Tag Archives: V8

News

Dodge Is So Back: A V-8 Revival Could Be Brewing in Detroit

Dodge is firing on all cylinders again—literally. After a brief flirtation with electrification under former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, the American muscle brand seems ready to burn some gasoline again. The latest buzz? Dodge might be bringing back a V-8-powered muscle car.

A new report from Bloomberg suggests that Stellantis is preparing a major U.S. manufacturing expansion under its new CEO, Antonio Filosa, doubling its previous $5 billion investment to a hefty $10 billion over the next few years. The cash infusion will focus on Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep, funding the reopening of shuttered plants in Illinois and Michigan, hiring hundreds of workers, and—here’s the fun part—potentially developing a new V-8 machine wearing the Dodge badge.

Let’s say it together: Hell. Yeah.

While Stellantis hasn’t confirmed anything yet, Bloomberg notes the investment “could result in a new Dodge V-8 muscle car.” That alone is enough to get every gearhead’s heart rate up.

This isn’t the first time the rumor mill’s revved up over a V-8 comeback. Back in August, when asked whether the new Charger’s platform could accommodate an eight-cylinder engine, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear coyly responded, “Don’t be surprised if it would fit.” That’s not exactly corporate-speak for “no.”

Since then, Dodge has quietly backed away from its ambitious EV roadmap. The high-performance Charger Banshee EV, once touted as the brand’s 900-horsepower electric halo car, has reportedly been canceled. Instead, Dodge is shifting its focus to the Charger Sixpack—a gas-powered model using the brand’s new twin-turbo inline-six—and a smaller lineup of streamlined EVs.

But with this latest investment and the sudden silence around the Banshee, the signs are impossible to ignore. The winds are changing in Auburn Hills.

For a brand that built its identity on tire smoke, noise, and unapologetic excess, a V-8 revival isn’t just a business move—it’s a homecoming. And if the rumors prove true, Dodge could soon be back where it belongs: lighting up drag strips, annoying homeowners’ associations, and reminding everyone why we fell in love with American muscle in the first place.

Source: Bloomberg

NEW CARS

Great Wall Motor Teases V8 Hybrid Supercar to Rival Ferrari and McLaren

In a move that will send shockwaves through the global performance car scene, Chinese automotive giant Great Wall Motor (GWM) has teased what appears to be its first true supercar—a bold new halo model aimed squarely at Ferrari and McLaren.

The news broke via Chinese social media platform Weibo, where GWM chairman Wei Jianjun marked the company’s 35th anniversary with a striking image: company executives gathered around the silhouette of a low-slung, mid-engined machine draped in cloth. Though no details were revealed in the post, the shape beneath the sheet left little doubt—a full-blooded supercar is on the way.

This development follows earlier confirmation from GWM’s chief technology officer, Wu Huixiao, that the company has been secretly developing a high-performance flagship for over five years. According to Wu, the car is built around a carbonfibre monocoque chassis, and in no uncertain terms, he claimed it “will be better” than its European counterparts.

If that sounds ambitious coming from the maker of budget-friendly models like the Ora 03 and Haval Jolion Pro, consider this: GWM is China’s largest privately owned carmaker, delivering over 1.2 million vehicles globally in 2024. And it’s not just quantity. In recent years, GWM has aggressively expanded its brand portfolio, including premium SUV marque Wey, rugged off-roaders from Tank, and the soon-to-arrive Poer pickup range.

The new supercar is tipped to debut under a newly minted high-end sub-brand called Confidence Auto, set to rival BYD’s Yangwang, which itself has gained notoriety with the U9—an all-electric hypercar producing 1,250bhp and capable of leaping off the ground and conquering the Nürburgring in a blistering 7 minutes 18 seconds.

Though GWM hasn’t officially disclosed performance figures or a name for its supercar, there are mounting rumors that it will feature the company’s newly unveiled 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, first shown at the 2024 Shanghai Auto Show. While specs remain under wraps, industry sources suggest outputs could exceed 600 hp and 590 lb-ft from the engine alone.

More intriguingly, this V8 (or possibly the brand’s existing V6) will be paired with electric motors in a plug-in hybrid layout—putting it in the same high-performance hybrid league as the McLaren Artura, Ferrari 296 GTB, and Lamborghini’s new Temerario. That means total power output could comfortably eclipse the 800bhp mark, setting up the GWM machine as a serious player in the global supercar race.

With no confirmed name or reveal date, all eyes now turn to the Guangzhou Auto Show in late November, one of China’s biggest automotive events and a likely stage for the car’s grand debut.

If successful, Great Wall Motor’s first foray into the supercar world won’t just be a bold flex of engineering muscle—it could mark a pivotal moment in China’s transition from volume producer to purveyor of genuinely world-class performance cars.

Source: Autocar

News

BMW M Confirms Straight-Six and V8 Engines Will Survive Euro 7 – With No Performance Loss

As emissions regulations continue to tighten across Europe, fears have grown over the future of traditional performance powertrains. But according to BMW M’s top executive, fans of the brand’s iconic straight-six and V8 engines can breathe easy — at least for now.

Speaking at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to its hallmark powerplants, confirming that both the straight-six and V8 engines will remain in the lineup despite the tougher Euro 7 emissions standards coming into force.

Crucially, Van Meel emphasized that performance will not be sacrificed to meet compliance.

“The challenge was not so much to make an engine that is EU7 compliant,” Van Meel told Autocar, “but to keep performance.”

The upcoming Euro 7 regulations, which build on the current Euro 6e framework, don’t lower the permissible emissions limits per se. However, they do introduce a much broader range of real-world testing conditions — including cold starts, dynamic driving, and higher load scenarios. Furthermore, engines must now remain compliant for up to 10 years or 200,000 kilometers (124,000 miles), double the duration previously mandated.

Perhaps most notably, Euro 7 will mark the first time that non-exhaust emissions — namely brake and tyre particulates — are also monitored.

Van Meel acknowledged the engineering challenges involved, especially around thermal management. Traditional methods of using extra fuel for cooling during high-performance operation — known as enrichment — are no longer viable under the stricter rules, which require combustion to occur at “lambda one,” the ideal air-fuel ratio.

“Normally, if you are in high-performance situations, you cool using the fuel,” Van Meel explained. “With EU7, that’s impossible, so you need to find different ways of avoiding temperature build-up.”

BMW M engineers have therefore focused on refining the combustion process and optimizing cooling efficiency, though Van Meel stopped short of revealing exactly how these results have been achieved. “Very interesting” changes have been made to both engines, with technical details expected to follow closer to production.

What is clear, however, is that downsizing is not on the table.

Asked whether BMW M would consider three- or four-cylinder engines augmented by hybrid systems to meet future regulations, Van Meel responded with a firm “No.”

“The six-cylinder in-line engine is our legacy, and the V8 has got a long history in racing, so we intend to keep going,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine putting a four-cylinder in an M5.”

According to Van Meel, such engines do not align with BMW M’s philosophy — particularly when it comes to torque characteristics, powerband behavior, and overall vehicle weight.

For now, this is welcome news for purists. In an age of increasing electrification and regulatory constraints, BMW M is drawing a line in the sand: performance without compromise, tradition without dilution.

Source: BMW