For most of their history, V6 engines were considered a compromise of some kind between the more budget-friendly inline-fours and the larger, more powerful V8s. And despite their design limitation, such as the inherent imbalance and excessive vibrations due to the odd number of cylinders in each bank, V6s have a lot of potential due to their short length and fantastic power output range.
Sadly, V6s have been - and still are - an underdog in the engine world. In most cases, they are either the top engine choice in cheaper vehicles that nobody picks or the more affordable option in more expensive cars that, once again, nobody picks.
Still, not all of them were created equal. Some V6s are engineering marvels that combine outstanding performance with excellent fuel economy, while others can boast neither and are more known for their poor reliability. In this article, we shall explore both. Allow us to present: ten most badass V6 engines ever and five that couldn't run a lawnmower.
15 Badass: Nissan VR38DETT
Nissan's VR38DETT 3.8-liter V6 is a masterpiece of an engine that powers the masterpiece GT-R sports car. This hand-assembled powerhouse is part of the reason why the GT-R became known as the annihilator of supercars. With a little help from a set of twin turbochargers, variable valve timing, and low-friction plasma-sprayed bores, it puts out anywhere from 480 to 710 horsepower from the factory and can even withstand more than a 1000 ponies!
14 Badass: Jaguar/TWR JV6
Developed by Jaguar in collaboration with Tom Walkinshaw Racing, this twin-turbocharged V6 was initially supposed to be a V12. Yes, we're talking about the somewhat forgotten Jaguar XJ220 supercar. Even though the promised V12 never found its way under the XJ220's hood, the JV6 turned out to be a capable replacement. Jaguar tuned this 3.5-liter aluminum unit to make 542 horsepower, which allowed the XJ220 to hit 60 mph from a standstill in only 4.6 seconds.
13 Badass: Alfa Romeo Busso V6
The famed Busso V6 might not have been the most potent engine out there, but it was the most beautiful. And, oh, that sweet exhaust note! This 60-degree masterpiece, designed by Guiseppe Busso, was made from 1979 to 2005.
The Busso V6 can be found in many Alfas - from the 164 executive sedan to the limited-edition Zagato-designed SZ sports car. In its top configuration, it might have only put out 250 horsepower. But it surely did so with passion and style - and Italians know a thing or two about that.
12 Badass: Jaguar AJ126
The Jaguar AJ126 V6 might not be as legendary as some other engines on this list, but it's definitely badass. Just look up the exhaust sound of the V6 Jaguar F-Type, and you'll see why. Sure, it's based on a pretty old design (the 1996 Jaguar V8, to be exact), but it makes a ton of power thanks to variable camshaft timing and a supercharger, and it sounds incredible. And that's badass enough for us.
11 Badass: Ford Ecoboost V6
Ford's Ecoboost V6 is not rare or sophisticated - on the contrary, it's badass because it's versatile. You can find this humble, yet mighty turbocharged unit in anything from the plain old F150 truck to the bonkers Ford GT supercar. For the GT, Ford somehow managed to squeeze 647 hp out of the modest 3.5 liters of displacement. But that's not crazy. What's crazy is that it's the same engine that powers the Expedition family hauler.
10 Badass: Volkswagen VR6
Volkswagen's now discontinued VR6 engines are not your boring old V6s. What Volkswagen did with the VR6 is combining the designs of an inline engine and a V engine - the VR6 has six cylinders with a very narrow-angle between the cylinder banks and one single cylinder head. It was a bold, innovative design that didn't catch on, although it was later used in Volkwagen's W8, W12, and W16 engines. If you ask us, being a predecessor to the Bugatti engine is badass enough.
9 Badass: Alfa Romeo/Ferrari F154
We love the latest Alfa Romeo Giulia QV sedan - and we love its engine. The 2.9-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 was developed for Alfa by Ferrari themselves. What they did was take their F154 V8 from the Ferrari 488 GTB, chop off two cylinders - and voila! In the latest performance models of the Guilia, the GTA, and the GTAm, this gentle giant puts out 533 horsepower and a ton of torque. And just as the Busso V6, it sounds like a dream.
8 Badass: Volkswagen 2.9 V6 TFSI
The 2.9-liter TFSI V6 is Volkswagen's version of the Ford Ecoboost V6 - it's badassness lies in its versatility. Nowadays, this small, but mighty motor powers all kinds of VAG cars - from the Porsche Panamera to the Volkswagen Touareg to all sorts of Audis. The power outputs vary from 326 hp to 444 hp, depending on the vehicle and thanks to a set of twin variable geometry turbochargers and variable valve timing.
7 Badass: Honda C30A VTEC
Before you get too lost in the sweet memories of your mom's old Accord, let us make one thing clear - this is not just any Honda V6. What we're talking about here is the piece of brilliant engineering that powers the holy grail of Japanese sports car - the original Acura NSX.
Even though this 3.0-liter, 270 hp, was designed in the 80s, it was extremely advanced for its time. The C30A had dual overhead cams, titanium piston rods, four valves per cylinder, and was one of the first engines ever to be equipped with Honda's famous VTEC system.
6 Badass: Buick LD5 Turbo
Even though "legendary" and "Buick" don't usually belong in the same sentence, the LD5 Turbo is a real exception. This 3.8-liter V6 is the engine that powers one of the most menacing and fastest cars of the 1980s - the Buick Regal GNX. And you can't get more badass than the GNX.
When all American car manufacturers were trying to squeeze the precious kilowatts out of their gigantic, but inefficient V8s, Buick did something different. They took their regular 3.8-liter LD5 V6 and fitted it with a ceramic turbocharger, a high-glow Garrett intercooler, and a low-restriction exhaust system. What came to exist as a result was a 300 hp beast that was faster on the quarter-mile than both the Ferrari F40 and the Porsche 930 Turbo. To this day, the Regal GNX and the turbocharged LD5 remain among the best things that Buick ever made.
5 Couldn't Run A Lawnmower: PRV V6
The PRV V6 deserves to be the first engine on this subsection of horrendous V6s because it was one of the reasons why the DeLorean DMC-12 failed. Even the joint efforts of jointly by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo couldn't get this carbonated, 2.8-liter unit to make more than a measly 134 horsepower. And even though later they did decide to attach a turbocharged to it and thus improve the power output, the damage was done.
4 Couldn't Run A Lawnmower: Oldsmobile LT6
This 4.3-liter diesel(!) V6 courtesy of GM is notorious for merely how bad it is. First of all, you simply can't make a decent diesel engine without forced induction. The LT6 was naturally aspirated and only made 85 horsepower. Secondly, because of the massive displacement, the fuel economy was not that great - which defeats the purpose of a diesel engine. Lastly, it devoured head gaskets at a faster rate than the participants of the Fourth of July eating contest devour hot-dogs. Need we say more?
3 Couldn't Run A Lawnmower: Toyota 4GR-FSE
Toyota's 4GR six-cylinder was not precisely a lousy engine. It was merely terribly underpowered. The primary host for this motor was the Lexus IS250, where the 2.5-liter 4GR only made around 200 horsepower. Sure, it's not such a terrible number, but it's incredibly underwhelming. And the abysmal fuel economy didn't help, either.
2 Couldn't Run A Lawnmower: Ford Cologne V6
Designed primarily for the European market, the Ford Cologne V6 was not precisely a bad engine, either. In fact, it remains one of the most mass-produced V6s ever. However, just like Toyota's 4GR V6, it was really - really - underpowered. The Cologne was made in a variety of displacements, and most of them barely managed to crawl past the 100 hp mark. It was only the 2.9-liter version, developed by Cosworth, that made a respectable 210 hp - but then again, no one really bought it.
1 Couldn't Run A Lawnmower: FCA EcoDiesel V6
As we've learned from the Oldsmobile case, a V6 diesel always means trouble. And Fiat-Chrysler's EcoDiesel V6 is notorious for how troublesome and unreliable it is. Just do a quick Google search, and you'll find hundreds of complaints from the owners of 3.0-liter diesel RAM1500s and Grand Cherokees.
There is poor gas mileage, cam gear slippage, outright engine failure, and even risk of fire. To top it all, FCA cheated on the emissions tests of the EcoDiesel. In other words, if we were FCA, we wouldn't dare to put this atrocity in a lawnmower - let alone in a car.