What is the Greatest Six-Cylinder Engine?

We, as automobile fans, have a tendency to like V8 engines. The ability, the torque, the sound — by our deeds we honor him. However, as sensible and affordable folks, most of us truly drive four-cylinders. Even with a turbo sitting fairly in that engine bay, halving your variety of cylinders will increase your gas economic system and drastically lower tailpipe emissions.

However between these paragons of energy or practicality, there’s another choice. An erudite, patrician alternative for engines, one which’s usually underrated by American consumers. At the moment, we’re speaking six-cylinder engines — and we’re crowning a champion from amongst their ranks.

Final week, I had the pleasure of (briefly) driving Acura’s NSX Kind S. As the ultimate sendoff to the second-generation NSX, you’d anticipate it to be an unbelievable machine, and the expertise of that mid-mounted V6 doesn’t disappoint. The snarl and bark of its exhaust, the whoosh of pressured induction, and the electrical help that helps pin you again in your seat — it’s a excessive watermark for what six-cylinder engines could be.

However, sadly for our functions, it isn’t simply a V6. That engine is inseparable from its electrical helpers, which means I can’t outright say that it’s The Greatest Six Cylinder Engine. So, as an alternative, I’ll have to show to outdated devoted — the BMW B58.

No, not the Nissan RB26 or Toyota 2JZ. These are each legendary engines in their very own proper, however they’re getting lengthy within the tooth — and troublesome to seek out secondhand for swaps. No, BMW’s B58 is their worthy successor: an all-purpose company six that simply so occurs to carry four-digit horsepower.

That’s my choose for the most effective six-cylinder engine, however what’s yours? Go away your solutions within the feedback, and we’ll gather our favorites tomorrow.