This has been a long time coming. Whenever we find ourselves absolutely smitten with a motor, one of us inevitably blurts out, “This belongs in the engine hall of fame!” For years it’s been nothing more than an expression, shorthand to express how great a given car’s motivator is. Also, there is no Engine Hall of Fame. Until now.
This is not just about raw power and terrific torque, though. It’s not even about reliability, economy, or the numbers of cylinders, camshafts, and valves. A Hall of Fame engine is often greater than the sum of its parts. It could be an engine that made history. Or made a great sound.
Take a look at our inaugural list of Engine Hall of Fame inductees. Is there an engine we forgot? Or one we included you think is undeserving? That’s what the comments section is for. Oh, and for simplicity’s sake, we’ve put them in alphabetical order.
Without further preamble, here it is: Motor Trend‘s Engine Hall of Fame.
Alfa Romeo “Busso”: V-6 (1979)
In production for more than a quarter century, this is the only V-6 that could ever be loved by a hardened fan of the straight-six. The short-stroke, 60-degree masterpiece started life as a SOHC, 12-valve, 2.5-liter with six carbs (because Italy!), and before it was done, it was punched out as large as 3.2 liters, given DOHC four-valve-per-cylinder heads, and even turbocharged by the factory (in 2.0-liter form). You’d be hard-pressed to find a better-sounding V-6 made before or since, and none that’s as vibration-free and rev-happy as the Busso. Is it reliable? Don’t be silly. But it looked as good as it sounded—so at least you had its looks to distract you while you worked on it.
Alfa Romeo Twin Cam: I-4 (1954)
It went into production in 1954, and with minimal updates and a delicious, throaty snarl, it powered generations of Alfa Romeo sedans, coupes, and convertibles for the next 40 years. It was a simple engine, simply well-engineered. The block was aluminum with cast-iron cylinder liners, and it was topped with an aluminum cylinder head with twin overhead camshafts and hemispherical combustion chambers with two valves per cylinder. At the bottom end was a forged crankshaft supported by five main bearings and wrapped in a beautiful, delicate, finned cast-aluminum oil pan. Over the years its capacity was stretched from 1.3 to 2.0 liters, and the sportiest versions ran twin 40mm twin-barrel Weber carbs. Pick of the bunch was probably the 1,779cc version introduced in 1968 for the 1750 GTV coupe and Berlina sedan. It had just a little more midrange torque than the 1,570cc version and revved more sweetly than the 1,962cc variant.
AMG M156/159: V-8 (2006)
Less an automobile engine than a vintage Mike Tyson uppercut to the jaw, AMG’s first-ever engine is the definition of a brute. Displacing 6.2 liters—not 6.3 liters like Mercedes’ marketing department would love you to think—the burly V-8 powered nearly everything with an AMG badge during the middle of the 2000s. Sadly, because of the opposing goals of both the ever-escalating German horsepower wars and the pursuit of lower carbon emissions, turbocharging took over. However, we did get to enjoy the mighty, free-breathing V-8 in both the C63 (M156) and SLS Gullwing (M159) for the better part of a decade. The two best iterations, the 510-hp version of the M156 found in the C63 Black Series and the rip-snortin’, attack chainsaw-sounding M159 found in the SLS Black Series, were indeed special. However, let’s not forget the Edition 507 version that packed 500 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. Not to get all Faulkner on you, but the sound and the fury of this big-ass V-8 will long be cherished by car guys and gals the world over.
BMW S50B32: I-6 (1996)
With 316 hp from 3,201cc, it may just sneak under the 100 hp/liter specific-output mark, but if you drive anything (a Euro-spec E36 M3 or Z3 M) with this 7,600 rpm monster under the hood, you’ll understand the true meaning of supple violence. It’s smooth as silk, like almost all straight-sixes, but delivers its power with the immediacy and subtlety of a TNT explosion. It’s alive just off idle, gets mad at 2,200 rpm, and then all hell breaks loose from 5,200 on up. It suffered from none of the raspy chainsaw noises from the S54B32 that replaced it (in the E46 M3) and made just 17 fewer horses. It’s the most engaging six BMW has ever built. And that’s saying something.
BMW S65B40: V-8 (2007)
It’s so cliché, but this has to be one of our top choices. If the GM small-block receives the award for the best simple V-8, the BMW S65 has to win the complicated V-8 award. Four cams, eight throttle bodies, variable everything timing, and 8,400 rpm. Its output (414 or 444 hp) is impressive, its torque curve is as flat as a Kansas interstate, and its compression ratio is high enough to burn diesel (12.0:1). But it’s the haunting, rich sound of this V-8 that is its defining characteristic. Horror-movie soundtracks wish they could raise neck hairs like this engine can. The most horrifying thing about this engine, however, is that it’s a high watermark that BMW shows no interest in beating.
Chevrolet LS7: V-8 (2006)
There are a couple of engine truths that we hold self-evident. There’s no replacement for displacement, and the GM small-block is one of the seven wonders of the automotive world. With those two pillars in mind, it’s easy to see why the LS7, Chevy’s 7.0-liter beastie of a V-8, gets the nod. There are all sorts of technical bells and whistles: pressed-in cylinder liners, high-silicon-content aluminum cylinders, titanium connecting rods and intake valves, and sodium-filled exhaust valves. It was dry-sumped, too. However, let’s not discount the time tested low-tech stuff. Specifically, the single cam-in-block and all 16 of the pushrods. The hand built, all-aluminum, power-dense hall of famer also featured plenty of raw, naturally aspirated power: 505 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. But none of that is why the LS7 makes it in. No, we love this motor because of what happens when you bury your right foot. It’s explosive, it’s addicting, it absolutely roars. GM’s big 7.0-liter is America, and we love it.
Ferrari F140: V-12 (2002)
The Tipo F140 engine family first saw the light of day behind the seats of the Ferrari Enzo. Need we say more? If we must. … That engine, known specifically as the F140 B, had a V-angle of 65 degrees, displaced 6.0 liters, and produced an at the time unbelievable 651 hp at a screaming 7,800 rpm. It was simultaneously both the largest and most powerful motor Ferrari ever made. After the Enzo, subsequent F140s found their way to the front of the car, doing duty in both the 599 and FF. Then came the F12 Berlinetta (engine code F140 FC), and power shot up to a staggering 731 hp. Of course, that number was quickly trumped by the LaFerrari (F140 FE) screamer, which cranked out a staggering 789 naturally aspirated horses. Add driving a modern Ferrari V-12 as to your list. As hard as you possibly can, too. An all timer, and perhaps the very best V-12 ever built.
Honda F20C: I-4 (1999)
Few engines are charismatic enough that they define an entire car—much less one as timeless as the Honda S2000—but the F20C does exactly that. This four-cylinder produced a staggering 240 hp from just 1,997cc of displacement, or 120 hp per liter. Compare that to the highest specific-output of today’s naturally aspirated engines, all of which, unlike the F20C, have direct-injection and variable camshaft phasing. Redline was a side-splitting 8,900 rpm, and once you were “in the VTEC” in first gear (which happened as you were approaching 30 mph), the journey to highway speeds was frenetic and deafening, though the noise was accompanied by no vibration whatsoever. These were especially noteworthy achievements give the S2000’s longish 84mm piston stroke. Do the math, and you realize it took Honda’s best and brightest to make piston rings that didn’t disintegrate the first time this engine was wrung out. The way our hearts did the first time we took an F20C to nine grand.
Nissan/Prince S20: I-6 (1968)
If you think any six-cylinder engine built in the last several decades sounds amazing, it’s because you’ve never heard an S20 at full bore. It was originally fitted to the first-generation Skyline GT-R and Fairlady Z432. You’re excused if you’ve never heard of the Z432, but its extra badge described what was happening under its sexy hood: four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and two camshafts. Yep, this was a 24-valve DOHC straight-six from the swinging 1960s, replete with a pornographically oversquare bore-to-stroke ratio (82mm bore, just 62.8mm stroke) and cams aggressive enough that its torque peak occurred at an engine speed (5,600 rpm) higher than most redlines of the day. The 160 hp power peak occurred at a screaming, eargasm-inducing 7,000 rpm. If you should ever find yourself accusing Japanese cars of being sterile, drive something with an S20 in it.
Nissan RB26DETT: Turbo I-6
The engine that made Godzilla. Yes, the Nissan GT-R handled brilliantly, but it needed muscle to finish off blueblood supercars. Its advertised 276 hp doesn’t sound all that impressive today, but we all know it made more power due to a gentleman’s agreement among Japanese automakers not to quote big horsepower numbers, and in 1989 a Ferrari Testarossa made 380 hp. There’s something to be said for longevity, as well, as the RB26DETT lasted 13 years in production with minimal changes. This can be attributed to the engine’s stoutness, which also makes it a perennial favorite in the aftermarket, as it happily accepts performance modification. There’s also something to be said for any production engine with independent throttle bodies.
Mazda13B-REW: Sequential Turbo Rotary (1992)
While its competitors chased perfection in pistons, Mazda placed its faith in the Wankel rotary engine. Known for its compact size, light weight, and ability to rev sky high, the rotary promised lots of power in an easy-to-fit package. The ultimate expression of the rotary’s potential is the 13B-REW, which powered the fourth-generation RX-7. The first production engine to use sequential turbocharging (narrowly beating out the 2JZ-GTE), it made 255 hp from just 1.3 liters from day one and topped out at an official (but likely underrated) 280 hp. Sure, it wasn’t as reliable as its pistoned competition (insert apex seal joke here), but it was no less popular with the aftermarket and remains the most sought-after of its kind today.
Toyota 2JZ-GTE: Twin-Turbo I-6 (1991)
The GT-R and its RB26DETT have more staying power thanks to the forbidden fruit factor, but Toyota’s 2JZ-GTE was just as powerful and just as popular. Because Toyota sold it outside of Japan, the company didn’t mind admitting it made well over 300 hp. Nearly as long-lived as the RB, the 2JZ-GTE is also a favorite among tuners for its ability to make power. Nissan may have been right about the U.S. market’s interest in an expensive sports car from a traditionally pedestrian Japanese brand, as not many Supra Turbos with the 2JZ-GTE were sold, but it’s only served to make the engine more coveted today, particularly in stock form.
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