Used 100hp-per-litre legends | Six of the Best
A specific output to shout about is now only for hypercars, but it wasn't always that way...
Porsche 718 Spyder RS, 2025, 2k, £132,995
The 100hp-per-litre threshold for specific output will always be a very special one for internal combustion. Because anyone can boost an engine beyond that - but to rely purely on suck-squeeze-bang-blow for every thousand cc to make at least a hundred horsepower requires some proper exciting engineering. Put it this way, at least: there can’t be any 100hp-per-litre cars from history we wouldn’t all at least want to drive, if not own outright. Hence this list: from four-cylinder hot hatch to V12 super GT, £20k to more than £150,000, all making at least 100hp per litre and all icons of the highest order. We kick off with a 718 Spyder RS; GT 911s had been at the magic milestone since the 3.6-litre, 381hp 996.2 GT3 (and haven’t looked back since), but the Boxster wasn’t so lucky until the outgoing 718 generation. What a way to do it, though, with GTS, Spyder and RS all making at least 400hp out of 4.0-litres. Just like the Cayman, of course - you can’t go wrong with any. But who could say no to a Shark Blue Spyder?
Honda Civic Type R, 2004, 60k, £21,985
This entire feature could be filled with barmy Japanese four-pots. From 2ZZ to SR16VE and B18 to 3S-GE, nobody does fast and furious four-cylinders quite like Japan. To this day, in fact, the commitment to the cause remains; that the Mazda MX-5’s 2.0-litre can survive into 2026, all 7,600rpm of it, is to be celebrated. This time around we’re plumping for the trusty old Honda K20, famously found under all manner of Civic, Accord and Integra bonnets over the years. Introduced in 2001, it became legendary for its durability, sound and insatiable rev habit. Here we find it in a Japanese market EP3 Civic, with 212hp at 8,000rpm, a limited-slip diff and some other goodies that made it more desirable than the UK machines. They still are, in fact, so this one’s more than £20k, but when are hot hatches like this going to get any less desirable? Exactly.
Caterham 7 VHPD, 2004, 14k, £22,995
It’s not only Japan that can make a 100hp-per-litre four-cylinder that shrieks to high heaven. They’re not the only ones to have a range of engines capable of that called the K Series, either. Plus Rover and Honda were once aligned - very confusing. But we couldn’t do this hit list without mentioning the original K Series, the perfect lightweight accompaniment to a glut of wonderful British sports cars. Being stuffed in a Freelander never showed off this all aluminium unit to its best. But behind the driver in an MG F or an Elise, it was much more at home, revvy and cammy and lovely. Once it was made into a Very High Performance Derivative, though, honking out 190hp from 1.8-litres, it was a much more serious beast. Lotus used it for the 340R and Ariel used it for early Atoms, so of course it made for one heck of a Caterham as well. With a recent gearbox rebuild and loads of new bits, this one’s ready to make track days better than ever.
Ferrari F355, 1997, 48k, £159,950
The first roadgoing Ferrari to feature a 100hp per litre engine was always going to be something special, and the F355 didn’t disappoint. A total transformation from the 348 it replaced, the 355 set Ferrari on the berlinetta path it’s still on to this day: beautiful, approachable and engaging, with a jewel of a combustion engine behind the driver. The five-valve-per-cylinder 3.5 ‘F129’ V8 made 380hp at 8,250rpm, heady numbers for 1994. These days that means really working for the performance, but the howl of a Ferrari V8 shouldn’t make that too much of a hardship. Values of 355s have been climbing in recent years, without much sign of slowing down - the looks, the engine and the open-gated manual have seen to that. This one’s dream grade: carbon seats, Tubi exhaust, Challenge grille and magnesium wheels. All of which means it’s £160k. Hard to imagine it being for sale long, though…
BMW M6, 2006, 90k, £PH Auctions
Getting a handful of cylinders and small displacement to make 100hp per litre is one thing; getting 10 cylinders to do so is another thing entirely. But you only need look at how highly prized the cars with BMW’s S85 V10 now are to understand just how special the 5.0-litre was. (And the related 4.0-litre S65 V8, for that matter). It might be as high maintenance as a royal family and as frugal as a hen do, but the sound and speed of BMW’s only V10 ensured it legendary status long ago. That it was offered in fairly normal models, rather than a dedicated supercar or similar, arguably made the 8,250rpm, 507hp monster seem all the more epic. Straight sixes and V8s have featured in a host of M cars, but only a select few have the V10; and in a world of hybrid M5s and four-wheel-drive M3s, people want ‘em. Bad. This M6 is a stunner, with loads of maintenance over the years and an MOT history greener than the Augusta fairways. You won’t be alone in bidding come Tuesday…
Aston Martin Vanquish S, 2017, 19k, £109,950
Yes, this does qualify, promise. Because while Aston Martin always said its V12 was 6.0-litres, the swept capacity was actually 5,935cc. And this is no ordinary Vanquish, either: it’s a Vanquish S, a somewhat overlooked (but fabulously good) farewell to the second generation model. Power was lifted from the 573hp of a standard car to 603hp, made at 7,000rpm as well. A tauter chassis and sharper look made for the Vanquish as it always should have been, still the consummate GT but with a keener edge as well. Little wonder, then, that there’s still a premium attached for the first and only Vanquish to get 100hp per litre without turbos: this 2017 car is £20k more than the equivalent non-S. Worth it, though - so worth it.
Ferrari 355 yes manual, nice
BMW M6 says manual, but its a auto... in America you could get a manual verzion, cool, some are in Germany they come now and then for sale, like that (with manual) better then the M5 model.
The Aston, also nice, but its not a Vantage, the Vantage to me are great in proportions.
B7 RS4 4.2l and 420hp = 100 hp / l (although mine now produces somewhat more)
S2 Exige 1.8l and 193hp = 107 hp / l
Z4M Coupe 3.2l and 343hp = 107 hp / l
From the list, I'll have one of each please.
100% a life time ambition, and something that is potentially achievable at some point in the future.
Isn't that Civic a bit expensive?
Of the list I’d have the Civic and the Aston, which is possibly the best looking AM of the last 25 years.
I can’t help think that the Ferrari is overpriced, and yes I know it has a manual gearbox and those seats (in a dreadful decor imho) but I just can’t see it as being ‘value’
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