Discover the top 13 6-cylinder engines that have left a lasting impact on the automotive industry. From classic models to modern powerhouses, these engines have set the standard for performance and reliability.
A good car is very similar to a good movie. It is useless to have a very good script if there is no director capable of organizing the cast, visualizing each shot and finding the best shots for each scene. Continuing with the analogy, a car, however beautiful it may be, will not be remembered if it does not have a suitable engine inside .
Reliability is often a key aspect we measure to assess whether an engine is worth the money. Power is also important. Or at least, it should offer sufficiently interesting performance to make the machine easy to handle.
Until just a few years ago, 6-cylinder engines were the solution that many manufacturers took when designing an engine with more performance than a four-cylinder engine, but without compromising too much on reliability and consumption. Almost all major manufacturers have created blocks of this type, whether in-line, ‘V’ or boxer.
In this article we are going to compile what are considered to be the best 6-cylinder engines to date . We are not going to make distinctions between designs or fuels. Along these lines you will be able to read about everything from Ferrari’s most technologically advanced V6 to the most efficient diesel engine for travelling from one end of Spain to the other with the family.
Honda C32B
We start with a legendary engine. The C32B is the engine that got on Ferrari’s nerves. The same one that Ayrton Senna showed he knew how to tame to perfection in Suzuka aboard the NSX .
It’s true that when we talk about the Honda NSX, we don’t usually focus too much on its engine. However, it is an inseparable part of its success. The C32B was a 3.2-litre V6 perfectly tuned for the supercar. Every detail was worked on to reduce its weight without compromising its reliability. And it was optimised with the VTEC system, the simplest and most effective distribution that man has ever created.
The result? Minato proved to Maranello that it was possible to build a dream supercar without it costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
BMW S54
Inline 6-cylinder engines are BMW’s specialty . In fact, it’s hard to choose just one from this manufacturer, as their history shows that they have a good grasp of these engines.
The S54B32 is the best naturally aspirated inline-six ever to come out of the Munich factory. It has a displacement of 3.2 litres and can rev up to 8,000 revolutions per minute. All this thanks to a huge set of improvements over the S50 engine and the inclusion of a Double VANOS system, another BMW speciality.
With this configuration, this engine is capable of delivering up to 343 hp and 365 Nm of torque . It can be enjoyed in the BMW M3 E46, although it also gave many joys to the owners of a BMW Z4 M.
Audi 3.0 V6 TDI
There are good diesel engines, very good ones and excellent ones. The V6 3.0 TDI belongs to the latter group. It is an engine that was born offering very good levels of power, reliability and consumption . The passage of time has only perfected the machine, making it one of the most interesting engines that we can buy if we want a car to cover many kilometres.
This unit has been mainly fitted to Audi sedans and SUVs . However, don’t be fooled by the displacement. Despite being a large engine, it has approved consumption levels that anyone can afford.
Cummins B6.7
American manufacturers have not been as keen on diesel engines as their European counterparts. However, that does not mean that they do not use diesel. Cummins is not only a brand known for the high reliability of its engines, but also has one of the largest diesel engines ever built in its portfolio.
And as surprising as it may seem, this Illinois manufacturer has been making a huge inline 6-cylinder block with a total displacement of 6.7 liters for years . Yes, more than one liter per cylinder.
The interesting part doesn’t end there. Although they are huge engines, the manufacturer has optimized them to produce only between 200 and 325 hp. Their maximum torque figures are monstrous, generating between 700 and 1000 Nm. Thanks to this, they have enviable reliability . They are used in trucks, machinery and in the diesel variants of RAM pickups where torque is more important than power.
Nissan VR38DETT
When we think of a Nissan GT-R, we all think of the GT-R R34. For some reason, the R35 didn’t catch on as strongly as its predecessor. However, we’re here to talk about engines, and the VR38DETT that debuted in the latest GT-R is a real mechanical feat .
This twin-turbo V6 engine was developed thanks to the experience Nissan gained from racing with V8 engines. The initial version launched in 2007 managed to produce an impressive 480 hp.
But that’s not all. Over the years, this engine has aged better than George Clooney. Some GT-R editions have been fitted with this engine in 600bhp versions, while some enthusiasts have managed to break the 1,000bhp barrier by making a few modifications.
Mercedes-Benz M104
There are engines that are ahead of their time . The Mercedes-AG M104 came out in 1988, but it already had many of the features that modern engines have today. Double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, electronic injection, variable valve timing… It is not surprising that many of the cars that mounted this engine are still doing miles today.
The M104 had three variants ranging from 2.8 to 3.2 litres. They generated from 193 to 280 hp . It was mainly fitted to petrol saloons, although it also gave life to the entry-level versions of the R129 SL.
Porsche M97/74
Polish and polish. Refine and refine. That’s what diamonds do, and what Porsche does with every product that leaves its factories. The M97/74 engine is the most perfect 6-cylinder boxer engine known . It has a displacement of 4.0 liters and is naturally aspirated.
This engine powers the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 , which is one of the few sports cars of today that maintains the essence of a sports car of yesteryear. You know what we mean: manual transmission, few aids and a sound that, for whatever reason, does not need to be amplified using the vehicle’s multimedia system.
Subaru EZ30
Continuing with the 6-cylinder boxer engines , we cannot ignore Subaru’s work in this area. With the EZ30, Subaru wanted the Outback and Legacy to have more capable engines. Not only did they succeed, but they were able to sell this engine for 13 years.
The first version of this 3.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine was launched in 1999. It was very well designed, smooth, with a very linear delivery and generating 212 hp . However, it was not as efficient as other manufacturers’ proposals with the same displacement.
In 2003, Subaru further refined it with variable valve timing on the intake and exhaust. It did so by even increasing power, which extended to 245 hp. In addition, it remained reliable as ever.
The good set-up and low centre of gravity of this boxer make it a delight to drive. It is powerful, yes. But few engines are as docile and provide as much safety as this one. That is why it was a success in cars whose target audience was families .
Alfa Romeo Busso V6
For a whopping 26 years , Alfa Romeo marketed this iconic V6, which was perfected year after year. The original block had 2.5 liters and debuted in 1979 in the Alfa 6. It developed a generous 160 hp. Shortly after, this same engine would give life to the Alfa Romeo GTV6 in 1980, one of the most iconic sports cars from the Arese house.
In the 1990s, the Busso grew in size and also had an extra camshaft. The improved 3.0-litre version with 210 hp was fitted in the engine bay of the Alfa Romeo 164. But the story did not end there. During the last years of the engine’s life, the biscione brand gave it one last chance. The displacement was increased once again before being fitted in the GTA versions of the 147 and 156. Few at the time would have imagined that these two had a 3.2-litre engine with 250 hp under their belts .
This engine is not only one of the best V6s in history . True Alfistas – those who spend their lives in the field at the back of Desguaces La Torre – consider that the Italian brand lost its essence in 2005, when they retired the Busso to adopt 6-cylinder engines from General Motors. And for those most involved with the brand, that move was like putting a slice of pineapple in syrup on a Neapolitan pizza.
BMW S58
As we said before, if we were to focus solely on BMW, we could fill the entire article. If we had to choose a modern inline-6 from this manufacturer, we would undoubtedly choose the current S58, which has been refined since 2015.
The secret of this engine lies in its raw material. The BMW M division started from the design of the B58 , an already outstanding engine. Its excellence was such that Toyota placed its trust in the Germans, choosing this engine for its Supra S90.
This B58 on steroids is nothing more than a demonstration of the German manufacturer’s engineering capabilities. Power has been pushed above 500 hp, but without compromising reliability .
But the most interesting thing is the manufacturer’s own obsession. BMW wants its turbo engines to respond instantly, like its old naturally aspirated engines. For this version, they have used two single-flow turbochargers, with which they have achieved their goal. The engine powers several of the brand’s performance models . The most interesting of all is, without a doubt, the M2.
Ferrari F163
He made his debut in 2021 in the Ferrari 296 GTB. And yet, he can already be considered a legend . This engine is like Lamine Yamal. He hasn’t had time to become a young promise, because without hardly being known, he has already made a place for himself among the greatest.
Are we exaggerating? Not at all. In both 2023 and 2024, the racing version of this engine has taken victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Ferrari 499P Hypercar . It is the engine that has brought glory back to the Cavallino Rampante and the one that broke the 5-decade drought without winning this competition.
How does it work? Well, it’s also quite interesting. Ferrari nicknamed this engine “il piccolo V12” because, although it is small, it sounds like one of its most iconic blocks. This 3.0-liter V6 is designed at a 120-degree angle. The two turbochargers are mounted inside the “V”, precisely to make the engine more compact and thus reduce the lag of the turbo itself.
The design is even more complex in the hypercar than in the street-legal 296 GTB, which is the first V6 hybrid to be built for a production model . In the latter, the engine develops 654 hp, which increases to 830 hp when combined with the hybrid part.
Nissan VQ35DE
You don’t have to own a Ferrari to enjoy the thrills of a V6, either. In 2000, Nissan launched another engine it can be quite proud of. The VQ35DE was a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 that was primarily fitted to the 350z, a sports car that was once considered affordable and is now a highly sought-after car.
The power developed by this engine was between 240 and 300 hp . It is a smooth engine, perfectly balanced and with plenty of room for modifications. It is also extremely reliable.
Toyota 2JZ-GTE
The title of this article is a bit too small for the Toyota 2JZ-GTE. We’ve fooled you. Clickbait. This is not one of the best 6-cylinder engines ever. Rather, we can consider it the best engine of all time .
The 2JZ gave birth to a true legend, the Toyota Supra A80 . Regardless of how good the sports car was and still is, the reason why it is so expensive to get a unit of this Japanese car today is because of its engine. I wish they had made more.
The spec sheet for the Toyota 2JZ-GTE is already quite surprising. It is a 3.0-litre inline 6-cylinder engine with two turbochargers . In this configuration, it generates a monstrous torque figure: 476 Nm. However, at first glance, the 276 hp it develops does not seem very spectacular either.
The funny thing about all this is that the 2JZ-GTE’s power output is a wolf in sheep’s clothing . Japanese manufacturers had made an agreement at the time not to exceed the 300 hp limit, for environmental reasons. However, we are looking at one of the most powerful blocks ever made . It is such an oversized and well-made engine that it is not difficult to extract more than 1,000 hp from it . Do you want one? Well, prepare patience and a lot of money. The queue is endless.