Top Gear lists the S54 as the 2nd best NA engine of all time.

[liam821]

how do they give the LS points for ubiquity but not mention any B/K/F series honda engines?!

I was wondering the same thing. The Honda b16a was introduced in 1989 with an insane-for-the-time 100hp/liter NA - which is still excellent today - and was dead-nuts reliable and very simple. The newer k/f series engines are no different.

Side-note, I used to run a b16a in my time attack race car years ago and it saw 9600rpms on 12psi of boost (stock bottom end!) for years without any mechanical issues - all track use!

[jet_dogg]

^never had an issue with any of my b series engines

I was running a us spec b18c5 type r motor on skunk ecu with no rev limiter in the 90s and occasionally it would slip well past 9k no sweat. Shit was bulletproof.

[Nate047]

LFA V10... Not a car many have experienced first hand, but by far the coolest engine I have ever had the chance to drive. I can claim several donuts in the Fontana parking lot, got to drive one of the press cars during a motor trend photoshoot back in the day lmao



https://www.motortrend.com/features/...a-is-f-sc-400/

[Nate047]

Also how the hell did the F20C not make the list lmao

K20A should be up there as well.

[digger]

What a pointless list

[yhp2009]

List is probably less about accuracy and more of a show of what the current mkt/community is focused on. Its pretty awesome that the s54 is getting its long overdue attention finally

[jet_dogg]

It’s always had the attention. It won engine of the year 6x.

[yhp2009]

It’s always had the attention. It won engine of the year 6x.

Tru, but wasnt there a long time it was just under the radar like in the 2010's? Felt that way especially when the prices really bottomed out in 2017ish

[maw1124]

Strange list... but it's Top Gear... I seem to recall MB did a NA V8 55 (M113 AMG version) engine that was pretty bad ass, as well as a NA V12 600 (M120)... you know, the one from which the Pagani Zonda engine was derived... hell, just give AMG the nod for the NA 7.3L V12 (M120 AMG Version) that the Zonda sports... but again, Top Gear... it's like Consumer Reports.

I actually agree about the S54.

maw

[jbfrancis3]

It’s always had the attention. It won engine of the year 6x.

Whose?

[Jimbo's M]

Whose?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Engine_of_the_Year

[jbfrancis3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Engine_of_the_Year

Ah specifically for the 3-4L category. Thanks.

[Icecream]

S65 has lower specific output and lower piston speeds. It also feels... uneventful (relaxed/unstressed). IMO the s65 was designed, from the start, to be stroked in the F80 gen, and the result is a somewhat tepid e9X version. The stroked version only barely made it out the door, in special editions, and the world was forced to turbos, so the s65 never really got to be what it could have been.

Not only that but it lies in the shadow of the S85 and as far as V8's go, the FC and AMG counterparts kinda steel the show, surprised voodoo didn't make it.
The S85 should have taken the LS spot though for a democratized but incredible motor, nothing comes close even though the cars were 70-80k new, still attainable compared to the next comparable 10 cylinder in line. LS really has no business being in this company just cause a billion were built. A best turbo list would be fun....

[BMWahba]

LFA V10... Not a car many have experienced first hand, but by far the coolest engine I have ever had the chance to drive. I can claim several donuts in the Fontana parking lot, got to drive one of the press cars during a motor trend photoshoot back in the day lmao



https://www.motortrend.com/features/...a-is-f-sc-400/

That sounds like an epic experience, donuts in an LFA!

[01SG]

Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to sit behind a GT350 for more than a few miles whereas I was able to put around a 150 miles on the Mach 1. When the market cools a little I'm going to own one of these two for sure as a DD since my commute is super short. Price to performance ratio is spot on.

You can't go wrong with either, but the 350 is the more special machine. I've only heard great things. I think it's the true successor to the m3, more so than any turbo M car. It was benchmarked against the E90, after all.

Can you not quote two posts in one, or am I stupid?

Good points about the s65, the s54 does have that high strung, on edge, ready to explode kind of feel. I've only been a passenger in the e90, albeit with an instructor at full tilt on the track, which was very impressive.

The s54 has the great linear powerband, whereas the s65 apparently has all the kick at the top. Intake vs exhaust noise. But then, how much of the s65 experience is dampened by the insulated e90? I suppose it could go either way. Two of the best.