13 Powerful Cars With 16-Cylinder Engines
The pursuit of more power and performance is almost as old as the history of the automobile. For a time, engine displacement was synonymous with that pursuit, and 16-cylinder engines were the ultimate expression of that power. These days, advances in propulsion technology have resulted in big things coming in small packages.
We now have incredibly powerful cars like the Mercedes-AMG One, capable of over a thousand horsepower from an electrified 1.6-liter turbo 8-cylinder engine, and Koenigsegg’s 3-cylinder “Tiny Friendly Giant” producing a combined output exceeding 1,700 hp in the Gemera.
Whether designed in a W configuration or arranged in two banks of 8-cylinders, 16-cylinders represented a marvel of engineering built to propel some of the most phenomenal, exclusive automobiles ever seen on the planet. From icons like the Bugatti Veyron to forgotten elites like the Auto Union Type C, here are 13 cars in history that proudly cradled 16 pots under their hoods.
Bugatti Veyron
Who on earth needs an introduction to the Veyron? This car took the crown of “World’s Fastest Production Car” from the McLaren F1 in 2005 after achieving a top speed of 240.1 mph with the rev limiter removed.
The Veyron’s heart is an 8.0-liter W16 engine producing a staggering 1,001-hp and 922 lb-ft of torque in the original Veyron 16.4 model. Subsequent models like the Veyron SuperSport turned the music up to 1,200-hp.
The Veyron’s 16-cylinder configuration involves two narrow-angle V8 engines joined to create a W shape. It is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The SuperSport holds a top speed record of 267.856 mph.
Bugatti Chiron
The Chiron is the Veyron’s successor, introduced in 2016 to continue the record-breaking legacies of its forbearer. Like the Veyron, the Chiron uses an 8.0-liter W16 with four turbochargers, resulting in a mighty 1,479 hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque. The Chiron’s special editions, like the SuperSport 300+, push the output to 1,578-hp.
The top speed is limited to 261 mph, although the SuperSport 300+ is free to unleash an excess of 304 mph, effectively making it one of the fastest production cars in the world. It can zap from zero to 60 mph in 2.2 seconds, making it quicker than its predecessor.
Cadillac V-16 (1930s)
Cadillac was among the first to do it in the world. The V-16 was just as glorious as the Bugattis of today, but for reasons not centered on mechanical performance. It is one of the most luxurious cars of its time, debuting at the New York Auto Show in 1930. The V-16 was, in fact, the first passenger car in the United States to feature a V16 engine.
The project kicked off in the mid-1920s under the direction of Cadillac’s then-chief engineer, Owen Nacker. It stayed in production for ten years, birthing 4,076 Cadillac V-16s. The engine was born with a 45° 7.4-liter displacement, producing 165-hp – supremely impressive for the era.
Cizeta-Moroder V16T
This car came with a price tag of around $650,000 (equivalent to approximately $1.4 million today) when it was ready for the market in 1991. It’s one of the world’s rarest, most exclusive supercars, with just 13 examples produced, including a Spyder (convertible) model.
The Moroder V16T was the handiwork of Italian engineer and former Lamborghini test driver Claudio Zampolli, with the famous Marcello Gandini as the designer. Its name honored the famous music composer Claudio Zampolli (C.Z., as in Cizeta) and Giorgio Moroder, who was involved in the car’s development.
The Cizeta-Moroder’s heart is a 6.0-liter V16 consisting of two flat-plane V8s joined together by a crankshaft. It was good for approximately 540-hp at 8,000 rpm and 400 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm, sending the car to 60 mph in roughly 4 seconds and a 204 mph top speed.
Auto Union Type C (1930s Grand Prix Car)
Auto Union was a conglomerate of four German manufacturers, including Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. Of course, these names sound foreign to our generation, but the union was a significant player in the 1930s automotive industry, particularly in motorsport.
Auto Union’s Type C is a legendary Grand Prix race that boasts high performance and advanced engineering. Though flying the union’s banner, the car was primarily an Audi, debuting in 1936.
None other than Ferdinand Porsche designed the car before he founded the Porsche car company. The Type C used a mid-mounted 6.0-liter supercharged V16 engine that produced around 520-hp at 5,000 rpm and 627 lb-ft of torque. It was an extraordinary feat for the 1930s.
BRM H-16 (Formula One Car)
The BRM H-16 is often mentioned as one of the most complex engines ever made in the history of Formula One racing, thanks to its unique configuration and the resultant engineering challenges.
Developed for F1 racing by British Racing Motors (BRM) during the 1960s (specifically 1966 – 1967), the BRM H-16 featured an unorthodox H configuration that stacked two horizontally opposed 3.0-liter flat-8 engines on top of the other with a common crankshaft.
BRM developed the H-16 in response to the new 3.0-liter engine regulations for the 1966 Formula One season. It produced 400 to 420-hp, although reliability issues wouldn’t allow a consistent output. The H-16 was substantially heavier than its competitors, impairing its performance and handling.
Maserati Tipo V4 (1929)
The Maserati Tipo V4 was a GT-styled torpedo car that was a prominent segment during the early 20th century, spanning the 1910s and 1930s. Other notable examples of torpedo cars were the Bugattis, Rolls-Royces, and Hispano-Suiza.
The Tipo V4 was known for its innovative engineering and impressive performance. It featured a 4.0-liter supercharged 16-cylinder engine created by joining two inline-eight engines with a single crankshaft.
The single crank differentiated it from the Bugatti Type 45 with two crankshafts. The engine produced around 280 to 305-hp, which was massively formidable for the time. It allowed the Tipo V4 to reach a top speed of around 153 mph.
Maserati Tipo V5 (1931)
The V5 was the Tipo V4’s evolutionary model, immensely benefiting from the advanced engineering and performance-oriented design that characterized Maserati’s racing cars of the era. Similar to the V4, the V5’s heart was a supercharged 5.0-liter V16 engine producing around 300 to 320-hp.
The 16 cylinders were also created by joining two inline-eight engines with a single crankshaft. The V5 had many opportunities to showcase its advanced engineering and high-performance capabilities at motorsport competitions in the early 1930s.
Bugatti Type 45 (1929)
The Type 45 was part of a series of prototypes that Bugati developed during the late 1920s and early 1930s. It featured a supercharged 3.8-liter inline-8 engine with what was then an innovative dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) configuration. It made 200-hp, which was quite formidable for the Type 45’s time.
Ultimately, the Type 45 mounted two of these straight-eight engines side by side with two crankshafts to create a V16 engine configuration. It complemented the car’s Art Deco-style design and robust chassis.
Bugatti Type 47 (1930)
The Type 47 was another ambitious Bugatti project produced from 1929 to 1930. It was built on the Type 45 racing car and shared its 16-cylinder engine, consisting of two 3.8-liter straight-eights placed side by side with two crankshafts to synchronize their operation as a V16 powerplant.
It sat at the chassis’ fore and drove sent power to the rear axles via a 4-speed gearbox. It had just one block and shared an oil pan, with one exhaust valve and two intake valves per cylinder. It used two carbs and two compressors at the rear of the engine block. The engine was water-cooled, and the crank enjoyed the support of nine main bearings. All told, the Type 47 was good for 240-hp.
Peerless V-16 (1930s)
Like the Cadillac Sixteen and the Bugatti prototypes, the Peerless V-16 is an ambitious 16-cylinder project from the 1930s. With this car, the Cleveland-based American manufacturer Peerless sought the front row in the market for luxury cars. The Peerless’ peers were the likes of Packard and Pierce-Arrow during the early 20th century.
Not to be outdone by rivals like the Cadillac, Peerless built the V-16 with a 6.9-liter V16 engine with approximately 175-hp. Unfortunately, the car’s market release coincided with the Great Depression, and the V-16 could not save the company from going belly up in 1931. The company turned its attention to brewing beer under the Carling Black Label brand.
Marmon Sixteen (1931 – 1933)
Marmon Sixteen was the product of an Indiana-based manufacturer produced during the early 1930s. Like the Peerless V-16, the Marmon Sixteen’s production years coincided with the Great Depression era. It featured a massive 8.0-liter V16 engine with an overhead valve (OHV) design, a dual ignition system, and aluminum pistons.
Mated to a 3-speed manual transmission, the V16 was good for around 200-hp at 3,400 rpm and 400 lb-ft of torque. The car is unmistakable with its long hood and sweeping fenders.
It featured a progressive suspension system that used semi-elliptical springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. They came in sedans, coupes, and convertibles, often customized by coachbuilders like LeBaron and Dietrich.
Duesenberg Model H (1920s)
The Duesenberg Model H was an experimental project that used a rare V16 engine configuration for its time. The Duesenberg brothers (Fred and August) wanted to create a prototype with exceptional power and smoothness.
While detailed information about the Model H’s 16-cylinder engine isn’t well documented, the daring project was clearly intended to embody the brothers’ innovative spirit, delivering up to 800 hp.
The engine’s complexities and the attendant cost of producing them prevented the brothers from proceeding to full-scale production of the Model H. However, the prototype influenced the development of subsequent Duesenberg models, such as the iconic Model J.
