The Greateast Mass Production Engines Ever Made?

[RBH58]

Okay....we've had a thread of the engines used across the most marques, but which mass produced engines (and by that I mean produced in thousands at least) were actually any good?

[inabox]

BMW n52, last of it's kind.

[anonymous-user]

Any production engine that's "any good"? Bloody hell, we'll be here for months. Maybe define your criteria a bit more, what makes a good engine for you etc, unless you just want a list of hundreds of engines,

[PurpleAki]

Popcorn...

[RBH58]

Well....I don't think that there are that many truly great ones. There have been lots of ubiquitous engines BL's A-Series, but was it a great and memorable engine? Not in my opinion. A venerable workhorse for sure. But a great engine?

Now Porsche Flat-6? Sure.
Alfa Romeo Busso V6? Absolutely. A truly great engine. My pick as greatest ever.

[PurpleAki]

Bizzarrini V12.

[AdeTuono]

SBC 350. No contest.

[Welshbeef]

inabox said:

BMW n52, last of it's kind.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1098268

Issue is NVA noise.

[kambites]

The Honda F20C is a very impressive unit. So's the K20 for that matter.

[Hugo a Gogo]

a few off the top of my head:

ford flathead v8

vw flat 4

chevy small block

porsche air cooled flat 6

Jaguar XK6

edit BMW M88 from M1/original M5/M635

Edited by Hugo a Gogo on Friday 17th February 07:47

[SuperVM]

GM LSx
BMW S54
BMW S85
Toyota 1JZ
Toyota 2JZ
AMG M156

[wolfracesonic]

As mentioned, the criteria need to be tightened: Maybe the greatest is not some 8000rpm, 500bhp screamer but some anonymous family motor lump, designed on strict budget, that can be produced easily and cheaply and that will run till the end of time with zero maintenance.

[Welshbeef]

wolfracesonic said:

As mentioned, the criteria need to be tightened: Maybe the greatest is not some 8000rpm, 500bhp screamer but some anonymous family motor lump, designed on strict budget, that can be produced easily and cheaply and that will run till the end of time with zero maintenance.

Big 1050's V8 small blocks seem to fit the bill.

[Adz The Rat]

Toyota 2JZ
Nissan RB26
Cosworth YB

[sunbeam alpine]

As the Busso has already been taken, I'd nominate the Alfa Nord four cylinder. In production for about 50 years in various forms, easily tuneable, and sounding lovely. Personal favourite would be the 1750.

[rampageturke]

Probably not greatest, but the FJ20ET is probably up there.

[z06tim]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

Alfa Busso.
Chevy LS.

Agreed. I have one of each!

[Vitorio]

sunbeam alpine said:

As the Busso has already been taken, I'd nominate the Alfa Nord four cylinder. In production for about 50 years in various forms, easily tuneable, and sounding lovely. Personal favourite would be the 1750.

I really want a nord engine powered something some day.

[andyastrasri]

Has to be the Fiat Twin Cam for me (Lampredi TC)

[anonymous-user]

One of the worlds premier power plants for two decades, and the only V12 available to your non supercar purchaser for much of it. Capable of high mileage if maintained by a real mechanic and not you typical bodger way out of his comfort zone too.