The V-12 engine is an endangered species. You used to be able to find dozens of sports cars and luxury machines powered by 12-cylinder engines, but these days, just 11 different vehicles use the iconic layout.
Why the shift? With ever-advancing tech like turbocharging, hybridization, and downsizing, there’s less of a need for 12-cylinder engines. Thankfully companies like Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Rolls-Royce are keeping the V-12 dream alive.
That dream comes at a cost, of course. Buying into the V-12 club doesn’t come cheap, with the least expensive cars on this list coming in at well over $200,000, while the priciest models soar past the $1 million mark.
Aston Martin Vanquish
Photo by: Aston Martin
The Vanquish might look a lot like its Vantage and DB12 siblings, but there’s one very important thing that sets it apart: Four extra cylinders. Under the hood of Aston’s flagship grand tourer is a twin-turbocharged V-12 making 820 horsepower and 783 pound-feet of torque, among the highest on this list—and as I noted in my first drive, it could be the engine that saves Aston Martin. In addition to the gargantuan straight-line speed afforded by a powertrain like this, there’s also a glorious noise—not something you’d expect, considering the two turbochargers silencing the exhaust.
Ferrari 12Cilindri
Photo by: Ferrari
What better way to pay tribute to an engine than to name an entire car after it? That’s exactly what Ferrari did with the 12Cilindri. Pronounced dodd-ee-chee-chill-inn-dree, it’s the company’s latest front-engine super grand tourer, sporting a retro design that calls back to the legendary 365 GTB/4 Daytona. At its heart sits Ferrari’s crown jewel: A 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 making 819 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. The redline is an incredible 9,500 rpm. There might be more expensive Ferraris in the company’s lineup, but this one is the best when it comes to sound.
Ferrari Purosangue
Photo by: Ferrari
The 12Cilindri isn’t the only V-12-powered Ferrari you can buy. There’s also the Purosangue. It’s Ferrari’s first-ever SUV—and maybe the most fun SUV ever—and it uses a 715-horsepower version of that 6.5-liter naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine. Despite looking like a crossover, the Purosangue drives more like the world’s best sports sedan, thanks in part to its trick suspension and excellent weight distribution (the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sits at the back). Aside from the eye-watering price tag, the only real downside is the infuriating touch-sensitive infotainment control.
Gordon Murray Automotive T.33
Photo by: Gordon Murray Automotive
Despite being GMA’s cheapest offering, the T.33 is anything but basic. It borrows the naturally aspirated 3.9-liter V-12 from the more expensive T.50, detuned to 602 horsepower, with a redline of “just” 11,100 rpm. The only transmission option is a six-speed manual from Xtrac, naturally. Gordon Murray was originally going to offer a dual-clutch, too, but so few people wanted it that he dropped the option from the order books. The manual transmission is alive and well, folks.
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50
Photo by: Gordon Murray Automotive
Think of the GMA T.50 as a modern interpretation of the iconic McLaren F1. Conceived by Gordon Murray, the F1’s designer, it uses the same basic layout: A naturally aspirated V-12 engine connected to a six-speed manual, with butterfly doors and three seats, with the driver in the middle. This time around, the engine is a 3.9-liter unit sourced from Cosworth. It makes 725 horsepower and revs to a mind-boggling 12,100 rpm, which we experienced firsthand. With just 100 examples set to be built at an estimated price of $3 million each, it’s the rarest and most expensive car on this list.
Lamborghini Revuelto
Photo by: DW Burnett / Motor1
Lamborghini has always used V-12s in its flagship supercars, and that hasn’t changed for its first hybrid, the Revuelto. The three electric motors might be the big news, but the true star is a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engine that, on its own, makes 813 horsepower. Combined with those e-motors, the Revuelto crosses the 1,000-hp mark. The blinding speed is matched only by the wailing screech from the engine as it approaches its 9,500-rpm redline. This car is an astronomical leap forward for the brand.
Mercedes-Maybach S680
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
It’s amazing how V-12 engines can be equally at home in exotic, high-revving supercars and stately, smooth cruisers. The Mercedes-Maybach S680 is one such example. It’s the last tri-star-badged car to use a 12-cylinder engine, reserving the unmatched opulence of this running gear for the most discerning customers. Sure, the lesser V-8-powered Maybachs may be just as comfortable on the road, but nothing beats the silky-smooth idle and effortless acceleration of a proper V-12.
Pagani Utopia
Photo by: Sevian Daupi | Motor1
The S680 isn’t the only car that uses a Mercedes-built V-12. Pagani, maker of some of the rarest, most sought-after Italian supercars in the business, has been sourcing its engines from AMG since the company’s inception in the 1990s. Like all of Pagani’s cars, the Utopia uses a V-12, and like the outgoing Huayra, this one is turbocharged. Despite only revving to 6,700 rpm, the motor makes 852 horsepower—the most of any engine here—and, more importantly, it sounds delightful. We experienced the Utopia firsthand during our drive in Italy.
Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Photo by: Rolls-Royce
Bentley recently retired its long-standing W-12 engine in favor of a V-8 hybrid. Its main competitor, Rolls-Royce, is forging a different path—at least for now. Aside from its sole electric offering, the Spectre, all of its models still use V-12 engines. The Cullinan makes do with a twin-turbocharged 6.7-liter unit making 563 horsepower standard, or 592 horsepower in Black Badge guise. Unlike the Purosangue, which is tuned for ultimate performance, this V-12-powered SUV is the ultimate in quiet, comfortable motoring.
Rolls-Royce Ghost
Photo by: Rolls-Royce
Despite being Rolls-Royce’s entry-level land yacht, the Ghost uses the same twin-turbo V-12 found in the Cullinan SUV, making 563 horsepower standard, or 592 horsepower if you go for the Black Badge model. That’s enough for a 0-60 time of just 4.6 seconds—not bad considering this car’s massive weight. Though handling certainly isn’t a priority, the Ghost’s 50/50 weight distribution, all-wheel steering system, and adaptive suspension help to smooth out the experience.
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Photo by: Rolls-Royce
The Rolls-Royce Phantom is the end-all, be-all for uncompromising luxury. It’s the most comfortable, opulent, effortless piece of machinery on four wheels, bar none. Only the best will do for the Phantom, which is why it uses a V-12 engine. Like the Cullinan and the Ghost, the Phantom’s engine displaces 6.7 liters and makes 563 horsepower. You’ll have a hard time sensing that from the passenger seat, though, as acres of sound-deadening hide any hint of exhaust noise.
