American cars may not be quite as premium or well-built as their European or Asian counterparts, but one thing everyone can count on is the fact that American V8 engines are among the coolest in the world.
The V8 engine emerged in the 1920s with the L-Head V8 used in the Cadillac V-8. Since then, the V8 engine grew in popularity over the next three decades but exploded in desirability in the mid-1960s thanks to the horsepower war. The V8 took a dip in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s before regaining popularity in the early 2000s. While the American V8 suffered under the energy crisis, the Europeans and even the Japanese caught up and by the time the Americans rejoined the party, everyone was on equal footing. Still, the American engines produced more power and their performance cars were faster than the Europeans – with the fastest sedan on the market going to an $85,000 Dodge Charger instead of a Bentley Flying Spur which cost three times more.
American V8s are some of the coolest engines and the modern motors currently still on sale are fantastic and characterful. Here are ten of the best modern American V8 engines you can get.
10 Ford Coyote – 5.0-Liter
The Ford Coyote V8 is the evolution of the famous Ford Modular Engine, first used in its 4.6-liter displacement in the SN-95 Mustang. Ford made extensive tweaks and modifications to the engine over the years, eventually debuting it in the S-197 Mustang – replacing both the 4.6 and 5.4 liters.
The Coyote 5.0 is the same size as the 4.6 but instead uses a longer stroke to get the extra displacement. The Coyote makes between 360 and 480 hp depending on the Ford application, with the Australian FPVs and British TVRs producing between 450 and 550 hp.
9 GM LS3 – 6.2-Liter
The GM LS3 6.2-liter V8 is probably the most reliable and easiest-to-work with V8 engine in existence. Debuting as the updated version of the LS2, the LS3 first saw service in the C6 Chevrolet Corvette, before getting exported to a whole host of different GM vehicles.
The 6.2-liter unit produces between 415 and 430 hp depending on the application and around 420 lb-ft of torque. The LS3 was used in the Australian Holden vehicles to battle the Ford FPVs. The LS3 is also available as a crate engine – a favorite among the hot-rodding community.
8 Chrysler Apache – 6.4-Liter
The Chrysler Apache engine is quite an old motor by now. It is a larger displacement version of the famous 5.7-liter HEMI V8, producing 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. Since 2015, the Apache’s power increased to 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.
The Apache is a great engine and features in many Chrysler cars, most notably in the ‘regular’ SRT versions. Sadly, the Apache will be discontinued in 2023 when production of the Chrysler 300C, Dodge Charger, and Dodge Challenger ends.
7 GM LT2 – 6.2-Liter
The Chevrolet LT2 engine shares many aspects of its design with the other small-block V8s but is specifically designed for one car – the C8 Corvette Stingray. The LT2 debuted as the only engine option in 2020, graduating to be a hybrid drivetrain in the new Corvette E-Ray.
The LT2 replaced the LT1 used in the C7 ‘Vette, producing 490 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque – or 495 hp and 470 lb-ft with the performance exhaust. The engine displaces the traditional 6.2 liters and sounds fantastic in the Corvette.
6 Ford Godzilla – 7.3-Liter
The Ford Godzilla engine is a beast of a motor. The Godzilla – not to be confused with the Nissan GT-R – displaces either 6.8 liters or a whopping 7.3 liters in its most powerful trim. The Godzilla is designed to replace the aging Modular V10 used in Heavy Duty pickups and commercial vehicles.
The Godzilla produces 300 hp in its lowest trim – intended for the E-Series commercial vehicles – rising to 430 hp in the F-250 and Super Duty models. Thanks to the 475 lb-ft of torque, the Godzilla is excellent for towing and due to the improved internals, the motor is excellent for tuning and forced induction.
5 GM LT4 – 6.2-Liter Supercharged
The GM LT4 is another Corvette engine designed for the C7 Z06. The 6.2-liter V8 features a supercharger and is one of the best-sounding American V8s out there. The LT4 produces 640 hp in its lowest configuration, rising to 682 for its top specification – in the Cadillac Escalade-V, surprisingly.
The LT4 is such a good engine that GM used it in various cars apart from the Corvette, including the Camaro ZL1, the Cadillac CTS-V and the succeeding CT5-V Blackwing. It is a fantastic engine that remains relevant, even in this time of 700+ hp monsters.
4 Ford Voodoo – 5.2-Liter
The Ford Voodoo engine is a revised and heavily upgraded version of the Coyote. The biggest difference between the two is the fact that the Voodoo has a flat-plane crankshaft, whereas the Coyote features a traditional cross-plane.
This addition added 0.2 liters to the displacement, resulting in a 5.2-liter V8 that revs to 8,250 rpm – normal for European V8s but unheard of in a Mustang. The Voodoo remains naturally aspirated and produces 526 hp and 429 lb-ft in the Mustang GT350 and GT350R.
3 GM LT6 – 5.5-Liter
The GM LT6 is an entirely new engine and while it has a bore spacing of 4.4 inches, Chevrolet refuses to add it to the ‘Small-Block’ list. Unlike most of GM’s V8s, the LT6 is an entirely new design completely unrelated to anything else.
The LT6 displaces 5.5 liters and uses a certain Italian automaker’s manufacturing techniques in its construction. The LT6 revs to 8,600 rpm and produces an incredible 670 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 engine ever made. It also sounds like an old Ferrari – which is glorious!
2 Ford Predator – 5.2-Liter Supercharged
The Ford Predator V8 is yet another revision of the Coyote but incorporates many of the Voodoo’s technology. Ford also added a supercharger to the top of the engine, reverted the flat-plane crank to a cross-plane one, and tweaked the intake and exhaust manifolds.
The result is a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 producing 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque. To handle the power, Ford mated the engine to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission – the first for a Shelby Mustang. The Predator is a great engine, only slightly overshadowed by the beast from MoPar.
1 Chrysler Hellcat – 6.2-Liter Supercharged
Everyone knew Dodge was working on a revised Challenger and Charger, but few expected a stock 707 hp supercharged monster to come out of it. The 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine is a revision of the 5.7-liter HEMI V8, bored and stroked to its final displacement.
The Hellcat V8 then got a 2.4-liter supercharger stuck on top, resulting in 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. Chrysler then went ahead and created an 840 hp version, eventually ending up at a 797 hp model. The Chrysler Hellcat engine is, and will probably forever be, one of the greatest surprises in the motoring world.