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With the global push for electrification and smaller displacements, are the days of the V-8 engine numbered? It’s possible, but not yet. Ford is currently one of the main proponents of the V-8 engine, with models like the Mustang GT, F-150 pickup, and Super Duty still carrying as many as eight cylinders spread across two cylinder banks, arranged in “vee.” shape. And its line-up is only getting stronger, with the “Megazilla” crate engine the latest addition to an impressive portfolio, with more variations set to appear in the near future. While we explore these newcomers, take a tour of the Blue Oval’s offerings and realize that the V-8 really lives on, if only for a little while longer.
The Newest Entrant: 7.3-liter Megazilla Pushrod V-8
Front three-quarter shot of a blue 2024 Ford Mustang driving down a road.
Ford previously hinted, the Megazilla is the latest addition to the existing Godzilla V-8 family. Unveiled at the 2022 Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis, the 7.3-liter displacement remains untouched. Power output, however, has been significantly improved, with 615 horsepower on tap along with a healthy 640 pound-feet of torque. The most significant changes are under the skin, with H-beam connecting rods, forged pistons, and a forged crankshaft. The cylinder heads are CNC polished, while the low-profile intake manifold houses the 92-millimeter throttle body from the Mustang GT500. Ford says the design is compact enough to fit in cars and trucks, so we’ll see this engine appear in several models down the line. For now, however, it will be sold as a crate engine, which should be available starting in the spring of 2023. Pricing is still unknown, but the base Godzilla crate engine costs $9,175, so expect the Megazilla to cost more big, maybe in the $15,000 region.
The Workhorse: 7.3-liter Godzilla Pushrod V-8
A front three-quarters action shot of a black Ford F-250 Super Duty driving down a road.
Megazilla’s father is simply called Godzilla. Released for the 2020 model year, it’s currently available in the Super Duty line of pickup trucks as an alternative to the Power Stroke turbodiesel (more on that later). It proved so popular, that Ford made it available for purchase as a crate engine. The cast iron block has 107.2-millimeter bores that combine with the forged crankshaft’s stroke of 101 millimeters to create a massive 7.3-liter displacement, or 445 cubic inches. This is a modern pushrod design, with an in-block camshaft featuring an electronic phaser. While valve overlap remains locked in this configuration, valve timing can still be adjusted for better airflow throughout the rev range. The top-mounted plastic intake manifold is home to an 80-millimeter throttle body, as well as eight port fuel injectors. The aluminum cylinder heads contain one 53.13-millimeter intake and one 43.53-millimeter exhaust valve per cylinder, for a total of 16 valves, while the compression ratio is 10.5:1. The package is good for 430 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 475 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm.
The Grandfather: 5.0-liter Coyote DOHC V-8
Front three-quarter shot of a red Ford Mustang GT driving through a tunnel.
The oldest V-8 in Ford’s roster, this engine can trace its roots back to 1991, when the Modular family was first introduced to the public. In particular, the Coyote name has been around since 2010, but has been constantly updated since then. The all-aluminum architecture had a high-flow cylinder head with dual-overhead camshafts that featured Ford’s first implementation of Twin-Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) in a V-8 engine. The latest revision began in 2018 and brought many improvements, most notably the addition of high-pressure direct fuel injection to the existing manifold port injectors, which facilitated an increase in the compression ratio to 12.0:1. In the Mustang GT, the setup is good for 460 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and more than 420 pound-feet of torque at 4,600 rpm with premium fuel. In the F-150, it’s offered as an alternative to the Ecoboost V-6 and makes 400 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. It’s also available as a crate engine, for those looking to restore an older model or build their own hot-rod from scratch.
The Performance Beast: 5.2-liter Predator V-8
Rear three quarters action shot of a red 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R driving through the desert.
The Predator is the most powerful production engine ever made by Ford. It is also based on the tried-and-tested Ford Modular platform. Unlike previous generation “Voodoo” engines, which featured a flat-plane, high-revving design, the Predator features a more traditional cross-plane crankshaft. The bore and stroke were slightly bumped for 5.2-liter displacement, while the compression ratio was reduced to 9.5:1 to enable the addition of a supercharger. 12 psi of boost is enough to lift power to an impressive 760 horses at 7,300 rpm and torque to 625 pound-feet at 5,000 rpm. Currently offered only on the Mustang Shelby GT500, the Predator will also be featured on the upcoming 2023 F-150 Raptor R.
The Torque Monster: 6.7-liter Power Stroke Turbodiesel
Front three-quarter dynamic shot of a white Ford F-450 crew-cab double Super Duty pulling a trailer.
For those who don’t like their power produced at high rpm or who regularly tow heavy loads, Ford offers a turbodiesel V-8 in the Super Duty line of pickup trucks. Since 2011, the Scorpion is the 6.7-liter version of the Power Stroke family, which is the first series of diesel engines produced by Ford after its long partnership with Navistar. It develops 475 horsepower at just 2,800 rpm, as well as a monster 1,050 pound-feet of torque from 1,600 rpm. The cylinder heads contain 32 valves packed in an unconventional pushrod-actuated layout, where each rocker arm pushes down on two intake or exhaust valves, for a total of four valves per cylinder. The exhaust manifolds are located inside the “vee”, reducing the length of piping to the turbocharger and improving transient response. Early versions of the engine also feature the new “two-in-one” Honeywell DualBoost turbocharger. The single-sequential turbocharger, or SST, offers the benefits of a sequential twin-turbo system in a more compact single-turbo design. It is also unusual in that it combines a variable-geometry turbine housing with a conventional internal wastegate. Finally, the engine is quite modern when it comes to emissions control, too. The 30,000 psi fuel-pressure common-rail system allows for up to five injection pulses per combustion cycle, and is also equipped with cooled Exhaust-Gas Recirculation, Selective Catalytic Reduction, and a Diesel Particulate Filter.
The Future: 6.8-liter Mini-Zilla V-8
Front three-quarter action shot of a red Ford Super Duty pickup truck driving down a dusty road.
The next addition to the Ford V-8 roster should be the 6.8-liter “Mini-Zilla”, which is slated to be one of the powertrain options for the 2023 Super Duty pickup. It’s a de-stroked version of the Godzilla, meant to replace the outgoing 6.2-liter Boss V-8. We don’t know much else about the engine yet, including power numbers, but it’s reasonable to expect it to fall somewhere between the Godzilla’s 430 horsepower and the Boss’s 385 horsepower.
FAQ
Q: What is Megazilla?
The Megazilla is Ford’s latest addition to the Godzilla 7.3-liter V-8 family. It features several improvements over the base engine to produce 615 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque.
Q: What V8 engines does Ford offer?
Ford currently offers three gasoline lines and one diesel V-8: The 7.3-liter pushrod Godzilla and Megazilla, the 5.0-liter DOHC Coyote, the 5.2-liter supercharged Predator, and the 6.7 -liter Power Stroke / Scorpion turbodiesel.
Q: What is Ford’s biggest V8 engine?
Ford’s largest V-8 currently offered is the Godzilla, displacing 7.3 liters (445 cubic inches) from a 4.22-inch bore and 3.976-inch stroke.
Q: What Ford has a V8?
The Ford Mustang GT and the Ford F-150 have a 5.0-liter Coyote engine, the Super Duty has a 7.3-liter Godzilla and the 6.7-liter Scorpion Power Stroke diesel, the Mustang Shelby GT500 and the upcoming 2023 F -150 Raptor R have a 5.2 supercharged Predator engine.
Q: Has Ford discontinued the V8?
Ford will continue to make V-8s for at least the next few years. It unveiled an upcoming 6.8-liter V-8 engine and recently committed to producing combustion engines at the Windsor plant (where most of its V-8s are built) at least through 2040.
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