The 9 Greatest 6-Cylinder Engines Of The Last Decade, According To You

1. Alfa Romeo 'Busso' V6

It’s been around in some form or another since 1979, but as production didn’t end until 2005 and because so many of you guys mentioned it, the legendary Alfa V6 gets a mention here. It’s not only one of (if not the) best-sounding V6 engines ever built, it’s also probably the best to look at.

It eventually grew to 3.2 litres, powering the likes of the 147 and 156 GTA, plus the GT. It’s often affectionately called the ‘Busso’ after its designer Giuseppe Busso, who died only a few days after production of his V6 stopped at Alfa Romeo’s Arese factory.

Alfa did subsequently produce a GM-derived V6 for the 159 and Brera, but it couldn’t touch the charisma of the old Busso. Here’s hoping the Ferrari-influenced V6 in the incoming Giulia QV does a better job of honouring the old Busso six.

The last in a long line of race-derived ‘Mezger’ Porsche flat-sixes, this one’s really something special. We’d already been treated to a stonking 3.8-litre flat-six in the 997 GT3 RS, when Porsche decided to enlarge it to 4.0 litres to create the M97/74.

An increase in stroke supplied the bump in displacement, while the crankshaft came from Porsche’s 911 RSR and GT3 R race machines. The 4.0 litre’s peak power of 493bhp arrives at 8250rpm, with its full 339lb ft of twist coming in at 5750rpm.

3. BMW S54B32

With the amount of love for the S54, we’d probably start a riot by not having M Division’s finest six-pot here. But that’s fine, as it more than deserves a place. Its many achievements include kicking out over 100bhp per litre despite being naturally-aspirated, picking up a ridiculous amount of awards, and powering the celebrated E46 M3. Oh, and the M Division-spec Z4s, plus a Wiesmann or two.

4. BMW N54

It might not enjoy quite the same revered status of the S54, but the twin-turbo N54 has plenty of admirers. It’s not hard to see why: it’s a punchy thing that produces up to 335bhp, it sounds great, and it’s a tuneable engine. In fact, a simple remap can safely crank the power up to 400bhp.

It’s also an unusual anomaly in the world of BMW, being a non-S-designated engine that went on to power an M Car: the 1M. BMW is going for the same tactic with the N54’s successor - the single, twin-scroll turbocharged N55, which in modified form will power the incoming M2.

5. Jaguar AJ126

In a world where most of its rivals are going down turbocharged avenues, you have to give Jaguar a nod of respect for sticking to superchargers with its V6 and V8 engines. That’s why the AJ126 V6 is here, itself developed from the older AJ-V8 Jaguar has been using since the year 2000.

It’s in its most potent state of tune in the F-Type S, where it develops 375bhp and kicks out a bloody good noise thanks to some exhaust trickery…

6. Ford Barra inline-six

Unless you live in Australia, you’ll have probably read this heading and immediately thought ‘the what?’ But stick with us. ‘Barra’ refers to a family of straight-six and V8 engines manufactured by Ford Australia for the Oz market since 2002, and the six-pot we’re focusing on has a deserved reputation for flexibility and ease of tuning.

A 420bhp, 4.0-litre version of the Barra six powers the final FPV F6, the very last car made by Ford Performance Vehicles.

7. Nissan VR38DETT

Before you accuse us of being obvious or boorish fanboys, it’s worth remembering that the VR38 is (until the Ford GT gets here, unless we’re forgetting something) the most powerful production V6 out there. And it has enough thrust to make your face hurt when its doling out its mechanical violence to the Nissan GT-R’s four driven wheels.

The Nismo version is particularly special, with almost 600bhp on tap thanks in part to a pair of turbochargers borrowed from the GT-R’s GT3 racing cousin.

8. General Motors LF4

The General Motors High Feature engine isn’t exactly the most exciting starting point for a super saloon’s motor, but this ain’t no ordinary High Feature. Built specifically for the Cadillac ATS-V, it’s rocking titanium conrods, low-inertia titanium-aluminide turbines in each of the two turbochargers, and posh vacuum-actuated wastegates. All this clever tech results in a 3.6-litre V6 that develops 464bhp and 445lb ft of torque.

9. TVR Speed Six

When it comes to running a specialist, low-volume sports car company, it pays to keep things as uncomplicated as possible. Using someone else’s engine, for instance, is a must for keeping costs down. However, TVR thought differently in the 1990s, deciding to start creating its engines from scratch, commissioning engineer Al Melling for the design and development work.

The Speed Eight came first, followed by the Speed Six. The latter engine - a dry-sump lubricated, all-alloy all anger straight-six - was used right up until the company entered its lengthy hiatus in 2006, powering cars like the Tamora and Sagaris. In the Sagaris, it displaces 4.0 litres, and produces 380bhp.

Clearly, those at the reigns at TVR now are a little more cautious, as the car at the centre of the company’s rebirth will use a Cosworth-developed version of Ford’s Coyote V8. But we should be glad about TVR’s past ambitiousness, as without it, we wouldn’t have this incredible six-cylinder engine.

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