Which car has a V engine?

Plenty of cars use V-shaped engines today, from everyday models to supercars: examples include the Ford Mustang (V8), Toyota Tundra (twin‑turbo V6), Lexus ES 350 (V6), Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra (V8), Porsche Cayenne (V6/V8), Mercedes‑AMG GT (V8), Ferrari 296 GTB (V6), and Rolls‑Royce Phantom (V12). A V engine arranges its cylinders in two angled banks forming a “V,” and remains common in sedans, SUVs, pickups, sports cars, and ultra‑luxury vehicles. Below is a clear guide to what a V engine is and which current models feature one.

What is a V engine?

A V engine places two rows of cylinders on separate banks set at an angle to each other, meeting at the crankshaft. Common V layouts include V6, V8, V10, and V12. This design shortens engine length compared with an inline engine of the same cylinder count, aiding packaging and allowing greater displacement and power options, though it can add complexity, weight, and cost.

Mainstream cars currently offering V engines

Sedans and performance four-doors

These popular sedans and performance four-doors are available with V6, V8, or V12 engines in recent model years (availability varies by market and trim).

• Lexus ES 350 — 3.5L V6
• Lexus IS 350 — 3.5L V6
• Infiniti Q50 — 3.0L twin‑turbo V6
• Acura TLX Type S — 3.0L turbo V6 (through 2024)
• Cadillac CT5 — 3.0L twin‑turbo V6; CT5‑V Blackwing — 6.2L supercharged V8
• Mercedes‑Maybach S 680 — 6.0L twin‑turbo V12; S 580 — 4.0L twin‑turbo V8
• BMW M5 (new generation) — 4.4L twin‑turbo V8 hybrid
• Audi S6/S7 — 2.9L twin‑turbo V6; RS6 Avant — 4.0L twin‑turbo V8

These models illustrate that V engines remain common in the premium and performance sedan space, especially for higher-output trims.

SUVs and crossovers

Family and premium SUVs frequently use V6s and V8s for towing, performance, and refinement.

• Honda Pilot — 3.5L V6
• Nissan Pathfinder — 3.5L V6
• Kia Telluride — 3.8L V6; Hyundai Palisade — 3.8L V6
• Ford Explorer ST/Platinum — 3.0L twin‑turbo V6
• Jeep Grand Cherokee — 3.6L V6 (V8 option discontinued after 2023)
• Porsche Cayenne — 2.9L V6 and 4.0L twin‑turbo V8 (various trims)
• Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban — 5.3L or 6.2L V8 (plus available diesel inline‑6)
• GMC Yukon/Yukon Denali — V8 options; Cadillac Escalade/Escalade‑V — 6.2L V8 (supercharged in V)
• Mercedes‑AMG G 63 — 4.0L twin‑turbo V8

From three-row family haulers to high-performance luxury SUVs, V engines continue to serve buyers who need torque, towing capacity, and smooth power delivery.

Pickup trucks and minivans

Pickups rely on V6s and V8s for torque and durability, while many minivans use V6s for payload and passenger duty.

• Ford F‑150 — 2.7L/3.5L V6 (EcoBoost) and 5.0L V8
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500 — 5.3L and 6.2L V8 options
• GMC Sierra 1500 — 5.3L and 6.2L V8 options
• Ram 1500 — 5.7L V8 offered through 2024; moved to inline‑6 for 2025
• Toyota Tundra — 3.4/3.5L twin‑turbo V6 (i‑FORCE and i‑FORCE MAX hybrid)
• Nissan Titan — 5.6L V8 (discontinued after 2024 model year)
• Nissan Frontier — 3.8L V6; Honda Ridgeline — 3.5L V6
• Chrysler Pacifica — 3.6L V6; Honda Odyssey — 3.5L V6; Kia Carnival — 3.5L V6

While some brands are migrating to downsized or inline powertrains, V engines remain a backbone of the pickup and minivan segments.

Sports cars and supercars

High-performance cars often use V6, V8, V10, or V12 engines for power density, character, and packaging.

• Ford Mustang GT/Dark Horse — 5.0L V8
• Chevrolet Corvette Stingray — 6.2L V8; Z06 — 5.5L flat‑plane V8; ZR1 — twin‑turbo 5.5L V8
• Nissan Z — 3.0L twin‑turbo V6
• Maserati MC20 — 3.0L twin‑turbo V6
• Mercedes‑AMG GT — 4.0L twin‑turbo V8
• Aston Martin Vantage/DB12 — 4.0L twin‑turbo V8
• Lamborghini Revuelto — 6.5L V12 hybrid; successor models also employ V‑architecture
• Ferrari 296 GTB/GTS — 3.0L twin‑turbo V6 hybrid; 12Cilindri — 6.5L V12

From attainable American icons to Italian exotics, V engines remain central to the identity and performance of sports cars and supercars.

Ultra‑luxury

Top-tier luxury sedans and grand tourers often favor multi‑cylinder V engines for effortless power and refinement.

• Rolls‑Royce Phantom/Ghost — twin‑turbo V12
• Bentley Continental GT/GTC — twin‑turbo V8 (W12 discontinued after 2024)
• Mercedes‑Maybach S‑Class — V8 and V12 options depending on trim

In the ultra‑luxury arena, V8s and V12s deliver the smooth, near‑silent thrust expected by buyers at this level.

Why automakers use V engines

V engines have technical advantages and trade-offs compared with inline or flat engines. Here’s what typically drives the choice.

• Pros: compact length for packaging, broad power and torque potential, smoothness in higher cylinder counts (especially V12), and strong towing capability.
• Cons: greater complexity and cost, added weight versus smaller turbocharged inline engines, and potential efficiency/emissions penalties if not hybridized.

Manufacturers balance these factors against performance targets, emissions rules, cost, and vehicle design constraints when choosing a V engine.

How to tell if a car has a V engine

If you’re not sure what’s under the hood, these practical checks can help you confirm a V configuration.

• Brochure/window sticker: look for “V6,” “V8,” “V12” in specs.
• Engine bay: two cylinder banks with separate exhaust manifolds indicate a V layout.
• VIN/engine code: the 8th character and engine code on the build sheet often specify V6/V8.
• Sound and feel: many V8s have a distinctive burble; V12s are exceptionally smooth.
• Official configurators: manufacturer websites list engine families and layouts by trim.

Between documentation and a quick visual check, it’s usually straightforward to confirm whether a car uses a V engine.

Notable models that recently dropped V engines

Regulations and efficiency targets are pushing some mainstream models away from V engines to turbocharged inline units or hybrids.

• Toyota Camry — dropped the V6 for a four‑cylinder hybrid lineup (2025 model)
• Toyota Highlander and Lexus RX — moved from V6 to turbo four‑cylinder or hybrid (from 2023)
• Dodge Charger/Challenger — Hemi V8s ended after 2023 as the lineup transitions
• Ram 1500 — replaced the 5.7L V8 with a twin‑turbo inline‑6 for 2025
• Chevrolet Camaro — discontinued after 2024 (previously offered V8)
• Audi R8 — V10 discontinued after 2023

The trend doesn’t mean V engines are disappearing, but their availability is concentrating in performance, trucks, and premium segments.

Summary

Many cars have V engines: everyday sedans like the Lexus ES 350, family SUVs such as the Kia Telluride, workhorse pickups like the Ford F‑150 and Chevy Silverado, and performance icons including the Ford Mustang, Corvette, and Ferrari 296. V engines persist because they deliver compact packaging and strong power, even as some mass‑market models pivot to smaller, hybridized inline engines. Always check the specific trim and model year—availability varies by market and is changing quickly.

Does Toyota use a V engine?

Toyota Motor Corporation’s V family of engines were a longitudinally-mounted V8 engine design. They were used from the 1960s through 1997. The V family engine was used in the prestigious Toyota Century. Toyota had worked with Yamaha to produce the first Japanese full aluminum alloy block engine.

Which cars use V engines?

V-type (or V-type) engine cars use a V-shaped engine with cylinders arranged in two banks, like a V6, V8, or V12, found in a wide range of vehicles from muscle cars and sports cars to luxury vehicles. This configuration allows for a more compact design, enabling more cylinders to be fitted into a smaller space than an inline engine, resulting in greater power and a sportier driving experience.
 
You can watch this video to learn how V-type engines work and their applications: 1mTech Explorer 31YouTube · Aug 19, 2024
What is a V-type Engine?
A V-type engine gets its name from the V-shaped arrangement of its cylinders. The cylinders are split into two separate banks, set at an angle to each other, which creates the characteristic “V” when viewed from the front. 
Common V-type Engines in Cars

• V6 Engines: Opens in new tabA popular and common configuration offering a balance of power and efficiency in many passenger cars. 
• V8 Engines: Opens in new tabFrequently found in luxury vehicles, sports cars, and pickup trucks, providing significant power and a distinct engine sound. 
• V10 Engines: Opens in new tabUsed in high-performance sports cars and previously in Formula 1 racing, known for their powerful engines. 
• V12 Engines: Opens in new tabA staple in high-end supercars and luxury vehicles for their exceptional balance, smoothness, and performance, though with higher manufacturing costs. 

Advantages of V-type Engines 

• Compact Design: The V-shape allows for a more compact engine layout compared to inline engines, making it easier to fit powerful engines into vehicle engine bays.
• Increased Power: By accommodating more cylinders in a smaller space, V-type engines can deliver more power and torque than inline engines of similar displacement.
• Better Balance: The V-configuration can offer better engine balance, leading to less vibration and a smoother, more responsive driving experience.

Examples of Vehicles with V-type Engines

• V6: Many everyday cars and some racing cars use a V6 engine. 
• V8: Used in muscle cars, luxury SUVs, and sports cars. 
• V10: Found in high-performance vehicles like the Lamborghini Gallardo and Dodge Viper. 
• V12: Featured in supercars such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. 

Do any cars have V4 engines?

Yes, but V4 engines are very uncommon in production cars, having been featured in a limited number of vehicles like the Ford Taunus, some Saab models, and the Lancia Fulvia. Modern commuter cars typically use inline-four (I4) engines because they are easier and cheaper to produce, and the space-saving benefit of the V4 configuration isn’t as necessary in a car as it is in more compact applications like motorcycles.
 
Why V4s Are Rare in Cars

• Space constraints are less of an issue: V4 engines are compact, but most cars have enough room to accommodate an inline-four engine, which is a simpler and less expensive design. 
• Cost of production: V4s are more complex and expensive to produce than inline-fours, a factor that dissuades manufacturers from using them in mass-produced vehicles. 
• Invention of alternatives: For larger, longer engines like inline-six or inline-eight, the V configuration was a solution to shorten the engine’s length. However, four-cylinder engines are inherently shorter and don’t usually need the V-configuration to fit. 

Examples of Cars with V4 Engines

• Ford: Produced V4 engines for their Taunus models and the Ford Transit vans. 
• Saab: Incorporated Ford’s V4 engines into models like the Saab Sonnet and the Saab 95. 
• Lancia: Featured a unique, narrow-angle V4 engine design in the Fulvia. 
• Porsche: Even the racing Porsche 919 Hybrid Le Mans car used a V4 engine. 

Which car has a V16 engine?

Cars that have featured or will feature a V16 engine include the Bugatti Tourbillon (a new hybrid supercar), the Devel Sixteen (an ultra-high-performance concept), the Cadillac Sixteen (a 2003 concept car that referenced the 1930s Cadillac V-16). The Bugatti Tourbillon is notable as one of the first new V16 production cars in decades, while the original Cadillac V-16 was a landmark model from the 1930s.
 
New and Modern V16 Cars

• Bugatti Tourbillon: Opens in new tabThis is a new hybrid supercar that will succeed the Chiron and features an 8.3-liter V16 engine developed with Cosworth, combined with electric motors for a total of around 1,800 horsepower. 
• Devel Sixteen: Opens in new tabA concept sports car that has claimed incredibly high horsepower figures from its V16 engine. 

Historical V16 Cars

• Cadillac V-16 (1930–1940): This was a luxury model powered by a Cadillac-designed V16 engine, making it the first V16-powered production automobile in the United States. 
• Cadillac Sixteen (2003 concept): An attempt to revive the V16 in the new millennium, this concept car used a massive 13.6-liter V16 engine. 
• Rolls-Royce 101EX: This was a concept car that featured a 9-liter V16 engine. 

Other V16 Vehicles

• BMW 750iL Goldfisch: Opens in new tabA one-off prototype of the 7 Series sedan, built for the company to test the limits of automotive engineering, which featured a unique 16-cylinder engine. 
• Auto Union Type C: Opens in new tabA famous Grand Prix racing car from the 1930s that used a 16-cylinder engine.