10 Gas-Powered Engines We Wish Ford Would Bring Back
Ford’s gas-powered engines once ruled the roads with thunderous roars and pure, unfiltered muscle.
There’s something electric about the growl of a classic V8 or the raw punch of an old-school inline-six that today’s electric buzz just can’t replace.
Nostalgia mixes with a craving for power as we think about the engines that defined an era – tough, loud, and full of character.
Some of those iron beasts deserve a comeback, reminding us why gas and glory made Ford legendary.
1. 427 FE V8
Nothing screams 1960s Ford muscle quite like the thunderous 427 FE V8. Born for NASCAR domination, this side-oiler became the heart of the legendary GT40 that humiliated Ferrari at Le Mans.
Churning out 425 horsepower in street form, the 427 offered race-ready performance right off the showroom floor.
Ford engineers gave it the nickname “tunnel port” thanks to its revolutionary intake design.
The 427’s production run was brief but spectacular, creating a legacy that still commands six-figure prices when found in pristine Galaxies and Fairlanes today.
2. 428 Cobra Jet
Launched as Ford’s secret weapon for the 1968 NHRA Winternationals, the 428 Cobra Jet slithered onto the scene and immediately crushed the competition.
Blue Oval marketers officially rated it at a modest 335 horsepower, but everyone knew that number was a joke. Real output approached 410 horses and 440 pound-feet of torque.
The Cobra Jet’s special ram-air induction system, stronger connecting rods, and modified heads transformed the pedestrian 428 into a quarter-mile assassin.
Found in Mustangs, Torinos, and Cougars, this legendary snake still inspires awe among muscle car aficionados.
3. Boss 302 V8
Engineered specifically to crush Chevy’s Camaro in Trans Am racing, the Boss 302 remains one of Ford’s most celebrated creations.
Its special canted valve Cleveland heads sitting atop a Windsor block created a high-revving monster that screamed all the way to 7,000 RPM.
Designer Larry Shinoda gave the Boss Mustangs their iconic look, but it was this 290-horsepower (wink, wink) powerplant that delivered the goods on track.
Drivers loved its throttle response and race-bred durability. Ford revived the Boss name in 2012, but that modern interpretation never quite captured the raw mechanical charisma of the original.
4. Boss 429 V8
Affectionately dubbed the “Semi-Hemi” by gearheads, the Boss 429 was Ford’s nuclear option in the muscle car wars.
Those massive hemispherical combustion chambers and aluminum heads were so enormous that Ford had to ship Mustangs to Kar Kraft for custom front-end modifications just to squeeze this beast under the hood.
Only 1,359 Boss 429 Mustangs rolled off the line between 1969-1970.
Each engine was hand-assembled and featured forged internals, NASCAR-grade oiling, and a conservative 375 horsepower rating that fooled absolutely nobody.
Today, these rare beasts command seven-figure prices at auction, making them the holy grail of Ford collecting.
5. 8L Windsor V8
Before it became the foundation for the insane GT500 Shelby motors, the 351 Windsor-based 5.8L was Ford’s reliable workhorse for decades.
This unpretentious powerplant hauled countless families in station wagons while simultaneously powering police cruisers that chased down speeders.
Hot rodders adored its bulletproof bottom end and limitless modification potential.
The Windsor architecture proved so versatile that it appeared in everything from mundane Crown Victorias to fire-breathing Mustang Cobras.
Modern electronic fuel injection only made this stalwart V8 better, transforming it into the perfect blend of old-school torque and new-school reliability.
6. 351 Cleveland V8
Manufactured for just four short years (1970-1974), the 351 Cleveland left an impression that far outlasted its production run.
Those massive ports and valves were comically oversized for street use, but boy did they work magic at high RPM.
Aussie Ford fans enjoyed this engine long after American production ceased. Down Under, the Cleveland powered tire-shredding Ford Falcons well into the 1980s, becoming a cultural icon in Australian motorsport.
The 4V Cobra Jet version with its cavernous intake ports remains the most sought-after, delivering a distinctive banshee wail that no modern engine can replicate.
7. 6L DOHC Modular V8
Ford’s 4.6L DOHC Modular V8 was a revelation when it debuted in the 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII.
With four cams, 32 valves, and an all-aluminum construction, it represented Detroit’s answer to sophisticated European powerplants.
SVT engineers transformed this refined mill into a screaming banshee for the Cobra Mustangs.
The pinnacle came in the 2003-2004 “Terminator” Cobra, where supercharging pushed output to a then-astonishing 390 horsepower.
Unlike its pushrod predecessors, this high-tech V8 loved to rev, producing a distinctive metallic wail that still turns heads at car meets today.
8. 4L SVT Supercharged V8
Carroll Shelby’s return to Ford yielded this supercharged masterpiece that transformed the S197 Mustang into a supercar slayer.
First appearing in the 2007 GT500, this blown 5.4L evolved from humble truck engine origins into a 500+ horsepower monster.
Engineers kept improving it year after year. By 2013, the GT500’s final iteration produced an incredible 662 horsepower—enough to make it the most powerful production V8 in the world at that time.
The distinctive supercharger whine, coupled with an aggressive exhaust note, created a soundtrack that perfectly matched its intimidating performance.
9. 3L Turbo Lima I4
While V8s get all the glory, this plucky turbocharged four-cylinder deserves major respect.
Debuting during the fuel-crisis era, the 2.3L Turbo Lima powered the ahead-of-its-time Mustang SVO, delivering V8 performance with four-cylinder efficiency.
Engineers continually refined this underdog, eventually coaxing 205 horsepower from just 140 cubic inches—impressive numbers for the mid-1980s.
The distinctive off-beat exhaust rumble and turbo whistle created a unique character unlike any other Ford.
This engine’s spirit lives on in today’s EcoBoost Mustang, but the raw, mechanical nature of the original turbo Lima remains unmatched.
10. 0L SHO V6
Yamaha and Ford’s unlikely collaboration produced automotive magic with the 3.0L SHO V6.
This high-revving masterpiece transformed the humble Taurus into a legitimate sports sedan that embarrassed BMWs costing twice as much.
The engine’s party piece was its 7,000 RPM redline and 220 naturally-aspirated horsepower—figures that seemed impossible from a domestic V6 in 1989.
Yamaha’s unique dual-stage intake manifold created a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality that rewarded drivers who pushed it hard.
Car magazines dubbed it “the Shogun” for good reason—this samurai of an engine sliced through performance expectations while maintaining bulletproof reliability.