Engines - the legendary one of each type?

[ChemicalChaos]

from a discussion I had earlier, I pose this question. What do we think the most legendary, revered, sought after, famed or otherwise well-known engine of each configuration is? Car, motorbike or any other usage, road or race.

My person opinions:
Single - erm?
Twin - Ducati Testastretta Desmo V-Twin
Triple - Ford Ecoboost
I4 - Honda F20C
Flat 4 - Subaru EJ
5 cylinder - Audi WR/MB/RR
I6 - Nissan RB26
V6 - Alfa Romeo "Busso" V6
Flat 6 - Porsche (various types)
I8 - Bugatti DOHC Grand Prix engine
V8 - Chevy Smallblock
V10 - Dodge "Viper" V10
V12 - Rolls Royce Merlin
Flat 12 - Ferrari "Colombo" 12-cylinder
W12 - Volkswagen W12
V16 - BRM V16 (also the best sounding engine. Ever. No arguments please)
W16 - Volkswagen W16

[trickywoo]

Why no V4?

[cocopop]

13b - Twin rotor - RX7
20b - Triple rotor - Cosmo
R26b - Quad rotor - 787b

[Zerotonine]

Coventry Climax deserves a mention here...

[Vaud]

ChemicalChaos said:

V10 - Dodge "Viper" V10

No, sorry. From a road car, the Lexus LFA. The Dodge sounds like a tractor in comparison.

[ChemicalChaos]

trickywoo said:

Why no V4?

Good point. In which case I nominate the Honda VFR range

Zerotonine said:

Coventry Climax deserves a mention here...

So does the Cosworth DFV, but the Chevy is even more well known and widely used than both of them

[Vaud]

ChemicalChaos said:

So does the Cosworth DFV, but the Chevy is even more well known and widely used than both of them

Oi, you used the word "or" not "and"...

"legendary, revered, sought after, famed or otherwise well-known engine"

[boz1]

ChemicalChaos said:

I6 - Nissan RB26

Shurely shome mistake?

There are many very uninteresting versions of that engine in uninteresting cars; only the highly tuned versions like in the Skyline can be considered 'legendary'.

I think that one of the BMW straight-sixes that was at least a bit special in all cars where it was fitted has to be more deserving.

Can I jointly nominate the S38 and the S54?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_S38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M54#S54

[Levin]

Vaud said:

The Dodge sounds like a tractor in comparison.

What about the Porsche Carrera GT? The Viper is probably still my favourite V10 for soundtrack because it is so uncouth. The LF-A is probably an easier sound to live with for day-to-day driving, but the Viper does it for me.

I'd be inclined to say 2JZ over the RB26 for the legendary I6 engine, but there are likely arguments to be made in either's favour.

[cocopop]

Also, I think Toyota's 2JZ could give the RB26 a run for it's money, as could BMW's S54.

Likewise Nissan SR20 against Honda's F20C.

[Vaud]

Levin said:

What about the Porsche Carrera GT? The Viper is probably still my favourite V10 for soundtrack because it is so uncouth. The LF-A is probably an easier sound to live with for day-to-day driving, but the Viper does it for me.

The Porsche is good, I'd have the LF-A for sheer legendary and rarity. It's mental.

But then against a race engine, the late stage v10 F1 engines at 19,000rpm were also somewhat awesome.

Edited by Vaud on Wednesday 20th May 15:53

[Hooli]

boz1 said:

ChemicalChaos said:

I6 - Nissan RB26

Shurely shome mistake?

There are many very uninteresting versions of that engine in uninteresting cars; only the highly tuned versions like in the Skyline can be considered 'legendary'.

I think that one of the BMW straight-sixes that was at least a bit special in all cars where it was fitted has to be more deserving.

Can I jointly nominate the S38 and the S54?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_S38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M54#S54

Jag XK lump. Made for years & won LeMans.

[SturdyHSV]

As it's a bit more 'car' related, I'd vote for the Lamborghini V12 that saw them through what, 50 years of service?

It makes a very wonderful noise

[PositronicRay]

boz1 said:

ChemicalChaos said:

I6 - Nissan RB26

Shurely shome mistake?

There are many very uninteresting versions of that engine in uninteresting cars; only the highly tuned versions like in the Skyline can be considered 'legendary'.

I think that one of the BMW straight-sixes that was at least a bit special in all cars where it was fitted has to be more deserving.

Can I jointly nominate the S38 and the S54?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_S38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M54#S54

I fail to agree. Jaguar AJ6 was fantastic in it's time with a huge production run.

[ChemicalChaos]

Vaud said:

ChemicalChaos said:

V10 - Dodge "Viper" V10

No, sorry. From a road car, the Lexus LFA. The Dodge sounds like a tractor in comparison.

I dont know what sort of tractors you have round where you live....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCdykWtbMjw&fe...

[Vaud]

ChemicalChaos said:

I dont know what sort of tractors you have round where you live....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCdykWtbMjw&fe...

I said "in comparison".

[Hasbeen]

You have forgotten, or are too young to remember, the most versatile engine of them all, the Buick/Rover V8.

It's powered luxury saloons, bush bashing 4 wheel drives, a host of sports cars which give it some claim, but it also won 2 F1 world championships in it's Brabham Repco form. What engine can claim so much.

[castex]

SturdyHSV said:

As it's a bit more 'car' related, I'd vote for the Lamborghini V12 that saw them through what, 50 years of service?

It makes a very wonderful noise

Did it win any races?

[R2T2]

Mine:


Single - erm?
Twin - Morgan 3 wheeler?
Triple - Ford Ecoboost
I4 - SR20.
Flat 4 - Subaru EJ20
5 cylinder - Volvo 5pot.
I6 - 2JZ.
V6 - Alfa Romeo "Busso" V6
Flat 6 - Porsche 991 GT3.
I8 - Bugatti DOHC Grand Prix engine
V8 - TVR Cerbera.
V10 - M6/M6. That thing sung at high revs!
V12 - the 7.3 V12 in the Zonda's.
Flat 12 - Ferrari "Colombo" 12-cylinder
W12 - Volkswagen W12
V16 - BRM V16
W16 - Volkswagen W16

[SuperchargedVR6]

I think the VR6 is worth a mention (12 & 24V flavours) for it's clever packaging. Makes a nice noise too.