We recently did an article called “The Horsepower Hall of Fame”. If you missed it, it’s an interesting piece where we highlighted some notable and historic engines that were suitable entries for a fantasy Hall of Fame (please, take a look). We then opened the floor for debate and discussion.
Be careful what you wish for – our dear friend and avid enthusiast, Jay Gatsby offered up some enticing suggestions, revealing modern engines that are worthy of inclusion in such a gathering of power. I threw some in at the end just to add a nice twist. With that said, I guess we have the Second Class of candidates for the Horsepower Hall of Fame.
Dodge Viper V-10
Straight, no charger
All-American and all-engine; 8.0-liters, 640 horses, and 600 lb-ft of torque. It’s a match for any Ford or Mercedes blown V-8. If you killed a nameplate and needed to revive it, shove one of these in its chest and step back!
Ford/Shelby Supercharged V-8
The Blue-Oval and Shelby produced a force-fed V8 with a peak output of 662-horsepower and 631 lb.-ft. of torque, and a sound that could only be described as God clearing His throat.
Nissan Twin-Turbo V-6 VR38DETT
What type of magical motor is this? It propels a car that no one had ever heard of in ways that seem impossible. Godzilla is back!! The 2015 sequel is even better.
Toyota (Supra) 2JZ-GTE Inline-6
In 1979, it came to our shores as the M-EU I6 with 110-hp and became the 2JZ-GTE surging with 320-hp before it would make a final bow in 2002. The supra is honored as a cult car among enthusiasts, partly because of its legacy, mainly because of this engine. A comeback would be nice because this is the type of Halo car Toyota needs.
Aston Martin V-12
If you don’t know about an Aston Martin V-12, you cannot call yourself a true car enthusiast. V-12’s with the strength of a freight train have been A-M’s stock and trade for decades. While V-8’s have made their way into the lineup, stuffing four more cylinders under the hood becomes something special. How could we leave this one off the list? Excuse our oversight, Jay.
6.7-liter Cummins Turbodiesel
I know it’s a truck engine, but if you have 850 lb-ft. of torque to swing around, you can stiff arm your way into a spot on our list. Whether you are hauling a project car or changing the rotation of the earth, this is one of the tools of the trade.
Rolls Royce Twin-Turbo V-12
Prodigious amount of power, copious gobs of torque all packed into a smooth tailor-made suit. Before we can open the hood of the Phantom, we must remove our hats and mention the Merlin. This engine, in one form or another, propelled Captains of Fighter planes and Bombers as well as Captains of Industry. No other has the lineage or versatility of a V-12 by the British…errr, German…uuhhh, British firm.
Porsche Flat-6
Porsche is not the only manufacturer to try its hand at flat engines. It is simply the one that has the greatest legacy. If you can imagine, every version of the 911: S, RS, GT2, GT3, Turbo, SC, Cabriolet and the list goes on. Five decades of Ferdinand’s car have all had one thing in common; a round bottom with a flat box inside.
The Volvo FH16 750 and the Scania R730M
These are more than just trucks with big engines, they are feats of engineering which prove that rivalry is not relegated to Detroit iron. European Lorrie manufacturers go round after round trying to produce the cargo hauler to end all cargo haulers. Hailed as the most powerful trucks in the world, I had to mention them.
Thank you, Jay, for your wonderful additions. Hopefully we’ve shown that we do listen to our readers and subscribers. So let the entries pour in, let the debate rage on and let the construction continue on the Temple of Pistons.
What other engines do you think should be in the Horsepower Hall of Fame?
