Out of the Slot: Ranking the 10 Greatest Automotive ENGINES of All Time

So…you know what they say about “opinions,” right? Well, I’m living under the belief that mine don’t stink any worse than anyone else’s, and since this is a blog about cars in all their forms, I’ve decided to rattle some cages again and do another “Out of the Slot” post in which I’ll present my picks for the 10 greatest car engines in history!

Now, a little background and a few disclaimers here, so y’all know where I’m coming from…

First, this list is limited only to engines used in passenger cars; they may also have appeared in racing cars and in light trucks, and at least one of these picks was flexible enough to be used in full-sized heavy-duty trucks, but that’s an outlier: this is focused on engines that were in vehicles that people could actually buy and drive on the street. Second, you will note that most (not all!) of my choices are post-World War II. While I still think they are valid, I will admit there may be some great creations from the distant past that I’m just not as aware of as some of the others. However, my contention is that if they were that great, we’d all be aware of them. Third-and most important-the engines that make my list have to be special in multiple ways; they can’t just be high performance or high efficiency; they have to have staying power: I’m looking at engine designs that were good enough to stand the test of time and be in production for many years-some for many decades-and which powered numerous vehicles through the years that we all know and love and that are famous in one way or another.

There’s no doubt there will be plenty of people who chime in about worthy’s I’ve left out, and some people might even take issue with the ones I’ve included, but these are my picks, so feel free to tell me yours if you disagree! I think you’ll find, however, that all-around car enthusiasts the world over-those that know their stuff, anyway-will put several of my picks on their own lists!

So, like Peter Pan liked to say, “C’mon everybody, here we gooooooooo….”

#10. Ferrari “Columbo” V12

1947-1988

On most anyone’s top 10 list due to its fame and fortune, this is THE Ferrari engine, the one that dominated racing circuits all over the world for a decade from the late 50’s to the mid-60’s, and to this day remains one of the most-revered powerplants of all time-and one of the sexyist! This engine powered many of the most beautiful cars ever made, and many of the most valuable. You can make arguments against the greatness of this powerplant if you want to point out-as one automotive journalist I read years ago did-that “it used twice as many moving parts and 50 times as many dollars to make less horsepower than a used Chevy small-block.” OK, but, c’mon; this is the engine that says “Ferrari,” not only in how it sounds and what it does but even in how it looks! It’s no picnic to work on one of these, but once you hear one roaring on a racing track on unmuffled exhausts, your life will never be the same!

#9. Oldsmobile “Rocket” V8

1949-1964

This is perhaps my most controversial pick for this 10-best list because you could make the case for several engines being on here for the reasons this one is: the equivalent Cadillac OHV V8 from the same era, and the Studebaker small block V8, both come to mind. So then, what are those reasons? Well, the Olds Rocket makes my list because it was the first “modern” compact overhead valve V8 engine to be mass produced at a price that average people could afford. When it was introduced in 1949 it was a revelation for its efficiency: the power it offered for its weight and size was heretofore unheard of in a mass-produced, affordable engine. Though the dates above indicate I’m inducting the Gen 1 version for my “10-best” list, it remained in production in altered form all the way until 1990!

#8. Chevrolet “Stovebolt” inline-6

1928-1962

Certainly not a performance engine, the venerable “Stovebolt” makes my list for its flexibility, longevity, and legendary reliability. Made in numerous displacements throughout its long lifespan and used to power everything from work-a-day commuter sedans to full-sized heavy duty trucks, the “Stovebolt” set the standard for the “use it and abuse it” reliability Americans still expect in their cars. Simple in the extreme and so easy to work on that any backyard mechanic can keep them going, these engines will run virtually forever with minimal maintenance: if that doesn’t qualify for a “10-best” list, what does?

#7. Ford Flathead V8

1932-1953

Similar to the Olds Rocket in the #9 position, the Flathead makes the cut for its fame as the world’s first low price mass produced V8. Its design may seem dated now, but when it was introduced the automotive world swooned at the idea of V8 power that almost anyone could afford, because multiple cylinders and the power and smoothness they offered were previously luxuries reserved for the wealthy. Combine that accomplishment with it being the engine that gave birth to the idea of the Hot Rod, the “Flatty” was the engine that every kid wanted in the 40’s and early 50’s until the small block Chevy knocked it off its pedestal, and it is still rightly revered today by historians, enthusiasts, and “greasers” the world over as the “purest” hot rod power plant!

#6. Chrysler “Hemi” big block V8

1964-1971

Though the years I list above clarify that the engine that makes my list is the second generation big block version, its has to be mentioned that the first generation “Firepower” Hemi’s made from 1951-58 paved the way. Yet it’s the drag-strip dominator from the 60’s that gets all the glory, and rightly so. As with a couple of others that made the cut, the “Hemi” is on my list for its performance and its storied fame: a mill so legendary that the phrase “Yeah, its got a Hemi” actually means something! It isn’t light or efficient, but few if any engines can match its brute force potential. To this day it remains the powerplant of choice for drag racers all over the world, and it may always be!

#5. Jaguar XK inline-6

1947-1988

Another one that may be controversial, there is no escaping the historical significance of the “XK,” with its decade of worldwide race wins on top of it being one of the longest running engine designs of all time. Technologically advanced when new due to its overhead cam design (certainly not the first of its type ever seen but to that point the most successful!), while it is a large and heavy engine, it is also a well-designed one that walks the line between complexity and simplicity, and it is capable of producing immense power and torque for its displacement. In addition to that, its right up there with the Ferrari Columbo V12 both in being one of the best looking powerplants ever produced, and in having a sound that is music to a gearhead’s ears! XK-powered cars dominated motor racing circuits in the 1950’s, and they are still winning vintages races today.

#4. Mercedes-Benz OM617 inline-5 DIESEL

1974-1990

Does a diesel belong on this list? You bet it does, when it powered as many passenger cars the world over for as long as this one did, and it makes my top 10 list for one very significant reason: it is the most durable and longest-lasting car engine ever produced. Today there are several examples of this engine that have logged over 1,000,000 miles, an accomplishment that is stunning in any context, and getting over 300,000 out of one is almost a given. Your humble blogger hisself has had the pleasure of owning 2 of them, one normally aspirated and the other turbocharged, and I can assure you that the legend is true! No OM617 will ever snap your neck with performance, but no engine out there will outlast it!

#3. Toyota R-Series inline-4

1953-1997

This is admittedly an expansive entry, as there are some significant differences between the 22 variations of the R-series of engines. However, the basic design does run through the lot, and the 3 best known and highest-production variations, the 8R (1968-73), the 20R (1975-80) and the 22R (1981-97) powered countless millions of cars and light trucks all over the world, and are still doing so today. Many outlived the vehicles they were originally installed in and went on running as transplants. These engines are so reliable that they are responsible for turning Toyota into the world’s largest car company, and-many would argue-the most highly-regarded. While they are not usually thought of as an exciting or high-performance mill, this degree of flexibility and dependability can’t be beat, and so many were built for so many years that parts will probably always be available, making any of these engines a top choice to power a vehicle you need to count on.

#2. VW/Porsche flat-6 “Boxer”

1963-current

Maybe this entry is a little bit of a cheat; though the dates indicate I’m talking about the 6-cylinder Porsche variant, in reality I’m also considering that engine’s progeny, the 4-cylinder Volkswagen engine we all know and love as the chugging, backfiring air-cooled mill that powered the highest-production and longest-running car design in history. Certainly there are significant differences between the 4 and 6 cylinder variants, and even more significant differences between the air-cooled and water-cooled versions, but the basic design philosophy is the same. When you consider this mill has powered both the world’s most affordable and recognizable car, and many of the world’s winningest and highest performing sports and racing cars, that kind of flexibility brings this one up to the very top of my list. Ironically, I’m not a fan of VWs and Porsches and have never had a desire to own one, but that doesn’t prevent me from empirically recognizing the brilliance of this engine design.

Now in “list-verse” tradition, before I get to number 1, there are many “Honorable Mentions” that would make a “Top 20” list, including the Ford “thinwall” small-block V8, the Ford FE-series big block V8, the Honda B-series inline-4, the Chrysler “Slant-6”, the AMC/Jeep inline-6, the General Motors 60-degree V6, the Mercedes-Benz 2.8 & 3-Litre inline-6, the BMW M88 inline-6, the Dusenberg inline-8, and the Mazda Wankel Rotary, all for their own reasons!

Aaaaand at number one, we have…A NO-BRAINER! Because its not even close, and, really, if you’re completely honest, there can be no argument against this…

#1. Chevrolet small-block V8

1955-current

It really doesn’t even need to be said! Any engine that can power a generator, an RV, a light-, medium-, or heavy-duty truck, a daily driver sedan, and a high performance sports car; that can tow, haul, win races, and start and run reliably in any conditions when you need it; is simple enough that anyone armed with a few wrenches and a basic guide book can work on it; and that can withstand almost unlimited torture and abuse and keep running…well, that’s a winner! The SBC has surely powered a larger variety of vehicles than any engine design in history, and although it was finally retired from Chevrolet production cars around the turn of the century, it is still in production to this day as a crate motor, and one has to figure it may always be! What makes the SBC so amazing is not just its power and durability in such a compact and affordable package, but its ability to be modified almost infinitely to become the perfect mill for virtually any application. In short: there’s almost nothing it can’t do. You may argue that’s its not the best of the best at anything, but I counter with: it’s damn good at everything! And you just can’t beat that! This is #1 by a mile!

And so there you have it, fellow gear heads! Now, let the flaming begin as everyone chimes in with “How could you have left out ‘X’!” 😀

When we race our slot cars, it’s a safe bet that many of them are models of a vehicle that was powered by one of these engines, and even if we don’t get the sounds and smells of the real things on our table tops, its always great to see and hear the real deals in the real world when you can, so that in your mind’s eye you know what your slotty would feel like if it were real! As far as scale-model racing goes, I’ve made the case that slot cars are the only COOL electric cars, which leads to another of those “opinions” which I’ll be revisiting soon in a future post! So stay tuned for more controversy here at DRAG CITY!