QOTD: How Long Can The V8 Engine Last?
Ford brass says the company remains committed to the V8 engine.
Yet, it only sells two models with eight cylinders.
Tightening fuel economy and emissions regulations, customer preference for better fuel efficiency, the push towards electrification, and customer desire to spend less have combined to make the V8 scarce. Meanwhile, automakers have found ways to produce more power out of four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines.
Still, the V8 isn't dead. It still exists in some sports cars and in full-size trucks that are used for towing.
The question is, with the advancements in power in smaller engines and the move toward more electrification, will the V8 last? If so, how long?
I personally believe that as long as internal-combustion engines are allowed by law and supported by the market, there will be a few V8s available. Like as now, they'll remain in sports cars and pickups -- and maybe large sedans, should that segment rebound.
There won't be many cars available with one, but I suspect the V8 has years, perhaps decades, of useful life left.
Am I right? Am I wrong? You know what to do. Sound off below.
[Image: Drake A. McIntosh/Shutterstock.com]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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I will always prefer the sound and power a V-8 makes and how they broadcast it. I have no need for a puky little engine stuffed full of air by a turbo which ends up sounding about as good as my Hoover Vacuum no matter what giant diameter stainless crap is protruding out the back which by the way, is typically worth more than the attached Vacuum body.
Yes, they'll still be made, but at a cost! Gone are the days of relatively cheap V-8s due to manufacturers predilection to install them in high margin/performance vehicles.