Showing posts with label engines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label engines. Show all posts

Thursday, June 23, 2022

How long do Toyota Tundra engines last?


According to iSeeCars, the Toyota Tundra can comfortably reach 300,000 miles before needing major repairs.Nov. 9, 2020How Long Do Toyota Tundra Last? (Solved & Explained!) - Cars

Monday, March 21, 2022

How long do 3RZ engines last?


3RZ longevity is very high, its lifespan can exceed 250,000 miles of mileage (400,000 km). If your engine has passed over 120,000 miles (200,000 km), then you should check the timing chain condition.Jul. 14, 2016Toyota 3RZ-FE Engine | Specs, supercharger, reliability

Monday, February 21, 2022

Where are Toyota Tacoma engines made?


Currently, the Tacoma is built in two manufacturing centers, the first being the aforementioned San Antonio, Texas, facility. The other location is the Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California facility, in Tijuana, Mexico, which has been assembling Tacomas since 2004.Jan. 21, 2020Toyota to move all Tacoma production to Mexico in 2021 | Hagerty ...

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Are 2.7 Toyota engines good?


2.7 is a really good engine. You just don't hear about it as much as the 22RE because the 3.4 came out and was reliable and had some power to go with it. It is an evolution of the 22R.How's the 2.7 for reliability? - YotaTech Forums

Sunday, September 19, 2021

Why do Toyota engines last longer?


Toyota also has a much longer development life cycle than most other car manufactures. They tend to stick with the same engine designs for decades rather than designing a whole new engine each time a new model comes out without compromising reliability.What makes Toyota and Honda vehicles last longer than other ...

Sunday, September 5, 2021

How long do Toyota V6 engines last?


The average Toyota engine will last between 250,000 miles to 300,000 miles.Jan. 29, 2021How Long Do Toyota Engines Last? (Solved!) - Cars

Friday, September 3, 2021

Are 2.7 engines bad?


Absolutely not. The 2.7 is, has been, and will for the immediate future remain a piece of crap engine! ... That said, the 3.5L Charger engine is a great engine. 2.7 is really the "bad engine" in the Dodge family.Dodge Charger Questions - is the 2.7 liter engine good in a 2006 ...

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Where are Nissan engines made?


It doesn't sound like a lot of time, but every 19 seconds a new Nissan engine is completed at the Decherd Powertrain Assembly Plant in Decherd, Tennessee.Where are Nissans Made? | Nissan USA

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Are Toyota V6 engines reliable?


The 3.5L V6 engine from Toyota earns above average remarks for reliability. These engines come with their fair share of common problems, however they're pretty cheap, simple fixes in the grand scheme.Dec. 22, 2020The 4 Most Common Toyota 2GR-FE Engine Problems - Toyota 3.5L ...

Friday, August 20, 2021

Why do Toyota engines last so long?


One reason is they build their engines to be low stress. Most of their engines could handle a decent amount more of power but they bridle that power to provide less stress over time which in the end prolongs its life.Apr. 11, 2019How do Toyota cars last so long? : Toyota - Reddit

Thursday, July 22, 2021

How long do Toyota engines last?


16 to 20 yearsThe average Toyota engine will last between 250,000 miles to 300,000 miles. This means that the engine in your Toyota model should run in good condition for 16 to 20 years before wearing out.Jan. 29, 2021How Long Do Toyota Engines Last? (Solved!) - Cars

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Why are straight six engines so good?

Why are straight six engines so good?



Straight six advantages Firstly, like any in-line engine, straight sixes are a nice, simple design. With no cylinder offset, manufacturing costs are low and there is no need for separate heads or valvetrains like in a V-configuration. ... The biggest advantage however comes through engine balancing.V6 Vs Straight-Six: The Pros And Cons - Car Throttle

Monday, June 28, 2021

Does Audi make Lamborghini engines?


Developed by Lamborghini, for use in the Gallardo, and the first engine developed for Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. after they were acquired by AUDI AG 鈥?part of the Volkswagen Group. ... This engine has its origins in two concept cars made by Lamborghini, the 1988 P140 and the 1995 Cal脿.Lamborghini V10 - Wikipedia

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Where are Audi engines made?


HungaryAudi in Hungary: Production at full blast This makes Audi Hungaria a leader for electric motor production in the Audi Group, setting trends in the Hungarian automotive industry with electric mobility. Audi Hungaria has been producing engines for the Audi and Volkswagen Group since 1994.Apr. 25, 2019Audi in Gy艖r: a Hungarian success story | audi.com

Friday, April 30, 2021

Do inline engines produce more torque?

Do inline engines produce more torque?



Inline car engines suffer from relatively small amounts of unwanted vibration at typical engine speeds, and the long stroke of their cylinders gives these engines superior torque. Their mechanical simplicity makes them cheaper and easier to maintain.Apr. 27, 2016The Pros and Cons of Different Engine Types

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Best V8 Engines Of All Time

The V8 is the engine that defines American motoring, but it is loved around the world.

What is this obsession that Americans have with the V8? Straight-sixes and V12s are smoother, four-cylinder motors offer better economy and an inline-five or V10 can sound superb. It may have taken a few false starts to get going but by 1915 Cadillac had started mass-producing its first V8, a 5.4-liter 70-hp unit that could power its early cars to an impressive 65 mph. Oldsmobile, Chevrolet and Ford all soon followed suit and by the late ‘30s this engine configuration had truly taken off. Part of their appeal was that the basic layout allowed for a lot of flexibility.

Engineers could choose to go with a flat-plane crank for more power or cross-plane crank for additional torque. The compact V layout meant that it could just about fit into the space of a four-cylinder engine bay and it was shorter than six or 12-cylinder designs. Most V8s were fitted to more aspirational cars but Henry Ford’s flathead V8 became one of the first to be fitted to more accessible vehicles. Engine technology has moved on greatly since those early days and today’s V8s have overhead camshafts, direct injection, variable valve control, turbochargers and in some cases even electrical assistance.

Ford Flathead

But let’s start with that flathead V8 that Henry Ford introduced to the world in 1932. Its advanced crankshaft design, high pressure oil lubrication and one-piece block were pretty revolutionary for the time. The low price point was an additional draw card and variations of this engine powered countless Fords well into the ‘50s. Hot rodders also loved the Flathead V8, as it could be run on a shoestring budget and it dominated the modifying scene until the more efficient OHV V8s started to arrive.

Rover V8

The V8 may have been invented by a Frenchman and used in a Rolls-Royce before American entrepreneurs got their act together, but once they did they made it their own. An example of this can be found in the Rover V8, the most British of all V8s. It was built in the UK from 1960 all the way up until 2006 and found its way into everything from TVRs to Land Rovers and even limited-production Morgans. What most people don’t know is that the design began life as the Buick 215. It was an all-aluminum unit and was also fitted to the Oldsmobile Jetfire, the world’s very first turbocharged engine.

Chevy Small-Block

The Chevy small-block V8 started life off in 1955 fitted to the first-generation Corvettes. It was stuffed into countless other models in capacities ranging from 4.3 all the way up to 6.6 liters. The small-block design lasted until 2003 with the Gen II small-block arriving in 1992. These versatile engines could produce up to 390 hp in standard form and they are still available to order as ‘crate motors’ and are a favourite among tuners looking for reliable horsepower. The all-new LS V8s were introduced in 1996 and this is the line of engines that powers current GM vehicles. The latest Gen V units feature direct injection, active fuel management and even variable valve timing.

Chrysler HEMI

The Chrysler Hemi engines have become synonymous with power and performance since they first hit the scene in 1951. The nickname ‘Hemi’ was derived from the fact that these engines had hemispherical combustion chambers. The design was not unique to Chrysler nor was it necessarily a superior way to extract more power from an engine, but most Hemis were large capacity motors that made plenty of power. There have been some truly iconic Hemi V8s. The first being the 426 Hemi fitted to the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda and most recently, the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 fitted to the Dodge Charger Hellcat and even madder 840-hp Challenger SRT Demon.

Ferrari F106

The Ferrari F106 V8 was first used in the awkwardly proportioned (and named) Dino 308 GT4 2+2 back in 1973. It made a very strong 250 hp from 2.9 liters and unlike the overhead-valve pushrod designs that dominated the American scene, used a flat-plane crank and had dual-overhead camshafts. This layout was the basis for every mid-engined Ferrari V8 right up until the 360 that ceased production in 2005. It saw duty in the 308, F355 and even the twin-turbocharged F40. Multivalve heads and electronic fuel injection were introduced over the years, helping power outputs grow to 400 hp in unboosted form and 477 hp when fitted with turbos.

Maserati/Ferrari F136

The F136 made its debut in the 483-hp 4.3-liter F430 in 2004, it peaked in the 458 Speciale making a massive 597 hp from just 4.5 liters. The Maserati Quattroporte and GranTurismo models also received a modified cross-plane crank version of this motor, best known for having one of the most captivating exhaust notes ever. The 454-hp 4.7-liter Maserati GranTurismo was perhaps the best sounding of the lot. The Ferrari 488GTB replaced the 458 in 2015 and brought with it a new turbocharged F154 V8, signalling the end of the naturally aspirated Ferrari V8.

Audi FSI

Audi has been pushing turbocharged motors on us for decades, so it came as a bit of a surprise then when their BMW M3–rivalling B7 generation RS4 came fitted with a high-revving 420-hp 4.2-liter V8. It was perhaps even more surprising to find a dry-sump lubricated variant in their mid-engined R8 sports car. It proved to be a very capable power unit, featuring stratified fuel injection for the first time on a production car and able to rev to 8,250 rpm, and it also made all the right noises. The naturally aspirated V8 was last used in the previous generation 444-hp RS5. Audi has gone back to turbocharging its V8s and the latest versions develop up to 600-hp.

BMW V8

BMW has been fitting V8s to their luxury models for many decades and two of the best have been the S65 414-hp 4.0-liter unit in the old E90 M3 and the S62 400-hp 4.9-liter engine fitted to the late-‘90s M5. These marked the pinnacle of non-turbo V8 development at BMW, but the latest 4.4-liter twin-turbo S63 is a modern masterpiece. In standard form it makes a formidable 600 hp and provides the latest generation M5 with the firepower to take on supercars. It responds instantaneously to throttle inputs and with 553 lb-ft of torque, provides in-gear acceleration that the naturally aspirated V8s could never match.

Mercedes 6.2-liter

Mercedes has also gone the route of turbocharging for their latest 4.0-liter V8s. The one we still love, though, is the M156 6.2-liter V8 that initially powered the 467-hp C63 AMG. It featured a whole host of performance upgrades compared to the rest of the Mercedes range and went on to power just about every range-topping AMG model from the CL63 AMG right up to the SL63 roadster. The ultimate version of this motor was dubbed the M159 and was used in the SLS supercar, producing 622 hp. Mercedes’ V8 legacy continues in cars like the AMG GT R Coupe, with its 577-hp twin-turbo V8.

McLaren V8

McLaren Automotive opened its doors in 1963 and while it has been extraordinarily successful in motorsport, it wasn’t until much later that it turned its focus to road cars. The game-changing McLaren F1 was first to arrive in 1992 but we had to wait until 2011 for the MP4-12C for their first V8-powered supercar. And what a car that was. The M838T twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 in that model made 592 hp and peaked at a mighty 727 hp in the hybrid P1 hypercar. The recently released 720S is the first new model to feature a comprehensively updated engine, codenamed M840T, making 710 hp in this application and we expect some big numbers from it in upcoming models.

Lexus 1UZ-FE

While there are many more great V8s out there we just couldn’t leave out our sole Japanese entrant. The 4.0-liter Lexus 1UZ-FE was introduced in 1989, featuring dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. It was relatively advanced for its time, while its supreme smoothness and bulletproof reliability made it popular over the years. Fitted to cars like the luxurious LS400, these engines initially produced 256 hp but made 300 hp with the addition of variable valve timing and other updates in later versions. Like the Chevy small-block motors, these 1UZ-FE motors have found their way into a huge number of varied applications from powerboats to off-road racers.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

3 Series Convertible Offers a Choice of Engines

As with all BMWs, performance is a major factor. Whether the top is up or down, the engine will always be ready to tackle the freeway and open road. The 3 Series convertible is no exception. Available with a choice of four or six cylinder engines and a diesel option, power will never be lacking. The base 320i convertible comes with a four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower going from zero to 60 in 9.1 seconds.

Move up a level to the 325i and 330i and you'll experience a six-cylinder producing 272 horsepower. Prefer something a little different? Try one of the diesel engine options. The turbo charged diesel available in the 330d convertible model goes from zero to 60 in only 6.4 seconds and produces lower C02 emissions while doing so.

Friday, April 12, 2019

Best V12 Engines Of All Time

When you want the best, only a V12 will do.

It's a curious fact that despite the proliferation of large, wafty cruisers and mega-horsepower sportscars in America, very few locally built ones ever featured a V12 engine. The handful of Packards and Cadillacs that offered such a powerplant were all phased out until after WWII only the Lincoln H-Series V12 remained. Once that went out of production in 1949 the American obsession with the V8 was in full force and today there is not one single American model with a V12 on the roads.

Europe didn’t follow the same path though and there have always been a handful of top-tier luxury and sports cars that had a smooth and silky V12 under their hoods. The Germans, Italians and British have been the most ardent supporters of the V12. Its supreme smoothness is unmatched and while the packaging requirements and construction costs make it unviable in even mid-range models, as a range-topper it is hard to beat. Despite the current downsizing trend, there are still a fair few V12s in production and we picked some of the very best examples. From the high-revving supercars to near silent executive expresses, this is one versatile setup.

Ferrari 250 GTO

Enzo Ferrari realized early on that a V12 engine configuration had some worthwhile benefits over 4 and 8-cylinder alternatives. The Ferrari 125 S of 1947 was the first Prancing Horse to fitted with one, although it displaced a mere 1.5-liters. This ‘Colombo’ V12, named after its designer, was continually developed for decades and in 3.0-liter carburettor form it powered the iconic 1962 250 GTO. This road/race car used the race-proven 250 Testa Rossa all-alloy motor and it pushed out around 300-hp, jaw-dropping power for the time. The Colombo V12 finally bowed out in 1988 by which stage it was fuel-injected and up to 4.9 liters in size.

Ferrari LaFerrari

The LaFerrari features a development of the F140 V12 engine.It has, in various states of tune, powered supercars like the 651-hp Enzo, 661-hp 599 GTO and 789-hp 812 Superfast. In the LaFerrari it displaces 6.3 liters and makes an 812 Superfast equaling 789 hp (although the 812 has a larger 6.5-liter displacement) and also gets electric assistance to offer a combined 950 hp. With the excellent V8 488 GTB moving to turbocharging, we may see the next generation of V12 powered Ferraris going the same route.

Lamborghini Countach

Ferruccio Lamborghini saw that to compete with Ferrari he too would need a powerful V12. Enter Giotto Bizzarrini, an engineer whose V12 powered every top Lambo from 1963 all the way up to 2011, spanning from 3.5 to 6.5-liters and upgraded to multivalve heads, dry sump lubrication and fuel-injection along the way. The Countach is one of the most famous cars to be powered by the Bizzarrini V12, first as a 370-hp 4.0-liter in the LP400 and finally as a 450-hp 5.2-liter multivalve unit in the 25th anniversary edition model. The 661-hp 6.5-liter Murcielago LP 670-4 SV was the last Lambo built that could trace its roots back to this original design.

Lamborghini Aventador

Thanks to the influence of new owners VW, the Murcielago introduced reliability and (nearly) daily usability to the Lamborghini range. Despite some Audi switchgear, the trademark madness remained. It was the Aventador however that introduced the biggest change of all, namely a new V12 engine. Codenamed L539 it still displaced 6.5 liters but now made 690 hp in even ‘base’ trim. The madness was left firmly intact. The nuttiest LP 750-4 SV model offers a staggering 740-hp so it is not totally surprising that Lamborghini has decided to eschew turbocharging for the time being. This one shoots blue flames out of its tailpipes too.

McLaren F1

BMW made its money with bullet-proof four-cylinder and racy inline-six engines but its handful of V12s marked them out as one of the world’s premier engine designers. The McLaren F1 was designed to be the ultimate drivers’ car featuring cutting-edge technology and design. Today it's regarded as one of the most important vehicles of the 20th century. McLaren's first choice was a Honda engine but it was BMW that ended up producing the iconic 627-hp 6.1-liter S70/2 V12. It gave the F1 acceleration that still matches up to many of today’s turbocharged supercars, and at 240 mph it remains the fastest naturally aspirated car ever produced.

BMW 760Li

BMW has also offered V12s in a few of its top luxury models such as the latest 760Li xDrive. The N74B66 twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12 in this car produces 602 hp and a massive 590 lb-ft of torque that makes it one of the fastest BMW’s on the road today. Variations of this engine are also found in the Rolls-Royce Ghost where they are profiled to produce effortless torque. The previous non-turbo N73 version also did duty in the Rolls-Royce Phantom as well as the previous-generation 7 Series. Such cross-pollination is not uncommon as developing a V12 from scratch is an extremely costly endeavor.

Mercedes S-Class

Mercedes-Benz returned to V12 road car engines in the early 1990s to ensure that rivals BMW didn’t encroach too far into its traditional ultra-luxury territory. The S-Class first got a V12 engine in 1992, this M120 unit displaced 6.0 liters and made a formidable 402 hp. The latest V12 is the M279 AMG unit, which displaces 5.5 liters and uses two turbochargers to produce 621 hp and a gargantuan 740 lb-ft of torque. Aside from powering the S65 AMG, it is also found in the Maybach S650 and SL65 AMG models.

Pagani Zonda

Pagani disrupted the supercar scene when it unleashed the exquisite Zonda in 1999. While its carbon-fiber construction was all new, the 389-hp 6.0-liter V12 that powered it was a development of the Mercedes M120 unit. This engine was also used in the Mercedes CLK GTR road and a few race cars too. The Zonda R Evolution track day car featured the ultimate version of this engine with an output of 800 hp. Road variants included the 547-hp 7.3-liter Zonda S and 602-hp Zonda F. The latest Huayra now uses a twin-turbo Mercedes-derived V12 but the original Zonda still looks and sounds like nothing else on the road.

Jaguar E-Type

The British motor industry was once a force to be reckoned with. The Jaguar E-Type was, along with the Aston Martin DB5, one of its crowning achievements. The original 1961 E-Type had a 3.8-liter inline-six but by the time the Series III models arrived in 1971 this had swelled to a 5.3-liter V12. The engine remained in production until 1997 but in this original form it made 250 hp. The additional weight and complexity over the inline-six variants made them hardly any quicker but there was not much out at the time that could offer a smoother drive. The final development was a 6.0-liter V12 which saw duty in the ‘90s XJS and made up to 318 hp.

Aston Martin One-77

The DB7 was a stunning car but the company’s troubled financial status meant that it was built on a modified Jaguar XJS platform and its AE28 V12 was actually a pair of modified Ford V6 units. It still drove and performed like a thoroughbred and the 450-hp 5.9-liter engine was continually developed and refined. The very limited-edition One-77 was perhaps the ultimate iteration, producing 750 hp from 7.3 liters. The latest generation of range-topping Astons now use a new AE31 twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. The N/A V12 lives on for a while longer in the track-only Valkyrie which has its own KERS assisted 1,130-hp 6.5-liter Cosworth developed V12.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Best V12 Engines Of All Time

When you want the best, only a V12 will do.

It's a curious fact that despite the proliferation of large, wafty cruisers and mega-horsepower sportscars in America, very few locally built ones ever featured a V12 engine. The handful of Packards and Cadillacs that offered such a powerplant were all phased out until after WWII only the Lincoln H-Series V12 remained. Once that went out of production in 1949 the American obsession with the V8 was in full force and today there is not one single American model with a V12 on the roads.

Europe didn’t follow the same path though and there have always been a handful of top-tier luxury and sports cars that had a smooth and silky V12 under their hoods. The Germans, Italians and British have been the most ardent supporters of the V12. Its supreme smoothness is unmatched and while the packaging requirements and construction costs make it unviable in even mid-range models, as a range-topper it is hard to beat. Despite the current downsizing trend, there are still a fair few V12s in production and we picked some of the very best examples. From the high-revving supercars to near silent executive expresses, this is one versatile setup.

Ferrari 250 GTO

Enzo Ferrari realized early on that a V12 engine configuration had some worthwhile benefits over 4 and 8-cylinder alternatives. The Ferrari 125 S of 1947 was the first Prancing Horse to fitted with one, although it displaced a mere 1.5-liters. This ‘Colombo’ V12, named after its designer, was continually developed for decades and in 3.0-liter carburettor form it powered the iconic 1962 250 GTO. This road/race car used the race-proven 250 Testa Rossa all-alloy motor and it pushed out around 300-hp, jaw-dropping power for the time. The Colombo V12 finally bowed out in 1988 by which stage it was fuel-injected and up to 4.9 liters in size.

Ferrari LaFerrari

The LaFerrari features a development of the F140 V12 engine.It has, in various states of tune, powered supercars like the 651-hp Enzo, 661-hp 599 GTO and 789-hp 812 Superfast. In the LaFerrari it displaces 6.3 liters and makes an 812 Superfast equaling 789 hp (although the 812 has a larger 6.5-liter displacement) and also gets electric assistance to offer a combined 950 hp. With the excellent V8 488 GTB moving to turbocharging, we may see the next generation of V12 powered Ferraris going the same route.

Lamborghini Countach

Ferruccio Lamborghini saw that to compete with Ferrari he too would need a powerful V12. Enter Giotto Bizzarrini, an engineer whose V12 powered every top Lambo from 1963 all the way up to 2011, spanning from 3.5 to 6.5-liters and upgraded to multivalve heads, dry sump lubrication and fuel-injection along the way. The Countach is one of the most famous cars to be powered by the Bizzarrini V12, first as a 370-hp 4.0-liter in the LP400 and finally as a 450-hp 5.2-liter multivalve unit in the 25th anniversary edition model. The 661-hp 6.5-liter Murcielago LP 670-4 SV was the last Lambo built that could trace its roots back to this original design.

Lamborghini Aventador

Thanks to the influence of new owners VW, the Murcielago introduced reliability and (nearly) daily usability to the Lamborghini range. Despite some Audi switchgear, the trademark madness remained. It was the Aventador however that introduced the biggest change of all, namely a new V12 engine. Codenamed L539 it still displaced 6.5 liters but now made 690 hp in even ‘base’ trim. The madness was left firmly intact. The nuttiest LP 750-4 SV model offers a staggering 740-hp so it is not totally surprising that Lamborghini has decided to eschew turbocharging for the time being. This one shoots blue flames out of its tailpipes too.

McLaren F1

BMW made its money with bullet-proof four-cylinder and racy inline-six engines but its handful of V12s marked them out as one of the world’s premier engine designers. The McLaren F1 was designed to be the ultimate drivers’ car featuring cutting-edge technology and design. Today it's regarded as one of the most important vehicles of the 20th century. McLaren's first choice was a Honda engine but it was BMW that ended up producing the iconic 627-hp 6.1-liter S70/2 V12. It gave the F1 acceleration that still matches up to many of today’s turbocharged supercars, and at 240 mph it remains the fastest naturally aspirated car ever produced.

BMW 760Li

BMW has also offered V12s in a few of its top luxury models such as the latest 760Li xDrive. The N74B66 twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12 in this car produces 602 hp and a massive 590 lb-ft of torque that makes it one of the fastest BMW’s on the road today. Variations of this engine are also found in the Rolls-Royce Ghost where they are profiled to produce effortless torque. The previous non-turbo N73 version also did duty in the Rolls-Royce Phantom as well as the previous-generation 7 Series. Such cross-pollination is not uncommon as developing a V12 from scratch is an extremely costly endeavor.

Mercedes S-Class

Mercedes-Benz returned to V12 road car engines in the early 1990s to ensure that rivals BMW didn’t encroach too far into its traditional ultra-luxury territory. The S-Class first got a V12 engine in 1992, this M120 unit displaced 6.0 liters and made a formidable 402 hp. The latest V12 is the M279 AMG unit, which displaces 5.5 liters and uses two turbochargers to produce 621 hp and a gargantuan 740 lb-ft of torque. Aside from powering the S65 AMG, it is also found in the Maybach S650 and SL65 AMG models.

Pagani Zonda

Pagani disrupted the supercar scene when it unleashed the exquisite Zonda in 1999. While its carbon-fiber construction was all new, the 389-hp 6.0-liter V12 that powered it was a development of the Mercedes M120 unit. This engine was also used in the Mercedes CLK GTR road and a few race cars too. The Zonda R Evolution track day car featured the ultimate version of this engine with an output of 800 hp. Road variants included the 547-hp 7.3-liter Zonda S and 602-hp Zonda F. The latest Huayra now uses a twin-turbo Mercedes-derived V12 but the original Zonda still looks and sounds like nothing else on the road.

Jaguar E-Type

The British motor industry was once a force to be reckoned with. The Jaguar E-Type was, along with the Aston Martin DB5, one of its crowning achievements. The original 1961 E-Type had a 3.8-liter inline-six but by the time the Series III models arrived in 1971 this had swelled to a 5.3-liter V12. The engine remained in production until 1997 but in this original form it made 250 hp. The additional weight and complexity over the inline-six variants made them hardly any quicker but there was not much out at the time that could offer a smoother drive. The final development was a 6.0-liter V12 which saw duty in the ‘90s XJS and made up to 318 hp.

Aston Martin One-77

The DB7 was a stunning car but the company’s troubled financial status meant that it was built on a modified Jaguar XJS platform and its AE28 V12 was actually a pair of modified Ford V6 units. It still drove and performed like a thoroughbred and the 450-hp 5.9-liter engine was continually developed and refined. The very limited-edition One-77 was perhaps the ultimate iteration, producing 750 hp from 7.3 liters. The latest generation of range-topping Astons now use a new AE31 twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. The N/A V12 lives on for a while longer in the track-only Valkyrie which has its own KERS assisted 1,130-hp 6.5-liter Cosworth developed V12.


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