Our Two Cents: Vehicles That Never Got the Engine They Deserved
What vehicle never got the engine it deserved? That’s the question we asked the staff here at Hagerty Media. Our love of cars goes back decades, or centuries if you combined us into one superhero of an automotive journalist, and we’ve all wondered how much better certain cars would be if they had a different engine …
… Or a better engine, something that truly spoke to the rest of the car. Let’s see what alternate realities we have created!
A Standard V-8 for Every Cadillac
For me, it’s the fact that all Cadillac cars (cars—Escalade excluded) from the last 20 or so years lack a standard V-8 engine. GM has an excellent LS motor, and a baby Caddy with a modest 4.8-liter small-block would give buyers more reason to avoid a thirsty BMW for a slightly more thirsty Caddy.
As the Caddy becomes larger, the V-8 engine follows suit (5.3-liter CTS, 6.2-liter CT-6, etc.) with increased displacement, and forced induction for the V-series examples. The inherent torque and simplicity of a pushrod V-8 complements the minimalist architecture of GM’s new EV powertrains, and exclusively pairing those two in a luxury car brand will make Cadillac more appealing than any of its competition. — Sajeev Mehta
As under-the-radar-good (and as mod-friendly) as the ATS-V’s LF4 V-6 is, I agree. After having spent over ten thousand miles with the smaller of the Alpha-chassis Caddys, the ATS should have gotten the 455-horse LT1 from the Camaro, and the ATS-V should have gotten the LT4. — Eddy Eckart
V-8 Bronco Raptor/ Ford GT
Ford Bronco Raptor. Lack of a V-8 is … yeaaaaah. For the record, I am fully aware that you can’t easily fit that V-8 into Ford’s T-6 frame. Actually, here’s the same opinion again: This also applies to the most recent Ford GT. — Matt Tuccillo
For sure, the Ford GT shoulda had a V-8. — Larry Webster
I think I’ll also jump on the Ford GT bandwagon, as I don’t care for the reasoning of why it got the EcoBoost V-6. That car deserved a V-8 based on heritage alone. – Greg Ingold
Yes, please! Kill the flying buttress, make room for a 900+ horsepower Coyote with a twin-screw supercharger. — Sajeev Mehta
V-8 Prowler
The Plymouth Prowler comes to mind. Chrysler Corporation came up with a car that was a modern nod to the classic hot rod but forgot the one factor that people want from a hot rod: A V-8 engine. You have to actively try to miss that detail. I don’t think anyone would’ve minded seeing a 318 Magnum out of a Ram pickup in the Prowler, as long as it came with eight cylinders. — Greg Ingold
Honda Motors in a Modern Lotus
Any modern-day Lotus fits in this category. They make do with Toyota engines but the chassis deserves the character of a Honda motor. — Larry Webster
Having a Lotus with a K-Series would be excellent! Totally agree with that take. — Greg Ingold
A Straight-Six SLK
Let’s not overlook the original Mercedes SLK. This folding-roof roadster needed Mercedes’ juicy and punchy 2.8-liter straight six. That supercharged four-cylinder engine was disappointing, and the manual gearbox was even worse. — Larry Webster
SHO-inental, If Only
I only thought of this car/engine combo since I yanked my 1989 Continental Signature Series out of storage. Turns out it needed new rubber, and tires from a 1989 Ford Taurus SHO are a smidge wider on the same-sized wheel. Getting a set of those and slapping a set of 1/4-inch spacers on the rear gave it a stance that I can’t stop looking at. And now, curiously, it’s getting a lot more compliments. Even the manager of a local burger joint stopped me from giving my order so he could compliment me on it.
He thought it was a Town Car, but that’s not the point. These moments get this Lincoln-restomodding fool thinking about one thing: Ford needed an automatic transmission ready for the Taurus SHO sooner, and should have slapped it all into the 1989 Continental. Such a tragedy! — Sajeev Mehta
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS was so unconventional and interesting that it’s easy to forget there was only ever an old-fashioned, underwhelming OHV four under the hood. The later SM got a Maserati V-6, but the DS was never so lucky. — Andrew Newton
The Sky Shoulda Been the Limit
GM flogged its Ecotec four-banger, and I know they made crazy power for drag racing. But I thought the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky deserved a more refined motor. — Larry Webster
They needed an LS, maybe just a small-displacement 4.8-liter, to keep Chevrolet appeased with their Corvette’s dominance. But I am sure that was discussed in some conference room at GM, and it was quickly shot down. — Sajeev Mehta
Plymouth did build and show a Prowler with the 4.7 OHC V8 HO at SEMA and some other shows and called it the Howler. 270 hp and good torque completely stock. Should have built a production one. Just a few tweaks and over 300 hp was very doable.
I,m going to go a little older than all these other comments. My beautiful 1952 Kaiser Manhattan would have beat all the competition if Henry J had produced his promised V8 and dropped it in. Without a doubt, it was one of the finest cars of the era.
and soon, hemi straight 6’s
I have never found my 1999 SLK to be underpowered nor has the manual transmission ever been anything but smooth. I have owned this vehicle for 18 years and it is more fun to drive than any car I have ever driven!
The Suzuki Kizashi was designed to accept the 252 HP V6 from the XL7, but was only offered with the peaky, 185 horse four-pot.
But the V6 Ford GT did win LeMans.
These are all guys with small _____ that work well, but wish they had more size to crow about.
You’re right about LeMans, but I’d bet that if there was a V8 option on the dealer order sheet, the other 98 percent of Ford GT’s would have V8s.
Would you rather cruise around the parking lot sounding like a Honda Accord or a Ford GT?
My first big disappointment was the new Ford EXP in ’82. Sporty (sort of) looking car with a disappointing 4 cyl. Next was the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Sharp looking vehicle on a Neon chassis.
Yeah we all bitched when the cars came out.so what can we do but bitch. Can we get any of them to change. At least offer a V8 option for any sport car or SUV no matter the size.
Big misses here. The lack of a DeLorean. The poor recommendation to replace the Toyotas in Lotus with a Honda. The overly redundant advocation of V8s (primarily LS
engines) in everything. I’m pretty disappointed in the observations shared. Perhaps you should have named this article “V8 for everything”. The DMC-12 is one of the most recognizable cars from the past 50 years mostly due to the movies. Anyone that’s ever driven a DeLorean walks away disappointed by performance. Maybe in this case a V8 might have made sense, but a twin turbo V6 or supercharged setup sounds more elegant to me. I personally am the most impressed with automotive engineers that can achieve performance without an LS swap.
how about an engine/trans combo? Chrysler Crossfire. Cool looking “sporty” car but available only with a small V6 and automatic. Heck, even a 5 or 6spd manual would have made the car fun even with the V6.
The most famous example is the Delorean. Shocked it didn’t make the list.
The 85-87 Fox body Lincoln Continental should have had an HO engine.
I installed a 94 Mustang Cobra engine in mine with 93 brackets and upper intake.
Looks like a factory install.
My first Gen Audii TT was a total dog from a company thar won Le Mans countless times in period. A wonderful little Spyder that needed a high performance transverse six, or conversely a set of bicycle pedals and a chain.
Personally, I enjoy a V-8 as much as the next guy/gal, but I admire those who are a bit more imaginative, and are willing to build a more than competitive vehicle without using the same old, tired formulas.
I was hoping for a list like: Triumph Stag, any Moretti, any USA spec Fiat after 1959….