10 German Classic Cars With Mighty V8 Engines
German cars have historically been associated with a tank-like build quality and unmatched reliability while at the same time being a temple for engineering. They also never shied away from featuring hefty V8s that sent waves across the world.
Let’s take a look at some of the German classic cars that had a proud V8 under the hood that are cult favorites on one hand while being reliable (like the famous Mercedes-Benz M156 V8) and packed with performance on the other. Iconic German V8 engines range from the BMW S65 to the famous 4.2-liter Audi FSI V8, but this list takes a glance at classic iterations of German cars with eight cylinders.
10 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 (M100)
Introduced at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show, this luxo-barge from Stuttgart featured a 6.3-liter V8 engine producing 247 hp and was one of the fastest 4-door sedans of its time. Despite being a 3,924-lb house-on-wheels, the Benz 600-derived motor hauled the 300 SEL up to 60 mph in only 6.5 seconds and was famously capable of carrying 5 people at 124 mph. Power was sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic gearbox.
The 300 SEL was actually a pet project of a Mercedes engineer, and the first prototypes were even built in secret. The saloon came with an adaptive air suspension that could change its character with the spring load. The 300 SEL 6.3 even had a racing variant called the “Red Sow”, which had an enlarged 6.8-liter engine churning out 422 hp that helped it bag 2nd place at the 24 Hours of Spa. 6526 examples were ever produced, with a well-maintained piece going for upwards of $80,000 these days.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz Production Years 1963-1981 Displacement 6.3-liter (386.4 cu in) Power 247 hp Torque 369 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Mercedes-Benz 600, 450 SEL 6.9, 300 SEL 6.3
9 1998-1994 Audi V8
The first Audi to ever come with a V8, this eponymous model was incepted as the brand’s flagship between 1988 and 1994. The V8 came with a galvanized steel body and had a load of standard luxury features that thrust it head-on against its other German counterparts from Mercedes and BMW. It was built as the next iteration in line with the Audi 100 and 200 and was initially even sold as the 300.
Engines ranged from a 3.6-liter to a 4.2-liter V8, with a 32-valve DOHC layout and a permanent AWD ‘Quattro’ system; it was the first ever Audi to combine that with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The V8 essentially laid the foundation of Audi’s foray into the luxury sedan space, with this variant eventually being replaced by the A8 in 1994. The V8 didn’t just shine on the road, it also took the top step of the German racing series DTM twice in 1990 and 1991.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Audi Production Years 1988-1993 Displacement 3.6-liter-4.2-liter (217.4 cu-in to 254.6 cu-in) Power 249 hp-279 hp Torque 251 lb-ft to 295 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Audi V8, Audi A8
8 Audi S6 Plus (C4)
The swansong to the C4 generation of the S6, this was a limited edition run of Audi’s high-performance saloon and wagon sold to European customers between ’96 and ’97. Powered by a 4.2-liter V8 (incidentally, derived from the then-discontinued Audi V8), it churned out 322 hp and sent 369 lb-ft to all of its four wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission, the only gearbox on option.
Apart from its more grown-up stance than the Audi 100, the S6 Plus had subtle exterior modifications over its standard sibling, mainly a more aggressive and sportier look. The suspension was reworked, and the brakes were enlarged, thrusting the S6 Plus to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. To aid in its rarity, only 952 S6 Pluses were ever made, split between 855 Avants and 97 saloons.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Audi Production Years 1996-1997 Displacement 4.2-liter (254.6 cu-in) Power 322 hp Torque 369 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Audi S6 Plus (C4 model)
Related: The 2021 Audi S6 Might Be Too Complicated Of A Sports Sedan To Enjoy
7 BMW 507 Roadster (M507/1)
RM Sotheby's
Often regarded as one of the most beautiful cars to come out of Munich, the 507 Roadster was a classic built between 1956 and 1959, cross-haired to go up against the likes of automotive design stalwarts like the Mercedes 300SL. The 507 made its debut at the famed Waldorf-Astoria in New York City and had to carry the weight of being BMW’s dream car in the '50s while being tailored toward American buyers. As such, to satiate its customers across the Atlantic, the designers figured that a big fat V8 under the hood would enhance its persuasion.
The 507 then landed on the western shores with an overhead valve 3.2-liter V8 that made a then-decent 153 hp, mated to a 4-speed ZF transmission. The car was a financial nightmare for its maker, but that didn’t stop pop-biggies like Elvis Presley from famously owning not one but two examples of it. A total of 252 units ever rolled out of BMW’s workshops, the rarity helping in its $1 million-$5 Million valuations that 507’s these days go for.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer BMW Production Years 1956-1959 Displacement 3.2-liter (193.3 cu in) Power 153 hp Torque 177 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications BMW 507
6 Mercedes-Benz 500SL R129 (M119)
Mercedes-Benz
The 500SL was a sport 2-door made by Mercedes in the late 80s, famous for its features and luxury. Based on a shortened wheelbase variant of the W124 E-Class, the 500 SL (and the confusingly named SL500 during its later years on sale) were powered by the mammoth M119 5.0-liter V8 engine that sent 325 hp to the wheels via a 4-speed automatic gearbox while boasting their fair share of '90s luxury and safety tech, from leather upholstery to adaptive dampers as standard gizmos. The powerplant would hurl this 4,160-lb sports coupe from 0 to 60 mph in around 6 seconds. It might not have much at face value, but with these SL series cars growing rarer by the day, one might expect a sheer jump in worth real soon.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz Production Years 1989-1999 Displacement 5.0-liter (305.1 cu in) Power 325 hp Torque 354 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Mercedes-Benz R129 500SL, W124 E-Class, W140 S-Class
Related: This Is What A 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Is Worth Today
5 Mercedes-Benz E Class W124 (M119)
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class doesn’t require much introduction these days, neither did it then. The W124 generation of the E Class was sold between 1984 and 1995, with the same 5.0-liter V8 engine the 500SL had on offer. Of course, remembered for its figuratively bulletproof build and opulence, the W124 was party to a fairly modern feature set like powered seat adjusting and advanced safety systems while bearing the badge of being the first Mercedes series car featuring the 4MATIC All-Wheel drive system.
Although this car doesn’t exactly hold much of a financial extravaganza as compared to some other V8-bolted German cars of that era, it sure lighted a fire for the medium-sized luxury sedan battle in the auto industry.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Mercedes-Benz Production Years 1989-1999 Displacement 5.0-liter (305.1 cu in) Power 325 hp Torque 354 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Mercedes-Benz R129 500SL, W124 E-Class, W140 S-Class
4 BMW E34 540i (M60)
The E34 was the 3rd generation in line for the BMW 5 Series, famous of course for its absolutely sublime straight-six-powered M5. This generation was also the first to be offered with a V8 engine, as well as a 6-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel drive (a common trend among these cars, as you can see from this list). The 530i and 540i were offered with variants of BMW’s famous M60 4.0-liter V8 that made 285 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque in the latter. This power plant was good for a 0-62 mph sprint in 6.4 seconds and was also available in touring and saloon guises.
The North American market also got an M-Sport 540i variant with subtle tweaks such as a sport suspension, M5-derived brakes, and a limited run of only 205 models. An even rarer M540i was also made for Canada, with only 32 of those examples ever made.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer BMW Production Years 1992-1998 Displacement 4.0-Liter (243 cu in) Power 285 hp Torque 295 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications BMW 540i, 740i, E31 840i
3 Porsche 928 (M28)
Bring a Trailer
The 928 was Porsche’s one of its only four forays into V8-powered behemoths, the others being the gilded 918, Panamera, and the Cayenne. The 928 was a noted departure from Porsche’s traditional rear-engined philosophy, as it was the only front-engined V8 sports coupe that Porsche ever made. The M28 engine belted out between 237 hp and 357 hp across its generations, driving the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual or a 3/4-speed automatic transmission. The 928 stood out among the crowd with its pop-up headlights and a typically recognizable Porsche stance.
This car had quite a few revisions throughout its 18 years of production run to its engine, exterior and interior, and a total of over 61,000 928s were made, making it the least rare among this list of cars, with some propping up for well under $15k these days.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Porsche Production Years 1978-1995 Displacement 4.5-liter-5.4-liter (274.6 cu-in to 329.5 cu-in) Power 237 hp to 357 hp Torque 268 to 369 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Porsche 928
2 Opel Diplomat (Chevrolet Small-Block)
via onlycarsandcars.com
Not often spoken in the same breath as its other Deutsch counterparts. Opel's range-topping ‘Diplomat’ was offered with a 5.4-liter V8 during its run between 1964 and 1977, a Chevrolet small block engine at that. The engine would put all of its 227 hp through a 2-speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels.
The Diplomat emerged out of its predecessors, namely the Kapitän and Admiral, and boasted a timeless design with a striking exterior and luxurious yet spacious interiors. It was on sale in two variants: the 4-door and the 2-door Coupe. It was poised as the competition to Mercedes’ SEL series of saloons, with creature comforts such as halogen headlamps and remote-controlled rearview mirrors. A total of 34,260 Diplomats were made, spread across its A and B variants.
Engine Specs
Manufacturer Chevrolet Production Years 1964-1977 Displacement 5.4-liter (329.5 cu in) Power 227 hp Torque 315 lb-ft Fuel Gasoline Noteworthy Applications Opel Diplomat A, Diplomat B, Holden Monaro, Avanti II
1 BMW E31 840Ci (M62)
BMW sold the E31 8 Series from 1993 through to 1999 and was powered by both the 4.0-liter M60 and 4.4-liter M62 V8 engines. This power plant made a modest 282 hp, sending all of those horses to the rear wheels via a 5-speed automatic gearbox. This grand tourer had a performance good for a 0-60 mph sprint in 6.7 seconds with an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph. Looks certainly acted the part, with this GT featuring pop-up headlamps and comfort that made freeway sojourns a breeze, especially with those big motors up front.
Engine Specs
Source: HotCars
