There’s no denying it — the V12 engine is an endangered species. Thanks to strict safety, fuel, and emission regulations, not to mention the growing demand for eco-friendly vehicles, automakers are moving away from V12 engines. Instead, many of them are using smaller engines and boosting their power using forced induction and electric motors.As the motoring world says goodbye to the V12 engine, we can’t help but smile when we think of the impact it has had on the auto industry. Nothing beats the might, sound, balance, and smooth power delivery of a good V12 engine, but due to the cost and complexity involved in creating it, it’s typically reserved for the most desirable supercars. So let’s delve into ten of the best V12-powered cars to ever put tire to asphalt.
10 McLaren F1
McLaren doesn't produce many cars, but when it does, it's guaranteed to be a classic. Introduced in 1992, the F1 was McLaren's first road car, and what an absolute beast it was. The F1 was almost a race car for the road, as it came with multiple race-derived technologies used by McLaren's motorsports teams.
Under the F1’s hood lived a BMW-sourced 6.1-liter V12 blurting out 618 hp, enough to make the 2,500-pound supercar extremely fast. In fact, the F1 was so fast that it broke the production car speed record with a top speed of 240 mph. To this day, the F1 is still one of the most powerful British cars of all time.
9 Ferrari 250 GTO
Ferrari has a long list of iconic sports cars, but none of them are as revered as the legendary 250 GTO. The 250 GTO was developed in the early '60s to compete in Group 3 GT racing, where it would face off against icons like the Jaguar E-Type and the Aston Martin DP214. The elegant coke bottle design of the 250 GTO made it one of the most gorgeous and aerodynamic sports cars ever.
With only 39 examples built, the 250 GTO is among the rarest Ferraris ever, which explains why one collector reportedly paid a crazy $70 million for it in 2018. ​​​​​​​
8 Lamborghini Countach
The wedge-shaped era of the '70s and '80s gave us many cars with outrageous designs, but none of them can top the Lamborghini Countach. The extreme wedge-shaped design, scissor doors, and huge rear spoiler made the Countach a head-turner everywhere it went and earned it a spot on every little boy's wall. ​​​​​​​
Lamborghini produced several versions of the Countach over a 16-year production run, with the most powerful being the LP5000 Quattrovalvole. Introduced in 1985, the LP5000 QV had a 5.2-liter Lamborghini V12 producing 455 hp. ​​​​​​​
7 Pagani Zonda
When Horacio Pagani established Pagani in 1992, his dream was to build a new line of supercars that could take on the very best the industry had to offer. Less than a decade later, Pagani's dream was realized with the company's first-ever car — the Zonda. ​​​​​​​
Introduced in 1999, the Zonda was a mid-engined sports car that immediately caught the eye with its unique jet-inspired design. The most powerful Zonda — the Cinque — came in 2009 and was powered by a Mercedes-Benz M297 V12 engine cranking out 678 hp, allowing it to reach a top speed of 217 mph.
6 Rolls-Royce Phantom
Ask any gearhead to name the most luxurious car ever, and their answer will likely be the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Rolls-Royce has used the Phantom name in multiple cars since the 1920s, and all of them have one thing in common — raw unadulterated luxury. ​​​​​​​
The eighth generation of the Phantom debuted in 2017, and just like its predecessors, it has an elegant design and an upscale interior that makes the passengers feel like they're in a first-class seat in a plane. This hand-built masterpiece weighs 5,754 pounds, which is why Rolls-Royce equipped it with a monstrous 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12. ​​​​​​​
5 Ferrari Enzo
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The Enzo is an awe-inspiring sports car that Ferrari built in the early 2000s to celebrate its F1 racing triumphs and show the automotive world that it was still the company to beat when it comes to producing world-beating supercars. The Enzo was named after Ferrari's founder, which means that it had to be one of, if not the best car Ferrari has ever built. ​​​​​​​
Ferrari equipped the Enzo with a 6.0-liter V12 engine generating 651 hp and various F1-inspired technologies, ensuring that it could destroy any opponent on the road or track. With a top speed of 217 mph, the Enzo was one of the fastest 2000s cars. ​​​​​​​
4 Maserati MC12
Introduced in 2004, the MC12 was a limited production sports car that Maserati developed to signal its return to racing after a 37-year hiatus. If the MC12 looks familiar, that's because it was built on the chassis of the Ferrari Enzo above. However, the MC12 is longer, taller, wider, and has smoother curves and a sharper nose than the Enzo. ​​​​​​​
The MC12 uses a detuned version of the Ferrari Enzo's engine — a 6.0-liter Ferrari V12 with 621 hp on tap. With only 62 built, the MC12 is one of the rarest Italian cars. ​​​​​​​
3 Aston Martin One-77
When Aston Martin unveiled the One-77 at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, every gearhead's jaw dropped to the floor. This car stole the show with its sheer beauty, proving once again that the guys at Aston Martin could never go wrong when it comes to design. ​​​​​​​
The One-77 is not just beautiful — it has the power to match. It comes with a huge 7.3-liter V12 pumping out 750 hp, making it one of the most powerful naturally aspirated sports cars ever. As the name suggests, only 77 examples were built. ​​​​​​​
2 Pagani Huayra
After the huge success of the Zonda, Pagani went back to the drawing board and came up with a worthy successor — the Huayra. While gearheads may disagree about the correct pronunciation of 'Huayra', everyone agrees that this car is the ultimate embodiment of style and extreme engineering. ​​​​​​​
The most powerful street-legal Huayra variant — the Imola — comes with a Mercedes-AMG-built 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 generating 827 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque. This, combined with a lightweight body and motorsport-derived aerodynamics, makes the Huayra one of the most thrilling cars to drive. ​​​​​​​
1 Lamborghini Aventador
The Aventador is a mid-engined sports car Lamborghini introduced at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show to replace the Murciélago as the new flagship model. The Aventador was an instant hit, thanks to its design, power, and fantastic driving dynamics. Lamborghini initially planned to build 4,000 units, but a huge demand forced them to build many more. ​​​​​​​
Lamborghini recently announced that it's building the last variant of the Aventador. Dubbed the Ultimae, it will be limited to just 609 units and will be powered by a 6.5-liter V12 producing 769 horses and 531 lb-ft of torque. Sadly, Lamborghini also announced that the Ultimae will be its last pure V12 car.