the second generation Chrysler 426 V8 is the holy grail of muscle car enthusiasts. As a fuel savings measure the concept sounded good. It had many high performance elements to include forged pistons and connecting rods, thicker cylinder walls and free flowing headers. He is an avid photographer and currently resides in Hawaii. The 4.0-liter Lexus 1UZ-FE was introduced in 1989, featuring dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder.

The F136 made its debut in the 483-hp 4.3-liter F430 in 2004, it peaked in the 458 Speciale making a massive 597 hp from just 4.5 liters.

By 1977 Pontiac had discontinued the 455 cubic inch engine and the replacement was the 400/6.6 liter V8 engine. The 305 V8 was GM's standard engine throughout the 1980s and used in Camaros, Firebirds and the Monte Carlo.

Lexus cars: research Lexus cars, read Lexus reviews, find Lexus car listings and get Lexus pricing & dealer quotes. Know as the six-pack or six-barrel, it was available in Plymouth Road Runners and Barracudas as well as Dodge Chargers and Challengers.

Introduced in 1965, between 1966-1969 the L78 was the most powerful production option available in the GM intermediate car line. Like the Chevy small-block motors, these 1UZ-FE motors have found their way into a huge number of varied applications from powerboats to off-road racers. Although the entire Pontiac line had V8 engine options starting in 1955, the best engines were produced in the 1960s. Best V8 Engines Of All Time.

... superb build quality and a refined V8 engine. Lexus V8 sport coupe | Micah Wright/Autos Cheat Sheet. BMW has been fitting V8s to their luxury models for many decades and two of the best have been the S65 414-hp 4.0-liter unit in the old E90 M3 and the S62 400-hp 4.9-liter engine fitted to the late-'90s M5. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists.

Affectionately known as the "elephant" due to its large displacement and massive torque, cars with this engine often command premium prices on the auction block. He has published articles on car and truck topics. Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Ford all soon followed suit and by the late '30s this engine configuration had truly taken off.

The Ferrari F106 V8 was first used in the awkwardly proportioned (and named) Dino 308 GT4 2+2 back in 1973. It is remarkably versatile and has powered everything from the Chevy Camaro to the Cadillac.

Due to lack of computer power in the 80s, cylinder shutdown was a noisy maneuver to include loud pinging whenever the pistons disengaged. Mercedes' V8 legacy continues in cars like the AMG GT R Coupe, with its 577-hp twin-turbo V8. 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Test Drive Review: The Shrieking Tire Shredder, Pagani Huayra BC Review: Brilliance Concentrated, Koenigsegg Regera Review: Creating The Future, 2020 Porsche Panamera Turbo Review: A Five-Star Fireball, © 2010-2020 CarBuzz Inc. All Rights Reserved. V8 engines were additionally intended for airplanes and speed boats, but Cadillac was the first company to mass produce the V8 engine for automobiles.

The small-block design lasted until 2003 with the Gen II small-block arriving in 1992. A $605 dollar option in 1969. These versatile engines could produce up to 390 hp in standard form and they are still available to order as 'crate motors' and are a favourite among tuners looking for reliable horsepower. All for 120 horsepower and negligible mileage improvements.

These marked the pinnacle of non-turbo V8 development at BMW, but the latest 4.4-liter twin-turbo S63 is a modern masterpiece.

The Pontiac small journal V8 is probably better known as the 389 cubic inch engine that initially powered the GTO. Next: 15 Fast Supercars That Pack V8 Engines (And 5 With A V6). The World's Most Entertaining Car Website, 10 Celebs Who Married The Same Person Twice, Ranking The 8 Best V8 Engines Of All Time (And The 7 Worst), 8 Old Pontiac Cars That Stood The Test Of Time (And 7 That Did Not), 10 Cars From The '80s That Were Just Awful (And 10 From The '90s), These Are The Least Reliable Cars From Ford…Ever, 15 Fast Supercars That Pack V8 Engines (And 5 With A V6), All The Celebrity Babies Born In 2020, During Quarantine, Yara Shahidi Is Disney's New Tinker Bell: Here's Everything We Know About Her, Life After Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: What The Older Sisters Are Up To These Days, Ava Phillippe Is 21: All About Reese Witherspoon's Grown-Up Little Lady, Star Wars Sequels: Ages, Heights & Relationship Statuses Of The Main Cast, 10 RuPaul's Drag Race Contestants With Touching Backstories, 10 Things We Are Learning About Nicki Minaj's Marriage To Kenneth Petty, 10 Women Brad Pitt Dated Before Meeting Nicole Poturalski, 10 Oscar-Winning Actresses Who Would Be Sorted Into Ravenclaw, 10 Celebrities Who Have Gone To Prom With Their Fans, Here's How Chris Pratt Spends His $60 Million Net Worth, Hannah Montana: What's The Cast Worth Now, Ranked, 10 Looks Kim Kardashian Is Embarrassed Of, 10 Adorable Pictures Of Bindi Irwin, Then & Now, Big Brother: 10 Unknown Facts About Rachel & Brendon's Marriage, The Kardashian-Jenner Clan, Ranked By Instagram Followers, MBTI Personality Types For Each Kardashian-Jenner, America's Got Talent: 10 Ways The Talent Competition Is Staged.

By its final production year in 1970, it was bored out to 402 cubic inches but still labeled a 396 do the name popularity. The result was a detuned V8 with a 4 barrel carburetor and dual exhaust, but producing only 180 horsepower. However, the execution did not work so well.

It was an all-aluminum unit and was also fitted to the Oldsmobile Jetfire, the world's very first turbocharged engine. Fitted to cars like the luxurious LS400, these engines initially produced 256 hp but made 300 hp with the addition of variable valve timing and other updates in later versions.

This layout was the basis for every mid-engined Ferrari V8 right up until the 360 that ceased production in 2005. He grew up in the Detroit area and has followed the auto industry, entertainment and politics for over forty years.

Dave is a retired Naval Officer and current student studying Digital Media.

What follows are 8 of the best and 7 of the worst V8 engines of all time. The low price point was an additional draw card and variations of this engine powered countless Fords well into the '50s. The ultimate version of this motor was dubbed the M159 and was used in the SLS supercar, producing 622 hp. They decided to convert the existing inline 4-cylinder engine to a V8.

McLaren Automotive opened its doors in 1963 and while it has been extraordinarily successful in motorsport, it wasn't until much later that it turned its focus to road cars.

The all-new LS V8s were introduced in 1996 and this is the line of engines that powers current GM vehicles. Most people associate V8 engines with American muscle cars or modern performance, but they have actually been around since 1904.