10 Biggest Displacement Engines Ever Fitted In Sedans (2024)

While bigger engines tend to be found under the hoods of the muscle cars and supercars of the world, they also have a home in vehicles not built for pure speed. Trucks and vans can have large engines, as do conventional sedans. Luxury cars in particular get treated to behemoths under the hood, especially range-topping models that are built largely to prove a point about its owner.

HotCars therefore decided to track down the ten production sedans fitted with the largest engines ever, where some true beasts were uncovered.

10 1970 Chevrolet V8: 7.4 Liters

Chevrolet 7.4-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Chevrolet)

Feeling it's huge 7.4-liter V8 was too good to only use in muscle cars like the Chevelle SS 454, Chevy also offered the unit in its full-size range. The heavy and venerable 454 ci engine, courtesy of its durable cast-iron engine block, made 365 hp in unrestricted form back in 1970.

Tightening emissions regulations forced Chevy to restrict it as the decade progressed, with the later Caprice and Chevelle sedans only affording 215 hp. This 7.4-liter engine was killed off in 1976 as more compact and efficient engines came along.

9 1970 Pontiac V8: 7.5 Liters

Pontiac 7.5-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Pontiac)

Pontiac also offered a gargantuan big block V8 for its range of sedans, though it was slightly larger than its fellow GM brandmate Chevy's at 7.5 liters. While it tended to make less power than the Chevy motor, earlier versions produced significantly more torque at up to 500 lb-ft.

It was featured under the hoods of models like the Pontiac Bonneville and Catalina before it went the way of the dodo in 1976, for the same reason as Chevy's massive offering.

8 1970 Buick V8: 7.5 Liters

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Buick 7.5-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Buick)

Not wanting to be left behind by its GM siblings, Buick opened up its mighty 455 V8, which was the torquiest big block ever under the hood of the legendary GSX Stage 1, to its full-size sedans. Appearing in the likes of the Electra and LeSabre between 1970 and 1976, the powerplant delivered a commanding 360 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque to their rear wheels.

Like other huge GM big blocks of the time, trusty cast iron was used to construct the engine block and heads. It was also lighter than its fellow GM 455s, as Buick used thin-wall casting within the engine, saving weight through less iron being used.

7 1968 Ford V8: 7.5 Liters

Ford 7.5-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Ford)

Wanting to modernize its big-block engine range, Ford replaced the venerable Lincoln-built MEL family of engines with the 385 series in 1968. While being a little bit smaller at 460 ci compared to the biggest 462 ci MEL, the brand-new engine was significantly more powerful at 365 hp.

It was only included in Lincolns between 1968 and 1972 before it was then steadily rolled out into Ford and Mercury's range of full- and mid-size vehicles. It later found a home in Ford's F-Series trucks and Econoline vans.

6 1968 Oldsmobile V8: 7.5 Liters

Oldsmobile 7.5-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Oldsmobile)

The final engine of the GM-designed big blocks in action during the 1970s, the Olds Rocket 455, was able to produce slightly more power at its peak than those of Buick and Pontiac. With 365 raging horses at the ready, cars like the Oldsmobile 88 and the Cutlass could show a bit of muscle between 1968 and 1976.

It lacked a little in terms of torque compared to the meaty engine made by Buick, though its superior power output ranks it slightly ahead here. It's also the biggest displacement V8 to ever feature under the hood of a muscle car.

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5 1966 Ford V8: 7.6 Liters

Ford 7.6-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Lincoln)

With the likes of Cadillac and Chrysler rocking huge V8s for personal limos during the 1960s, Ford got in on the act with an enlarged version of its MEL V8. It increased the bore and stroke of the 7.0-liter MEL powerplant to 4.38 and 3.83 inches, respectively, to create a 7.6-liter beast.

The 462 would only enjoy a short life, though, with Ford already developing its 385 Series successor. The 462 was only offered in the Lincoln Continental between 1966 and 1968 before it was killed off. It offered up 340 hp and 485 lb-ft in the sizable luxury cruiser.

4 1968 Cadillac V8: 7.7 Liters

Cadillac 7.7-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Cadillac)

Wanting to establish itself back at the top of the luxury car tree in the late 1960s, with Chrysler and Ford developing larger engines than it could offer, Cadillac went big. It came up with a 7.7-liter V8 that was capable of 375 hp, though its planet-spinning torque figure of 525 lb-ft was the real headline.

Within a couple of years, though, it would only be seen as the 'entry-level' V8 on the Cadillac price list. The automaker had designed the engine with the idea of enlarging it in the future, so the 7.7 only enjoyed a brief stint at being top dog. It was available in the likes of the elegant DeVille between 1968 and 1974.

3 1931 Marmon V16: 8.0 Liters

Marmon 8.0-Liter V16 Specs

(Source: Riga Master Workshop)

Engine builder Howard Marmon wanted to bring the first production V16 engine to market in the 1920s, though financial difficulties meant his creation was delayed until 1931. Cadillac had swept in to steal the thunder by then, though Marmon's 8.0-liter unit was significantly larger than Cadillac's 7.4-liter powerplant.

Producing a healthy 200 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, it was only produced for around three years before Marmon's business went bankrupt. A shame, as the V16 featured advanced all-aluminum construction that helped keep weight down.

2 1930 Bentley Inline-Six: 8.0 Liters

Bentley 8.0-Liter Inline-Six Specs

(Source: RM Sotheby's)

British brand Bentley has been combining performance and ultimate luxury for over a century, though the largest engine it ever featured in a sedan was a mighty 8.0-liter straight six. Featuring a pair of rabid carburetors, the powerplant sent a strong 220 hp to the rear wheels of the elegant 8 Litre model.

Despite the impressive performance made possible by the huge engine, it was short-lived. The engine was unleashed just a year into the Great Depression, meaning there wasn't much of an appetite for such a beast. Production ended in 1932 after just 100 examples had been built, as per RM Sotheby's.

1 1970 Cadillac V8: 8.2 Liters

Cadillac 8.2-Liter V8 Specs

(Source: Cadillac)

The largest engine to ever settle under the hood of a sedan was Cadillac's gargantuan 8.2-liter V8. Heavily based on the 7.7-liter unit released in 1968, Cadillac simply added an extended 4.30-inch stroke to enlarge it to 8.2 liters of displacement.

Producing 400 hp and 550 lb-ft when it first launched in 1970, it was only available on the two-door Eldorado initially. Feeling its customers might be missing out, Cadillac started offering it in sedans like the DeVille and Fleetwood in 1975. It was killed off a year later, though, making the mighty 8.2-liter V8 a rare option in a sedan.

Sources: Pontiac, Cadillac, Ford, Lincoln, Oldsmobile, Buick, Chevrolet, RM Sotheby's, Riga Master Workshop, Mecum Auctions