Think back maybe 10 or 15 years and, relatively speaking, we were spoilt by a choice of naturally aspirated V8s. You could have a non-M BMW 5 Series with one, you could have a Ferrari with one, you could have a Land Rover Discovery with one.
Now however, with the rise of turbos, diesels and hybrids, traditional big-cube V8s are under threat. Sure, they're still thundering along nicely in the US, but choice for European buyers is far more limited. And, well, you can't imagine a resurgence for them now, can you?
So while various turbo and hybrid arrangements are very good, we thought it high time to celebrate the last of a dying breed: those cars that rely purely on displacement and eight cylinders in a vee for their power. Because who doesn't love a V8?
There's something tremendously amusing about arriving at a photoshoot with a 4.7-litre car and that being the smallest engine in the group. To that end this is not a serious, analytical, objective assessment. This is not a test with a winner and a loser. This is a gathering of V8s, a reminder of why they're brilliant and - to be frank - an excuse to drive some cool cars. Enjoy!
[Huge thanks to HR Owen for helping us out and loaning PH the MC Stradale you see here. It's currently for sale at the St Albans dealership]