10 Best Modern Muscle Car Engines

Jun 29, 2023

Whether you're looking for a budget V8 or the best modern-day masterpiece under the hood, nothing rivals these muscle car engines.

In the world of muscle cars, horsepower is king. Modern muscle car wars have been vicious, raging for the past 20 years, with no signs of slowing down. This has seen American automakers develop some insane V8 engines, best described as engineering marvels, as they play to more strict rules than classic pony cars motors. They're expected to make big power, with fuel efficiency being crucial and also having to meet ever-tightening emission regulations. Despite this, today's best muscle car V8 engines have some of the most impressive power and power figures ever seen, thanks to incorporating cutting-edge technology and brilliant engineering.

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But among the many power plants on offer, which high-performance muscle car engines are the best of the best? Chevrolet has armed itself with the 650-hp LT4 in the Camaro ZL1, Dodge is packing the 797-hp Hellcat engine in Challenger/Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye models, while Ford's Shelby GT500 isn't left behind with a 769-hp Predator V8 engine. While these will undoubtedly not miss this list, others have also been very significant in the industry, cementing their place in muscle car history. Here are the 10 best modern muscle car engines.

You get nothing close to quadruple-digit horsepower with the Mopar Gen III 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine. But it surely delivers in reliability, which is why many gearheads consider it a top modern muscle car engine. It generates 375 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque using no forced induction.

The Dodge Charger/Challenger R/Ts are the modern muscle cars that have housed this second version of the 5.7-liter Hemi. Dubbed the "Eagle" V8 engine, it arrived in 2009, featuring several improvements over the predecessor (the 340-hp 5.7-liter Hemi made from 2003-2008). These include variable valve timing (VVT), a redesigned combustion chamber, and an active intake manifold. Unsurprisingly, it has better performance, fuel efficiency, and lower emissions while remaining durable.

Part of GM's Gen IV small-block V8 engine, the LS3 engine powered the 2010-2015 Camaro SS. Boasting greater airflow throughout than its predecessor, it made 426 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, breathing freely. Also used in the 2012 -2015 Camaro ZL1, paired with a 1.9-liter Eaton supercharger, this 6.2-liter V8 small-block V8 engine was dubbed the LSA.

At the time, the ZL1 Camaro was one of the most powerful muscle cars, with 580 horsepower and 556 lb-ft of torque from the LSA V8.

Beyond sheer performance, the LSA mixes immense power with remarkable finesse across its broad power band. And that is because it was originally designed to promote smoother idle and excellent low-RPM driving characteristics in the Cadillac CTS-V. GM claims to have verified the LSA to last over 100,000 miles with tests that included more than 270 continuous hours at full speed without experiencing a breakdown.

The long LT-series lineage began with the original LT1 in 1970, but the 1991-1995 5.7-liter LT1 was the high-tech V8 that brought the small-block Chevy into the modern era. Keeping the moniker alive, the fifth-gen LT1, part of Chevy's small-block Gen IV, has important tech like Direct Injection, Active Fuel Management, and Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT).

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The LT4 is significant in the modern muscle car industry. It's one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines available today, kicking out up to 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque in the current gen-six Camaro LT1 and SS models since 2016. The LT1 engine has also featured under the C7 Corvette (2014-2019) hood, pumping 460 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque when paired with an optional exhaust system.

Want a modern V8 muscle car with one of the most satisfying exhaust notes and plenty of power? Get a 2011-2018 SRT 392 Challenger and Charger or the 2015-present Dodge Scat Pack. These muscle cars pack a brawny 6.4-liter HEMI pushrod V8 engine, also known as the 392 "Apache." Initially, it made 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, but from 2015, thanks to an exceptionally high 11.0:1 compression ratio, it has been churning out 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.

While a pushrod engine, the 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engine boasts some "modern" features, especially in fuel saving, such as variable valve timing (VVT) tech and a multiple displacement system. Aside from power, Mopar and third-generation Hemi fans love the 6.4-liter HEMI for its reliability. The crankshaft and pistons use forged steel, while the aluminum block and high-flowing cylinder heads provide a lightweight but durable combination.

The fifth-gen Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 was a low-production muscle car built for the track, packing a modern LS7 V8, exclusive for only the 2014-2015 Z/28 models. Lifted from C6 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, it's good for 505 hp and 481 lb-ft of torque, generating power via natural aspiration. Power gets sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, enabling the Z/28 to accelerate from 0-60 mph in a hair-raising 3.9 seconds.

The 2006-2015 LS7, a successor to the LS2, shares the same fundamental design as other Gen IV small-block V8 engines. Pressed-in steel cylinder liners make it the largest displacement production small-block ever. The variant in the Camaro Z/28 featured a repackaged racing-style dry-sump oiling system for proper cooling under high cornering loads on-track, a cold-air intake, revised exhaust headers, new pistons, and titanium connecting rods with spray-coated bearing inserts for improved durability.

The Voodoo's hype and popularity among muscle car fans is entirely justified. Featuring a unique flat-plane crankshaft, it willingly revs to a dizzying 8,250 rpm, creating one of the most ear-pleasing screams. Also, you'll love how this crank design improves throttle response and has less vibration. Other notable features of the Voodoo V8 engine included a high-pressure direct injection, variable valve timing, CNC (Computer Numerical Control) ported cylinder heads, and a 180-degree camshaft.

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With 526 horsepower and 429 lb-ft of torque funneled through a six-speed manual to the rear wheels, the Voodoo engine puts the 2015-2020 Ford Shelby GT350 and GT350R among the most powerful naturally aspirated muscle cars. In these models, the hand-built V8 engine delivers 0-60 mph in between 3.9-4.1 seconds.

The Chevy Camaro ZL1 came all-new in 2017. Under its hood, it sported a modern-day masterpiece, a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine code-named the LT4. It has pumped out 650 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque in the Camaro ZL1 ever since, which is 70 hp and 84 lb-ft of torque more than the supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V8 in the 2012-2015 ZL1 made. Mated to a standard six-speed manual, or an optional 10-speed automatic transmission, the ZL1 gets from zero-to-60 mph in a mere 3.5 seconds. It then dispatches the quarter mile in 11.4 seconds at 127 mph before topping out at 193 mph.

The LT4 is the most powerful engine Chevy has ever used in the Camaro, making the Camaro ZL1 the fastest and most ferocious Chevrolet production muscle car yet. A member of GM's fifth-generation small-block engine family, the LT4 features a cast aluminum block and cylinder heads, using an Overhead valvetrain with two valves per cylinder.

The Predator is an absolute monster. It's the reason the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the most powerful Mustang in the model's history, claiming its place among the best modern muscle cars. The Predator is a 5.2-liter aluminum block power plant that boasts a cross-plane crank featuring a dual overhead cam (DOHC) design and forged aluminum pistons coated in an anti-friction material called Grafal.

Part of the Ford Modular family since 2019, it uses a massive 2.65-liter Eaton TVS R2650 supercharger to deploy an enormous 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque in the Shelby GT500. And what does that get you? A 0-60 mph time of less than 3.3 seconds when paired with a Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Another big modern muscle car engine with towering power figures is the Dodge SRT's Hellcat 6.2-liter Supercharged HEMI V8 engine. Considered one of the best American V8 engines today, it has been powering Dodge SRT's best muscle cars, the Dodge SRT Hellcat Challenger and Charger, since 2015.

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Power is why it's been a huge object of desire for many gearheads. While the Hellcat V8 debuted with 707 hp along with 650 lb-ft of torque in 2015, today, the minimum from the standard models is 717 horses together with 656 lb-ft of torque. A larger 2.7-liter supercharger in Redeye models boosts the output to 797 hp and an equally devastating 707 lb-ft of torque. In the Jailbreak model, further tuning helps unlock a spine-chilling 807 horses. What's not to love?

Dennis Kariuki is a tech enthusiast who writes for Hotcars.com. Previously, he wrote for the.car .He likes covering the marriage between technology and cars. Besides that, he is big f1 fan. After working tirelessly through the week, you can be sure that on Sundays he is most likely enjoying and following motorsports events.