There is no question that V8 engines are supposed to allow their cars to reach astronomically high speeds at a very quick rate. However, as the years have passed by, it has grown to be quite apparent that engine power has gotten a lot stronger. Older cars with V8 engines that were once viewed as exceptionally fast would now have difficulties keeping up with today’s car who have “weaker” engines. This is quite an intriguing fact to see and a huge reason behind this massive change is that the automobile world has seen vast improvements with the overall changes that were brought forth by manufacturers.

With all that has been stated thus far, we will be looking at 20 old cars with V8 engines that would get smoked by today’s 4 cylinders. This really is an interesting change of events because not a single person from these past decades could have ever envisioned this reality. This will, however, continue to be the trend as the years pass by. At the end of the day, it is essential to remember that a lot of the vehicles that will be presented on this list were extremely important ones for our history. Many of them would bring on immense success to their manufacturers, but alas, times have changed for them in terms of their speed.

Nonetheless, let’s look at the 20 old cars with V8 engines that would get smoked by today’s 4 cylinders!

20 1972 Cadillac Eldorado

The 1972 Cadillac Eldorado is a classic car and is beloved by an abundance of individuals in the automobile world. When seeing the amazing design this vehicle possessed and the overall durability it has, it makes a lot of sense as to why so many collectors want to own it. There is no question that this vehicle was a fast one during its time on the primary market, but due to technological advancements of today, it really would stand no chance compared to many modern cars. However, this is still a fast car nonetheless and is worth every penny.

19 1970 Chevy Chevelle

The 1970 Chevy Chevelle is a very popular model, but it did go through a decent amount of criticism during its opening run on the primary market. This is because this vehicle was rushed into production and it definitely left a lasting negative impact on the car’s overall reputation.

However, it is quite interesting to see that it did have a V8 engine and it was able to still have high speeds despite its many issues.

Even with this being the case however, there is no chance that this vehicle would be able to keep up with the four cylinder cars that are put out at this present time.

18 1978 Ford Mustang

The 1978 Ford Mustang is actually one of the most hated cars to have ever come out by the series of vehicles and that is shocking. A lot of this has to do with the fact that it was very structurally weak and it also did not pack a lot of power when it came to its speed.  When observing that this car was even considered to be a slower one with a V8 engine back when it was on the primary market, it makes sense that it really would have difficulties today as well. This is the Mustang that buyers should avoid at all costs because it really is just a lemon.

17 1997 Jaguar XJ

The 1997 Jaguar XJ is a classic car already and an immense amount of individuals would love to get their hands on it. This is the prime example of a luxury vehicle because it does have a lot of speed to go along with perhaps one of the best designs in quite some time from them. Yet, with the immense amount of upgrades that we have seen this decade alone, it is clear that this vehicle would not have an easy time keeping up with many cars today in terms of speed. However, even with this being the case, it still would be worth investing in for your collection.

16 1962 Ford Thunderbird

The 1962 Ford Thunderbird is perhaps one of the most popular models to have ever come out to the automobile world and is one that everyone should aim to add their collection. This is one of the vehicles that truly gave Ford the immense amount of respect they currently have as well.

The Thunderbird is definitely a fast car and during its time on the primary market, it really was a revolutionary vehicle.

However, when observing how it would do in terms of speed with many of today’s four cylinder vehicles, it really would have a tough time because of the year gap.

15 1998 Chevy Camaro SS

The 1998 Chevy Camaro SS had a lot of success during its time on the primary market and that makes a plethora of sense because it really was built perfectly. In terms of its overall style, this is definitely a beautiful vehicle, yet it also offered immense amounts of strength as well. There is no question that there a number of individuals who would love to possess this vehicle. However, one thing to be aware of is the fact that it is a slower car that has a V8 engine. Regardless of this fact, it still could be a great addition to your collection because of how spectacular it truly is.

14 1973 De Tomaso Pantera

The 1973 De Tomaso Pantera is a vehicle that is often forgotten today and that is truly a shame when seeing how spectacular it actually was. This was the prime example of a sports car because of its blistering speeds during its time and unique style. However, when seeing how fast today’s 4 cylinder cars are, there is no question that this vehicle would not be able to run as quickly as them. This vehicle just is not built strong enough to do so. However, even with this being the case, it really is a great model and a rare one to buy.

13 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL500

The 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL500 is a model that definitely deserves to be talked about more, but simply has dropped in popularity because of the years passing by. This vehicle was known for being one that would have a long life cycle because of its durability and overall structure.

Now, when seeing how fast today’s cars are, it may come as a surprise to some that this V8 engine car would not do too well keeping up.

This vehicle has been known for being a slower one with this type of engine, so now it definitely would have even more troubles.

12 1974 Pontiac Trans Am

The 1974 Pontiac Trans Am is an absolute masterpiece and is the type of classic car that any buyer should seriously consider adding to their collection. These vehicles were revolutionary during their times on the primary market because it not only came with speed, but immense reliability. It is weird to say this, but this vehicle would actually not be that quick compared to today’s models. Although it would not be slow by any stretch of the imagination, the time differences between now and then would really impact its speed in a negative way. Regardless, this is still a marvellous model.

11 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton

The 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton was not talked about too frequently during its time on the primary market, but it did a pretty solid job with their customer satisfaction. This is because this vehicle was focused primarily on its overall performance and simply, its reliability. It may come as a shock to some individuals of the automobile world, but this vehicle came with a V8 engine. Now, even though it really is not too old, there is a significantly slower than many of today’s V8 engine cars. In fact, it would not have an easy time outracing 4 cylinder ones as well.

10 1991 Chevy 454 SS

The 1991 Chevy 454 SS is a pickup truck that actually has a V8 engine. This is truly a rarity in the automobile world, especially back in the 1990s.

However, this decision by the car manufacturer turned out to be the perfect move on their part because this was a great model.

Given the fact that this is an older truck with a V8 engine, there is no question that this model would not do too well keeping up with today’s 4 cylinder vehicles. Even with this being the case, this is a great model still because of it is extremely strong and truly is built to last.

9 1989 Lexus LS

The 1989 Lexus LS is a spectacular model and really did a great job during its time on the primary market. This car had a family type car vibe, but also was meant to be able to reach high speeds with its V8 engine. Overall, it was a great and important car of the 1980s. However, even with this being the case, it really would have no chance keeping up with today’s modern cars. This is because although it does have the ability to pick up speed at a decent rate, it really was not the strongest at that even during its earlier days. Nonetheless, this still a great model.

8 1977 Dodge Charger

The 1977 Dodge Charger is an extremely popular model and is one that collectors are always searching for to add to their garage. This vehicle was a complete game changer for the car manufacturer and it definitely was built exceptionally well when seeing how long it would last. It is quite strange to note, but even when this vehicle was first released, it was actually slower than any of the original Chargers. This fact alone makes it quite evident that this vehicle would not do well compared to the vast improvements we have seen with cars in terms of speed today.

7 1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi

As it names implies, the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner Hemi was a car that seriously had immense speed during its time on the primary market. This vehicle is one that collectors definitely are always looking for at this time, but it has become quite the rarity.

Although this car definitely was considered fast during its original release, it now would not do too well compared to today’s lighter 4 cylinder engine cars.

Today’s car just simply benefit from the improvements manufacturers have gained over the years, so the Road Runner has essentially become expendable in terms of V8 engine speeds.

6 1989 Ford Panther

The 1989 Ford Panther has always seemed to be a bit underrated and that is truly a shame because it really is a solid vehicle. There is no question that this vehicle would be a great one to add to your car collection, as it has a long life cycle and comes with virtually no major issues. This vehicle does have a V8 engine as well, but due to the fact that it is an older one, it is not as quick as one may suspect. This is totally fine however because it really is worth the investment when seeing how well it does over the years. It may be slower than today’s cars, but it is still wonderful.

5 1992 BMW 540i

The 1992 BMW 540i was a commercial success during its time on the primary market and that really makes a lot of sense when seeing how well it was structurally. Issues were a rarity with these vehicles and they definitely would make a wonderful investment even today. Although these vehicles had a V8 engine, they are slow compared to today’s standards because it would take them roughly 8 seconds to go from 0 to 60 MPH. When factoring in that they are even older now, these numbers could take even longer now, so today’s car would really outrun them.

4 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake

The 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake is one of the most expensive and popular vintage cars to have ever been released. This sports car has an unbelievable design to go along with the fact that it very structurally sound, This is one that seriously should be added to your collection. What may come as a surprise to many is that this V8 engine vehicle would actually have some difficulties with today 4 cylinders one. This can be blamed on the fact that this is simply an older vehicle that did not have the luxury of today’s advancements. Nonetheless, it is still remarkable.

3 1994 BMW M5

The 1994 BMW M5 is a very popular model in the automobile world and definitely has gained quite a positive reputation because of it. This vehicle had immense power during its time on the primary market, especially when seeing it was not the biggest vehicle available.

This vehicle is another one that has a V8 engine and is able to reach a 0 to 60 MPH at a decent speed, but it just does not compare to how cars are able to do it today.

This is a model that is still worth collecting however, so definitely consider adding it. It will be able to last you a long time.

2 2002 Dodge Ram

The 2002 Dodge Ram is widely considered to be one of the best pickups from the car manufacturer and that makes a plethora of sense when seeing how amazingly strong it truly is. This pickup did fantastically in sales and people still are buying them to this day. Due to the fact that this is an older truck with a V8 engine, there is no question that it is not going to be as quick as many of today’s. Even with this being the case, this truck really is a top notch model to own because it also offers an immense of amount of power for your daily tasks.

1 1999 Ford F-350 XLT

The 1999 Ford F-150 XLT is a very popular model and is easily one of the top ones to have ever come from the car manufacturer. There is no question that this vehicle did a spectacular job when it came to its sales because of how strong and reliable it truly came to be. What may come to a shock to some is that this vehicle actually possessed a V8 engine. However, it is apparent that it would have difficulties keeping up with the vast speeds of cars today even with weaker engines. Regardless, this is a pickup that still is worth driving today.

Sources: ourridelife.com, thrillist.com, jalopnik.com