The Best 40 Sports Cars that have V8 Engines Available in 2023

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Likely, if you are reading this article, you are bummed to find that more and more manufacturers are moving to smaller engines with either a hybrid drivetrain or turbocharged to gain that extra power. However, what about those who want the proven V8 reliability and sound? Thankfully, some companies are still pushing out some excellent V8 options!

In this article, we will go over what Sports Cars specifically have V8 engines available. Still, we will separate them into standard sports cars, supercars, and hypercars to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for.

For that extra help, we will also set you up with our favorite from each category!

1. Sports Cars

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Best V8 Sports Car

Lexus LC500

With the LC500 from Lexus, you are not only getting a vehicle from Lexus (known for its reliability) but also purchasing an awesome-sounding V8 sports car. Sure, the LFA would be the better choice; unfortunately, that is outside most people's price range. The LC500 is the next best thing! It might be worth the look if you have yet to spend much time digging into this vehicle. Otherwise, Lexus may stop making us tremendous V8 coupes down the road.

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2. Super Cars

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Best V8 Super Car

McLaren GT

I am a fan of fast yet comfortable vehicles, and the McLaren GT is a fantastic example. This super car is fast, with 612 horsepower, 465 lb-ft of torque, and a top speed of 204 miles per hour. However, the England-based company tweaked its formula to offer a more comfortable, grand-touring experience, rather than the rough and sporty cars they usually build. This formula created one of my favorite super cars with a V8.

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3. Hyper Cars

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Best V8 Hyper Car

McLaren Elva

The McLaren Elva is a unique hypercar, as it doesn't have a windshield. It's one of the few hypercars on the market with a V8 (since almost all McLaren cars have a similar engine), and it's also one of the lightest cars on the market (I mean, it doesn't have a windshield, people). That makes it extremely fast, and it's also very efficient. The Elva has a unique design, which is only for some. But for those who are looking for something different, the Elva is worth considering. It's a truly fantastic car, and whether it is worth the price tag is up in the air.

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Why would you want a V8 sports car?

1. Reliability

V8 engines have been around for years, and they are a fantastic mixture of power (which we’ll talk about in a moment) and reliability. With a larger V8 engine, you have considerably more displacement, and don’t require large amounts of forced induction to get power out of them. Because of this, there is less strain on the drivetrain and better reliability and longevity of the engine.

2. Power

As mentioned above, V8 engines can make an incredible amount of power. These larger engines (at least larger than a 4-cylinder and V6) offer plenty of displacement to allow for power to be made.

3. The sound

A V6 or 4-cylinder has nothing on a V8 regarding sound. That is one of the biggest complaints when Ford transitioned from the 1st Generation Raptor to the 2nd Generation. They switched to a more powerful turbo V6 but lost the growl of a V8 and alienated a significant amount of their customers in the process.

Why are V8 engines going away?

One of the most significant downsides to a V8 is its fuel economy. V6 and 4-cylinder engines are lighter and can run on fewer cylinders when cruising. Meanwhile, with such a large engine, with all cylinders running all the time, they are susceptible to lower fuel economy.

Because of this, as regulations tighten fuel economy and emissions, manufacturers are forced to switch to smaller engines and add turbochargers or hybrid technology to boost additional power when needed, but rely on the smaller engine when you don’t.

Conclusion

Even though the V8 engine is slowly dying out, there are plenty of options in the sports car industry! With over 40 options, you can find one that works for you. Some of the best names in the industry, such as McLaren, Ferrari, Lexus (and more), offer fantastic options for you.