This is the most romantic thing I’ve seen in a long time…
For many, the world is flat when it comes to Porsches. They like the flat four- or six-cylinder engines used by the German automaker since they help keep the center of gravity on the car low, helping with handling among other performance metrics. However, Porsche recently produced a video love letter to its very own V8 engine and I couldn’t be happier.
If you’ve never driven a Porsche with a V8, you really should try it out. I wasn’t convinced it would be an amazing experience before having partaken of that fruit because I was busy listening to the flat engine purists. And while the flat engines certainly are great, a Porsche V8 is a whole different beast.
This love affair for many started with the Porsche 928, a car which has been misunderstood but enjoys a solid following, and for good reason. It was a different kind of vehicle from Stuttgart, although some just couldn’t get over the engine having two banks of cylinders positioned at 90 degrees from each other, or the fact it was wedged into the front of the car.
It wasn’t until the Cayenne that the V8 came roaring back into the Porsche lineup and it has stuck around since. Talk about getting hate, I remember people losing their minds about the company making a grocery getter, which somehow signaled its ultimate demise. With 4 doors and ample cargo space, the Cayenne needed something with brute force to get it scooting in a hurry, a task the V8 handles exceptionally well, especially when paired with twin turbos.
However, it was the 918 Spyder which demonstrated how Porsche’s V8 coupled with two electric motors became that much better. It also showed that hybrids could be insanely cool instead of everything being doomed to be like a Prius.
Instead of this story ending with great sadness, something we’re seeing with some automakers abandoning the V8, this video love letter affirms Porsche’s commitment. It brings a tear to my eye to know Porsche isn’t looking to ditch the V8 anytime soon.
