We often speak volumes about how great the classic engines were and talk about the cars that carried them with reverence. And yes, the greats of the past do deserve our respect considering what they managed to achieve at the time, with limited resources and technology that we can only call archaic today.

UPDATE: 2023/10/05 By Ron FP

12 Greatest Car Engines Currently In Production

As the global automotive market continues to shift towards electrified mobility, car manufacturers can only dial down on the production of pure internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles for the foreseeable future. While the shift to EVs is not yet complete, however, gearheads still have the chance to own or appreciate the beauty and performance of some of the best combustion engines still in production today.

But what about the greatest engines of today? The leaps and bounds that the mills of today have made are astounding, so much so that many of these engines and cars might just turn into the classics of the future. Especially if there comes a time when the automobile industry becomes almost exclusively EV-focused and combustion engines turn into relics. We never know what the future may hold, but we do know the value of a good thing when we see it today.

So here are 12 of today’s greatest internal combustion engines. EVs, please step aside.

Using cross-referenced engine specifications, performance data, and vehicle reviews from manufacturer websites, Edmunds, iSeeCars, RepairPal, and Kelley Blue Book (KBB), we've updated this list to give you 12 of the best and greatest car engines that are still produced in 2023.

12 Duramax 6.6-Liter L5P

Engine Specs

Duramax - spawned by the joint project of General Motors (GM) and Isuzu - produced a range of diesel engines that power different pickup trucks, SUVs, and vans of both automakers. Developed under the joint venture DMAX, Ltd., Duramax became the pioneer of aluminum cylinder heads and induction-hardened cylinders in GM's vehicle segments. Perhaps more importantly, the original Duramax LB7 V8 was the first high-pressure, common-rail direct injection (CRDI) diesel engine in the American market.

The current Duramax L5P is the first total redesign of the brand's 6.6-liter turbo-diesel V8 line, and the L5P improved over its predecessors in terms of durability, fuel economy, and emissions ratings. During its 2017 introduction, the Duramax L5P boasted a class-leading 445-hp rating and a very competitive 910 lb-ft of torque output. For 2024 GM models, the Duramax L5P Gen 2 is now able to churn out 470 hp and 975 lb-ft of twist, taking its place as the most powerful Duramax engine ever. With performance tuning, the Duramax L5P can even surpass 550 hp and 1,050 lb-ft.

11 Ford 5.0-Liter Coyote

Engine Specs

Inaugurated in 2011, the Ford Coyote is a 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated V8 powerplant that hails from the Blue Oval group's Modular engine lineup. The Ford Coyote engine has built a reputation for reliability, versatility, and high aftermarket tuning and swapping potential for different models, including those outside the Ford family. Armed with a dual overhead CAM design, the Ford Coyote has undergone several iterations since its birth, and this trusty V8 block has been a long-time resident under the hoods of the Ford Mustang and the F-150.

The first generation of the Coyote V8 had 420 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, and it replaced the 4.6-liter V8 (300 hp, 320 lb-ft) of the 2005 - 2010 Mustangs and F-150s. Since then, the Coyote "five point oh" has added some more serious muscle. Today, the factory-tuned 4th-generation Coyote engine in the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse generates 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque, thus making the Coyote-powered Dark Horse the most powerful non-Shelby Mustang that Ford has ever produced.

10 Ford Supercharged 5.2-Liter V8 Predator

Engine Specs

Ford’s supercharged 5.2-liter V8 - branded as the "Predator" - makes a massive 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque for the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, thus producing the most powerful Mustang to date. The engine is also mated to a dual-clutch transmission – the first for a Mustang model. Shelby also offers a King of the Road upgrade option for the Mustang, which ups power to over 900 hp – creating an even bigger beast.

More recently, the 5.2-liter supercharged Predator V8 also found its way under the hood of the most powerful F-150 ever - the Raptor R. However, Ford changed the Predator's output to 700 hp and 640 lb-ft for the F-150 Raptor R to give the truck more torque for its high-intensity off-road adventures.

9 Cummins High Output Turbocharged 6.7-Liter Inline-Six

Engine Specs

Surprised to see an inline-six in an article about great engines? Well, the Cummins 6.7-liter inline-six diesel engine in Ram trucks is a big surprise in a smaller package. But even smaller displacements can jet out plenty of power. In its High Output version, this Ram engine can make 1,000 lb-ft torque and 400 horsepower.

Plus, it's quiet, smooth, and very fuel-efficient with a new valve train, stronger pistons, and dampened vibrations. Clearly, a classic in the making with a turbo-boost pressure of 33.0 psi.

8 Mazda SKYACTIV-G 2.0-Liter Inline-Four

Engine Specs

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is undoubtedly one of the most fun-to-drive compact sports cars ever produced. Aside from the Miata's near-perfect front/rear weight distribution, the responsive, naturally-aspirated engine is also key to the car's phenomenal success among gearheads. The current Miata comes with a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated mill that makes 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque - quite healthy for such a small sports car.

7 Ford High-Output 3.5-Liter Twin-Turbo EcoBoost V6

Engine Specs

The Ford High-Output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 delivers 450 with 510 lb-ft of torque and comes twin-turbocharged for maximum effect. This marks a move away from the traditional V8s that Ford trucks have carried, and with 450 horsepower in the F-150 Raptor, you will not miss the two cylinders – especially with the trombone Baja exhaust mode engaged.

The crankshaft and the bearings are all beefed up, while the valve train is lighter to produce more power with less engine weight. Despite the beefy size of the F-150, this engine lets it fly from 0-60 mph in 5 seconds. Not at all bad for a big, family-orientated pickup truck with off-road tires.

6 Volkswagen Auto Group Twin-Turbo 4.0-Liter V8

Engine Specs

This one engine is the heart of many a car from the VW Group – including Audis, Porsches, and Bentleys. In the Lamborghini Urus, for example, this engine makes a whopping 640 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, enough to take the 5,300-pound SUV 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds. That's up there with some of the fastest super SUVs on the market!

With an aluminum build and twin turbos mounted in between cylinder banks, this 4.0-liter V8 growls like something much bigger under the Urus’ hood. Despite the smaller displacement, this engine is thumpy and quite the future classic.

5 Chevrolet 6.2-Liter V8

Engine Specs

This is the engine from the coolest Corvette to date, a mid-engined wonder that’s going to go places when its better-powered avatars arrive. The 6.2-liter V8 in this beautiful C8 Corvette makes 490 horsepower. Add in the Z51 package and this ‘Vette can go 0-60 mph in a flat 2.8 seconds - thanks to the extra 5 hp.

Frankly, the more expensive C7 Z06 ‘Vette that makes 650 horsepower cannot beat this time, so this engine has to go down in the annals of history as one of the greats of the 2020s. That said, the C8 Z06, with a 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V8, is near astronomical in its power output and sheer sound.

4 Dodge Supercharged 6.2-Liter V8

Engine Specs

Now technically speaking, the Dodge 6.2-liter V8, supercharged and all, is as old school as you can get. The engine has a big displacement, but it's all iron. It even comes with pushrods and an old-school supercharger – the same recipe as the HEMI engines from the 1950s and 1960s. Then again, why change something that works so brilliantly?

It makes 707 horses in the Hellcat and 797 in the Hellcat Red Eye Challengers and has 650 lb-ft of torque – with an engine howl that could wake up the dead, figuratively. And yet it totally works, with that 2.7-liter supercharger and an additional fuel pump, and a very beefy rotating assembly. For Dodge's 'Last Call' Challenger models for 2023, Stellantis upped the ante and made the same engine produce 1,025 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque for the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 completing the 0-60 mph sprint in just 1.66 seconds. We can't think of a better way to celebrate the American muscle car. Can you?

3 Ferrari F154 Twin-Turbocharged 3.9-Liter V8

Engine Specs

What do the Ferrari Roma, F8 Tributo, Portofino, SF90 Stradale, and the three Maserati Trofeo models have in common? The answer is the 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8, which has been upped to a 4.0-liter V8 in the Stradale because of a 1.5 mm bore increase. The SF90 also gets electric assistance to push power to 1,000 hp.

In 2019, this engine was making 710 horses and 568 lb-ft of torque. Things like flywheels, crankshafts, and titanium connecting rods kept changing, and so did the power. Clearly, this is one evolving power mill worth a spot in the engine Hall of Fame. While it did its job in the current Ferrari V8 models, it seems like the new hybridized twin-turbo V6 in the Ferrari 296 GTB is set to be the new standard powerplant.

2 BMW 4.4-Liter Twin-Turbo S63 V8

Engine Specs

This is the engine that made the M5 what it is – a near-supercar that does 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. This engine has powered a long, long list of Bimmers, including the M cars, since 2009. When it’s a good thing that works, why replace it? Luckily BMW also asked this question and built an engine exactly like it to replace the current model.

The current version of the engine makes 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque in the BMW M Competition models, making it a powerful machine with a decent 4.4-liter displacement. The new generation of M-cars will undoubtedly go electric, but before that happens, BMW assured everyone that the upcoming M5 will get the hybrid drivetrain from the recently debuted XM super-SUV – pushing the boundary between the legendary sports sedan and other supercars even further.

1 Audi Turbocharged 2.5-Liter Inline-Five

Engine Specs

A slightly strange beast, being an inline-five, this Audi engine first shot into prominence when it debuted in the TT RS in 2012. The Audi straight-5 engine made 401 horses and 354 lb-ft of torque, and the 1-2-4-5-3 cylinder firing order gave it a characteristic note. More like a yowl than a roar or a whine – like a tiny V10 was hiding somewhere within the engine itself.

It uses a compacted graphite iron cylinder block and has a 10.0:1 compression ratio. Plus the turbocharger is quick to deliver. That one extra cylinder also gives it an extra set of lungs and plenty of gumption to make the engine one of the most characteristic engines on the market. But act fast as the current-generation RS3 will apparently be the 5-pot's last outing.

Sources: Edmunds, iSeeCars, RepairPal, and KBB