HERE ARE 12 OF THE BEST SIX-CYLINDER CARS EVER MADE
Nissan Skyline GT-R R34
With bagfuls of character and personality mixed with a soft but reassuring hum, the RB26-powered Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 has gone down as one of the analogue Japanese greats. The engine itself is a 24-valve unit with a pair of T25 turbochargers attached, the result of which is 276bhp and enough induction flutters to make you inadvertently yell out 'pockets ain't empty cuz'.
,Jaguar XJ220
Jaguar promised the world a no-compromise V12 with the XJ220… until it ended up compromising with a V6. But the sneers were quickly batted away as the reimagined Metro Group B rally car engine - now with an increased 3.5-litre displacement and a pair of turbos - set a then-production car speed record of 212mph. The driver? None other than Cara Delevingne's grid walk bestie: Martin Brundle.
BMW E46 M3 CSL
We’ll forgive the divisive SMG transmission here because of the obsessively lightweight construction, but mostly that glorious S54 straight-six. By tinkering with the camshafts and valves, BMW managed to bring the M3 CSL’s output up to 355bhp and enable a sub-five-second sprint to 62. This might just be the finest M car of them all… and that speaks volumes. Lovely, metallic-tinged, 3.2-litre volumes.
,Toyota Supra A80
Despite being three decades old, the fourth-generation Toyota Supra continues to dominate the world’s drag strips. Thanks to a thick steel gasket, forged crank and dual overhead cams, the 3.0-litre 2JZ is capable of dealing with immense amounts of boost pressure in short bursts. That’s why owners can so easily coax as much as 2,000bhp out of them with minimal fuss. Don’t you just love an overengineered maniac?
Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
It may not be sexy, but there’s a lot to be said for an engine with bulletproof reliability. The late 1990s were perhaps the peak years for AMC’s 4.0-litre straight-six. At that point it was making around 190bhp in the Cherokee, but it was torquey and hugely dependable.
,Lancia Stratos
‘The Lancia Stratos’ - it just sounds special, doesn’t it? Beneath the gorgeous half-a-century-old body sits a naturally aspirated V6 gem pinched from Ferrari. It was then dialled up to around 280bhp and tasked with conquering the world of motorsport. It did, winning three World Rally Constructors’ titles on the bounce, and making mincemeat of road races like the Targa Florio. Oh Lancia, where did it all go wrong?
,Honda NSX NA1
The first-generation Honda NSX has various engine displacements and transmission options, but ultimately, a high-revving six-cylinder is what you’ll end up with. It was the first production car to feature forged pistons and titanium rods, things which were typically associated solely with racing cars back then, and combined with its daily usability and incredible reliability, the NSX has a strong argument for being the supercar which saved its class from extinction.
Ford Falcon XR6 Sprint
Our friends from Down Under would have had something to say if we left Ford’s Barra engine off this list. The straight-six was launched in 2002 in the BA-series Falcon. It was developed by Ford Australia and Tickford and actually used the same bottom end as the previous Falcon’s 4.0-litre sixer – an engine that had first appeared in 1988. And yet the Barra became a darling of the tuning world thanks to its remarkable strength and simplicity. In factory form, it culminated with the turbocharged 2016 Falcon XR6 Sprint and its 496bhp on overboost.
,Mercedes-AMG One
Mercedes's decision to relocate a Formula One World Championship-winning engine into a road car with windscreen wipers was... ambitious, to say the least. And the resulting delays and complexities compounded the journey. But complete it they did, and - despite its flaws - it was brutally quick. The AMG One went on to smash the Nürburgring production car lap record with a time of 6m 35s. With a full chamber of washer fluid too, we’d imagine.
,Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
The 3.2-litre ‘Busso’ V6 in the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA may only deliver a modest 247bhp to the front wheels, but the soundtrack en route to a 6,200rpm redline is enough to warrant a page in the Book of Genesis. That’s paired with a six-speed manual and forms part of a package that tips the scales at just 1,250kg. In short, this has a very real claim for being the greatest hot hatch… ever.
,Ferrari 296 GTB
A technical masterpiece, and quite possibly the best supercar on sale today. The Ferrari 296 and its hybridised 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 may not be the ‘purest’ piece of engineering here, but a ludicrous output of 820bhp and 546lb ft of torque simply cannot be ignored. The fact its engine is named ‘Piccolo’ (or small) V12 should tell you everything you need to know.
,Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
It’s not a question of if a Mezger-engined Porsche 911 should be here, but which one. The 997 GT3 RS 4.0 was the final iteration of the 997 and the final time a true Mezger engine was used in a road-going 911. The high-revving flat-six was naturally aspirated and enlarged to 4.0-litres with an output of 500bhp. A masterpiece.
2024-07-02T04:13:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd