The future of V8 engines?

[Mark_Alberta]

Uh, yeah, today's "muscle cars" are watered down versions of the originals.

Comparing a 1966 Pontiac against a ZR1 is like trying to compare a civil war era Gatling gun to the M230 chain gun. Apples and oranges.

Now if you asked to put up my old Catalina against a 1966 C2 corvette with a 396, I'd be willing...

How about comparing a '66 Pontiac to an 06 Charger SRT8, or an '09 Challenger SRT8? The modern muscle car still lives and factory stock vs factory stock (meaning exactly as they came off the show room), the modern car will flat out destroy anything built back then.

The great thing about today's muscle is that they run great, get decent mileage (I just traded in my 06 Charger SRT8 last year after nearly 3 years of ownership), are reliable, will go around corners much faster than many sporty cars and will run low 13's through the 1/4 mile. Plus, when you hammer the brakes, it feels like you just dropped an anchor. There is no comparison between 40-some years ago and now.

 

[stillerfan15]

V8 engines will probably be gone in new production in a few years - maybe 4 or 5.
Peak oil is coming sometime in the next few decades and internal combustion engines will have to be phased out. JMHO,
Dave

 

[cmi86]

What actually makes a car a 'muscle car'?

Is just having a huge engine under the bonnet good enough, or does it have to be American, RWD, useless at everything except straight lines and gentle left turns, and a huge V8 specifically?

Sometimes. Not when referring to the cadillac CTS-V. Yup its got a gigantic V8, a supercharged one at that. Oh yeah and it's rear wheel drive, so i guess that would make it the dumb american muscle car you are trying to project right?? WRONG, its the fastest luxury sedan in the world both in a straight line and round a corner. But the best part about this car? The fact that it costs half as much as all your over priced euro junk and still manages to mop the floor with them in every aspect

PS, cadillac is american... in case you forgot.

 

[megamanx00]

There are number of technologies that can make V8s more powerful and fuel efficient such as Variable Valve Timing (VVT), Cylinder shut off, light weight materials, and Hemispherical (Hemi) Cylinders, but they cost MONEY!!!! The V8 will stick around for a while, but the technologies to make it more full efficient will make it more expensive and will put newer V8s out of reach for some people.

Better technology can also make V6s more powerful and efficient. Ford recently made their V6 Mustang more powerful by using a Dual Overhead Cam rather than the Single Overhead Cam they previously used. They had to do this to compete with the entry level Camero because the old anemic SOHC V6 wasn't cutting it.

 

[taegel99]

tbh i think that the future wont change the demand for these machines is to much for any goverment to handle if anything the car manufactures will change way before any goverment laws are introduced. the newest tech can independantly power each wheel with a turbine meaning that 450bhp and 220mph is achievable, did i mention this is an electric car and the equivelent to that v8 marvel