V8 engines are roaring back, with the Detroit Big Three leading the charge as automakers continue to ramp up their gas-powered vehicle offerings.
The details: After years of focusing on smaller, efficient powertrains, the industry is now seeing a resurgence of the bigger, powerful engines, a shift driven by several factors, as highlighted in a Business Insider report.
Many of the emissions regulations and policies that led automakers to move away from V8 engines have been rolled back.
Electric vehicle sales growth has slowed significantly in the U.S., prompting automakers to build more gas-powered vehicles.
Even with the addition of other powertrains, V8 engines have maintained a strong appeal among some buyers.
What they’re saying: "What makes V8s superior is the instant response when you hit the gas pedal," said Justin Goldsberry, an enthusiast and author of the Automobile Innovations newsletter. "Everything is immediate and highly responsive."
Why it matters: For dealers, a V8 comeback can mean more high-margin inventory to sell (and more profitable service, parts, and accessory opportunities over the life of the vehicle), especially in trucks and performance models where buyers tend to spend up and personalize.
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Between the lines: The Detroit Big Three are fueling the resurgence of V8s alongside some of the automakers’ best profit makers.
Ram (owned by Stellantis $STLA ( ▼ 0.62% )) reintroduced the Hemi V8 engine in its trucks last August and relaunched the V8-powered TRX sport truck earlier this month.
Last May, General Motors $GM ( ▼ 0.31% ) shifted production at its Western New York propulsion plant from EV batteries to V8 engine production for trucks, investing $888 million to make the change.
Ford $F ( ▼ 0.89% ) told Business Insider it plans to add a new, faster trim to its V8-powered Mustang Dark Horse lineup, called the SC.
Worth noting: According to Cox Automotive, U.S. consumers spent about $15 billion on full-size pickup trucks in December alone.
What they’re saying: “You're starting to see some more performance V8s come back," Kevin Roberts, the director of market intelligence at CarGurus, told Business Insider. "Consumers wanted these cars. It was just a challenging economic choice because of the regulations that previously existed. But there are different rules now."
Bottom line: If OEMs keep leaning into V8 trucks and performance trims, dealers could see stronger demand for higher-priced builds, especially as American buyers continue flocking to pickup trucks.
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