No matter what the car is, it’s useless without an engine under the hood. That engine has to be as reliable as possible and, in some cases, as powerful as possible if it is in a performance car.
Many engines have been produced throughout history, although not all have been winners. But plenty have been that deserve a place in the Engine Hall of Fame, marking them out from rival powertrains.
This list contains 13 of those engines. Reliability, power, and performance factors are heavily important here. We’ve also included some ground-breaking engines that pushed the boundaries of design and technology.
1999 Toyota 1.0-Litre
While a 16-valve 1.0-litre engine might sound dull, back in 1999, Toyota introduced what was, at the time, the most powerful 1.0-litre engine available in any car. The engine also featured intelligent variable valve timing (VVT-i), making this first release of the Toyota Yaris one of the best superminis on the market.
Reliability is one of this engine’s key strengths. The 70 horsepower (hp) figure might not have been a lot. But it was plenty in a small, light supermini, and the early Yaris was a joy to drive. The bonus is that it was good for 50 mpg combined. A fuel economy figure that embarrasses many modern cars and engines.
Ferrari Colombo V12
Gioacchino Colombo originally designed Ferrari’s Colombo V12, but its roots lie in the first Ferrari-branded model developed by Enzo Ferrari, the 125 S of 1947. The engine debuted as a 1.5-liter V12 before Colombo upgraded and updated it.
The core design remained the same for four decades, although it had various levels of forced induction throughout that time. It became a dual-overhead-cam engine with EFI. This found its way into cars like the Ferrari 250 Tesa Rossa and Ferrari 365 GTB/4.
Jaguar V12
Jaguar’s iconic V12 engines are undoubtedly some of the best and most famous in the world. Its origins go as far back as 1951, but it wasn’t until 1964, with the Le Mans racer, the XJ13, that the engine became available for the masses. Jaguar would place a 5.3-liter V12 into its 1971 E-Type Series 3, and the engine proved so successful that other manufacturers, such as Daimler, would begin to use it.
The last V12 iteration was the 6.0-liter HE, producing up to 333 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque. Jaguar intended to use its V12 engine in the XJ220, but emissions and engineering changes meant a turbocharged V6 was selected instead.
Chevrolet Small-Block V8
The small-block Chevy V8 is undoubtedly one of the best-known engines in the world and an engine that perfectly encapsulates America. Chevrolet introduced the small-block V8 in 1955, and since then, it has only got stronger and stronger, making a name for itself in cars such as the Camaro, Chevelle, and Corvette.
The engine would go on to power various vehicles, such as Le Mans race winners and pickup trucks, before the Bow Tie superseded it with its new LS V8. Few engines have made such a lasting impression on the automotive world as the Chevy small-block.
Ferrari F140
More than one Ferrari engine will appear on this list, and the next is the exceptional F140, the mighty powertrain that sits in the back of the epic Ferrari Enzo. It debuted in the Enzo as a 6.0-liter V12 with 651 hp and 458 lb-ft of torque, but Ferrari wasn’t done with it then.
Over the years, it gradually improved the F140 and increased the displacement to 6.3 liters. Ferrari evolved the engine so much that it even found its way into the LaFerrari hybrid hypercar and the F12berlinetta, but it is a far cry from the V12 of the early 2000s.
Alfa Romeo GTV V6
Reliability wasn’t always Alfa Romeo’s strength. However, the GTV’s V6 engine from 1995 to 2004 was reliable, and one of the most potent Alfa Romeos ever put into a sports car.
There are some things to watch out for with the engines. The cambelts usually need changing every four years, and it’s essential to stay on top of servicing the engine to keep it in peak condition and avoid excessive oil consumption. But look after it, and you will have one of the best engines ever to grace an Alfa Romeo.
GMA Cosworth V12
Although it emerged only in the last few years, the Gordon Murray Automotive-Cosworth V12, under the hood of Gordon Murray’s excellent T.50, is one of the best modern automotive powertrains ever developed. Not only is it powerful, but it also produces one of the best soundtracks of any modern engine.
The engine redlines at 12,100 rpm and has 654 hp and 345 lb-ft of torque. That might not sound much compared to the 1,000 hp+ of some of its rivals. However, the engine weighs just 392 lbs, and the car weighs just 2,198 lbs, meaning the GMA-Cosworth V12 has more than enough power. The T.50 also has a gigantic fan sucking the car to the ground, similar to the fan Murray designed for the Brabham BT46B fan car of the 1970s.
Bugatti 3.5L Quad-Turbocharged V12
The most famous Bugatti engine is the quad-turbocharged W16, first made famous in the Veyron. Before that, though, there was the 3.5-liter quad-turbocharged V12 Bugatti made for the EB110. This was the only car to enter production from the Romano Artioli era of the company.
The engine allowed the EB110 to become the world’s fastest production car of its time, beating the Jaguar XJ220. With 553 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, it was also a monster. Four turbochargers highlighted its insanity, marking it as one of the best supercar engines ever.
Ford ‘Voodoo’ Flat-Plane V8
Ford’s exceptional Voodoo V8 was explicitly designed for muscle car fun. This 5.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 can be found under the hoods of cars like the Shelby Mustang GT350 and GT350R. Using a flat-plane crankshaft means the engine is heavier and revs faster to its high redline of 8,250 rpm.
The Voodoo also features a dual-overhead-cam design, and its architecture has been part of the Ford family since 2015. Each engine is hand-built, so it is not like the other, and compared to other American V8 engines, the Voodoo produces a unique but excellent soundtrack.
Nissan RB26DETT
This is an engine that needs no introduction. The Nissan RB26DETT is, of course, the famous 2.6-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six under the hood of the Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, with it reaching its peak under the hood of the R34 Skyline before Nissan ceased production of the sports car.
The engine is the reason why the car earned the nickname “Godzilla.” While the gentleman’s agreement between Japanese manufacturers to cap engine outputs meant power was limited to 280 hp from the factory, the tunability of the engine meant much more power could be extracted from the RB26.
Alfa Romeo ‘Busso’ V6
Few engines can claim to have the longevity of the incredible Alfa Romeo ‘Busso’ V6. The Italian manufacturer produced the Busso for decades. The original 60-degree V6 spawned generations of powertrains that would find their way into cars, such as the Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 and the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA.
Power levels for the engines varied from 130 hp to 247 hp, while displacement varied from 2.0-liters to 3.2-liters. The Busso is arguably Alfa Romeo’s finest powertrain, thanks to its smooth power delivery, especially at the low-end, and its glorious high rpms soundtrack.
Jaguar JRV-6
The Jaguar JRV-6 is the engine that ultimately went under the hood of the XJ220. This occurred after Jaguar initially told the world it would have a massive V12 under the hood. The JRV-6 originated in the Group B rally car, the Rover Metro 6R4, yet it turned out to be more powerful than the V12.
The V6 produced 542 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, compared to the 500 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque from the V12. Not only was the V6 more economical. But it was also still good enough to power the XJ220 to a top speed of 212.3 mph.
Dodge Viper ACR 8.4L V10
The Dodge Viper is one of the most powerful and almost terrifying sports cars ever. And it is a car that has never done anything in a subtle way. Highlighting this is the monster 8.4-liter V10 engine, taking the road-going version of the Viper to the next level.
This massive V10 produced 640 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, notably in variants including the SRT-10 and the ACR-X. The ACR-X was a fully-fledged track car. One that showcased its prowess in GT racing worldwide and reminded everyone how potent the Viper was.
