Who makes the best V8?

JCL · #17 12-09-2007, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wagner

Haha, I guess it would really depend on what your judging to make it 'best'. If it is fuel economy, power-to-weight, power-to-size, internal configuration/complexity, etc......

I would not be shocked that GM got the title they have been building V8's since the dawn of the internal combustion engine.

Excellent, another engine discussion!

Agree with your comment that it depends on what you're judging. The Corvette has amazing and affordable performance, the Aston has a certain style, and the Ferrari, well, it is a Ferrari.

However, to suggest that GM, which was very late to the V8 party, somehow invented the class, is misleading. Even if you go back to the early Cadillac (which wasn't a GM then), you are a decade or so after the first V8s from France and England. If you talk about the first mass-popular V8 it is Ford with the '32 flathead. That is the engine that made the V8 a part of history. Then 15 years later there was the odd Oldsmobile, etc, but GM didn't really get in there with a historic V8 until the 265 in the mid fifties, admittedly a great engine. It also started out in the Corvette, so it is relevant to the post. That engine has had a great run, with some design features still around in the current GM V8s.

Since the Ferrari is in the comparison, how can we compare cross-plane and flat-plane designs in the same article? The cross-plane is smoother, but doesn't have the exhaust note or tuning potential. It also doesn't rev as easily, and is heavier. The flat-plane is bred from a racing engine, and you can't compare the two exhaust notes, they are essentially two different engine designs. It is like comparing Nascar to F1. (bias showing here).

There was a mention of the Chrysler Hemi. Chrysler only ever built a few real hemi engines starting in the mid '60s. The current ones are a marketing campaign, not a real hemi. 'nuff said.

As cars, my vote goes with the Ferrari. For affordable performance, nothing touches the Corvette. But I still want the Aston in my garage, emotionally.

Isn't it great to live in a time when there are some fantastic cars available? We are definitely spoiled for choice.