These 9 Incredible 4-Pots Will Give You 9 Intense Eargasms

Un-exotic, dull, run-of-the-mill, just some of the ways you could describe the vast majority of four cylinder engines. It’s the most common amount of cylinders to find under a car bonnet, so there’s predictably a countless number of characterless four-pot units powering dreary euroboxes, with all the panache and verve of a bucket of wallpaper paste. Happily, however, there are some exceptions. And what exceptions they are.

Honda F20C

Endless ‘VTEC just kicked in yo….’ memes aside, there’s no denying that Honda’s variable valve timing technology is responsible for some stonking engines. One such nestles under the bonnet of the S2000. The naturally aspirated 2.0 screams to the dizzying heights of 8300 RPM to achieve a peak power of 240bhp.

Applications: Honda S2000
Configuration: Inline-four
Displacement: 2.0-litre

Bonus Video - 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The S2000

Caterham Powertrain 1600 Sigma

It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to modern, low-emissions focused four cylinders, especially when Caterham gets involved. Working its magic on Ford’s 1.6-litre Sigma inline-four - which is usually about as exciting as a rainy Tuesday - Caterham has produced a scorcher. With the tweaks and the addition of a sports exhaust the Sigma’s muted drone has been replaced with a lairy shout.

Applications: Caterham Seven Supersport, 270S and 270R
Configuration: Inline-four
Displacement: 1.6-litre

Subaru EJ20 ET

If there’s a more recognisable engine note than the throaty burble of a Subaru boxer 4, I’m yet to hear it. The earlier EJ20 version is the pick of the bunch, but they’re all pretty damned good. As much at home echoing through the trees of a forest rally stage as it is bouncing off the buildings of a town centre, that delectable off-beat thrum is a firm four-cylinder fave.

Applications: Subaru Impreza WRX, Legacy, Forester
Configuration: Horizontally opposed 180-degree boxer four
Displacement: 2.0-litre

Mecedes M102.983/990 Cosworth

When Mercedes drafted in Cosworth to liven up its humdrum 8-valve 2.3 inline four for its (eventually cancelled) 190 rally project, the results were always going to be pretty special. There’s little to choose between the 2.3 and later 2.5 configuration of the production car; both emit a glorious bellow at full throttle that’ll leave you imagining you’re Klaus Ludwig.

Applications: Mercedes 190E 2.3-16, 2.5-16, Evo I and Evo II
Configuration: Inline-four
Displacement: 2.3-2.5-litre

Alfa Twin Spark

Alfa’s glorious Busso V6 may be the most iconic lump to leave the Italian manufacturer’s factory gates, but honourable mention should also go to the Twin Spark. Utilising the two sparks per cylinder technology first used by Alfa in its early 20th century grand prix cars, the Twin Spark family of engines emit an infectiously fizzy, metallic din and have bags of character, something which the more conventional JTS replacement sadly failed to emulate.

Applications: 8V: Alfa 75, 164, 155; Alfa 16V: 145, 146, 155, 156, 147, 166, GTV, Spider, GT
Configuration: Inline-four
Displacement: 1.4-2.0-litre

Lancia V4 (narrow angle)

As the pioneers of the V engine layout, Lancia had been knocking out V4s since the 20s, until it produced what was probably the sweetest sounding of them all for the comely Fulvia. The exceptionally narrow 18-degree unit would be the illustrious manufacturer’s final V4 effort, but it went out in style.

Applications: Lancia Fulvia
Configuration: 18-degree V-four
Displacement: 1.1-1.6-litre

Fiat 1.4 T-Jet Abarth

Another reason not to be too downcast on the subject of modern four-pots can be found under the bonnet of Fiat’s Abarth 500 and Grande Punto. The 1.4-litre engine is hardly a tower of power, and even with the extra torque afforded by the addition of a turbo it still needs to be revved hard to get the best out of it. However, as it’s a rorty little minx, that’s no bad thing.

Applications: Fiat 500/595/695 Abarth, Grande Punto Abarth
Configuration: Inline four
Displacement: 1.4-litre

Ford Pinto

The raspy growl of Ford’s venerable Pinto engine is a sound that makes rally fans of a certain age weak at the knees. This legendary unit powered, amongst many others, the Blue Oval’s iconic MkI and II Escort RS2000, chucking out a glorious growl you just don’t get with modern engines.

Applications: Ford Escort MkI and II RS2000, Cortina, Capri, Sierra, Granada
Configuration: Inline-four
Displacement: 1.3-2.5-litre

Bonus Video

Saab B202 Turbo

You certainly couldn’t accuse Saab of running with the pack when it came to the old 900. As well as that wonderfully mad convex front windscreen, there’s all kinds of craziness going on under the bonnet. A 45-degree slanted inline four, based on an old Triumph unit, is mounted longitudinally and backwards, with the power coming from the crankshaft at the front. Its somewhat gruff, unrefined note is an endearing noise, especially when coupled to the pronounced turbo whistle of the T-16 model.

Applications: Saab 900 T-16
Configuration: 45-degree slanted inline-four
Displacement: 2.0-litre