Naturally Aspirated - Sports Cars - Icon Wheels

Crystal clear sound, thirst for revs, instant throttle response. There are many good reasons why a naturally aspirated engine is considered the best for at least some cars.

When you need to be clean while driving, it is important to have a direct response with the accelerator and the ability to carefully choke out the throttle, as is the linear flow that increases as the limiter gets closer. I must admit that there is something wonderful about modern turbo engines. Just look at the result obtained with the Ferrari 488 GTB: the turbo lag has been canceled and the dynamics and sound (almost) feel like a naturally aspirated engine.

I am convinced that anyone who has ridden on Nissan GTR or McLaren 650 S fell in love with the killer kick that biturbo can give. But the thrust isn't enough to make us forget about the cry of a full-fledged V12.

Let's take a look at the best remaining naturally aspirated engines, the latest of their kind.

Lamborghini Huracan

Cars equipped with a V10 engine can be counted on one hand. Huracan  one of them. The sound of a 5.200-cylinder 610 cc engine. The 8.250 hp produced by this gem develops an altitude of XNUMX rpm, a mode in which Lambo shoots you towards the horizon, accompanied by a mythological soundtrack.

Corvette Stingray

American horses, as they say, right? There corvette it has a naturally aspirated engine made in the USA, although "only" 466 hp, but with enough torque to tow the ship. Its 8-liter V6,2 has nothing to do with Europeans: the sound is more like a growl than a scream, while the 630 Nm available at low revs pushes the car without force into any gear.

The roundness of the engine is such that the use of the gearbox is unnecessary, it would be enough to keep the fourth at 80% of the corners.

Maserati Gran Turismo

From grumpy and brassy American horses to purebred fashions. Maserati it's almost a rebellious brand, and Gran Turismo This is definitely one of the sexiest cars the house has ever made.

Its 8-liter V4,7 engine, designed by Ferrari, is a perfectly tuned musical instrument, the sound is so incredible that it would be worth buying a car to just accelerate while standing still.

The metallic gurgle at idle turns into a nuanced, threatening scream as the revs increase, with a crackle and gurgle on exhaust.

Porsche RS 911 GT3

The Porsche Boxer has always been one of the best naturally aspirated engines out there. New 3.8-liter GT3 RS he replaced the "old" Metzger Model 997, leaving some die-hard enthusiasts a bit skeptical. But just pull up the 3,8hp gear. 500, and all doubts will disappear.

The speed with which the tachometer needle moves towards the red zone makes you wonder if this is possible. The sound of the engine, as well as the appearance of the car, on the contrary, is worthy of a race car.

The response is so immediate and direct that you just have to think about accelerating to shoot forward, while the singing qualities of the six cylinders range from a low metallic rumbling to a frantic howl at 8.250 rpm.

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

The V12 is the best engine in the world and I don't make it up. The best cars in history were equipped with this engine, including the McLaren F1.

La F12 Berlinetta in all likelihood, this will be the last engine installation V12 naturally aspirated among modern Ferraris. The 6,2-liter 65-degree V-twin engine is a real gem: it develops an incredible 740 horsepower at 8.250 rpm and 690 Nm of torque. Twelve-cylinder F12s push against the limiter with such enthusiasm and determination that it's hard to contain the river of adrenaline flowing through it. The harshness with which the engine reacts to gas pressure is disconcerting, and the barking at top speed is intimidating.

All of the incredible engines listed here belong to equally special machines, the latter remaining naturally aspirated in the turbine landscape. Unfortunately or fortunately, the world will be much calmer without them.