While electric and hybrid power trains are leading in the performance race, when it comes to pure internal combustion engines, you’d think the only way to achieve horsepower heaven would be to get a stonking V8. But what if there was a cheaper way?

Despite having their own advantages and disadvantages, inline four-cylinder engines have come a long way, going from being efficient commuter motors to performance champions. These inline-fours push internal combustion technology and innovation to extremes, mostly without the crutch of electrification. We aren’t talking about big displacement engines, either. Many stock four-cylinders that can match or even beat V8s sit on the 2.0-liter threshold. Maybe we really only need one two-liter inline four-cylinder turbo engine standardized across all auto companies. Rather than being designed as race engines, they’re made for production cars, so there has to be some modicum of reliability, too. 

Some of the strongest four-cylinders came in attainable vehicles such as the Mercedes-AMG A45 S, the Mitsubishi Evo series, and the Volvo S60 Polestar. Let’s join the hunt for some V8 killers.

Mercedes-AMG M 139 (416 to 469 horsepower)

When it launched in 2019, the Mercedes-AMG M 139 was hailed as the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the world, a title it still holds six years later — albeit in a more extreme factory tune. This turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder initially came in the Mercedes-AMG A45 S, delivering 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. That’s 208 horsepower for each liter of displacement. It has since been seen in other Mercedes-AMG performance models like the CLA45 S, GLA45 S, and GLC43. The motor offers the highest specific output in the C63 S E Performance, delivering 671 horsepower and 752 pound-feet with a combined plug-in hybrid system.

To achieve this, the motor features smart engineering and mounting. The transversely-mounted motor had the exhaust manifold and turbocharger mounted in the back and the intake at the front, an arrangement that allowed for shorter, free-flowing intake routes. Closed-deck construction ensured higher combustion pressures of up to 160 bar, and the oil sump featured baffle plates to prevent oil starvation.

It also got high-end bits such as forged aluminum pistons, a forged steel crankshaft, variable valve control, an aluminum crankcase, two-stage fuel injection, and a twin scroll turbocharger. Many of these additions were focused on reducing engine friction and controlling heat. The cylinder linings featured Nanoslide coatings while the turbocharger used roller bearings for reduced friction. On the high-output S models, the air conditioning is routed to the intercooler to cool the intake air charge, which improves performance.

Mitsubishi 4B11T (up to 440 horsepower)




A white Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution FQ440 MR

RMT51/Shutterstock

The 4B11T was the replacement for Mitsubishi’s legendary 4G63T, an engine that served nine generations of the Lancer Evolution series from 1992 to 2007. Debuting in the Lancer Evolution X, the new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine had big shoes to fill. And that’s exactly what it did in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution FQ-440 MR, a 440-horsepower, limited edition, U.K.-only sports car. Contrary to popular belief, the 4B11T was not a Mitsubishi offering, but a joint effort between Mitsubishi, Chrysler, and Hyundai as part of its Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance.

The 4B11T was a square engine, with an 86mm bore and stroke. Unlike the 4G63T, this one featured an aluminum cylinder block, which made it 30 pounds lighter than its predecessor. The motor had a DOHC 16-valve head with Mitsubishi’s proprietary MIVEC variable valve timing, a semi-closed deck engine block, and a durable bottom end. Like the Mercedes-AMG M139, the motor has the exhaust manifold at the back of the engine and uses a twin-scroll turbocharger. 

On the FQ-440 MR, the motor looked less like a factory tune and more like a racer’s wet dream. It featured an ECU remap, a Janspeed exhaust, intake, and intercooler, and an HKS turbocharger. These updates pushed the engine’s strength to 440 horsepower and 412 pound-feet of torque. That’s a specific power output of 220 horsepower per liter! To put it into perspective, this engine’s total performance output is close to a modern 5.0-liter Ford Coyote V8.

Volvo T8 Twin Engine Hybrid (455 to 619 horsepower)

Yes, it’s not a pure internal combustion engine, but sooner or later, we will have to acknowledge the elephant in the room: hybridization. In the case of the 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge, the T8 Twin Engine Hybrid power train delivers 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet, making it the most powerful production Volvo. You also have the Polestar 1 with a 2.0-liter twin-charged hybrid power train delivering 619 horsepower and 738 pound-feet, but here, the electric motors are doing a significant portion of the grunt work.

In isolation, Volvo’s four-cylinder motor can make up to 367 horsepower and 347 pound-feet when massaged by Polestar for the 2017 S60. Like its predecessor, the T6, the motor featured both a turbocharger and supercharger. But it gets a bigger turbo and a stronger fuel pump alongside better valves, redesigned camshafts, and a new intake. Performance hybridization isn’t necessarily a bad thing if we get to keep the cake and eat it, too. After all, some extra electric shove with the sound and fury of an internal combustion engine can also be fun.

Notable mentions

If you aren’t too keen to jump aboard the hybridization bandwagon, there are some less powerful four-cylinder alternatives you can look at. An exotic, high-horsepower, not-quite-“inline” four-cylinder is the Porsche MA2.22. It’s a 2.5-liter flat-four engine found in the 718 Cayman S and Boxster S, and it can deliver a healthy 350 horsepower and 310 pound-feet. 

Next up, we have the 2.3-liter inline-four Ford EcoBoost engine that powers trucks as well as performance cars such as the Mustang and Focus RS. In the hot hatch, the motor features a forged crankshaft and connecting rods as well as a cross-drilled engine deck for better cooling. This turbocharged inline-four motor pushes 350 horsepower and 350 pound-feet.

GM’s L3B TurboMax engine further shows how American performance engines aren’t always large, lumbering V8s. It’s a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder motor seen in the Chevrolet Silverado and Colorado trucks. Given its intended use in pickups, the motor delivers 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. It makes you question if turbocharged four cylinder motors are really better than the V6s they replaced. 

Lastly, we have the iconic Honda K20C1 motor. This 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four legend is currently available in the Honda Civic Type R and Acura Integra Type S, delivering a healthy 320 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque in the latter.