With the increase in the importance of fuel-economy, ecologically-friendly, and self-sustaining vehicles, the high displacement V8s of the past have been replaced with turbocharged four-cylinders and hybrids. Though the classic gas-guzzlers are a thing of the past, we still have other outstanding setups: i.e. the legendary V10.

Brands such as Lamborghini, BMW, and others are well known for their V10 engines; new and old. Today, we're going to look over the litany of ten-cylinder beasts available to us (regardless of the price/rarity) and determine which ones, to us, are the greatest.

So, without further ado, here are ten of the sickest V10 engines to ever be put into a car...

10 Audi RS6 (C6)’s 5.0L V10

Audi RS6
YouTube

Greatness always has a start. For the Audi RS6's, it was in 2002 with the launch of the first RS6: the C5-body. Soon afterward, the C6 replaced it, along with the V8 engine from before. With the C6 RS6, customers had a 5.0-liter V10 that pumped out 570+ horsepower. Talk about an upgrade! We'll take a V10 over a V8 any day!

9 BMW E60 M5’s S85

BMW S85
FavCars

In the mid-2000s, BMW were a brave and ingenious bunch of designers; concerned primarily with what they Could make, not what they SHOULD. The best example of this is their E60 M5's power source, the S85.

The S85 is a 5.0-liter V10 that can be found in the respective M5s and M6s. Sporting an output of almost exactly 500-horsepower, the S85 is among the wildest (and fastest) of the whole M-series lineup.

8 Audi S8 (D3)’s 5.2L V10

Audi S8 V10
Supercars.net

Audi is no pushover when it comes to making V10 engines. After all, Audi AG has owned the world-renowned carmaker, Lamborghini, since 1998; a front-runner in producing outstanding V10's.

In the mid-to-late-2000's, Audi commissioned their second S8, the D3-body. In it was a 5.2-liter V10; the same as the one found in a Lamborghini Gallardo during those years. The only difference, though, is the reduction in power. Where the Gallardo had 493 hp, the S8 had 444 hp. Nevertheless, it's still a Lamborghini engine in a luxury sleeper!

RELATED: Why The Best Audi Ever Was Never Sold In The USA

7 Peugeot 905’s 3.5L SA35-A2 V10

Peugeot 905
Wikipedia

Ah, yes, Group C racing: one of motorsports' most beloved (and brutal) racing series of the recent era. As a precursor to the modern LMP-class, some crazy prototypes came out of this series. Notably, there's the Peugeot 905.

The 905 is an idyllic Group C car, inside and out. Sitting at the rear of the 905 was a 3.5-liter V10; dubbed the 'SA35-A2' by Peugeot. This was the second SA35, replacing the 1990 A1. The newer one was lighter, faster, and more efficient than before, which helped it to secure a Le Man's victory in 1992 and '93.

RELATED: 15 Of The Most Epic Looking Cars That Won The 24 Hours Of Le Mans

6 Dodge Viper’s 8.0L V10 (Gen. 1)

Dodge Viper V10
Wikipedia

While most American muscle cars are fixated on high displacement eight-cylinders, Dodge had the foresight to invest in something less orthodox. In their first Viper (and ever since), Dodge outfitted the Viper with a massive 8.0-liter V10; something that kept getting bigger and bigger over the years.

The Viper's 8.0 L V10 is certainly powerful, but it's also intimidating, especially for those less well versed in performance driving. As such, the first generation Viper was added to the list of cars known as 'The Widow Maker.'

RELATED: The True Story Of Why The Dodge Viper Was Discontinued

5 Audi R8’s 5.2L FSI V10 Plus

Audi R8 V10
AutoEvolution

While Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini were butting heads, Audi noticed something: they didn't have their own supercar to compete with. The problem had to be remedied, so what would the answer be? The R8 V10 Plus, of course! As the name suggests, it holds a 5.2-liter V10 (one similar to its Lamborghini counterpart).

The same 5.2-liter V10 used in the original Audi R8 is still present in the newer ones, albeit tuned up to a degree. It goes to show that, with the right setup, a single engine design can pay dividends for years to come.

4 Lamborghini Huracan Performante’s 5.2L V10

Lamborghini Huracan
LamboCARS

Audi may have the R8 V10 Plus, but Lamborghini has the Huracan Performante. Back in the day, the Gallardo was the reigning champ of European V10's, yet, that's been replaced by its successor: the Lamborghini Huracan Performante. The Performante has the same 5.2-liter V10 in the standard Huracan, however, it's been supped up a bit. An extra 30-hp, lighter-weight, and a small tune, to be specific.

RELATED: This Is How Much The Lamborghini Huracan Interior Costs To Make

3 Lexus LFA’s 1LR-GUE

1LR-GUE
Wikipedia

What does it take to produce a V10 so awesome, that it can compete with those of BMW, Audi, and Lamborghini? Apparently, it takes a financial deficit, as evidenced by Toyota/Lexus' efforts in making their LFA supercar. Yes, every LFA lost them money.

The 1LR-GUE inside the LFA is 4.8-liter V10 (slightly on the smaller side). The horsepower output is near 550-hp, but that isn't the most important part of the LFA's V10. No, that's its engine note. and, oh man, is it one heck of a sound! There are only two other V10's that can come close to the LFA's sound, and they're up next...

2 Porsche Carrera GT’s 5.7L V10

Porsche Carrera GT V10
duPont REGISTRY

Remember when we mentioned 'Widow Maker' cars? Well, this one is the unofficial leader in that category. Of course, we're talking about the infamous Porsche Carrera GT. Porsche themselves say that the GT is "as close to a racecar as we will ever get." In layman's terms, a 600+ hp V10 inside an unforgiving race car makes for a tricky machine.

This was the car that Paul Walker lost his life in. Although it has a tragic tale associated with it, the Carrera GT is still (likely) the best sounding, best performing, and best looking Porsche to come out of the last few decades.

1 BMW Motorsports’ P83

BMW P83
way2speed

Last, but by no means least, is the crème de la crème of all V10's: the Formula One cars of the V10-era. To be more accurate, BMW Motorsport's P80-series engines. The P80/1, P82, and P83 V10s were dominant on-track for BMW, as well as for the other teams that used BMW power sources.

These engines were crucial in Michael Schumacher's early career, as well as that of Robert Kubica and Mark Webber. Too bad the V10's were changed to V8's. God knows that millions of F1 fans would be delighted by such news.

NEXT: These Six-Cylinder Cars Will Leave V8s In The Dust