In the motorcycling world, even tiny naturally aspirated 1.0-liter engines can easily churn out upwards of 200 horsepower. To achieve this, motorcycle manufacturers design their engines to rev to over 10,000 RPMs. Unfortunately, high-revving engines have torque levels so weak that they wouldn't support any car's weight. This explains why automakers have traditionally used massive engines when producing the fastest cars the world has ever known.
But now, automakers have discovered the secret to giving small engines crazy horsepower without sacrificing torque – forced induction. By adding turbochargers, automakers have made small engines so powerful that they can take on naturally aspirated engines twice their size. The following list looks at ten cars that pack a punch despite having small engines.
10 Alfa Romeo 4C
The Italians really hit the nail on the head with the Alfa Romeo 4C. Despite the 4C's engine being only 1.75 liters in size, the turbocharged four-cylinder can make 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
To make the most of the small engine, Alfa Romeo paired it with a dual-clutch transmission, allowing the 4C to fly past 60 mph in 4.1 seconds before hitting a top speed of 160 mph. The 4C is one of the best-handling cars thanks to its light weight, made possible by using a carbon-fiber tub chassis to shed off a few pounds.
9 BMW I8
Introduced at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the i8 is considered one of the greatest BMWs of all time, having been the first of its growing lineup of electrified vehicles. The i8 has the smallest engine on this list – a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine cranking out 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.
The engine is paired cleverly with a hybrid system, bringing the total power output to 357 horsepower. The gas engine sends power to the i8's rear wheels while the electric motor powers the front wheels, allowing it to reach 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.
8 Mercedes-AMG GLA45
For the longest time, Mercedes-Benz has stuck to huge V8s in its popular sedans. However, the Germans decided to switch to a smaller four-cylinder engine with the latest CLA45 due to the rising demand for more affordable cars and the global push to make more environmentally-friendly vehicles.
But, Mercedes-Benz didn't want to make any sacrifices in power, so it tasked AMG to tune the engine. The result was a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 375 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, enough to give the CLA45 a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds.
7 Porsche 718 Boxster
To make its cars more efficient, Porsche decided to use a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the latest 718 Boxster instead of the normally-aspirated six-cylinder found in its predecessors. The 718 Boxter comes with a 2.5-liter flat-four that makes 350 horsepower, which is about 35 horsepower more than the previous version.
With such power on tap, the 718 Boxster can accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds, making it the fastest car on this list. The hardtop version of the 718 Boxter S still comes with the six-cylinder.
6 Subaru WRX
Unlike the aforementioned European automakers, Subaru is no stranger to using small engines in its cars, having used four-cylinder motors in the WRX and other sedans for decades. The Japanese automaker has been gradually improving its engines, and now the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder in the latest WRX produces 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
The WRX comes with an all-wheel-drive and either a six-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable automatic. The power-hungry buyers can opt for the more expensive WRX STI, which uses a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder motor with 305 horsepower.
5 Nissan Juke NISMO RS
Nissan is arguably the king of small engines, having built a reputation for making cheap and fuel-efficient cars over the decades. When designing the latest Juke NISMO RS, Nissan decided to use its vast experience to build the Nismo RS – a car that checks all the boxes of what its fans look for but is powerful enough to compete with more expensive cars from Europe.
The Juke comes with a tiny 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motor producing an impressive 215 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a manual transmission and front-wheel-drive, allowing the Juke to hit 60 mph in under 7 seconds.
4 Volvo XC90/Volvo S90
The Volvo XC90 is a large SUV and not the type of vehicle one would expect in a list of small-engine cars. The Volvo XC90 has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, but Volvo added a turbocharger on top and a supercharger at the bottom to cram as much air into the small engine as possible.
The result is a power output of 316 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, helping the heavy seven-seater accelerate from 0-60 mph in under six seconds. Volvo also sells a hybrid version of the XC90 with 400 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque.
3 Volkswagen Golf R
Unlike its German competitors, Volkswagen has been using small turbocharged engines for years in its smaller cars. For instance, the Golf R uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine pumping out 292 horses and 280 pound-feet of torque.
The Golf R uses an all-wheel-drive system that eases the burden on its front tires and makes it incredibly fun to drive. The Golf R comes with either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed dual-clutch manual, with the latter helping it reach 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds – faster than the more popular Golf GTi.
2 Chevrolet Camaro
A four-cylinder engine in a Camaro doesn't sound impressive, and it's easy to see why. Camaro fans fell in love with the muscle car mostly due to the large engines that made them beasts on the roads and racetracks.
With the new Camaro, Chevrolet decided to throw caution to the wind and included a four-cylinder option. However, the Camaro became a great decision as the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine is no slouch. It produces 275 horsepower, capable of propelling the Camaro to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds.
1 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Countryman
After winning the Dakar Rally with the Countryman ALL4, Mini Cooper decided to build a production version of the iconic car. The result was the Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Countryman – one of the company's most powerful cars ever built.
The Mini Countryman comes with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 208 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. It is equipped with an all-wheel-drive system and a choice between a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox.