Electrification is inevitable at this point, and almost every automaker who wants to remain in business in the coming decades has pledged in one form or another to slowly ditch the internal combustion engine (ICE) in favor of electric vehicles (EV). But the death of the ICE isn't and can't happen in an instant. There must be a gradual death, which means the inevitable end of big, gas-guzzling engines first.
Automakers have held on to big engines for as long as possible, but due to ever-stricter emissions regulations, this engine configuration has been slowly abandoned. Analyzing the current market for V-8 sports cars, most of the remaining big engines are V-8s, and automakers are doing their best to keep them alive, whether that involves using electrification or other emission-reducing technologies. Since the V-8 is now literally living on borrowed time, here's why 2023 is a great time to buy a V-8 sports car.
Germany Still Has A Decent Roster Of V-8s
Germany still produces a lot of V-8s in general, especially when it comes to performance sedans, SUVs, and sporty coupes, but if we limit the list down to sports cars, the number drastically shrinks. The recently-launched 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT debuts with two variants that thankfully still use a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine in two states of tune, which is a rarity nowadays even in sports cars.
The base GT 55's V-8 produces 469 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, while the GT 63 produces 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Both models come with a nine-speed AMG Speedshift automatic and an AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive (AWD) system. However, the new AMG GT is bigger and heavier than ever before. Big enough to come with two additional seats--albeit tiny ones at that.
Though not exactly directly related, the Mercedes-AMG SL is sort of a convertible counterpart of the AMG GT. It shares the same drivetrain as the newly-unveiled AMG GT, but with the AMG GT featuring more chassis upgrades over its predecessor, here's to hoping that the AMG GT isn't just a coupe version of the AMG SL.
Italian V-8s Are Dying, Too
Unfortunately, the V-8 is also dying in Italy, wherein the only V-8-powered sports cars you can buy right now both come from Ferrari. That would be the Roma, which is somewhat more of a grand tourer because of its luxury orientation, and the SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid sports car. Both of these cars pack a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8, with the Roma producing 612 horsepower and 561 pound-feet, while that same engine does duty in the SF90 Stradale, but the tri-electric motor plug-in hybrid assistance gives it an insane total output of 986 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.
Lamborghini, however, has a bigger V-10 found in the Lamborghini Huracan, With over seven variants to choose from, the Huracan's naturally-aspirated V-10 has power outputs ranging from 602 to 631 horses, and torque figures from 413 to 443 pound-feet. All models come with a seven-speed dual-clutch, while AWD traction is available on all but the EVO RWD model. It also has a German sibling called the Audi R8, and its swansong comes in the form of the R8 Final Edition GT RWD, whose Lamborghini V-10 produces 602 horses and 413 pound-feet of torque.
Even U.K. Isn't Immune To The V-8's Death
V-8-powered sportscars are also a dying breed in the UK. Aston Martin's Vantage comes in two V-8-powered flavors that you can currently get in showrooms, the standard model and the F1 Edition. The standard model's AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 produces 503 horsepower and 505 pound-feet of torque, while the F1 Edition's horsepower output is boosted to 528 horses. This is hooked up to a ZF eight-speed automatic that drives the rear wheels.
Even McLaren's list of V-8 sports cars has dwindled over the past few years. The only remaining V-8-powered sports car you can buy right now is the new 750S, which is a facelifted successor to the 720S, and the luxurious McLaren GT--though as the name denotes, is a mid-engined grand tourer. Both models feature a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, which in the 750S's case produces 740 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, which sends power to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch.
A British sportscar you've probably forgotten to exist is the Jaguar F-Type. Available in US showrooms solely with a potent and charismatic 5.0-liter supercharged V-8, the P450 R-Dynamic and 75 has an output of 444 horsepower and 428 pound-feet while the range-topping F-Type R P575 produces 567 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. AWD traction is standard on all but the base P450 R-Dynamic, while a ZF eight-speed automatic is your only transmission choice.
But What About In Our Own Backyard?
The United States still has a strong list of V-8s, since our emissions regulations are a little bit more lenient, especially when it comes to SUVs and trucks. However, among sports cars, your only choice is the current C8 Chevrolet Corvette and the sole surviving muscle car with a V-8 in the form of the Ford Mustang.
The Corvette is the sole American sports car with a V-8 in three variations. The base Corvette Stingray has a naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 that produces 490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, while an optional NPP exhaust from the Z51 package adds five horses and pounds-foot. A hybrid (self-charging and not plug-in hybrid) version called the Corvette E-Ray is also available, whose 6.2-liter V-8 has been teamed up with an electric motor that gives it a total output of 655 horsepower and 595 pound-feet of torque. It's also the first Corvette in history with AWD.
Perhaps the best and most celebrated version of the Corvette C8 is the Z06. The high-revving, 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank naturally-aspirated V-8 produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque that's sent to the rear wheels. All Corvette C8s come with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Mercedes-AMG GT | Mercedes-AMG SL (SL 55 and SL 63) | Ferrari Roma | Ferrari SF90 Stradale | Aston Martin Vantage | McLaren 750S | Jaguar F-Type | Chevrolet Corvette C8 | |
Engine | 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 | 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 | 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 | 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 with three electric motors | 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 | 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 | 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 | 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V-8 (with one electric motor for E-Ray), 5.5-liter naturally-aspirated V-8 |
Horsepower | 469 - 577 hp | 469 - 577 hp | 612 hp | 986 hp | 503 - 528 hp | 740 hp | 444 - 567 hp | 490 - 670 hp |
Torque | 516 - 577 lb-ft | 516 - 577 lb-ft | 561 lb-ft | 590 lb-ft | 505 lb-ft | 590 lb-ft | 428 - 516 lb-ft | 465 - 595 lb-ft |
Transmission | 9-speed automatic | 9-speed automatic | 8-speed dual-clutch | 8-speed dual-clutch | 8-speed automatic | 7-speed dual-clutch | 8-speed automatic | 8-speed dual-clutch |
Layout | Front engine, all-wheel drive | Front engine, all-wheel drive | Front engine, rear-wheel drive | Mid-engine, all-wheel drive | Front engine, rear-wheel drive | Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive | Front engine, rear-wheel drive/all-wheel drive | Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive/all-wheel drive |
0-60 mph | 3.8 - 3.1 sec. | 3.8 - 3.5 sec. | 3.4 sec. | 2.5 sec. | 3.6 sec. | 2.7 sec. | 4.4 - 3.5 sec. | 2.9 - 2.5 sec. |
To condense all the information you've just seen, here's a table of some of the best V-8 sports cars you can still buy right now in America.
So, Why Is Now The Best Time To Buy A V-8 Sports Car?
As you've seen in this list, the amount of V-8 cars you can still buy is dwindling, and this can change quickly in just a couple of years. The twelve-cylinder engine is officially on its final legs, with less than ten cars you can currently buy in showrooms right now. The benefits of the V-8 engine are obvious though. Big power and more noise, which are hallmarks of any high-performance car. So while emissions regulations are slowly killing big displacement engines, somehow, electrification technologies are still providing life support to these engines. Also, brands like Porsche are working on keeping internal combustion alive.
But at the end of the day, sports car sales aren't as high as they used to be, and so while the V-8 will eventually die, the V-8 sports car will die at a far faster rate. So yes, if you happen to enjoy these V-8 sports cars, now is the time to actually get one while they still exist in showrooms. Getting it with a manual will truly ensure that you get the most analog and visceral driving experience, and this is something that EVs and hybrids might not be able to offer.