Engines have only been getting smaller over the course of the last 15 years or so, and with the proliferation of turbocharging and hybrids, automakers can deliver more power than ever with modestly-sized four and six-cylinder vehicles. So we're not looking to list the biggest engines ever made here. We're looking at the largest production engines made this century, some of which are still in production.
Related
Only One Thing Could Force Ferrari To Stop Making V12 Engines
They'll keep making V12 engines for as long as possible.
One of the largest engines on this list was only unveiled a few days ago. While we understand the need for downsizing, it's nice to see that automakers are still building large engines. The new Ferrari 12Cilindri was introduced earlier this year, boasting a 6.5-liter V12 engine with no turbocharging or electrical assist. And it's not even big enough to break into this top 10 list. These are the highest-capacity production engines made from 2000 to the present day.
10 GM LS7
Capacity | 7.0-Liter V8 |
|---|---|
Power | 505 hp |
Torque | 472 lb-ft |
The GM Small-Block family actually produced an engine larger than the LS7, the 7.4-liter LSX454. But the LSX454 was an aftermarket upgrade. The LS7 was the biggest V8 you could drive off a dealer lot between 2006 to 2016. The LS7 was an aluminum-block engine with forged titanium connecting rods and a peak output of 505 bhp.
Related
The History Of The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
The standard C8 Corvette Stingray is one of the best performance bangs for your buck out there.
LS7 engines were mostly found in Chevy Camaros and Corvettes throughout the 2000s and 2010s. The 2006-2014 Corvette Z06 managed to get a 3.7-second 0-60 sprint out of the LS7. The LS7 was also available as an option in the Vertical Hummingbird, an amateur construction kit helicopter based on the Sikorsky S-52. The LS7 produces 325 hp in the Hummingbird 300LS model.
9 Ford's Godzilla V8
Capacity | 7.3-Liter V8 |
|---|---|
Power | 430 bhp |
Torque | 475 lb-ft |
Newer Ford Godzilla engines are a bit smaller than the originals. In 2023, Ford introduced a 6.8-liter, 415cid model for the newer Ford Super Duty trucks, the F-250s and up. The engine that earned the Godzilla name and which is still available in large pickups and even custom-built Ford Broncos is a 7.3-liter beast capable of pulling more than 16,800 pounds if the truck's frame can handle it.
The Godzilla is tied for size with the Megazilla engine. It uses the same iron engine block; it has the same compression ratio, and the cylinder capacity is the same, but stronger internal components, including Callies forged H-beam connecting rods and Mahle forged pistons, boost the power output to around 615 hp when its packed into a Super Duty pickup.
8 Pagani Zonda S V12
Capacity | 7.3-Liter V12 |
|---|---|
Power | 547 bhp |
Torque | 553 lb-ft |
Introduced in 2002, the Pagani Zonda S 7.3 packs a naturally aspirated M120 V12. Mercedes-AMG developed the Zonda S 7.3 with an output of 547 hp. Traction control and anti-lock brakes were made standard in the 7.3 to better handle the increase in power over the 532 hp C12-S. Despite the engine upgrade, Pagani reports the same track numbers for the S 7.3 as the 7.0-liter C12-S, with a 3.7-second 0-62 mph sprint and a top speed of 208 mph.
For the Huayra, Pagani downsized to a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12, increasing the power to 730 horses. The new Utopia uses the same engine, but the power has been increased to 852 horses, making a compelling argument for turbocharging.
7 Aston Martin One-77 V12
Capacity | 7.3-Liter V12 |
|---|---|
Power | 750 bhp |
Torque | 553 lb-ft |
As the name suggests, the Aston Martin One-77 had a limited production run of just 77. Plus a street-legal prototype, that makes 78 units in total. When last we checked, that's still the official count. One unit crashed in Hong Kong but has been rebuilt.
The One-77's engine is part of the Aston Martin V12 engine family, which ranges from a comparatively reasonable 5.2-liter Twin Turbo, found in the DB11 and V12 Vantage, to the 7.0-liter Aston Martin Vulcan and, in the One-77, the Cosworth-modified AM77. The One-77's top speed has been clocked at 220 mph, and its 0-60 sprint takes 3.5 seconds.
Like Ferrari, Aston Martin is doing the most to keep the V12 around. An all-new V12 engine will debut soon in the upcoming Vanquish.
Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.
- Follow On
6 Bugatti Chiron W16
Capacity | 8.0-Liter W16 |
|---|---|
Power | 1,480 hp |
Torque | 1,180 lb-ft |
The Bugatti W16 is an 8.0-liter monster of an engine with four turbochargers cranking out up to 1,825 hp in the track-only Bugatti Bolide sports car. The engine is effectively a pair of VR8s mated at a 90-degree angle. From 2005 to 2024, this engine powered the Chiron Super Sport from 0 to 60 mph in 2.2 seconds, with the final production engine going into the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport L'Ultime.
Related
Your Complete Guide To W Engines
All you need to know about the W engine configuration
If this engine blows out, a replacement is estimated at around $850,000, and that's before you factor in the labor costs! There are 500 Chirons in existence, 80 known units for the Chiron Super Sport, and the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport L'Ultime is a one-of-a-kind model.
5 GM Vortec 8100
Capacity | 8.1-Liter V8 |
|---|---|
Power | 430 bhp |
Torque | 455 lb-ft |
Chevrolet launched the 8100 Big-Block V8 in 2001 as an option for their full-size pickups. The engine is all-iron, making it one of the heaviest engines on this list, at 761 pounds. Overall power output was rated at 430 bhp, but put into practice, this would translate to somewhere around 340 hp when it was under the hood of a Sierra 2500 HD.
Paired with the Sierra's rugged frame, the 8100 could tow a minimum of 12,000 pounds. The engine could also be found in the Chevy Suburban and the GMC Yukon XL from 2001 to 2006 and the Kodiak until 2010. Outside civilian-grade passenger vehicles, the 8100 also powered the T-98 Kombat armored SUV in Russia, and it can be found in a number of boats built by Malibu and MasterCraft.
4 Dodge Viper V10 ZB I
Capacity | 8.3-Liter V10 |
Power | 500 bhp |
Torque | 525 lb-ft |
The Viper engine line has produced a number of big, powerful engines, with one of the more versatile being the 8.3-liter VB I, a third-gen iteration produced from 2003 to 2010. The VB I powered the Viper itself, of course, as well as the Dodge Ram SRT-10.
The SRT-10 was a sports truck based on the RAM 1500, built by DaimlerChrysler's Performance Vehicle Operations division from 2004-2006. The 5,130-lb regular cab version hit 0-60 in just 4.9 seconds and did a quarter mile in 13.6 seconds, crossing the finish line at 106 mph. The SRT-10 was a limited-run pickup, but not a one-of-100 limited run; more like they felt the market justified 10,046 production units.
3 Bugatti Tourbillon V16
Capacity | 8.3-Liter V16 |
|---|---|
Power | 1,000 bhp |
Torque | 664 lb-ft |
We have the all-new Bugatti Tourbillon, which splits the second and third-generation Vipers. It's equipped with an 8.3-liter V16 engine, the first time this engine configuration has been used in a production car in 84 years. That amount of power alone is staggering, but the Tourbillon is also equipped with three electric motors, which takes the combined power output up to 1,800 horses, which is good for a 0-60 sprint time of two seconds flat. It can get to 186 mph in 10 seconds.
Related
Bugatti Tourbillon Vs. Bugatti Chiron: 7 Biggest Differences Between Bugatti's Newest Hypercar And The Legend It Replaces
The Bugatti Tourbillon represents a new era for the brand under the stewardship of Mate Rimac, and it's shaping up to be a special one.
Even though the Viper and Bugatti have the same engine size, we placed it higher on the list because of its power output. The first customer deliveries will only take place two years from now, but Bugatti already has several prototypes running around. We can't wait to see how this brand-new hypercar fares against its all-electric rivals.
2 Viper V10 ZB II
Capacity | 8.4-Liter V10 |
|---|---|
Power | 600 bhp |
Torque | 600 lb-ft |
In 2008, the Viper V10 got a 0.1-liter upgrade and an extra 100 bhp. The 4th-generation iteration of the engine was one of the first pushrods to ever adopt variable valve timing. The 2008 Viper was clocked at a 0-60 sprint of 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 202 mph.
The 8.4-liter V10 Viper engine is sometimes said to be a Hemi, which it isn't. But it does have the same 4.055-inch bore as the 6.1-liter Hemi found in the SRT-8 versions of the Magnum, Charger, Cherokee, Challenger, and 300C until 2010. The ZB lineup was retired in 2012 for the fifth-gen VX engine, which boasts the same displacement and fuel capacity, with the power boosted to 640 hp.
1 Ford 385-Series 514 V8
Capacity | 8.4-Liter V8 |
Power | 704 bhp |
Torque | 652 lb-ft |
The Ford 385 series has a history dating back to the muscle car era. While the engine became less common from the late 1990s onward, Ford Racing kept producing its own modified crate engine for years after the engine was officially "retired." It has the same capacity as the fourth-gen Viper but makes a lot more power.
The 514 is best known as an optional engine in the Roadster Shelby 427, and today is most commonly found in rebuilds and replicas of the classic 427. The Shelby has been estimated to top 800 horsepower with a 514 engine. Ford also makes a 9.4-liter 572 cid version of the 385, but, as far as we can tell, this one never found its way into a street-legal production car.
