One of the most important engine makers and influential vehicle manufacturers in history, Lancia introduced the world's first series-production V6 engine just over 71 years ago. Since then, almost every vehicle on the market has had a V6 engine, from fast sports sedans that are surprisingly cheap to own and maintain to supercars and even minivans.

Updated February 2023: Often undervalued, the V6 engine is one of the most versatile engines in the automotive industry, finding its way into every kind of vehicle. Albeit not necessarily the most powerful or efficient configuration, it does well to compromise between the two. We have now updated this list to include what might be the best V6 engine currently in production.

Before the introduction of forced induction, the V6 engine has always struck a balance between the best four-cylinder engines and the gas-guzzling V8s. It was not the most powerful or efficient engine, but one that had a significant impact on the automotive sector. The Germans, Japanese, and Italians are among those that continue to put their faith in six-cylinder engines, which continue to evolve at an unprecedented rate. So much so that V6 engines still power some of the best automobiles we have on the market nowadays.

Automakers showed that they did not require environmentally-ill V8 engines to deliver amazing performance and satisfy sports car fanatics. It is no wonder the six-cylinder engine often gets overlooked, despite continuing to power some of the world’s greatest sports cars and supercars. American gearheads may prefer V8s, and four-cylinders are certainly more fuel-efficient, but the V6 is what we ride with today.

10 Ford's Turbocharged EcoBoost V6

2017 Ford GT EcoBoost V6
Via: Mecum Auctions

The Ford EcoBoost six-cylinder engine is one of the best V6 engines available today. The EcoBoost V6 comes in three sizes: 2.7, 3.0, and 3.5 liters, with the last delivering 660 horsepower and featuring in Ford's recently discontinued supercar, the GT.

The engine's initial purpose was to deliver the power that Ford truck drivers expect while using less fuel and emitting fewer ozone-depleting emissions. It didn't take long for it to become well-known. Of course, the Ford Mustang EcoBoost owners get berated on a daily, but from a purely objective point of view, there is no denying the EcoBoost V6's many talents.

Related: 10 Fords That Will Bankrupt You Through Maintenance And Repairs

9 Mercedes-Benz's Hybrid-Turbocharged PU106B V6

Mercedes-AMG One Engine Bay
Via: Mercedes-Benz Group Media

In the modern world, more engines receive assistance from electric motors than ever before. Not only are they more fuel efficient, but they allow smaller, more economically-friendly engines to produce more power than they could not with forced induction alone. This brings us to Mercedes' brand-new hero car, the AMG One.

Powering the AMG One is a tiny twin-turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 engine that works together with four electric motors. If this reminds you of the Petronas F1 race car, it's because the AMG One's heart is heavily inspired by it. In total, this powertrain produces more than 1,000 hp, and that's not even to mention the crazy aerodynamics that complete the PU106B's intricate engineering. No wonder the Mercedes-AMG One holds the record for the fastest production car around the Nurburgring.

8 Toyota's Supercharged 2GR-FE V6

Lotus Emira Engine
Via: Lotus

Toyota is known for its reliability, but there is a small handful of facts Toyota owners will never tell you... or in this case, maybe they wish they knew this one beforehand. Oftentimes, Toyota outsources its engines, but in very few instances Toyota outsources its powertrains to sports car companies. Lotus remains the exception though.

The hot new Lotus sports car, the Emira, is one of those lucky lenders. The Lotus Emira features Toyota's 2GR-FE V6, but it has a cheeky supercharger strapped to it. Other, much more toned-down cars like older Camrys and Siennas also have this powertrain, but the Emira's supercharged V6 puts down 400 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque.

Related: 10 Car Brands That Build The Most Reliable Sports Cars

7 VW's Naturally-Aspirated VR6

Volkswagen VR6 24-valve 3.2-liter engine
Via: Volkswagen

Volkswagen's VR6 engine was one of a kind and innovated the entire automotive scene when it debuted in the early '90s. But it wasn't until VW fitted the ingenious, narrow-angle VR6 engine into the Corrado that it blossomed.

By putting six cylinders in a zig-zag layout on one cylinder head, the VR6 became an alternative to turbo technology and provided good power and good durability. Back in the day, this made the VR6 a viable performance engine, despite it being naturally aspirated. As you may know, soon after the VR6-powered Golf R32's discontinuation, Volkswagen opted out for a more efficient, more powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine in their Golf R successor. For that reason, the VR6 remains a timeless work of art.

6 Jaguar's Supercharged AJ126 V6

Jaguar AJ126 Engine
Via: NetCarShow

The AJ126 is a 3.0-liter V6 engine produced by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which replaced the Ford Duratec V6 AJ engine after it was completely phased out. It's a 3.0-liter V-6 supercharged version based on the existing AJ133 5.0-liter V8 with two fewer cylinders manufactured on the same line as the AJ133.

Albeit not as ferocious as its V8 counterpart, the AJ126 remains a very smooth engine and has a different, yet respectable growl. One of the main reasons people still buy F-Types with V6 engines apart from the price difference of course is because of the musical hints of the ancient straight-sixes found in classic Jags.

Related: 10 Unreliable Jaguars We Wouldn't Waste Our Money On

5 Nissan's VR38DETT V6

R35 Nissan GT-R's engine
Via: Nissan

In 2007, Japan unveiled its revolutionary supercar, the R35 Nissan GT-R to the public. This marvel of technology was the latest in vehicle engineering, and to this day many new sports cars will never be as good as the R35 Nissan GT-R. The VR38DETT is the core of this masterpiece. It's a 3.8-liter V6 with at least 480 hp at its disposal. With every succeeding engine change, the figure only gets pushed further.

When released, the GT-R did 0-60 n 3 and a half seconds, but as time went on, that figure became smaller. Nowadays, the GT-R explodes to 60 mph and wipes out the quarter mile in under 12 seconds. Apart from its gorgeous appearance and performance potential, people adored (and still do) the GT-R because Nissan improves the VR38DETT every now and then by hand.

4 Alfa Romeo's Busso V6

Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Busso V6 Engine
Via: Historics Auctioneers

The classically designed Alfa Romeo V6 engine, nicknamed "Busso," by the name of its creator, the great Alfa Romeo engineer, Giuseppe Busso has a rich history behind its existence. Not only is it one of the greatest-looking engines in the entire world, but it's also one of the best-sounding ones too.

Cars that feature the legendary Busso V6 engine are so revered among fans that it often boosts the car's market value. In 2005, the Busso V6's production finally came to an end after the 166 and GT coupe phased out. Within a few days of the last Alfa V6, Giuseppe Busso, the designer of the engine, died.

3 Honda's C30A V6

1992 Honda NSX's V6
Via: Bring a Trailer

The newest Honda NSX is a masterpiece of engineering packed with the latest technology. So much so that a hybrid technological advantage and nine-speed dual-clutch by-wire are often disregarded by the internal combustion engine. Although the revived NSX is no longer with us, we can still praise its ancestor that shook the earth back in the day.

In 1991, the NSX was not just Honda's first supercar, but it was also their first-ever automobile sold with a VTEC (variable valve time technology) in America.

It was also the first production car with an all-aluminum structure. Derived power from an all-aluminum DOHC 3.0-liter V6 that produces 270 hp ensures it sounds awfully familiar to an F1 soundtrack.

2 Ferrari's Dino V6

Ferrari Dino V6
Via: Bring a Trailer

The plan in the late 1960s was for Ferrari to create a separate series of mid-engine, six-cylinder cars named after Enzo Ferrari's late son, Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari. Under the Ferrari moniker, V12-powered front-engine road cars would continue to leave Maranello. At the end of 1955, Dino proposed to Enzo Ferrari the creation of a V6 engine for F2, which finished an impressive third in the Grand Prix of Naples.

Dino would never see the engine, as he became ill and died at the age of 24 in 1956. The Dino's incredible six-cylinder engine found its way into multiple cars, not only Ferraris. In the Lancia Stratos, Ferrari's Dino V6 engine showed the world exactly what a V6 Ferrari engine could do.

1 Alfa Romeo's 690T V6

Alfa Romeo Guilia Quadrifoglio Engine Bay
Via: Alfa Romeo Forum

The world doesn't just sit around and wait for you. You have to be one step ahead and constantly evolve to the never-ending circumstances around you. And that's exactly what Alfa Romeo did. After phasing out the naturally-aspirated Busso V6, Alfa birthed what we know as the 690T V6 engine. The 690T V6 is a twin-turbo V6 that's based on the Ferrari F154 engine - in fact, the same engineers helped develop it.

This 690T engine found its way underneath Alfa's current hero cars, the Giulia Quadrifoglio, Stelvio Quadrifoglio, and the recently unveiled Giulia SWB Zagato. With 500 hp at its disposal, the 690T V6 is a thing of beauty and sings the sweetest of songs. It is arguably the best engine, let alone V6, in production today.

Sources: Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Nissan, Car and Driver, Ultimate Specs