V10 - Road Cars

Road Cars

Until recently, the V10 configuration was not a common configuration for road cars; a V12 is only slightly more complicated and runs more smoothly, while a V8 is less complex and more economical. Nevertheless, modern engineering has made it possible to use V10 engines for applications where a V8 would produce insufficient power and a V12 would be too complicated or bulky. For the Lexus LFA, the engineers selected a V10 engine over an equivalent displacement V8 because they could not get the V8 rev as high as V10, and over a V12 for its lower reciprocating mass, allowing for more rapid engine response. For Audi in their Audi S8 5.2 FSI quattro, the V10 was a compromise between a V12 which would be too long and suffer more internal friction due to extra cylinders and values, and a V8 which would be more compact but have larger heavier pistons and produce lower revs.

Dodge was the first to develop a modern V10 engine, originally designing a version of its LA series small block for use in trucks. The Dodge engine saw its first production use in substantially revised form in the Dodge Viper while the truck version of the engine was used starting with the 2nd generation Dodge Ram . It discontinued in that application after 2003. However, 2003 also saw the introduction of the Dodge Ram SRT-10, a performance model meant to rival Ford's successful V8 powered F-150 SVT Lightning. The Viper engine (a 90-degree engine with odd firing order to obviate the need for a balance shaft) has been tweaked through the years, and for the fifth-generation Viper produces 640 hp (477 kW; 649 PS) in a standard state of tune from its 8.4 liter displacement. The previous generation engine is used by Bristol, in tuned form, in their two-seat Fighter coupe, where it can produce upward of 630 hp (470 kW; 639 PS).

Ford also developed a heavy-duty V10 version of their Triton engine to replace the 460 big block in truck applications. It was introduced in the E-Series/Econoline full-size van. The F-Series Super Duty and Excursion SUV furthered the engines popularity. The Triton 6.8 V10 is still in production today.

European marques were slower to adopt the V10 configuration. However, high-revving V10 power-plants were incorporated into supercars from Lamborghini and Porsche. BMW and Audi later unveiled ten-cylinder versions of their mid-range saloons (the BMW 5-Series and Audi A6 families, respectively). Audi here profited from their Lamborghini ownership, which allowed them to source the Gallardo's V10 for their own cars. Volkswagen also developed a turbodiesel V10; their Volkswagen Phaeton was the first production sedan to have a V10.

A list of post-war V10-engined production cars (sorted alphabetically by manufacturer, sub-sorted by year of introduction):

• Audi S6 (C6) - 5.2 liter
• Audi RS6 (C6) - 5.0 L bi-turbo
• Audi S8 (D3) - 5.2 L
• Audi R8 - 5.2 L
• BMW M5 (E60) - 5.0 L
• BMW M6 (E63/E64) - 5.0 L
• Bristol Fighter (Dodge V10)
• Devon GT X (Dodge V10)
• Dodge Viper (the first modern V-10-engined car)
• Dodge Ram 2500/3500 Heavy Duty (pickup trucks)
• Dodge Ram SRT-10 (pickup truck)
• Ford E-350 (full-size van)
• Ford Super Duty (pickup trucks)
• Ford Excursion (3/4 ton SUV)
• Lexus LFA - 4.8 L
• Lamborghini Gallardo - 5.0 L (5.2 L for LP560-4)
• Lamborghini Sesto Elemento - 5.2 L (Concept)
• Porsche Carrera GT - 5.7 L
• Volkswagen Touareg - 5.0 TDI PD
• Volkswagen Phaeton - 5.0 TDI PD
• Wiesmann MF GT 5 (BMW S85-B50)