Mass-produced V8s have lasted for 94 years. Cadillac was the first in 1914, when it launched a V8 with closed-head, cast-iron cylinders bolted to an aluminum crankcase. Thirteen thousand of these engines were sold that year. Eighteen years later, Henry Ford jumped straight from four-cylinder engines to the 1932 flathead V8. It was the first volume V8 with a block produced from a single casting, and took years for Ford to ready it for production. (Ford disliked the inline six-cylinder engines favored by his competitors because he felt the crankshafts were long and prone to breakage.) In the 1960s there began the proliferation of large-capacity big-block V8s, and while the oil embargoes of the 1970s had an impact on the number sold, the V8 soldiered on. But is their mass-produced life coming to an end?

One sign that the V8 could be on its last legs is GM's recent cancellation of the Ultra V8, a replacement for the aging Northstar engine. GM vice chairman Bob Lutz admits the cancellation "was a direct result of the 35-mpg CAFE legislation." In its place we will see a turbocharged direct-injection V6 tuned for low-end torque. According to Lutz: "That's a relatively inexpensive-$1,500 to $2,000-solution that will get you part of the way to 35 mpg." But what of the V8? GM's self-proclaimed performance enthusiast speculates, "I think V8s will remain," before adding the kicker: "But no one will be investing a ton of money in families of new V8s, unless it's a small specialty company." Presumably, that means this small specialty company won't be mass producing these engines.

Lutz is joined in this line of reasoning by Frank Klegon, Chrysler's executive v.p. of Product Development, who suggests that the days are numbered even for the firm's five-year-old Hemi V8. "You're going to have trucks for a while in the V8 game," he says, "but there will be greater separation between what goes on in the car world and the truck world to the point where there aren't going to be too many V8s in the future." Ford has already stated its intention to replace the bulk of its V8 lineup with its turbocharged and direct-injected 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, even to the point of offering this engine in the F-150 pickup. Jim Press, vice chairman and president of Chrysler, suggests that one alternative would be to take the 5.7-liter Hemi introduced in the new Ram pickup and "make a Hemi hybrid." This would use the two-model system developed by the then-DaimlerChrysler, GM, and BMW. "You could build big trucks and get good mileage on the highway," he says.

Nevertheless, the number of V8 engines is scheduled to increase in the short term as new players enter the light truck and luxury segments, and established competitors introduce new designs. Over time, you can expect automakers to offer powertrain lineups closer to those seen in Europe, with V8s occupying a niche in the high-performance and upper luxury segments. This would leave each domestic automaker with one lightweight V8 engine family of about 4.0 liters that sports a combination of technologies from variable intake and exhaust valve timing to direct injection to turbocharging to keep both fuel economy and power output high.

8+8+4+12 = 32

BMW Twin-Turbo V8 Introduced in the X6 sports activity coupe, the all-aluminum 4.4-liter engine places both the turbochargers and catalytic converters in the valley between the right and left cylinder banks. This design means both the intake and exhaust manifolds are shorter with larger cross sections, and significantly reduces the overall package size of the engine. It uses BMW’s double-Vanos infinite cam timing, piezo-electric injectors operating at 2,900 lb/in.2 sited next to the centrally located spark plugs, and produces 400 hp from 5,500-6,400 rpm and 450 lb-ft from 1,800-4,500 rpm.

Hyundai/Kia Tau V8 The 19th letter of the Greek alphabet, Tau has a value of 300 in the system of Greek numbers, and is the symbol for life and/or resurrection. Not surprisingly, 300 also is the horsepower rating of the 4.6-liter DOHC V8 that will debut in Kia’s Borrego SUV, but there is some question as to how much life V8s have at the moment or whether this Korean entry into the large SUV market will lead to that segment’s resurrection. (Kia also is reportedly working on a large pickup.) Hyundai’s version of the motor, to be used in the Genesis sedan, will produce 368 hp on regular fuel and 375 hp on premium. Though official figures are not yet available, it’s expected the engine will produce between 325 and 340 lb-ft of torque. The Tau V8 also has been designed for larger displacement, forced induction, and direct injection.

Mitsubishi High-Output Diesel Measuring 2.2-liters, this aluminum block, twin-cam, four-cylinder diesel is a precursor of a future production engine from Mitsubishi that will reach the European market before 2010, and North America soon thereafter. It uses a variable diffuser/variable geometry turbo, piezo-electric common rail injection, and variable cam timing. Rated at 201 hp and 310 lb-ft, Mitsubishi says its new diesel will meet U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 emission standards with a combination of a diesel oxidation catalyst, NOx trap catalyst, and particulate filter. Though shown in an all-wheel-drive coupe concept, the first use for this motor is said to be Mitsubishi’s Outlander and Endeavor crossovers. The Galant sedan is scheduled to be replaced in 2009 with a vehicle built on a Lancer-derived platform. It will be the first passenger car in Mitsubishi’s lineup to use the new diesel, as forecast by Concept ZT shown at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Audi V12 TDI The 60" V12 found under the hood of the R8 Concept is built in Audi’s Györ, Hungary engine plant, and has the same 83.0-mm bore, 91.4-mm stroke, and 90-mm bore centers of Audi’s 3.0-liter TDI engine. Just 166 mm (6.54 in.) longer than Audi’s 90? TDI V8, the 6.0-liter V12 is just 684 mm (26.93 in.) overall, a very compact design. The crankcase is made from gray cast iron combined with GJV-450 vermicular graphite, which makes this assembly 40% more rigid and 100% more fatigue resistant than plain gray cast iron. The cylinder heads include a base section of high-strength aluminum that encompasses the intake and exhaust ports, an oil-bearing upper section, and a ladder frame to support the cams. Twin Bosch dual-piston high-pressure pumps drive the fuel at 2,000 lb/in.2 into the piezo injectors of the common rail injection system, and the twin turbos deliver 2.6 Bar of boost to each of the cylinder banks. In street trim, the V12 diesel produces 500 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.