bob

I've noted a trend among reviews and articles refering to the 4.6 as a large displacment V8.

281 cubic inches is all that amounts to as several people here already know, but the brand x guys are fielding a 427 cid small block and then there is the giant of a V10 chrysler has as well thier 350 and 370 cubic inch hemi engines.

On the domsestic front I'd say Ford on the whole is fielding some of the smallest engines of the bunch. (which I appluade despite constant ramblings about the valvegear on the mod motors)

burningman

i have never considered a 281 as a large engine. it's small but potent.

future9er24

i dont think of it as all that big either. i mean when the 'marobird was still around didnt it (they?) have bigger engines all the time? i always thought so. The GTO is begger. so is the Vette. then look back into Ford, or even just autmotive history and see that 281 is very small compared to wehat was once the 'norm'. but thats just me.

maybe nowadays it may seem big compared to most of whats on the market. for example when i first told my parents i wanted a 5.0 (and i still dont got one, i told them when i was 12) or something as a first car they were like "5.0?! thats a HUGE engine!!!" well, that may be because they drive 1.8L, 1.4L mazdas and our "super" car is only a 2.5L BMW.

Q`res

Now, I don't consider the 4.6L big either. But, the 4.6L is big for a V8, if you compare it to import engines. Consider this list:
Jaguar V8 - 4.2L
Lexus V8 - 4.3L
Toyota truck V8 - 4.7L
BMW V8 - 4.4L
Infiniti V8 - 4.5L
Audi V8 (not that W8 thing) - 4.2L

With the exception of the Toyota V8 those are all smaller than our beloved 4.6L. And that's a truck motor!

matic

And every engine you just listed costs a ton more. Jag's 4.2 V8 makes more power than Ford's 4.6 V8, but the costs involved are far more substantial too. The 4.6L solution is a cost-effective way to get good power.

Q`res

Ok, love for you to explain how cost has anything at all to do with my post? Seriously, it's not like I said those engines were superior to the mod motor. Honestly, I just don't get your post at all, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the point that I was making.

With that in mind, I'll spell my point out since apparently it's hard to grasp.

My point, and my only point I might add, is that the 4.6L is actually slightly on the big side compared to most V8's on the market.

future9er24

wow man, dont atttack the poor dude like that. he's just trying to post some interesting info. geezus

jgsmuzzy

Come on Kids, keep it nice please. Both posts are perfectly valid. One mentions that import V8's are smaller that Domestic V8's, the other points out that the import V8's come at considerably more cost!!!!

Have a nice night!!

PearBear

Midol, table 1!

matic

lol chilllllllll dude! I wasn't attacking, just pointing out why those V8s can be smaller. Those engines ARE superior, at least the ones I'm familiar with. They make more power with less displacement. That's why I pointed out cost, because they have alot more tech and R&D in them to achieve that, which means they cost more. If people were willing to pay $35,000 for a Mustang GT with 300hp, they could put a smaller engine in it. Personally, I'd rather they keep the 4.6 and make it more powerful

On the other side, Ford has a much smaller V8 in the Thunderbird, and when you compare to domestic V8s, the 4.6 is one of the smallest. F-bodies had 5.7s, the LS2 is a 6.0, the Hemis are all >5L, etc.

No attack here, just pointing out some parallel info

future9er24

wait was that to me? or who? i never sed you were attacking. i sed Q`res was attacking. i hope that clears things up. for you at least, i'm still a bit confused my self. but then again, i am an 15 year old

confused goes with the occupation. along with egotistic lol

Galaxie

Extra displacement is the easiest way to make more HP.

Perhaps the european/japanese manufacterers design their V8's to be as small as possible because in some european countries for example insurance rates are tied into the size of the engine.

matic

no, Arin, that wasn't directed at you, it was to Q'res. I hate quoting, and I always forget PHPBB boards aren't threaded heh.

Smaller displacement can also mean more fuel efficiency, which in Europe is a huge thing. They pay roughly 4x what we do for gas. The need for physically smaller vehicles could have something to do with it as well.

mzziaz

In many countries in Europe, the tax on cars is based partially on the engines displecement. Therefore, it makes more sense to build smaller engines with relatively more power than US-models on those markets.

In Japan, at least some of the taxes on new cars is based on the output of the engines. I believe cars that produce more than 280 whp in Japan are taxed pretty brutally. I don't know if displacement matters, but suspect so since japanese engines normally tend to have small displacement.

Therefore, even 4,6l is a huge engine all over the world, except North America.

Actually, if I were to import a brand new Mustang to my country, it would cost me more than 100 000 $. Thats stinks, right?

jgsmuzzy

where do you live??

mzziaz

In Norway

jgsmuzzy

Buy it from Germany, they are like €36k for a GT, not sure whay that is in NOK though...

mzziaz

It woun't help. I will have to pay full taxes to get norwegian plates anyway. (It isn't legal to drive around with german plates either).

Actually, I'm considering buying an '05 in the US, swap engine for something small (1,6L or something), get it registered and swap the 4,6L back in. I know it's going to be an absolute horror to pull it off, but it's the only way IMO.

holderca1

Who do you think makes Jag's nowadays?

matic

Does that somehow make it cheaper to produce? I know Ford owns Jag, as well as Aston Martin, whose V8 from the Vantage is much more powerful too. It's all about the market segment ... Jaguars are aimed at a much more expensive market, so they can afford to use higher-cost parts and technology to make better powerplants. Or, to use a Ford branded example, the Thunderbird's V8 was nice and powerful, and < 4L in displacement ... but it was aimed at a higher-price market than the Mustang is, so it could do that. If they were aiming at a mid-$20k market, the T-bird would have had a V6.

*suddenly neccesary disclaimer* I'm not attacking or flaming, just responding nicely, don't read anything into my reply */snd*