Ten Great European Cars With Gigantic V8s

Taking a page from the American playbook.

The typical train of thought is that large displacement, V8 engines are solely for American cars because they need huge displacement to make the power. Thing is, a big V8 might be an American calling card, but there is a worldwide allure that comes from hearing a V8 rumble.

This is but a small selection of big V8s that were crammed into European bodies.

DeTomaso Pantera

Want a mid-engined, Italian exotic with an engine from Dearborn? Then the Pantera and its 351 Ford V8 is the car for you.

Mercedes 500E

The 500E was built in collaboration with Porsche, which saw the cars shipped back and forth between the two companies. What resulted is one of the most sought after sport sedans to ever come from Germany.

AC Cobra

A simple formula: Take a beautiful English roadster, add a 289 or 427 Ford V8, have a car that is a legend. Job done.

Jensen Interceptor

Jensen went with Chrysler power, which means some models had an engine that displaced as much as 7.2 liters. That's the right way to make power.

Sunbeam Tiger

Like AC, Sunbeam called up Ford, got some 260 and 289 V8s, and stuffed them in the classically beautiful Tiger body.

Facel Vega

The French had the same idea as Jensen: Stuff a giant engine in a lovely coupe. Also, if you didn't know, French author Albert Camus was killed in one.

Bizzarrini GT5300

Corvette engine, Italian body. Gorgeous.

TVR Griffith

Nothing spells reliability like a TVR with a Rover V8.

Iso Grifo

Giotto Bizzarrini did the mechanicals for Iso Grifo, so it should be no surprise that there is also Corvette V8 under here.

Bitter CD

The Bitter CD is a bit of a rarity in the USA; supposedly there are just six in the country. The engine is a 327 from Chevrolet, and it was developed from an original concept by Opel.

                                                                       Source: Road and Track