9 Big Displacement V8s You Can Still Buy For Less Than $100k

We don’t want to start on a negative note – so we’ll start on a good one: although engines are downsizing and electrification is the trend in 2024, there are still V8 engines on sale that you can actually buy in cars that you might actually want. The electrification of cars and trucks is a well-known change happening increasingly across all brands. Downsizing is also happening to the best of them. Sadly, Dodge’s Hemi-powered Challenger and Charger muscle cars recently went away along with the Chevrolet Camaro. Stellantis – the owner of Dodge and many other brands such as Jeep, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati – introduced a 3.0-liter I6 called the Hurricane to take over from the good old V8. It’s not a bad performer with up to 550 hp and possibly way more with electrification, but there’s no replacement for the rumble of eight cylinders. All of this doesn’t mean the V8 is absent from all lineups.

Here, we’ll take a look at 9 vehicles or engine options on sale that still offer V8 power.

Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance: 5.0-Liter V8

The most obvious place to start with available V8s is the Ford Mustang, but the slightly smaller 5.0-liter V8 in the Lexus IS 500 range comes first. It’s the same 5.0-liter from the RC F and LC 500; the 2UR-GSE from the Toyota UR family of engines. The Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance sits above the IS 250/300/350 models in the range, which make do with either four-cylinder or 6-cylinder engines, leaving the IS 500 as the performance flagship.

It relies on an 8-speed automatic transmission, with power going to the rear wheels. Interestingly, all-wheel drive is available on other trims in the IS range but not the 500. Among the few sedans still on sale, the fact that this old-school rebel also rocks a V8 makes it even more special. As it also has four doors, it is a more practical way to experience this engine, along with the kind of luxury you expect from the Japanese brand.

Ford Mustang GT – 5.0-Liter V8

Ford’s Mustang GT is the real deal – for many, the Mustang that’s powered by the correct engine. When Dodge killed off the Hemi V8-powered Charger and Challenger, it left the Ford Mustang as the only car to continue in the V8 muscle car segment. Of course, the Mustang EcoBoost is no slouch, but the GT model offers 65 lb-ft more torque and 165 hp more horsepower, as well as real V8 sound and delivery. There is also a performance exhaust that bumps power up by 6 hp / 3 lb-ft, but it’s the Dark Horse that takes things even further. It’s essentially the spiritual successor to the previous S550 Mach 1. The Coyote engine is now in its fourth generation and has a dual intake/throttle body setup. Finally, the Mustang GT is also the only way to get hold of a manual Mustang. Who needs any more reasons to get the V8?

Nissan Armada – 5.6-Liter V8

Despite wearing the name of a spaceship, Nissan’s Armada is a full-size SUV that shares its engine with the full-size Titan pickup, although they ride on different platforms. Now in its second generation, the Armada has been a consistent seller thanks to the public’s affection for large and well-equipped SUVs. Under the hood of every Armada is a 5.6-liter engine from the Nissan VK engine family, which ranges from 4.5 to 5.6 liters.

The Armada’s big and lazy VK56DE also appears in the Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX56, among others (as well as the Titan). This is the first vehicle on the list that is capable of towing a significant amount of weight – in this case, a solid 8,500 lbs.

It will soon be replaced with an all-new model, using a twin-turbocharged V6 from the same engine family that powers the famous Nissan GT-R.

C8 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray – 6.2-Liter V8

Chevrolet’s C8 Corvette swapped out the C7’s front-engine setup for a rear-mid-engine one in 2020. It also lost the manual transmission. What it gained was the LT2 engine, the GM small block successor to the LT1. It’s a powerful unit and one that doesn’t currently appear in any other vehicles. While other lineups across the automobile industry fall into the downsizing or electrification trend, the current Corvette still offers an impressive 6.2-liter V8 with more power than any other vehicles on this list, only losing to Ford’s mammoth Power Stroke turbocharged diesel. Chevrolet’s stunning C8 Corvette Z06 has an even more impressive LT6 flat-plane crank V8 but comes with a bigger premium and often markups in price. There is also a hybrid Corvette E-Ray which pairs the Stingray’s LT2 V8 with electric motors. For now, the C8 Stingray is almost as good as it gets, offering pure, all-American V8 muscle.

Wrangler Rubicon 392 – 6.4-Liter V8

If the Ford Mustang is the world’s most iconic muscle car, the Jeep Wrangler could be the most iconic off-roader. Jeep’s long-running SUV continues mostly unchanged in all its familiar and fun glory – if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Jeep hasn’t changed the solid front axle or messed with the looks, plus there’s still a selection of engines, including a turbocharged 2-liter and a 3.6-liter V6, plus so much more customization to make it truly yours. Now there’s also a 4xe model, which combines a 2-liter turbo I4 with plug-in hybrid hardware to offer an impressive 375 hp / 470 lb-ft total.

But the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 from the Rubicon 392 is the engine many will spec, and it’s easy to see why – it sounds great and suits the Wrangler’s playful, adventurous character. It also has 470 hp to tackle whatever your weekend plans will throw at it. Like many other cars and SUVs, though, the V8 is on borrowed time as Stellantis (Jeep’s parent company) switches lineups to downsized and electrified powertrains. Now the Rubicon 392 Final Edition enters its second and last year, a trim that bids farewell to the V8-powered Wrangler. The Wrangler isn’t a perfect machine, but it is the perfect partner for many people around the world.

Ram 6.4 Hemi V8 – 6.4-Liter V8

Ram’s 2500 heavy-duty range features the iconic 6.4-liter Chrysler Hemi. It is the standard engine on the Tradesman and Power Wagon trims or an option on other models as an alternative to the 6.7-liter Cummins I6 diesel. There are 6-8-speed automatic transmissions and the choice of all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive for the 2500, but the lazy Hemi V8 is the pick for those who don’t need the enormous 850 lb-ft of the diesel for towing. The V8-powered 2500 can still haul up to nearly 18,000 lbs anyway, despite its less-than-inspiring horsepower and torque figures on paper. Ram’s smaller yet just as mighty 1500 TRX range features the Hellcat 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi with 702 hp / 650 lb-ft, although parent company Stellantis announced that 2024 will be the final year for the TRX. Meanwhile, the dependable 6.4-liter Hemi will continue to power workhorses like this Ram 2500.

Silverado HD 2500 L8T/Duramax – 6.6-Liter V8

In the heavy-duty pickup truck segment, V8s still rule, and the Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 is no exception, offering two 6.6-liter V8s: a gas-powered one and a diesel-powered one. The gas-powered L8T V8 is from the current fifth generation of GM small block engines, the same family that descends from the LS range. It uses an iron block instead of an aluminum one, making it strong and durable, but its power figures are modest on paper. For those who need more power – and a lot more torque – Chevrolet also offers the Duramax turbodiesel which is the hauling hero. Its 975-lb-ft torque output is very impressive, and although it doesn’t have the character or appeal of the V8 gas engines, the oil burner is still the go-to solution for the most demanding hauling jobs. It’s not all muscle and no luxury, either, as there are trims and options to add an impressive list of features and luxury to the HD 2500, as well as the off-road focused ‘ZR2’ trim. The latter offers a 1.5″ suspension lift, 35″ all-terrain tires, and fancy DSSV (Multimatic’s ‘Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve’) suspension.

Ford Power Stroke Turbodiesel 6.7-Liter V8

*SO – Standard Output / HO – High Output

The last three engines on this list are V8 options for Ford’s Super Duty pickups, starting with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel. Like Chevrolet’s Duramax diesel available for the Silverado above, the Power Stroke is hugely powerful in its standard form or, frankly, ridiculous, in high-output trim. Up to 1,200 lb-ft makes the Ford F-250 a hauling beast, able to pull 33,000 lbs, although the big F-450 can use this mill to pull up to 40,000 lbs. This engine is standard with the flagship Limited trim or on the F-450. Otherwise, it’s an option over the other engines in the range, such as the Godzilla V8, which we look at below. When it comes to torque, the Power Stroke is the mightiest engine on this list for the most demanding hauling tasks.

Ford Godzilla 6.8-Liter V8

The 6.8-liter ‘2V DEVCT NA PFI’ V8 is one of two related engines available for the Ford F-250/F-350 range (but not the F-450) – a 6.8-liter and a 7.3-liter. Ford’s 7.3-liter ‘Godzilla’ V8 (below) is the basis for the de-stroked 6.8 V8 that forms the entry-level engine in the F-250/F-350 lineup. It is the standard engine on XL trims and an option for the XLT, with higher trims offering the stronger 7.3-liter version alongside the Power Stroke diesel. It’s another big, lazy V8 with modest output figures, but the 6.8 is designed for low-revving, high-torque performance. The 6.8-liter is also a flex-fuel engine and works alongside Ford’s selectable drive mode module that includes selections such as Slippery Roads, Tow/Haul, Trail, and Off-Road.

Ford Godzilla 7.3-Liter V8

Standard from XLT trims upwards (aside from the diesel-powered Limited trim) and an option on the XL trim level, the mighty Godzilla in full-fat, 7.3-liter format graces the engine bays of the F-250 and F-350, but not the F-450. It’s the original Godzilla engine that sits above the de-stroked 6.8 – it’s also a $1,705 option, but the extra 25 hp and 40 lb-ft of torque could be the ticket for customers who will be asking for more of their Ford Super Duty pickup truck. Ford also offers the 7.3 as a crate engine, and there have been tinkerers such as YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, who put a twin-turbo Godzilla in a Fox Body Ford Mustang. The Godzilla is Ford’s mightiest gas-powered V8 on sale, and it is engines like the 6.8 and 7.3 that will ultimately be sought-after when hybrid and electrified powertrains take over the heavy-duty truck segment.