To me, there is no sound on the planet that can match the sweet symphony of eight cylinders firing in rapid succession. I love the power, and the sound of V8 engines. Alas, America seems to be moving away from big motors and towards smaller four-cylinder engines.
But as much as I love the big engines, the shift is, of course, a good thing for emissions requirements and fuel efficiency. Car makers are shunning big engines for smaller, more efficient power plants as the 2016 35.5 mpg deadline looms just a few years down the road. Less than 5% of new cars sold in 2009 were equipped with V8’s. But even as Americans move away from bigger engines, they continue to buy big vehicles like the F-150. Can this trend continue while still providing the power Americans demand?