Hooniverse Asks- What's The Best Looking Modern Engine?

Robert Emslie

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IMG_4214

According to the Bard, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Of course it’s most likely that Shakespeare made that claim because he didn’t meet Elizabethan era standards for attractiveness. I mean, I’ve seen the block prints.

Aside from his questionable aesthetic attributes, Shakespeare had other issues of note, one of which is that he never wrote anything about cool cars or their engines. Now an automobile’s engine should first and foremost champion form over function, but that doesn’t mean they can’t look good corralling all those ponies, after all, beauty doth of itself persuade.

Because of this need for both power and presentation, a number of engine bays have become glorious playgrounds of aesthetic expression. The question for today is, when you pop that hood, aesthetically speaking, what would you most like to find waiting? 

Image source: Camaro5

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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40 responses to “Hooniverse Asks- What's The Best Looking Modern Engine?”

  1. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    <img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/cars/1/0/_/v/08_c63amg_engine.jpg&quot; width=500 /img>
    I mean, it's one of the few that immediately comes to mind that isn't hidden behind a square metre of plastic.

    Reply
  2. muthalovin Avatar
    muthalovin

    Hooniverse Asks- What is the best looking piece of plastic covering what we care most about?
    /Fixeditforya

    Reply
  3. LTDScott Avatar
    LTDScott

    I like the new Ford Coyote 5.0. While it does have some plastic cladding, the real intake manifold runners are proudly displayed at the top of the engine. Kinda reminds me of a Porsche 928 V8.
    <img src="http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/attachments/2005-2009-mustang-talk/86619d1262019072-new-coyote-5-0-photo-5.0.jpeg&quot; width=650>

    Reply
    1. JayP2112 Avatar
      JayP2112

      My answer too… Camilo Pardo worked on that cover.
      Roush has take-offs for $80. I thought about getting one to mock up a nice display in the living room.

      Reply
    2. CABEZAGRANDE Avatar
      CABEZAGRANDE

      The Coyote is my vote too, although I specifically like the Boss version of the engine (without the covers). The intake manifold reminds me of the old 60's high rise intakes 🙂
      <img src="http://image.hotrod.com/f/techarticles/engine/hrdp_1205_new_boss_302_intake_test/37306567+w640/hrdp_1205_000_the_new_boss_302_intake_.jpg&quot; width="600">

      Reply
  4. rennsport964 Avatar
    rennsport964

    How could anyone possibly know? Just about every engine these days is obscured by stupid plastic cladding.

    Reply
  5. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

    The new 6 inline from the BMW K1600 GT looks kind of sexy. (should not be covered in fairings)
    <img src="http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/201007/bmw-k-1600-gt-and-bm-2_1600x0w.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
    1. IronBallsMcG Avatar
      IronBallsMcG

      Yes, yes, yes!
      OK, I'm biased. but you should still hear one through a full Remus system with the baffles out.

      Reply
    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      The Horex VR6 is very disappointed by your choice.
      <img src="http://www.motorradonline.de/sixcms/media.php/11/thumbnails/Horex-VR6_3078.jpg.2220537.jpg&quot; height="512">

      Reply
      1. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
        BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

        Horex? weren't they dead since th sixties?

        Reply
        1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
          Peter Tanshanomi

          Yes, they were, but the name is back on an all new bike.

          Reply
  6. Kogashiwa Avatar
    Kogashiwa

    This is really difficult. Most engine bays can't actually be seen but there's good reason for that – so many accessory parts go around a modern engine it'd be just a cluttered mess. Still better than '70s vacuum hose nightmare though. So … R8 V10 perhaps?
    <img src="http://downloads.xdesktopwallpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2010-Audi-R8-Gt-V10-Engine.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  7. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

    I also can appreciate the old school looks of the aircooled CB1100
    <img src="http://www.iamabiker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/2013-honda-cb1100-06.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  8. CeRuLeaNBLu Avatar
    CeRuLeaNBLu

    <img src="http://media.emercedesbenz.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/amg_05.jpg&quot; width="600">
    I'll take the AMG mill in the Pagani Huayra please.
    Big linkie: <a href="http://i.imgur.com/Qq73X8P.jpg” target=”_blank”>http://i.imgur.com/Qq73X8P.jpg

    Reply
  9. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

    Oh I forgot this one the Hartley H1 of the Atom 500, trumpets FTW
    <img src="http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/172/91a85fa42e5b48f1ae3b042db0c5e383.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  10. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    I'm going to go with some low hanging fruit and pick the 8-litre W16 with four (4!!) turbochargers.
    <img width=500 src="http://imagesci.com/img/2013/04/bugatti-veyron-164-engine-5122-hd-wallpapers.jpg"&gt;
    Image from imagesci.com.

    Reply
  11. Devin Avatar
    Devin

    The Maserati GranTurismo might have a ton of wires scattered about, but it's still highlighting the beating heart.
    <img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/lead5-2013-maserati-granturismo-sport-fd.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. sc296 Avatar
      sc296

      looks like an ls1

      Reply
  12. pj134 Avatar
    pj134

    I have to go sti for the simple fact that you can actually almost see it.
    <img src="http://image.motortrend.com/f/roadtests/sedans/1302_2013_subaru_impreza_wrx_special_edition_first_test/46642734/2013-Subaru-Impreza-WRX-Special-Edition-engine.jpg&quot; width="500/">

    Reply
    1. Tiller188 Avatar
      Tiller188

      Came here to post WRX as the everyman-attainable answer (yes, I drive one and am therefore biased…but I immediately loved it when I first saw it and popped the hood to see no pointless plastic cladding), leaving happy. Not to be too nitpicky, by the way, but that looks like a WRX engine bay rather than STi; the STi is, admittedly, probably prettier thanks to a crackle-red-finish metal intake manifold, rather than the black plastic.

      Reply
  13. john365 Avatar
    john365

    Define modern first.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      After WWII.

      Reply
      1. MVEilenstein Avatar
        MVEilenstein

        In that case,
        <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/1962_Ford_Falcon_2-door_wagon_170_six_engine-1.JPG/707px-1962_Ford_Falcon_2-door_wagon_170_six_engine-1.JPG"&gt;

        Reply
  14. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    I'm going to go off the beaten path and say the BRP/Rotax turbo supercharged triple.
    <img src="http://www.boattest.com/images-gallery/photos/sea-doo_210sp_RotaxEngines.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  15. desolit Avatar
    desolit

    the w16. duh.
    <img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wl8ri8nWXzU/UacDsrvZMYI/AAAAAAAAz_w/lSG80jt3GLk/s640/W16+engine-.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      I dunno, I'd have to give the edge to Russell Sutton's Honda RFVC radial, even if it is going in an airboat.
      <img src="http://thekneeslider.com/images/2010/04/xr600-radial-gears.jpg"&gt;

      Reply
  16. CABEZAGRANDE Avatar
    CABEZAGRANDE

    I like the 2013 GT500's 5.8. Minimal clutter or covers, great looking valve covers, and a pretty roots blower, uncovered for the world to see. I wish the intake didn't obscure so much of the engine, but that's a small complaint and one that's easily fixed with an aftermarket carbon fiber intake.
    <img src="http://mustangsdaily.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2013-shelby-gt500-engine.jpg&quot; width="600">

    Reply
  17. Preludacris Avatar
    Preludacris

    Under hood aesthetic expression usually comes from a tuner, not the manufacturer. That being said, here is a really nice Prelude bay that happens to be not quite finished yet – the artist is known on forums as 4ws Ryan.
    <img src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f121/blahblah3113/20130617_173410_zps43492d38.jpg&quot; width="600">
    (What did you expect from me, some sort of V8?)

    Reply
  18. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
    Scandinavian Flick ★

    For the current run of cars, I kinda dig the Ferrari 599 engine bay. It has minimal plastic cladding, and what there is of that is mostly there for air directing purposes.
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/YTGcDWd.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  19. PushrodRWD Avatar
    PushrodRWD

    Is that a trick question….
    If not
    <img src="http://www.allbestwallpapers.com/wallpaper/ferrari/image/ferrari_f430_engine.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  20. Josh_Howard Avatar
    Josh_Howard

    This modern enough? The Z32 still has a sexy engine… damn if it doesn't suck to do a plenum pull though.
    <img src="http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff102/bobbywinter_photo/IMG_0714.jpg"width="600"&gt;

    Reply
    1. CABEZAGRANDE Avatar
      CABEZAGRANDE

      It's why my Z32 TT had leaky valve cover gaskets for it's whole tenure with me, lol. Any other car, 20 minute job. Z32? 2 hours of rage at Nissans packaging engineers.

      Reply
      1. Josh_Howard Avatar
        Josh_Howard

        You gotta admit though, it all fits…. even if it's just barely able to. I could deal without seeing so many wires and hoses but overall they're pretty clean. I'm just not sure if it counts as modern enough. It did have variable valve timing.

        Reply
  21. Scandinavian Flick ★ Avatar
    Scandinavian Flick ★

    New answer… Not sure how I didn't think of this before.
    <img src="http://i.imgur.com/0zEONYe.jpg&quot; width="500">
    I actually saw one of these on the road recently.
    <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rLEsg_skycw/UflVyCB8AqI/AAAAAAAAB8A/S7GyAR_BHjM/s500/IMG_20130705_123746.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  22. Number_Six Avatar
    Number_Six

    I'm stretching it here by adding the look of the engine to the engine placement, but the Moto Guzzi Griso 8V nails it:
    <img src="http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/Gallery%20C/Moto%20Guzzi%20Griso%201200%208v%20%2008.jpg&quot; width="500" />

    Reply
  23. smokyburnout Avatar
    smokyburnout

    <img src="http://hooniverse.info/wp-content/gallery/lsv12/photo-4.jpg"/&gt;

    Reply
  24. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
    Peter Tanshanomi

    If you mean "modern" as in "produced recently" and not technological sophistication, Honda's evergreen little 250 Rebel/CB250 motor still manages to be very pleasant to look at. Something about the shapes of the cylinder and head and the detailing on the valve cover make it feel exquisitely proportioned.
    <img src="http://image.motorcyclecruiser.com/f/29066287/250s_lg 2003_honda_rebel engine_view.jpeg" width="320">

    Reply
    1. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      Did it even count as modern 30 years ago? Effective and reliable though.

      Reply
  25. jeepjeff Avatar
    jeepjeff

    [youtube zkpDuqPStKw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkpDuqPStKw youtube]
    5.7L HEMI with old-school carb style intake and most of the plastic crap ripped off.

    Reply
  26. Zzoott Zzootticus Avatar
    Zzoott Zzootticus

    Is the Cadillac Sixteen recent enough, or does this have to be produciton-only? <img src="http://bit.ly/11xfOvS"&gt;

    Reply