Redux: Why American cars tend to have big engines.

This isn’t actually the first time I’ve made a blogpost like this. For those of you who don’t remember, I made one about two years ago on the exact same subject. Why am I doing it again then? Simple, I can explain more reasons now than I could then.

Redux: Why American cars tend to have big engines.

This isn’t actually the first time I’ve made a blogpost like this. For those of you who don’t remember, I made one about two years ago on the exact same subject. Why am I doing it again then? Simple, I can explain more reasons now than I could then. Not only this but I can give better explanations for the same reasons too. If you want to read the original you can in the link down below. This also won’t be the first time I redo an old article either.

With the nostalgia trip done. Lets move on shall we?

1: Big Engine + Low Compression = Happy Reliability.

Redux: Why American cars tend to have big engines.

This is a point that has been stated over and over and over and over again. However, it’s worth restating because it’s still true and is relevant to the points I’m trying to make.

Typically with smaller engines, higher compression is needed to make more power. Even when you add on turbos and other forced induction goodies the car will still be running a higher stress level than an engine with the same power but bigger displacement. Smaller engines can’t take as much added stress compared to a bigger (less stressed) engine. Smaller engines simply require more work to make them less prone to breaking under high pressure (from HP and PSI due to turbocharging). A small engine will need higher compression (and potentially turbocharging) to make 300 HP. Whereas a bigger motor under less stress can just be “built” to 300 HP (a mass generalization but I think you get the point). Leaving tons of potential left in the bigger motor. Whilst the smaller engine won’t be making much more HP without changing from stock internals.

It’s why LS motors can go on forever without needing a complete rebuild (or at the very least, they can survive longer before needing a major rebuild compared to other engines). It’s also why they can be tuned to oblivion on stock internals. Even the Viper’s V10 is extremely resistant to breaking even after you add aftermarket goodies onto it. Calvo Motorsports (an aftermarket tuning company) were testing the Gen V engine to see how much HP it could take before it broke. They got up to 1450+ whp before the engine couldn’t take it anymore. And that was with stock internals. These engines are ridiculously strong due to the low-stress nature of the engine. (Source: https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/17553-Just-picked-up-my-TT-Calvo-Motorsports-Viper Scroll down to the user “slowhatch”).

Bigger engines are easier to modify without needing extra mods (on top of the others) to keep them from blowing up in your face.

2: Dayliability/Torque.

Redux: Why American cars tend to have big engines.

No not that kind of daily. But how easy it is to drive a car every day. Stuff like pulling out to overtake someone or how low the revs are on the highway. That kind of Dayliability.

Bigger engines can have more torque than smaller engines. Better still, they tend to have it much lower down than smaller, turbocharged engines. Meaning you don’t have to change down as many gears just to pass someone on the highway. Or in some cases, you don’t have to go right the way up to the redline just to pass someone.

Now this next bit does delve a little bit into the whole Downsizing Fiasco we’ve been seeing in the industry for a little while now. But in short, a bigger engine in a big car will sit at a lower RPM than a smaller engine in the big car. Why? Because the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain a certain speed. Imagine a 3.0 liter V6 in a something the size of a Durango. Now imagine it’s turning 1,500 RPMs when cruising. Now put a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4 cylinder in the same car and it’ll turn something close to 3,000 RPM. This is bad because the higher the RPMs go, the less fuel efficient the car as a whole will be. This is why downsizing doesn’t work for everything (and something many people should have realized a lot sooner).

3: Cost.

Redux: Why American cars tend to have big engines.

What I mean is the cost to make an engine. Let me draw you a picture. Lets take a 5.7 liter engine and give it 400 HP. Now take a 2.4 liter engine and also give it 400 HP. Now put both engines in the same car (not at the same time) and the car with the 2.4 liter engine will be more expensive. Why? Because engineering costs. The amount of over-engineering it would take to make the 4 cylinder engine even handle 400 hp (much less being reliable at it) is far more than the cost of simply building the 5.7 liter engine to 400 hp in the first place (I use “building the engine to X hp” as a generalization). This also leaves room for the 5.7 liter engine to become more powerful (because there is still room left in the tune). Whereas the 2.4 is pretty much at the limit of power. Major changes would be needed to get much more out of (essentially getting rid of the stock internals).

This also cuts cost in the aftermarket department. The 5.7 will be able to handle more power before the switch from stock internals will be necessary (stuff like bolt on parts and other quick but effective mods). Whereas the 2.4 will need to change right from the get go. Only then will the addition of power be a possibility without blowing the engine to bits (for the most part).

Of course some people would say “just build the smaller engine with better parts.” But that would be completely missing the point. Better parts = More expensive parts and thus means the engine will be even more expensive on top of that (and that will affect how expensive the car utilizing the engine is).

This isn’t the only part where cost comes into play though. In America there isn’t a tax on engine size. Whereas other countries do have taxes. The bigger the engine, the bigger the cost (of the tax). So it simply doesn’t matter how big the engine is here (in America).

4: Weight.

Chart made by Flux 7.0! No better way to illustrate this than with a chart! Thanks man!

Redux: Why American cars tend to have big engines.

Big engines don’t always mean heavy engines. The Viper’s 8.4 liter V10 is all aluminum. And LS motors can (depending on generation) weigh less than competing engines. And because engines of this they tend to be N/A (all motor power ftw). The engines also are comparatively smaller than engines using forced induction. Not to mention that instant throttle response. Giving you that “pushed back in your seat” feeling that can be hard to match otherwise. N/A engines (especially pushrod engines or cam-in-block engines) are lower than engines with Dual-Overhead cams or superchargers and can be narrower than engines with turbos because it’s just motor in the enginebay. Rather than add on goodies in the engine bay taking up space (how much space you have left is completely car specific). So it’s no wonder that these engines can be lower and lighter than their forced induced counterparts.

And that’s it! Thank you for taking the time to read this article! If I’ve forgotten anything then do please tell me down below. Once again thank you all for reading and I’ll see you guys next time.

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Comments

Anonymous

From my perspective the main reason American cars have big engines is that American cars are big themselves. In New Zealand, where cars are smaller and an F150 or a Dodge Ram dwarfs anything else on the road smaller engines are perfectly suitable. We have two mid sized cars with 2.0l turbocharged engines, one Japanese and the other German, and have no issues with performance or economy and can cruise at 2000rpm at 100km/h on long drives up and down the country. What I don’t understand is why so many big American cars and trucks still seem to predominantly have petrol engines. Here it’s significantly cheaper to run large vehicles with turbo diesel engines which are very popular in the large European cars and SUV’s sold here.

08/27/2017 - 06:11 |
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Cody's Car Conundrum

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Diesel engines in passenger cars don’t seem to be very popular here with consumers. Also I’m going to be doing some research to see if American cars are as big as they’re said to be, there might be an article coming for that haha.

08/27/2017 - 06:39 |
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Dat Incredible Chadkake

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

gasoline engines yield more horsepower and revs than diesel engines

08/27/2017 - 15:03 |
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MrLeo

Reason 5: Cheap petrol in the US

08/27/2017 - 07:10 |
6 | 0
Cody's Car Conundrum

In reply to by MrLeo

Compared to Europe maybe. But fuel isn’t always that cheap (although I can’t point specifically to point in time when it was insane).

08/27/2017 - 10:57 |
2 | 0
Alfie Hankins

Because they suck at making engines so they have to increase the displacement to match the power of european cars

08/27/2017 - 08:30 |
0 | 4

Whatever helps you sleep at night ;)

08/27/2017 - 10:58 |
2 | 0

you’re probably just butthurt that a commodore beat you in a race 😉

08/27/2017 - 15:04 |
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Anonymous

Another point, which you might have missed is that necessity breeds invention, but due to America’s excess of fuel, there was never any necessity for smaller, more efficient engines. Loved the article, and it’d great to see more like it, explaining cutural automotive trends.

08/27/2017 - 09:22 |
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Cody's Car Conundrum

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Not to be that guy. But have you heard about the 70’s Oil Crisis? Not that you’re entirely wrong (because from the 50’s to the early 70’s there certainly wasn’t any necessity for smaller, more efficient engines) but from then till the late 80’s American automakers were forced to make smaller, more efficient engines (which began with them making hilariously weak V8s in the 70s).

I mean, Dodge Omni GLHS, Shelby Charger, Shelby CSX (a modified Dodge Shadow), Shelby Lancer, Dodge Daytona Turbo Z and countless other turbo beauties were built in light of the lack of fuel and the push for more efficient engines. Even the Buick Grand National (AKA GNX) got in on the fun.

I would cite some other Ford and GM products but frankly, I’d have to go back and do some digging to find some turbo cars from them (wait! Foxbody Mustang). I’m glad you enjoyed the article! I’m hoping to make more like it.

08/27/2017 - 11:04 |
2 | 0
Dat Incredible Chadkake

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

We actually import a good majority of our petroleum that we use

08/27/2017 - 15:04 |
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Anonymous

The blog doesn’t explain why Ameruxan cars have big engines but rather why big engines can be as good or better than smaller ones.

08/27/2017 - 09:47 |
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Dat Incredible Chadkake

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

America is a really big place with really big highways, this environment isn’t that well suited to small turbocharged engines. Oh yeah, we also like to tow big stuff

08/27/2017 - 15:02 |
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🇮🇩Mk7Golfer 🇦🇺

Never seen anyone mentioned Tonio Calvo in this site, lol.

08/27/2017 - 10:04 |
0 | 0

I have other sites I lurk on haha.

08/27/2017 - 11:10 |
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Anonymous

Write. More. Things.

08/27/2017 - 12:23 |
6 | 2
Cody's Car Conundrum

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

On it!

08/27/2017 - 15:01 |
2 | 2
Diego Augusto Thurow

As my personal taste i like big engines, (i know smaller engines are more eficient), but this is just my opinion, also the good part of a big engine, SOUND, because the V8 of the Z06, the V10 of the Viper, are just glorious.

08/27/2017 - 13:15 |
2 | 0

I feel the same way!

08/27/2017 - 15:01 |
2 | 0
TheBagel

I was gonna say something involving how this can help JDM fans but I completely forgot what it was :-/
Great article though! Extremely interesting!

08/27/2017 - 19:02 |
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Cody's Car Conundrum

In reply to by TheBagel

Thanks! I think the next one might be as well.

08/27/2017 - 19:34 |
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Fact:Gamez

Now this is the meaning of “There’s no Replacement for Displacement”

08/28/2017 - 01:27 |
2 | 0