There remains a long-running argument that there is no substitute for cubic inches, and yet the same level of fierce dispute could easily be applied to the number of cylinders a car's engine has.

Ignoring the uber-rare 16-cylinder engines, V12's offer the best power, torque, and idling characteristics of all engine configurations, these highly prized motors are normally reserved for carmakers' premium models.

These engines are a dying breed among a world of manufacturers striving for greater efficiency, the growing environmental pressures will soon rob gearheads of the silky smooth power delivery of these great V12 engines.

10 Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 - Phantom II

Rolls Royce V12 Engine
Via Reddit

Possibly the most famous engine of any configuration ever built, the mighty Rolls-Royce Merlin has powered some of the most important vehicles of the 20th Century, including boats, aircraft, tanks and, even a few select cars.

1934 Rolls Royce
Via The Classic Cars

Its specification alone makes it one of the greats, boasting a 27-liter displacement, the Merlin supercharger boosting power up to 2500 HP. Outside of aircraft applications, the RR V12 runs at lower boost, Jay Leno's 1934 Phantom 2 only produces 1,000 HP requiring a unique gearbox to cope with the huge stresses of 1750 lb-ft of torque.

9 Jaguar V12 - E-Type, XJS, And XJR-9

Jaguar V12 Engine
Via Pinterest

Arguably, Jaguar's most important engine in the brand's history, powering a range of racing cars, luxury cars and even becoming a popular choice among kit car builders, legendary for its levels of refinement.

Jaguar XJR-9
Via Pinterest

Created to power Jaguar's canceled XJ13 Le Mans racer, the V12 engine almost died along with the prototype sports car, however, the basic design would be reworked for road car applications making its first appearance in 1971 E-Type. Many enthusiasts believe the engine was too heavy for a sports car, but better suited to the E-Type's successor, Jaguar's XJS Tourer.

RELATED: People Modified These Classic British Sports Cars… And They Look Insanely Good

8 F140 GA V12 - Ferrari 812 Superfast

Ferrari F140 V12
Yanko Malinov

Ferrari's F140 series of power units first appeared in 2002 powering the Enzo and has since been the engine of choice for Maranello's flagship cars.

Ferrari 812 Superfast
Via Europe Prestige Car Rent

Currently, Ferrari's most powerful naturally aspirated and likely the last gearheads will be able to experience, the Italian carmaker, like other brands, is transitioning to more efficient turbo units. For now, the aural pleasure produced by the 6.5-liter motor is addictive, with 789 HP available enticing owners closer to license baiting speeds, flat out the Superfast will crack 211mph.

7 Honda RA121E Formula 1 - McLaren MP4-6

Honda F1 V12
Via Pinterest

Race fans of previous decades often complain about the lack of competition in Formula 1's current format, the modern electronically controlled engines are "easy" to drive by comparison to the golden era of the 1990s. Arguably the Senna, McLaren, and Honda combination of 1991 provided one of the most dominant displays of the era, with the team claiming 8 victories over the season.

McLaren MP4-6
Via Race Fans

Without a doubt, Honda's Ra121E proved to be the best of the field, its 3.5-liter V12 configuration produced 760 HP in race trim, more importantly, reliability would be crucial to McLaren's success in claiming both the drivers and manufacturers titles.

6 L539 - Lamborghini Aventador

Lamborghini L539
Via Historical of Engines And Mechanisms

Under new ownership and tasked with producing a new supercar, Lamborghini penned the Aventador, the brand's best model to date, sporting an all-new V12 engine code-named L539.

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Via YouTube

Lamborghini's previous V12 units could trace their origins back to the 1960s, updated with each new sports car, the aging unit had reached the end of the development road. After years of design and development, the L539 power train first appeared in 2011. A new alloy construction process resulted in a weight saving of 40lbs despite a larger displacement. Increasing displacement to 6.5-liters boosted output to 690 HP, a figure long since surpassed with current Aventador specials editions nudging 800 HP.

RELATED: Ferrari vs Lamborghini: Who Makes The Best Supercars

5 Mercedes-AMG M297 - Pagani Zonda

M297 Zonda
Via Aussieexotics.com

A common practice among low-volume supercar builders, third party performance engines allows the use of proven designs without the excessively expensive tooling associated with in-house designs. Pagani opted for AMG-sourced power units, tweaked to give the Zonda more power and performance.

Pagani Zonda Cinque
Via WSupercars

Originally, the M297  started life under the hood of Mercedes road cars before being given the AMG treatment, going on to power the brand's fastest performance cars before the arrival of Pagani in 2016. The Zonda then uses the largest 7.3-liter version, tuned to produce up to 750 HP without resorting to forced induction, making it one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines ever produced.

4 Bugatti EB110

EB110 Engine V12
Via autgoblog

Former holder of the world's fastest production car title, the EB110 also marked a return to production for Bugatti, one of the most evocative names in history. Bugattis revival may have been short-lived, but it catalyzed future attempts.

Bugatti EB110
Via WSupercars

Resurrecting the famous marque needed headline-grabbing figures, the EB110 didn't disappoint with one of the most ambitious engines of the era, in the process wrestling the speed record away from Jaguars XJ220. Under the hood, a custom-built 3.5-liter V12 kicked out 553 HP largely thanks to four turbochargers, a challenge most engineers hadn't even contemplated.

3 BMW S70/2 - McLaren F1

BMW S70/2 V12
Via BMW Blog

Almost 30 years have passed since McLaren delivered a startling wake-up call to the world's carmakers, a supercar so technically advanced that it remains the fastest naturally aspirated production car to this day.

McLaren F1
Via Autoweek

Designed by Gordon Murry, McLaren's F1 utilized the most advanced materials available at the time, built entirely from carbon fiber for strength with a bonus of lighter construction. However, it is under the hood that McLaren really excelled, nestled inside a gold-lined engine bay, BMW's S70/2 6.1-liter V12 motor is the star of the car, producing 627 HP giving the legendary supercar its top speed of 231mph.

RELATED: 5 Reasons Why The New T.50 is Like The McLaren F1 (5 Why It's Better)

2 Cosworth AM V12 - Aston Martin Valkyrie

AM V12 Engine
Aston Martin

Internally known as AM-RB-01 (Aston Martin-Red Bull)  the Valkyrie project was due to enter production in 2020, the brand's first hypercar will be built in low numbers with production restricted to 150 cars.

Aston Martin Valkryie
Via Wikimedia

Equipped with a Cosworth-designed naturally aspirated engine rated at 1,000 HP makes it the most powerful naturally aspirated production engine, boosted by the addition of Formula 1 style KERS ultimately adding 160 HP. Very much a collaboration project, Aston Martin engineers utilizing EV power train specialists RIMAC to develop the KERS battery and motor system, as a result, Valkyrie is expected to be capable of 60mph in 2.6 seconds,  and a maximum speed of 250mph.

1 Cosworth GMA V12 - Gordon Murray T50

Cosworth GMA V12
Via The Drive

Improving on perfection is a tough challenge, despite this metaphorical mountain, Gordon Murray has given gearheads a spiritual successor to his earlier F1 masterpiece. In the decades since the F1, design, construction, and engine technology have moved on considerably.

Gordon Murray T50
Via Auto Express

We have to admit the T50 hasn't officially entered production yet, the first cars are due for delivery in 2022, but its engine is definitely worthy of a mention among the greats. Developed by race engine specialist Cosworth, its 3.9-liter V12 engine produces 653 HP at a lofty 11,500rpm just short of its rev-limiter, think historic Formula 1 racer, and you would be on the right track.

NEXT: 10 Greatest Tiny Cars With Surprisingly Huge Engines