The V6 engine may not be as cool as the V8 or as versatile as the inline-4, but it still offers great qualities. With many car companies, the V6 is used as a cheaper alternative to the V8 – which is mostly prevalent in the US. In Europe, the V6 is used as a more powerful option than the inline-4. Depending on the application, the V6 offers a smaller package than a V8 and usually weighs less, all without necessarily compromising performance.

While some V6 engines are terribly tuned to the point where a 4-cylinder can easily trump it in almost every performance aspect, the V6 has gained steam in recent times with the ever-rising cost of fuel and the endless onslaught on automakers to produce less emissions. In recent years, car manufacturers have shown that V6 engines do not have to be boring or slow, but that they can easily rival much larger engines.

So while there are still V6 engines for sale today that do not inspire any sort of confidence in the car they are fitted in, others surpass even the expectation of long-time V8 and V12 enthusiasts. So, without outshining any of the other engines, here are 10 of the most powerful V6 engines currently on the market in 2022.

10 Ford F-150 Raptor (450 hp, 510 lb-ft)

2022 Ford F-150 Raptor.
Via youtube.com

Seeing a pickup truck on this list may seem a bit weird, but the 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 is currently one of the more powerful V6s on the market and certainly one of the more affordable. It is available in various Ford models, but in the F-150 Raptor, the engine produces a quite healthy 450 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque.

Ford F-150 Raptor
Ford

This performance mated to the Raptor’s off-roading ability makes the Raptor quite a robust and awesome sports pickup truck, however, it still lacks the sheer ridiculousness of the RAM TRX. Hopefully, Ford will remedy this with the upcoming Raptor R – which is rumored to have the same engine as the Shelby GT500.

Related: 10 Things We Know About The New Ford Ranger Raptor

9 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing (472 hp, 445 lb-ft)

The front of an orange CT4-V Blackwing
Cadillac

The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is currently part of a dying breed of sports sedans as it has a rather powerful engine mated to a manual gearbox, with all the power going to the rear wheels only. The closest comparison would be the ‘normal’ spec BMW M3, which is still available in the same configuration – but who knows how long that will last?

The rear of the CT4-V Blackwing on the move
Cadillac

The CT4-V Blackwing has a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 producing 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, enough to propel the Blackwing from 0 to 60 mph in only 4.2 seconds (3.9 for the automatic) and on to a top speed of 189 mph. The CT4-V Blackwing, like the CT5-V Blackwing, is currently amongst the coolest sedans and saloons on the market – cars that should be taken notice of for as long as they exist.

8 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde Gran Turismo Alleggerita Modificata (510 hp, 443 lb-ft)

Alfa Romeo GTA On A Race Track
Via: Alfa Romeo

Ridiculously long name aside, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio GTA is a car with soul. Whether it is because its Italian, or because of the Ferrari-inspired 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 under the hood, it just screams awesomeness. The car produces 533 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, with power going to the rear wheels only via an 8-speed automatic.

2021-Alfa-Romeo-Giulia-GTAm
Via Alfa Romeo

The Giulia Veloce and Quadrifoglio have been a return to form for the Alfa Romeo brand, which has expanded to the beautiful Stelvio SUV, and soon the Tonale crossover will join the lineup. Alfa Romeos have always been more on the prettier and more interesting side of the automotive spectrum, but this Giulia QV GTAm takes the cake, eats it, and goes power-sliding to celebrate.

7 Porsche Panamera 4 S e-Hybrid (552 hp, 553 lb-ft)

Porsche Panamera Turbo S On The Road
via netcarshow

The Porsche Panamera is a rather civilized and more practical version of the 911, or at least that’s what Porsche wants it to be. On the most part, it accomplishes this task most impressively – except for the first generation which really wasn’t the best-looking saloon in its class.

Porsche-Panamera_Turbo_S_Executive-2021--1
via netcarshow

Porsche accentuates this practicality with the Panamera 4S e-Hybrid, which has an Audi-derived 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 and an added electric motor to fill in the gaps, resulting in a combined output of around 550 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque. This is not at all bad for a family car, especially considering that the very fastest BMW M5 from 10 years ago had the same power, but less torque.

6 Nissan GT-R NISMO (600 hp, 469 lb-ft)

2019 Nissan GT-R Nismo: Sports Coupe wanting to race but able to socialize.
via: Car Pixel

The R35 Nissan GT-R has now been on the market since 2009 when it took the world by storm with its amazing launch control feature and crazy acceleration. Since then, it has seen some minor and major improvements, with the car being face-lifted in 2017. Currently, the ‘normal’ GT-R is no longer for sale, but the most powerful version, the GT-R NISMO, is still alive and kicking.

2020-Nissan-GT-R-Nismo
source: wsupercars

The GT-R NISMO is a more track-focused version with all the knowledge learned over the years packed into it. The car still uses the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 as the original car, however, it has since been updated and heavily modified. The car produces 600 hp and 469 lb-ft of torque, with power going to all four corners via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Related: Here's Everything You Need To Know About The Nissan GT-R NISMO

5 Honda NSX Type S (600 hp, 492 lb-ft)

acura-nsx-type-s
Goodwood

To some, the current NSX may not be a worthy successor to the original, but it can still do some pretty impressive things. The NSX has now been around since 2016, using its hybrid drivetrain to stun people with its performance. Unfortunately, due to some rather low sales over its production run, the NSX will be discontinued in 2022.

2022 Acura NSX Type S gray quarter rear
Via Acura

As a final goodbye, Honda revived another name in the form of the NSX Type S. The car’s production will be limited, with only around 300 units to be sold in the US. The car has some cosmetic updates on both the interior and exterior, as well as an uprated engine and hybrid system, producing a combined 600 hp and 492 lb-ft. It is always sad to see a legend go.

4 Maserati MC20 (621 hp, 538 lb-ft)

Front 3/4 view of a yellow MC20 on the move
Maserati

The Maserati MC20 is the first in a new breed of supercar – one powered by high-output 6-cylinders. The engine is a Maserati-designed 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 derived from the Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio V6 and, by extension, the Ferrari F154 V8 found in the F8 Tributo. The engine produces 621 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque, without the need for any hybrid technology, which is an interesting choice in this current regulatory climate.

Rear 3/4 view of a blue MC20 on the move
Maserati

The MC20 is a good-looking car, with many design elements from other cars, such as the Maserati MC12, the Alfa Romeo 4C, and, when looking at it through squinted eyes from the back, the Mercedes-AMG Project One. Thus far, the reviews for the MC20 have been positive, with one quite funny incident occurring when Jeremy Clarkson had one to test.

Related: Here's How The Maserati MC20 Stacks Up Against The Maserati MC12

3 Ford GT (647 hp, 550 lb-ft)

Ford GT
Ford

The Ford GT is an American supercar that followed much of the European supercar rules, which was a good choice. Following the same recipe as with the previous GT, the engine is straight out of Ford’s most powerful pickup, albeit with major modifications to make it competitive. The car produces 647 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque, with everything going to the rear wheels only via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Yellow 2017 Ford GT
Ford

Unfortunately, they followed Ferrari in the ‘who is allowed to buy it’ category. Unlike with the previous Ford GT where anyone could walk into a Ford dealership and order one, the current GT could only be bought if Ford approved it. This meant that most GTs went to wealthy and influential celebrities who – on the most part – did not necessarily appreciate the GT and its engineering, but rather used it as a status symbol. Ford even sued one rather famous client because he wanted to sell it a few months after taking delivery.

2 McLaren Artura (671 hp, 531 lb-ft)

Green McLaren Artura
Via McLaren

The Artura is the newest member of the McLaren lineup, meant to replace the current ‘Sports Series’ cars such as the 570S and 600LT. The Artura is fitted with a twin-turbo V6 and an electric motor which has a combined output of 671 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. Like with the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission only has forward gears, with the electric motor providing an E-Reverse function.

2021 McLaren Artura Sports Car
Via: YouTube

The Artura follows the current McLaren design language, with a few minor tweaks here and there to differentiate it from the rest of the lineup. According to McLaren, the name ‘Artura’ is a combination of the words ‘art’ and ‘future’, to showcase McLaren’s approach for their future.

Related: This Is The Coolest Feature Of The McLaren Artura

1 Ferrari 296 GTB (820 hp, 545 lb-ft)

Ferrari-296_GTB-2022-1280-0f
Via Ferrari

The Ferrari 296 GTB is the Italian marque’s newest supercar, which has not been revealed if it will replace the company’s V8 cars, such as the F8 Tributo or SF90 Stradale. The 296 GTB is fitted with a brand-new twin-turbo V6 engine, mated to two electric motors to produce a combined 820 hp and 545 lb-ft of torque. This is much higher than any other V6 on the market, exceeding most V8s and rivaling the most powerful V12s.

Ferrari 296 GTB
Via NetCarShow

The 296’s engine is built in the ‘hot-vee’ configuration, meaning the turbochargers are inside the 'vee' of the engine. The engine itself is quite interesting, as the cylinder banks are 120 degrees, rather than the standard 90 or 60. This was done so that the engine could be fitted lower in the car to lower the car’s center of gravity, improving handling. The 296 GTB goes on sale in 2022, but we are yet to see how it competes with its potential rivals.