So for me it has to be the V8. I've had a couple of LS1 4th gen Camaros, a 1999 Z28 t-top automatic and a 1998 Z28 convertible, manual trans. Both of those cars had a stupid amount of power, about 350hp(they were not stock). They were light cars, 3300lbs, so the power to weight ratio was pretty damn good. That engine had a ton of torque at low rpm, yet it would sing at the 6000rpm redline. The force that it would shove you back into the seat was kind of crazy, but the way the LS1 revved and the sound it made, that was what impressed me most. A lot of v8's have that great off the line, tire squealing torque then they fall flat on their face at 3500-4000rpm. The LS1, hell no, you were just getting to the good stuff at 3500rpm, that engine was just a mad revving beast, even with the kind of low 6000rpm redline.

I also love a good inline six, they just sound fantastic. The 2JZ-GE in my Lexus isn't the power house like that LS1 V8, but it does have its charms. #1 is the silky smooth nature, I oftentimes forget to shift because it is so smooth and quiet. I mean its just as smooth at idle as at 3000rpm or at the 6300rpm red line. It doesn't have the low end torque of a V8, but it doesn't lug like a 4 cylinder, rev it past 3500rpm and it really sings. Has a great sound as well, much better than most V6 engines.

I also love a good V10(except the Viper motor, it sounds like crap) or V12, but I've never driven a V10 or V12. I do love me some Honda 4 cylinder engines, but only those with VTEC that have a 7000+rpm red line. I've driven both an AP1 and AP2 S2000, loved revving the nuts off both of those engines. The AP1 was the more fun car, despite the power band being a bit higher in the rev range, it revved an extra 1000rpm to a ridiculous 9000rpm. That AP1 motor was more of a light switch vs the AP2 car with the lower rev limiter and more midrange torque, but I loved how if you kept it above 5000rpm that AP1 engine gave you an extra 1000rpm to play with, it just sang an octave higher.

Anyways, out of all the engine configurations, what do you like the best, based on cars you have owned . . . .

 

I don't really want to comment until I have had a chance to sample Tesla's big electric motors. I did a static-review on a Tesla Model S, but have not had a chance to actually test-drive one.

 

Two stroke.

Off road.

 

From the list, V8, but Boxer 4 would be my pick.

 

V8 roars and V10 screams all day any day

But for cars I've owned... 2004 Mustang V6 3.8, 2003 Explorer V6 4.0, and 2008 IS350 V6... 190hp, 210hp, and 306hp respectively. 2GR-FSE everytime

 

A naturally aspirated one.

 

V8 every day, lol.

 

1) 1996 Lexus ES300. Friend floored it from a stop and you could barely hear the thing at redline. It was outrageous how smooth and quiet it was.
2) 2007 Audi RS4. Sounded like a stock car going 140 mph.
3) 2009 Lexus IS-F. Sounded like some sort of souped up, crazy Corvette. Incredibly fast motor.

 

Yep.Agreed. In my book, refinement is the name of the game.

 

Different strokes for different folks. If one purchases a 400hp motor, they probably want to hear the engine.

Not just that, but you routinely miss something very important in the auto industry right now, car manufacturers are pushing the driving and sport experience, some vehicles that Lexus makes even pumps in sound to cabin organically or digitally.

I personally like a quiet engine and ride. But not everyone thinks this way.

 

The Cult of V8 has spoken

http://madmax.wikia.com/wiki/Cult_of_the_V8

 

I think the character of the car should determine how much you should hear/feel the engine. On a luxury car, power should be seemless, no lag, no weird on/off feeling in the powerband, no feeling like you're constantly in the wrong gear because the transmission constantly upshifts to get you 1 more mpg, just silky smooth and quiet. Which is why I'm not a huge fan of turbo 4's in luxury cars. An inline six is much smoother, much more linear powerband, sounds a lot nicer as well. If its a sports car, well then you should damn well hear the engine, and not a synthezied version of it through the stereo. The Corvette, Camaro, Jag F-type have bypasses in their mufflers, push the button, instantly WAY more noise, more character, but you can silence it if you are just slogging on the interstate for the next 400 miles.

Personally in my old Z28 Camaro, I loved how the car had a stock slightly lumpy cam that gave the car a not quite smooth idle, the loud exhaust I put on it sounded amazing when you floored it, the heavy clutch and shifter(you had to put your arm into it when you shifted), all of it was fun in a convertible muscle car, but driving it was a lot of work, somebody who owned a Lexus wouldn't put up with that sort of bs.

 

Most engines, though, outside of rotaries and electrics, have the same strokes....intake, compression, power, and exhaust.


Depends on who is doing the buying, For a Hemi Charger or Camaro SS, yes, that's probably the case. But, for years, big Caddy and Lincolns had massive V8s in them, sometimes with 500 ft-lbs. of torque or more, that you could barely detect were even running.

I'm not missing it at all. I have commented numerous times on the lack (or very few numbers) of traditional luxury-oriented sedans today and the near-universal emphasis on sport. I don't have anything against sport-oriented sedans (in fact, I was a big fan of the last-generation BMW 335i and 5-series, and found their road manners superb). But, today, there is a gross shortage of traditional luxury sedans that truly isolate you from road and engine noise....which is what some people still want. The Mercedes S-class Lexus LS does, and a couple of others do, but at a big price. In my experience, only the Kia K900 (and maybe the Hyundai Equus) do it for what I'd consider a reasonable price, though I'll save further comment for my (upcoming) reviews of the Cadillac CT6 and Lincoln Continental. The current-generation Chevy Impala does a superb job of isolating you for a 35-40K vehicle, but you couldn't quite compare it to an LS or S-Class.

Well, among low-priced compacts, you made a good decision, then...the Corolla is certainly better than average for that class in refinement. Has been for years. No, it's not as quiet as my car, but the Corolla's price range undercuts it by around 6K or so in American dollars, and is a good value.

 

You are missing it, BMW does not offer sport-sedans. They offer luxury-sport-sedans, this what almost every other luxury maker is going after. Lexus is going very hard after the luxury sport sedan segment.

The Ls460 is not what most buyers are after. And the S-class has V12 and AMG versions among their offerings.

Now, when I was referring to quiet cars, my Corolla was not the reference. Our Matrix 2.4 is loud and you can feel the road as it is a sport XRS model, my 4Runner is quiet compared to both of them. Almost to the point where you do not hear the road.

As for the Verano, I test drove one last week, it's a nice a car with a horribly dated interior. Quiet tuning is sort of real, but the Verano feels more like a Camry than an IS Lexus. The MSRP I test drove was $26K and it lacked a leather wrapped steering, touchscreen display or sunroof. The graphics were too much like a 90s car. But it did have nice Continental Tires, a soft ride, and a soft lined glove compartment among other things.

Funny enough, Buick offers a 2.0 turbo I4 just like Lexus, and some of the others.

 

Right now I'm loving my 650cc single more than anything.