Do any cars have air-cooled engines?

Yes—but only in very limited contexts today. No mainstream automaker sells a new, mass-produced air-cooled car. Air-cooled engines survive mainly in classic vehicles still on the road, low-volume replicas or kit cars that reuse old designs, and a handful of recent three-wheelers (now discontinued) that used motorcycle-style engines. For most modern cars, liquid cooling has been the norm for decades due to emissions, efficiency, and noise regulations.

What “air-cooled” means and why it faded

Air-cooled engines shed heat directly to the atmosphere via finned cylinders and forced airflow, avoiding the radiators, pumps, coolant, and plumbing of liquid-cooled systems. That simplicity brought weight and maintenance advantages in early automotive history—but it comes with serious trade-offs in today’s regulatory and performance landscape.

The key pros and cons below outline why automakers moved away from air cooling.

• Advantages: mechanical simplicity, lower parts count, lighter weight, quicker warm-up, and robustness in cold climates (no coolant to freeze).
• Disadvantages: tighter thermal control, higher noise, tougher emissions compliance, less efficient cabin heating, and challenges with modern turbocharging and high specific output targets.

As emissions standards tightened (Euro norms, U.S. EPA/CARB) and customer expectations rose for refinement and efficiency, the industry broadly adopted liquid cooling, which offers precise temperature management and easier integration with aftertreatment systems.

What’s available today

If you’re looking for a new, factory-built air-cooled car in 2025, you won’t find one in mainstream showrooms. The remaining avenues are niche and specialized.

This list summarizes where air-cooled car engines still show up—or recently did.

• Classic cars still on the road: millions of historic air-cooled models (notably Volkswagen Beetles and buses, older Porsche 911s and 356s, Citroën 2CVs, Fiat 500/126, Chevrolet Corvairs, various Tatras, and others) remain in use and in collectors’ garages worldwide.
• Replicas and kit cars: small builders and hobbyists continue to assemble vehicles powered by rebuilt Volkswagen flat-fours (e.g., Porsche 356 or 550 Spyder replicas, dune buggies). Rules vary by country/state; emissions compliance can limit where and how these are registered.
• Three-wheelers (recent, now discontinued): the Morgan 3 Wheeler (2011–2021) used an air-cooled S&S V‑twin motorcycle-style engine. Its successor, the Morgan Super 3 (from 2022), switched to a liquid-cooled Ford three-cylinder.
• Motorsport and hobby use: classic racing series and hill climbs often feature air-cooled cars, but these are not current-production passenger vehicles.

In short, air-cooled engines persist through heritage and hobbyist channels. New-vehicle offerings have effectively disappeared, especially as emissions and noise rules tightened and as the industry pivots toward electrification.

Recent history: the last mainstream air-cooled cars

Several iconic models carried air cooling deep into the late 20th century—and in a few cases, the early 21st.

These examples highlight when high-profile air-cooled production ended.

• Porsche 911: the final air-cooled generation (993) ended after the 1998 model year, when Porsche moved to the liquid-cooled 996.
• Volkswagen Beetle (original): production in Mexico continued with air-cooled engines until 2003, long after the Beetle left other markets.
• Volkswagen Type 2 “Kombi” (Brazil): the iconic van retained an air-cooled flat-four until late 2005; from 2006 to the end of production in 2013 it used a liquid-cooled flex-fuel engine.
• Citroën 2CV: air-cooled flat-twin production ran from 1948 to 1990.
• Fiat 500/126: the original 500 (1957–1975) and much of the 126 line (including Poland’s 126p) used air-cooled twins; some variants continued into the 1990s, with limited production in Poland lasting to 2000.
• Chevrolet Corvair: air-cooled flat-six produced from 1960 to 1969.
• Tatra sedans (e.g., 603/613): rear-mounted air-cooled V8s served into the 1990s in limited volumes.

These chapters underscore a clear inflection point: by the late 1990s and early 2000s, even the stalwarts of air cooling had transitioned or ceased production.

Why automakers won’t bring air cooling back

Modern passenger cars must meet stringent emissions, efficiency, and refinement targets that effectively demand precise thermal management. That’s easier with liquid cooling, which stabilizes temperatures under load, enables sophisticated turbocharging strategies, supports cabin HVAC expectations, and integrates cleanly with catalytic converters and particulate filters.

The factors below explain the near-total industry shift.

• Emissions and noise regulations: maintaining catalyst light-off and controlling combustion temperatures is simpler with liquid cooling; air-cooled engines struggle to meet modern standards without heavy compromises.
• Performance and durability: consistent thermal control supports higher specific outputs and reliability in congested, high-ambient, or stop-start conditions.
• User expectations: quieter operation, strong cabin heat and A/C performance, and minimal maintenance favor liquid cooling.
• Electrification trend: as automakers invest in hybrids and EVs, there’s little incentive to re-engineer compliant air-cooled combustion platforms.

Given these pressures, any revival of air cooling in mass-market cars is highly unlikely. The technology will remain the domain of classics, hobbyists, and niche builds.

Bottom line

Air-cooled engines are not dead—but they’re no longer a feature of new, mainstream cars. You’ll find them in historic vehicles, specialist replicas, and the occasional recent three-wheeler like the discontinued Morgan 3 Wheeler. For everyday new cars, liquid-cooled engines—and increasingly electric powertrains—run the show.

What is a disadvantage of an air-cooled engine?

Limited cooling efficiency: During hot climatic conditions, or intense operation of the vehicle, air-cooled engines may struggle to manage the temperature of the engine and overheat.

Are air-cooled engines reliable?

Air-cooled engines can be reliable, particularly for simpler applications like motorcycles, aircraft, and smaller vehicles, because they are mechanically simpler, lighter, and don’t have coolant-related failures. However, their reliability is often dependent on design and maintenance, as they are more susceptible to overheating in hot weather or heavy traffic and have less consistent operating temperatures, which can affect performance and longevity compared to liquid-cooled engines.
 
Advantages of Air-Cooled Engines

• Simplicity and Weight: They have fewer components (no radiator, water pump, hoses), making them lighter and simpler to maintain. 
• No Coolant Issues: There’s no risk of coolant leaks or freezing, which is a significant advantage in certain conditions. 
• Fast Warm-Up: Air-cooled engines warm up quickly, which is beneficial for some applications. 
• Suitable for Harsh Conditions: Their design can make them more resilient in extreme temperatures because they don’t rely on a complex cooling system that could fail. 

Disadvantages of Air-Cooled Engines

• Overheating Risk: They can overheat in slow-moving or hot conditions because airflow is essential for cooling, and this can lead to warped cylinders or cracked blocks. 
• Temperature Inconsistency: Their cooling is less precise than liquid-cooled systems, leading to wider temperature variations that affect engine clearances and fuel management. 
• Lower Power Output: To manage the heat, these engines are often designed with richer fuel mixtures and looser tolerances, which can result in less power. 
• Noise: The absence of a water jacket to dampen noise results in louder operation from the valve train and exhaust. 
• Emissions Concerns: Inconsistent temperatures make it harder to meet strict modern emission standards. 

When Are They Most Reliable?

• Well-Engineered Designs: Reputable manufacturers with good engineering, such as those making motorcycles or piston aircraft engines, produce reliable air-cooled engines. 
• Specific Applications: They are well-suited for environments where simplicity, weight, and the absence of coolant are priorities, like smaller vehicles and some recreational equipment. 
• Proper Maintenance: As with any engine, consistent and proper maintenance is key to ensuring the longevity and reliability of an air-cooled engine. 

Are any cars still air-cooled?

Few current production automobiles have air-cooled engines (such as Tatra 815), but historically it was common for many high-volume vehicles.

When was the last air-cooled car made?

1998
As the final evolutionary stage of the air-cooled boxer engine, the fourth-generation 911 paid dividends for Porsche. Up to 1998, the company produced 68,881 examples of the 993, successfully capping off the air-cooled engine era in this unique model story.