Photo: Mercedes-AMG
There are plenty of hard facts by which you can judge engines, but for most of us, the choice is usually subjective. Some people are crazy about the dying breed of naturally aspirated gasoline engines, while others like their turbochargers many and big - it's not so much about the numbers, but the feel they offer.
Throughout the years, the V8 has found itself in a sweet spot - large and powerful enough to offer serious performance, and yet still remain somewhat affordable. We all like the idea of as many cylinders as possible, but a look at our bank accounts tells us we'll need to stop at some point.
But since most of us don't have access to every different model out there, we can't ever hope to experience all engines available at the time. Luckily, there are publications such as WardsAuto that do just that so we don't have to. And when they're done, they come up with a yearly Top 10 of the best engines.
They've been doing that for the past 23 years, and despite the various changes in the market over this period of time, there was one thing that remained constant: each year had at least one V8 engine in the charts. Well, that tradition has come to a very abrupt end in 2016: this year's top 10 has just two V6s and one straight six among seven four-cylinder units.
Thinking of the many wonderful V8 engines out there - the versatile 4.0-liter Mercedes-AMG bi-turbo springs to mind - it's hard to imagine none was good enough to make the cut, but WardsAuto has spoken, and the largest displacement you'll find among the finalists is, ironically enough, the 3.6-liter V6 in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.
“Automakers see downsizing, turbocharging and electrification as key strategies for delivering no-compromise powertrains that also are fuel-efficient, and this year’s list clearly affirms that strategy,” commented WardsAuto Senior Content Director Drew Winter.
The editors were looking for that elusive mix of performance and efficiency, and it would seem they didn't think any of the eight-cylinder units made a convincing case for themselves on both criteria. But the real explanation for the absence of V8 engines has nothing to do with power of fuel consumption. It has to do with money.
WardsAuto had imposed a $62,000 ceiling for eligible vehicles, and while that is plenty of money, it's just not enough to include the more premium models. It's not that carmakers don't make V8s anymore, it's just that they are used for the top-of-the-line versions, with prices to match. For the rest of the lineup, they are offering pretty decent four- and six-cylinder engines that offer the same power as V8s from ten years ago.
No reason to panic, then. The V8 is not dying, or at least not any more so than any other internal combustion engine configuration. You just need to fork out more money if you want to get a decent one, that's all.
Here's the full list:
3.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW M240i)
1.5L DOHC 4-cyl./Dual Motor EREV (Chevrolet Volt)
3.6L DOHC V-6/Dual Motor PHEV (Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid)
2.3L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Ford Focus RS)
2.0L DOHC 4-cyl./Dual Motor HEV (Honda Accord Hybrid)
1.4L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Hyundai Elantra Eco)
3.0L Turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Infiniti Q50)
2.5L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Mazda CX-9)
2.0L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Mercedes-Benz C300)
2.0L Turbo/Supercharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Volvo V60 Polestar)
But since most of us don't have access to every different model out there, we can't ever hope to experience all engines available at the time. Luckily, there are publications such as WardsAuto that do just that so we don't have to. And when they're done, they come up with a yearly Top 10 of the best engines.
They've been doing that for the past 23 years, and despite the various changes in the market over this period of time, there was one thing that remained constant: each year had at least one V8 engine in the charts. Well, that tradition has come to a very abrupt end in 2016: this year's top 10 has just two V6s and one straight six among seven four-cylinder units.
Thinking of the many wonderful V8 engines out there - the versatile 4.0-liter Mercedes-AMG bi-turbo springs to mind - it's hard to imagine none was good enough to make the cut, but WardsAuto has spoken, and the largest displacement you'll find among the finalists is, ironically enough, the 3.6-liter V6 in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.
“Automakers see downsizing, turbocharging and electrification as key strategies for delivering no-compromise powertrains that also are fuel-efficient, and this year’s list clearly affirms that strategy,” commented WardsAuto Senior Content Director Drew Winter.
The editors were looking for that elusive mix of performance and efficiency, and it would seem they didn't think any of the eight-cylinder units made a convincing case for themselves on both criteria. But the real explanation for the absence of V8 engines has nothing to do with power of fuel consumption. It has to do with money.
WardsAuto had imposed a $62,000 ceiling for eligible vehicles, and while that is plenty of money, it's just not enough to include the more premium models. It's not that carmakers don't make V8s anymore, it's just that they are used for the top-of-the-line versions, with prices to match. For the rest of the lineup, they are offering pretty decent four- and six-cylinder engines that offer the same power as V8s from ten years ago.
No reason to panic, then. The V8 is not dying, or at least not any more so than any other internal combustion engine configuration. You just need to fork out more money if you want to get a decent one, that's all.
Here's the full list:
3.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW M240i)
1.5L DOHC 4-cyl./Dual Motor EREV (Chevrolet Volt)
3.6L DOHC V-6/Dual Motor PHEV (Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid)
2.3L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Ford Focus RS)
2.0L DOHC 4-cyl./Dual Motor HEV (Honda Accord Hybrid)
1.4L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Hyundai Elantra Eco)
3.0L Turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Infiniti Q50)
2.5L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Mazda CX-9)
2.0L Turbocharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Mercedes-Benz C300)
2.0L Turbo/Supercharged DOHC 4-cyl. (Volvo V60 Polestar)
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