13 V8 Sports Cars We All Forgot About
The automotive industry is old and colossal and, at the same time, tight and new. As big as it is, even established brands sometimes struggle to find or keep their position. Here, it’s as easy to shine as bright as the Sirius as it is to get lost in the crowd and sands of time.
Today, we search the history books for V8-powered sports cars that faded into history’s rearview mirror as their counterparts rose to legendary status.
These cars once roared with V8 power and potential but, for some reason or the other, fell by the wayside or were overshadowed by “loud” newcomers. We think these forgotten 13 deserve a moment in the spotlight.
Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR-1
The “King of the Hill” is a ’90s icon blessed with a Lotus-designed V8 engine. It was produced for five years between 1990 and 1995 and was celebrated for its appealing blend of American muscle and European engineering. As the C4 Corvette’s high-performance variant, the ZR-1 received the Lotus-derived LT5 5.7-liter V8 built by Mercury Marine.
The engine featured an aluminum block and heads, dual overhead cams, and 32 valves. Chevrolet was able to milk 405 ponies off this engine by 1993, allowing it to launch the Corvette from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and over 180 mph top speed.
Pontiac GTO (2004-2006)
The fact that the modern GTO barely managed to finish its second birthday proves that sometimes it’s better to remember the dead than to wake them. The original GTO is a million-dollar classic car, but when the automaker tried to revive the nameplate for the modern era, the enterprise didn’t fare so well.
Today, the first to come to mind when mentioning “Pontiac GTO” is the 1960s classic we’ve seen countless times in movies, music, television, and car shows. We’ve all forgotten the 2004–2006 revival based on the Australian Holden Monaro.
The launch model offered an optional LS1 5.7-liter V8 producing 350 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque, while the later models upgraded to the 400-hp LS2 6.0-liter V8 engine producing 400 lb-ft of torque.
Jaguar XKR (1998-2006)
The XKR was the high-performance variant of the XK8 GT. This British sports car with an elegant exterior and luxurious interior started with a supercharged 4.0-liter V8, producing 370 hp and 387 lb-ft of torque. Introduced in 1998, Jaguar updated the displacement to 4.2-liter in 2003, boosting the output to 400 hp and 408 lb-ft of torque.
The car returned a 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of 5.2 seconds, which was impressive for its class and luxurious appointments. Both engines made friends with a 5-speed automatic transmission, although the upgraded 4.2-liter mill got an optional 6-speed automatic.
Maserati GranTurismo S (2008–2012)
The GranTurismo S was an Italian GT blessed with a Ferrari-derived V8 engine. This high-performance S variant of the 2007–2019 GranTurismo has fallen to the wayside, perhaps because the standard model offers a great combination of performance, luxury, and Italian craftsmanship.
The S brought a 4.7-liter Ferrari V8 producing 433 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to propel the grand tourer from rest to 60 mph in approximately 4.8 seconds and achieve a top speed of around 183 mph. It was initially paired with the revered MC-Shift 6-speed automated manual transmission and an optional 6-speed ZF A/T.
Ford Mustang SVT Cobra (1993-2004)
For the purpose of this article, we have our eyes squarely on the 2003-2004 models. These were nicknamed the “Terminator” for how they ‘terminated’ the competition and even set a benchmark for Mustang performance. The Terminator came armed with a supercharged 4.6-liter DOHC V8 engine producing 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque.
It could race to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, which was quite a show with its bulging hood, thanks to the supercharger, and 17-inch wheels with larger brakes. With our modern touchscreens and hidden 16- to 35-speaker stereo setups, we’ve all forgotten how the Cobra’s 6-disc CD changer was a big deal in the ’90s and early 2000s.
BMW M5 E39 (1998-2003)
It’s not a traditional 2-door sports car, but it feels too soon to get over the E39 M5, which is lauded as one of the finest sports sedans ever built. The car was balanced and handled like a champ, flaunting 18-inch double-spoke wheels, wider wheel arches, quad exhaust tips, and unique front and rear bumpers.
It featured the S62 4.9-liter V8 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, producing 394 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. It could race to 60 mph in approximately 4.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. The manual gearbox was the E39 M5’s sole transmission because it was a driver’s car through and through.
Chevrolet Camaro SS (1998-2002)
The 1998-2002 SS models represent the crown of the 4th-gen Camaro, produced from 1993 to 2002. It used the Corvette’s 305-hp 5.7-liter LS1 V8, with the SS package boosting the output to 320 hp and 345 lb-ft of torque.
It allowed it to go from zero to 60 mph in around 5 seconds and achieve a 160 mph top speed. Chevrolet paired the SS’s V8 with a 4-speed automatic or a 6-speed manual transmission. The SS package also unboxed a functional ram-air hood, a rear decklid spoiler, and larger 17-inch alloy wheels with performance tires.
Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG (2004-2011)
AMG’s version of the SLK 55 faded from memory faster than the Chrysler Crossfire produced in the same period. It also rode on a dated SLK platform. For crying out loud, this was the most powerful SLK of its time. It featured the naturally aspirated 5.4-liter M113 V8 engine producing 355 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque.
While the top speed was electronically limited to 155 mph, it could sprint from rest to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. A 7-speed AMG Speedshift automatic transmission delivered power to the ground via the rear aisle.
Porsche 928 (1978–1995)
Porsche produced the 928 luxury GT from the late 1970s to the mid-’90s. The Porsche 928 combined the elements of a sports car and grand tourer, allowing it to deliver on both fronts of sports car performance and luxury sedan comfort.
Deviating from Porsche’s traditional rear-engine configuration, the 928 favored a front-mounted V8 of various displacements, ranging from 4.5 to 5.4 liters and producing 219 to 350 hp. The 928 didn’t stand a chance against the 911’s looming shadow. It enjoyed a relatively long production run, though, spanning 1978 to 1995.
Lexus IS F (2008-2014)
Like the BMW M5, the Lexus IS F is not a traditional sports car but a Japanese sports sedan with a high-revving V8 engine and deserves a moment under the spotlight. The F was the high-performance variant of the IS produced from 2008 to 2014. Lexus used it to launch into the compact luxury sports sedan segment, prepping it with a high-revving 5.0-liter V8 engine developed specifically for the IS F.
The engine churned out an impressive 416 hp and 371 lb-ft of torque, allowing it to run from a standstill to 60 mph in approximately 4.6 seconds and reach a top speed electronically limited to 170 mph. It went along just fine with its paddle-shifted 8-speed automatic transmission.
Audi S5 (2007-2012)
2007 to 2012 marked the Audi S5’s first generation as the high-performance version of the Audi A5 coupe. It featured a free-breathing 4.2-liter V8 engine borrowed from the Audi RS4. It produced 354 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, enough to send the S5 racing from rest to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds.
It benefited from Audi’s proprietary Quattro all-wheel-drive system, along with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission.
Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo (1991-1996)
The Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo was a high-performance sports car co-developed between Dodge and Mitsubishi. Although the twin-turbocharged DOHC V6 model was the popular one stateside, its Japanese counterpart offered SOHC V8 options. The Dodge Stealth and its Mitsubishi 3000GT counterpart were primarily V6-powered.
However, some variants of the JDM versions (variants of the 3000GT, we mean) benefited from a V8 and were called the GTO Twin Turbo. Known as the 6G72, the 3.0-liter V8 produced around 280 horsepower and 304 lb-ft of torque.
Aston Martin V8 Vantage (2005-2017)
The 2005–2017 V8 Vantage still looks awesome even though it is no longer the tabloid darling it used to be. The fanfare following its release was so loud you’d think we’d still be talking about the Vantage decades later. Instead, the game was over for this British luxury sports car after just twelve years.
It was born with a hand-built, naturally aspirated 4.3-liter V8 producing 380 hp but later upgraded to a 4.7-liter producing 430 hp and sending the car to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Customers could choose between a 6-speed manual shifter or the “Sportshift” 6-speed automated manual transmission.