The V10 engine has been in existence for over 80 years with its first production dating back to as early as 1936 when it was built and used for the Busch-Sulzer ICRR 9201 prototype locomotive. Since then, many other companies have improved on the technology and adapted it into their brand at various levels.
Over the years, the continuous advancement and improvement in technology and material used in fabricating car engines have led to remarkable improvement in subsequent productions of the V10. Although it’s still not as widely used as the V6 and V12, the significance of V10 in the production of car combustion engines is remarkable.
The 1987 Lamborghini P140 prototype didn’t make it to production but it was recorded as the earliest use of the V10 in an automobile. Later on, in 1991, a V10 powered Dodge Viper was released making it the first time V10 petrol engine is used for a road car. Since then, various car manufacturers have used the V10 engine to power some of the best cars ever seen – this list has highlighted a few.
15 BMW M5 (E60)
In 2005, the BMW E60 M5 was launched and it came fitted with the all-powerful V10 engine. For this feat, the M5 is credited with being the first Sedan to be fitted with a V10 petrol engine. This E60 M5 is mated to a 7-speed transmission and goes from rest to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds officially.
14 Audi RS 6
In 2007, Audi launched the RS 6 at the Frankfurt Motor Show while sales started that same year for the 2008 model year. Subsequently called the Audi RS 6 5.0 TF SI Quattro, the RS 6 has a 5.0 L V10 engine that churns out 571 hp at 6,250 to 6,700 rpm and 4779 lb-ft of torque. 8000 units of the RS 6 were built before its production ended in 2011.
13 Audi R8
The second-generation Audi R8 was launched in 2015 with the code name Type 4S. However, the first time we saw the R8 was at its 2006 official launch which took place at the Paris Auto Show. The 2006 first-generation R8 was available in two models of 4.2 FSI coupe and 5.2 FSI coupe which comes with the V10 engine. A high-performance V10 plus Spyder was also released in 2017.
12 Lamborghini Huracan
There’s almost no cooler way to show off the dexterity of the V10 than through the Lamborghini Huracan. Launched in 2014, the Huracan has a specially fabricated 5.2 L naturally-aspirated Lamborghini V10 engine that it shares with the preceding model, Gallardo. The Huracan’s V10 combines direct and multi-point fuel injections to increase its efficiency to generate power to the tune of 602 hp.
11 Porsche Carrera GT
The Carrera GT uses a V10 engine that Porsche had secretly built-in 1992 for the Footwork – a British Formula One team. The plan was later discarded. This engine was then fitted in the Carrera GT as a concept car for the 2000 Paris Motor Show where it drew unexpected interest from enthusiasts, hence production started. Carrera GT uses a 5.7 L V10 engine rated at 603 hp.
10 VW Phaeton
The Volkswagen Phaeton has its V10 model produced from 2003 to 2007. This model termed the 5.0 V10 TDI has the engine code AJS and its V10 turbo engine produces a power of 309 hp at 3,750 rpm and 553 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm. The V10-powered Phaeton goes from rest to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 155.3 mph.
9 Touareg TDI
Like Phaeton, the Touareg is built by Volkswagen and some of its models also share the V10 engine with German-built Sedan. 2004 saw the availability of some of these V10 Turbocharged Direct Injection diesel engine powered Touaregs in the automobile market. However, the sheer power and awesomeness of these V10 models weren’t enough to keep them in the market as they were pulled for environmental reasons.
8 Dodge RAM SRT-10
The Dodge RAM SRT-10 had a production run that spanned two years; from 2004 to 2006. Built by DaimlerChrysler’s Performance Vehicle Operations team, the RAM SRT-10 is powered by an 8.3 L V10 – same as the engine built for Chrysler 8.3 Viper V10. The engine produces 500 hp at 5,600 rpm and 525 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm with a top speed of 154 mph.
7 Dodge Viper
The Dodge Viper debuted in 1991 making it the first road car fitted with the V10 petrol engine. Production the Dodge Viper ended in 2017 with its 5th generation model. This model is fitted with an all-aluminum 8.4 L V10 engine that is rated at 640 hp at 6,150 rpm and 600 lb-ft of torque at 4,950 rpm. The 2017 Viper accelerates from rest to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 208 mph.
6 Lexus LFA
Toyota Motor Corporation’s President, Akio Toyoda, wanted to create a world-wide image for the Lexus brand through a model that encapsulates his idea of a car that connects with the owner, hence the LFA was made. The LFA features a V10 engine that produces 553 hp. This engine was developed exclusively for the car in partnership with Yamaha. Only 500 units of this car were made.
5 Audi S6
2006 saw the introduction of the Audi C6 S6 for the driving pleasure of Audi enthusiasts. The C6 powertrain features an all-aluminum alloy 5,204 cubic centimeters Fuel Stratified Injection 40-valve 90 degrees V10. This engine produces 429 hp at 6,800 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque with up to 4,000 rpm. This is mated to a ZF six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. In 2011, Audi ended the production of the S6 5.2 FSI.
4 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento
Just 20 units of the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento were produced in its one-year production period. This car features an all-wheel-drive system with a 5.2 L V10 engine that produces 562 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque mated to Lamborghini’s 6-speed automated electrohydraulic manual transmission. To reduce its weight, Sesto Elemento is crafted with extensive use of carbon fiber. It accelerates to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds.
3 Bristol Fighter
British automobile company Bristol Cars produced the Bristol Fighter for 7 years before halting production. This supercar is built as a coupe and features uniquely built gullwing doors. The Bristol Fighter is fitted with a front-mounted powerful V10 engine that is specially tuned by Bristol to produce 525 hp at 5,600 rpm and 525 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm.
2 Lamborghini Gallardo
With over 40,000 units of this incredible sports car built between 2003 and 2013, Gallardo remains the best-selling Lamborghini model and it’s not quite hard to understand why. In 2008, an upgraded model of Gallardo was released with a facelift and a more powerful engine. Powering the new Gallardo is a 5.2 L V10 engine with an output of 552 hp at 8,000 rpm and 393 lb-ft of torque at 6,500 rpm.
1 Audi S8 5.2 FSI Quattro
The second generation of the Audi S8 was released in 2006. The release came with an engine upgrade from V8 to V10. The V10 engine powering this 2006 Audi S8 is the same as that powering the Gallardo of the same year. However, Audi’s V10 is detuned to produce 444hp for better fuel efficiency. It can accelerate from rest to 60 mph in about 5.1 seconds.