Goodbye, V-8s – This Time, Maybe For Good
By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist
V-8s are on the way out — again.
The first mass extinction occurred circa late 1970s/early ’80s — as a result of the first round of the government fuel economy edicts known by the acronym, CAFE — or Corporate Average Fuel Economy. CAFE mandated that cars (but not trucks) achieve an average of at least 22.5 MPG or else the automakers who continued to build such wastrels would be hit with “gas guzzler” fines, which they in turn would pass on to the consumer. This made the formerly commonplace full-frame, rear-drive (and V-8 powered) family car economically impossible — at least, given the technology of the late ’70s era.
So, they — mostly — disappeared.
V-8s (and mass-market large cars) made a comeback in the ’90s and through to the present day as technology — especially fuel injection and overdrive transmissions — made it possible to make the 22.5 MPG CAFE cut. Or at least, come close enough so that any “gas guzzler” fines were economically manageable. Even something as stunningly, obstreperously powerful as a 2012 Cadillac CTS-V — packing a 6.2 liter, 556 hp V-8 — can manage 19 MPG on the highway, thanks to the efficiency improvements of the past 20-something years.
But no technology in existence today — or on the horizon — will get the CTS-V or anything else with a V-8 under its hood close to the new CAFE mandatory minimum of 35.5 MPG, which goes into effect come 2016. That means — in all likelihood — that V-8 powered cars are about to go away again, this time probably for good.
In fact, the die-off is already happening.
The 2013 Jaguar XF — which since its introduction in 2009 has always come with nothing less than a five liter V-8 — will come standard with a 2.0 liter four next year. The optional engine will be a six of about 3 liters’ displacement.
Lexus has dropped the V-8 as an available upgrade in the 2013 GS series sport sedan, which is now V-6 (and hybrid) powered only. Audi has retired the A8′s 4.2 liter V-8, replacing it with a V-6.
Mercedes is going to introduce a new hybrid version of the E-Class for 2013. The V-8 version of the E will still be offered, but with a starting price of almost $60,000 it will not be a mass-market car.
V-8s are becoming engines for the rich-only. More on this in a minute.
Even sixes are in peril. BMW has shunted the formerly standard inline six in both the 3 and 5 Series, in favor of a new (twin-turbocharged) four.
It’s a clear trend — and the fact that we can see it developing on the luxury-performance end of the automotive spectrum is the proverbial canary in the coal mine as regards more modestly priced, large-engined cars such as the Chrysler 300 and — probably — much-anticipated but likely to be very short-lived models like the 2014 Chevy SS sedan.
If Jaguar, BMW, Audi and Lexus can no longer afford to build V-8 cars (at least, in large numbers, as mass-market models) then it’s a dead certainty GM and Ford and Chrysler won’t be able to, either.
That includes trucks, incidentally.
The new CAFE standard — 35.5 MPG, average — doesn’t apply just to passenger cars, as the original 22.5 MPG CAFE standard did. Everything short of commercial vehicles is now lumped together in the same category. There is no more “light truck loophole” — the loophole that made it possible, back in the ’90s, for the car companies to do an end-run around CAFE for passenger cars by putting big engines into bigger vehicles that could be categorized as light trucks — and which they called SUVs.
Hence, Ford is discretely — but very clearly — moving away from V-8s in its big trucks, such as the full-size F-series pickup. There’s still one available — for the moment. But the rest of the engine lineup — the mass market engine lineup — is all V-6. Ford calls these engines — tellingly — Ecoboost. They’re smaller displacement engines with a turbo (or two) bolted on to provide on-demand power but the better fuel efficiency of a smaller engine the rest of the time.
Turbos — and superchargers — are seen as the only technically feasible way to match (or at least, come close to) the power/performance of V-8s while still making the CAFE cut.
Well, is all this actually bad?
That depends on your perspective.
From the perspective of the automakers, it’s good. Because it gets Uncle off their backs — at least, temporarily — and increases their profit margin, since they simply pass on the costs of the more expensive powertrains (including maintenance costs) to customers.
From our perspective, as consumers, it’s not such a good deal. We pay more up front — and while that will be somewhat mitigated by reduced fuel consumption, those savings may — and probably will be — swept away by down-the-road maintenance and repair costs. Smaller, higher-stressed engines tend not to last as long as larger, less stressed engines. A force-fed (turbocharged or supercharged) engine is not likely to be a trouble-free 150,000 mile engine. Maybe these new-generation turbo’d and supercharged engines are built tougher — and will last longer. Or at least, as long as a similarly powerful, but less stressed, V-8. We’ll see. If they don’t, look out. Replacing a turbo on a late model car is typically a $2,000-plus job. Many of these CAFE-engineered new cars have two of them.
That’s that. Another thing is that the fuel economy gains are often not very impressive — on an individual vehicle basis. For instance, the current Ford F-truck’s available 5 liter V-8 rates 15 city, 21 highway. Not great. But the EcoBoost 3.5 liter V-6 (which makes about the same power as the V-8) comes in just slightly better, with a 16 city, 22 highway rating.
You’d think that extra 1-2 MPG would be irrelevant, but it’s crucial . . .CAFE-wise. Ford sells on the order of half a million F-trucks each year. If each one costs Ford (and thus, customers) even as little as $300 more in gas guzzler taxes per vehicle, when multiplied by half a million, that becomes real money, real quickly.
So, here’s what to expect:
V-8s are going to get scarce. And I mean exotic-scarce. Last go’round, CAFE made it a lot harder for a working class person to own a V-8 powered new car. But if you were comfortably middle class, it was still feasible. There were Crown Vics and Town Cars.
Upper middle class, no problem. $50k would do the trick — doable for a professional couple.
This time, V-8s will become the exclusive playthings of the very affluent only — people who can afford to spend $70k-plus for a low-volume (and so, CAFE irrelevant) car. Jaguar, for example, will probably continue to offer a V-8 in the ultra-performance (and ultra-expensive) XF-R version of the XF luxury-sport sedan. Mercedes will still offer V-8s in the E and S Class… for those few who can handle the freight.
What there won’t be anymore are cars like the currently available Chrysler 300 C Hemi and the bet-you-it-gets-cancelled-soon Chevy SS; that is, cars — and trucks — for regular people and intended to be sold in volume.
Of course, Obama — and the next Dear Leader — will still get to drive around in cars powered by big V-8s that get far less than 35.5 MPG . . . with the gas bill paid by taxpayers.
And that’s just the way they want it.
Comments?
Buy a crate engine, it’s the only answer. Pull the 4 cylinder out, use it for a boat anchor, put the big V8 back in it’s place. End of story.
We shall see you don’t know what breakthroughs in technology they will come up with everything is impossible until someone invents it.
@METOO you’ve been driving gutless cars that would be a torture for any car enthusiast. That’s the kind of car that would drive anyone to use public transportation. Thankfully there is always the used car market. In 15 years we will be looking back at all the muscle cars from the 2000′s the same way our father’s look to the muscle cars of the 1960′s
Have you ever driven one of the current diesels??? They are far from slow or gutless, many are faster than their gasoline powered counterparts…
And gutless?? They may not have gotten to 60 that fast but every car I have ever owned had no trouble cruising all day long @ 60-65 to 75-80 all while still achieving high 40s to low 50s mpgUS. I have had to drive as much as 230-250 miles a day for work and I care far more about having a 900-1,000 mile range on a tank. Me along with a lot of other drivers on the road today could care less what the 0-60 time is which in no way helps me to get around in real world traffic….
I would happily live with a 0-60 time close to 15-20 seconds in a car that could achieve 75-90 mpgUS. A hint, there are more than a few mid 80s Jetta size cars with a manual trans coupled to a 3 cylinder direct injection turbodiesels sold in Europe today. Polo BluemotionTDI is but one model produced and sold today that can easily in the real world hit 75-90 mpgUS……..
How much of the time in the US in real world traffic conditions can someone actually use practically 0-60 times less than 10-15 seconds??? In my 30+ years of covering 3,000,000+ miles in everything from a motorcycle to a 18 wheeler not that often without having to just slam on the brakes……
Americans have been convinced by advertising that they need 0-60 times in the 6 second range. While what would actually be useful is a 60-90 mpgUS car with a range of 900-1,100 miles on a 13-19 gal tank…….I have traveled and driven in 9 different countries where fuel/gas was as much as $US9-10 a USgal.
WHen I rent a car in these countries I want a diesel with a manual trans that can get at least ~50 mpgUS. These are easy to get in other countries which they are offered everywhere else around the world but not the USA..
Finally having CAFE again will force the auto makers to actually sell these models here, something I would love to see( can’t wait to see!! )…I bet a lot, most if not all of those complaining today of the coming CAFE rules will eagerly pick up one of these high mpg models once CAFE forces auto makers to offer them here!!
quote “The new CAFE standard — 35.5 MPG, average — doesn’t apply just to passenger cars, as the original 22.5 MPG CAFE standard did. Everything short of commercial vehicles is now lumped together in the same category. There is no more “light truck loophole” — the loophole that made it possible, back in the ’90s, for the car companies to do an end-run around CAFE for passenger cars by putting big engines into bigger vehicles that could be categorized as light trucks — and which they called SUVs.”
Actually the original CAFE did include everything. It wasn’t until 1983 when the abused commercial truck loophole was created that they were separated out of total CAFE.
The coming increase in CAFE still keeps trucks and SUVs separate, not requiring them to meet what is required for autos(cars). The truck loophole was put into place to allow companies to purchase commercial heavier vehicles needed for work.
But way the truck loophole has been used over the last ~3 decades was an abuse of what was intended with it’s creation. As mentioned above the loophole was used as a way to get around CAFE rules, used to produce vehicles that drank gas like nothing ever built before while skirting CAFE rules. The change in coming CAFE to try to alleviate this separating of classes is the averaging of them together. I favor that change, I would support requiring all vehicles be figured in together like they were before the change in 1983.
The coming increase in CAFE can easily be met today in just about any vehicle if it is offered with hybrid and diesel power. We hit a number above what is going to be required in the coming law in the mid 80s before we abandoned our energy policy in 1985. Every automaker already today has to meet far stricter rules in Europe, China, Asia and Australia.
Auto makers can and will offer high performance fuel efficient engines when they are needed to do a job. All auto makers sell 3 cyl 75-180 hp – 120-200 lb-ft engines in every other market (not the US) that sip gas or diesel that are used in small and mid sized cars and pickups. And come on, they can easily get 300-450+ hp out a turbocharge 4 pot engine, far more out of a 5 or 6 pot putting out far more HP/TQ to the KG/pound and that still uses less fuel than any similar 6 or 8. It is about time the boat anchor 8 pot engine went into history because it wastes energy and is not longer needed.
This crying over the end of these over-sized least efficient engine is a discussion that is just a lot of noise being made over nothing. The way CAFE works is auto makers must sell x number of fuel efficient models to balance out the lower fuel economy of other units offered.
Look at what happened the first time we had CAFE and how many more fuel efficient versions of everything offered were sold. Under the coming increase in CAFE every line from trucks, cars, sports cars, to SUVs will benefit from the coming increase in CAFE…..
Who let YOU comment on an NMA newsletter. You are obviously NOT a motorist rights enthusiast. What branch of Government do you work for anyways?
I have been building engines and racing cars for close 35 years to date. who are u to say I am not a car enthusiast????? I have never worked for any government agency Auto makers have proved that they will not bring the most fuel efficient to the US market without CAFE pressures being applied. Under CAFE we will get the best of both worlds, diesel options for those that want fun and the most fuel efficient to drive like me. And over powered models that waste far less energy for you…..
You are the one that seems like they have no clue…….
I am for the US getting the highest performance and most fuel efficient options, which without CAFE will never happen.
The only way to get those HP/TQ numbers from a 3 or 4 cyl engine is with forced induction. Anyone who had driven one will tell you the throttle response is never the same as a similarly powered normally aspirated engine. Not to mention that those smaller engines will be more complicated and expensive to fix. So the total cost of ownership will be the same.
Good comment Lonnie.
Buy your v-8 now and maintain it religiously.
[...] Goodbye, V-8s – This Time, Maybe For Good This time, V-8s will become the exclusive playthings of the very affluent only — people who can afford to spend $70k-plus for a low-volume (and so, CAFE irrelevant) car. Jaguar, for example, will probably continue to offer a V-8 in the ultra-performance (and ultra-expensive) XF-R version of the XF luxury-sport sedan. Mercedes will still offer V-8s in the E and S Class… for those few who can handle the freight. [...]
I think Cafe is full of themselves, to expect cars to get 35 mpg is outrages. I have a 2009 accord with the K24 in it producing 195 horsepower, this car feels gutless and is I still only get at best 29 mpg, I usually get about 26 around town. But the fact of the matter is, I have a newer car that is a 4 cylinder which doesn’t even get 35 mpg. How can they squeeze that out of every car?
I have been driving 50+ mpgUS VW/Audi diesels for close to 35 years. I have owned more than a few gas powered Toyotas, Nissans and Hondas that easily could hit the 40 mpgUS mark. And these numbers are city and highway @ real highway speeds of today(65-80 mph).
You should do a little searching of what is offered in other parts of the world. Today most of our offered cars are over powered with the least efficient transmissions. In Other parts of the world a full size accord like sold in the US that here struggles to get over 30 mpgUS are sold with diesel power. With diesel power they have no trouble breaking the 50 mpgUS mark.
GM, Ford & Chrysler all today offer versions of what is sold here with small displacement gas and diesel power that easily hit above 40 mpgUS and can come close to breaking the 50 mpgUS in everyday driving. As does every other auto maker elsewhere so this entire hand ringing over CAFE is a made up about nothing discussion.
If someone still want’s their overweight gas guzzling pile of junk if enough people agree with them they will be offered. But thankfully becasue of CAFE it will be offered only in a version that get far better mpgs in all types of driving, !!America wastes less energy and we all win!!
The coming in law required CAFE of ~54 mpgUS can easily be met today with what is offered everywhere else around the world
lose weight! Check car weights and you will see most new cars are a LOT heavier than they used to be. We have gotten so lazy with so many electric assists in our cars that we are adding a lot of unnecessary weight. Electric motors are heavy!
100 % agree, cars/vehicles are over-sized, overweight and overpowered with the least efficient automatic trans they can shoehorn in across the US today from having cheap fuel for too long. Cars in the US could easily loose 1,500-2,000 lbs through the use of light weight high strength metals and drivers would hardly notice the difference.
Give me a VW Polo size car or similar with direct injection turbodiesel power coupled to a 6 spd manual trans. Not a problem since EVERY auto makers already manufacturers and sells these models around the world, but not in the US….. CAFE will force a change of this to balance out the lower mpg stuff they have become addicted to selling here.
If the average American can’t do the simple math how much it actually costs them when they purchase a lower mpg model then auto makers will continue to sell them. This will be done by offering XX number of fuel sippers to bring up their CAFE numbers….
This is the simple truth of how CAFE works, the lower mpgs their main models get the more they will be forced to offer some of these fuel sippers, we all win!!!