10 American V8

Let's take a look at these impressive V8-powered American luxury cars that all car enthusiasts love.

American cars and the V8 engine are a match made in heaven. Combining a comfortable ride quality and effortless power, these cars have been the vehicles of choice for millions of people—from the average Joe to Presidents and world leaders. While older V8 luxury cars focused primarily on comfort, newer, more modern American cars do a great job of having great performance without losing on comfort and practicality.

Looking at data from Edmunds, we've put together a list of the ten best American V8-powered luxury cars that every gearhead needs in their garage.

Cadillac V series cars combine the best of performance and luxury to produce something phenomenal. The Escalade V, one of their newest creations, is deceptively fast for a car that is this luxurious! The engine, which is the same 6.2-liter supercharged one found in the CT5-V Blackwing, produces enough power to take this 6,290 lbs behemoth from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds! The Escalade V comes with a plethora of luxury features like a large 38" curved OLED display, an augmented-reality navigation system, adaptive air suspension, and even a 36-speaker studio-grade sound system developed by AKG. This makes the Cadillac Escalade V one of the best American cars that are a perfect blend of luxury and performance.

Manufacturer

General Motors

Production Years

2023-Present

Configuration

Supercharged V8

Displacement

6.2 Liters

Power

682 hp

Torque

653 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

42.3 inches

Rear Headroom

38.9 inches

Front Legroom

44.5 inches

Rear Legroom

41.7 inches

Front Shoulder Room

65.5 inches

The Cadillac STS-V was an underrated performance luxury sedan. It lived under the shadow of the smaller CTS-V for the entirety of its four-year production run from 2005-2009, with just 2,347 examples sold in the U.S. The CTS-V was the performance sedan of choice due to several reasons, and what helped it was that it was offered with a manual gearbox and costs lesser. The STS-V remains to be an underrated car even in the used market, making it a great choice for those looking for a comfortable American cruiser that's as fast as a bullet. This high-performance executive sedan could seat four in absolute comfort and also do the 0-60 mph sprint in just 4.6 seconds!

Manufacturer

General Motors

Production Years

1993-2011

Configuration

Supercharged V8

Displacement

4.4 Liters

Power

469 hp

Torque

439 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

38.7 inches

Rear Headroom

37.9 inches

Front Legroom

42.6 inches

Rear Legroom

38.3 inches

Front Shoulder Room

58.6 inches

The 1964-1965 Lincoln Continental is one of the most iconic American luxury cars in motoring history. In fact, many Lincoln aficionados consider the 1964 Continental to be the greatest car from the luxury automaker. With its distinctive looks and an unmistakable four-door convertible design, the Continental captures the spirit of the American luxury automobile very well. This is why the car commands quite a premium in the used market, especially for well-restored examples.

Manufacturer

Ford

Production Years

1958-1965

Configuration

Naturally-aspirated V8

Displacement

7.0 Liters

Power

320 hp

Torque

465 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

39 inches

Rear Headroom

38.4 inches

Front Legroom

41.1 inches

Rear Legroom

40.5 inches

Front Shoulder Room

59.3 inches

The Chrysler 300C is one of the best luxury cars in the market that also has true muscle car DNA. The car was a roaring success when it was first introduced in 2005 with its distinctive design and Mercedes-Benz internals. Despite having an iconic design and a powerful motor under the hood, Chrysler failed to maintain the momentum as sales dwindled over the years. As a result, the 2023 model year will be the car's last. The 6.4-liter V8-powered 2023 300C is the final hurrah by Chrysler, making it a great luxury muscle car.

Related: Why The Chrysler 300C Is The Ultimate Four-Door Muscle Car

Manufacturer

Chrysler

Production Years

2005-Present

Configuration

Naturally-aspirated V8

Displacement

6.4 Liters

Power

485 hp

Torque

475 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

38.6 inches

Rear Headroom

37.9 inches

Front Legroom

41.8 inches

Rear Legroom

40.1 inches

Front Shoulder Room

59.5 inches

The Buick Riviera is a very special car in American automotive history. For starters, it was tasked with the seemingly impossible job of competing with the Ford Thunderbird. While Buick was not able to achieve this feat, the Riviera managed to win hearts with its unique looks and effortless performance. The 1973 model year was the last to come with the Corvette-like split-window rear design. Like most other cars of this era, the 1973 Riviera came with a large V8 engine and a 3-speed gearbox. While this may sound slow by modern standards, it was enough to be considered fast at the time, especially for a luxurious coupe. The car included various modern features, too, including an electric sunroof, power windows, and more.

Manufacturer

Buick

Production Years

1953-1981

Configuration

Naturally-aspirated V8

Displacement

7.5 Liters

Power

260 hp

Torque

380 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

38.2 inches

Rear Headroom

37 inches

Front Legroom

42.5 inches

Rear Legroom

35.4 inches

Front Shoulder Room

64.3 inches

The Lincoln Town Car is the quintessential American luxury car and is praised for its luxury and reliability. Even though the Town Car was synonymous with luxury and was the choice for limo companies and executives of large companies, the car was an underdog among other luxury cars. Underneath its iconic exterior is a modular Ford V8, a reliable work-horse of an engine with sufficient power. The car is incredibly comfortable thanks to unbelievably soft and supportive leather seats and an air suspension that glides over rough roads. The Town Car also came in a long-wheelbase variant, which gave rear passengers even more room.

Manufacturer

Ford

Production Years

1990-2014

Configuration

Modular SOHC V8

Displacement

4.6 Liters

Power

239 hp

Torque

287 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

39.4 inches

Rear Headroom

37.4 inches

Front Legroom

41.7 inches

Rear Legroom

39.6 inches

Front Shoulder Room

60.3 inches

Related: 8 Of The Greatest American Luxury Cars Ever Made

The 1978 Eldorado Biarritz is still remembered as one of the most memorable Cadillacs ever made. In many ways, it represented a special period for American luxury cars, and was the epitome of luxury at the time. The car had two luxurious and unbelievably soft leather bench seats, meaning it could seat six passengers. Like many other American cars of this era, the Biarritz featured a super soft suspension setup, which meant the car could glide over bumps and undulations effortlessly. In many ways, the Eldorado was unmatched and had countless unique quirks and features, as shown by YouTuber Doug DeMuro.

Manufacturer

Cadillac

Production Years

1977-1979

Configuration

V8

Displacement

7.0 Liters

Power

235 hp

Torque

320 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Front Headroom

38.5 inches

Rear Headroom

36.5 inches

Front Legroom

42.0 inches

Rear Legroom

38.2 inches

Front Shoulder Room

59.4 inches

The Yukon Denali Ultimate pushes the envelope when it comes to comfort and convenience. GMC has used the Denali moniker for their most special versions. The Denali treatment includes tasteful chrome treatment and 22" wheels for the exterior. Inside, this fully-kitted out Yukon gets full-grain upholstery on all rows, as well as a massage function for front passengers. The car also features an 18-speaker Bose audio system with UltraNearfield speakers in the headrests that elevate the experience to another level thanks to active noise cancelation. The Denali Ultimate also comes with GMC's SuperCruise, a hands-free driving technology.

Manufacturer

General Motors

Production Years

2019-Present

Configuration

EcoTec3 L87 V8

Displacement

6.2 Liters

Power

420 hp

Torque

460 lb-ft

Fuel

Premium Gasoline (recommended)

Front Headroom

40.4 inches

Rear Headroom

37.5 inches

Front Legroom

44.5 inches

Rear Legroom

42.0 inches

Front Shoulder Room

66.0 inches

Related: 10 Best Luxury SUVs On The Market

The CT6-V Blackwing is a luxurious American full-size sedan with a comfortable ride when driven sedately. Drive it enthusiastically, however, and the car instantly transforms into a fast and agile four-door sports car. Despite being well received by gearheads, sales never picked up, forcing Cadillac to end production in 2020. Given their relative rarity and performance, there is a good chance they may end up becoming highly sought-after future classics!

Manufacturer

Cadillac

Production Years

2018-2020

Configuration

Twin-turbocharged V8

Displacement

4.2 Liters

Power

550 hp

Torque

640 lb-ft

Fuel

Premium Gasoline (required)

Front Headroom

40.2 inches

Rear Headroom

38.0 inches

Front Legroom

46.4 inches

Rear Legroom

40.4 inches

Front Shoulder Room

58.3 inches

The 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is the true definition of fun for the entire family. With seven seats and the famed 710hp supercharged V8 under the hood, it is just as potent on the drag strip as it is on school runs. This fire-breathing engine makes the Durango Hellcat the most powerful SUV ever made, with a 0-60 mph time of just 3.5 seconds. This is a comfortable seaven-seater with the performance of a supercar and the practicality of a minivan. The 2023 model year brings with it even more features, making it a more comfortable high-performance luxury SUV.

Manufacturer

Chrysler HEMI

Production Years

2015-Present

Configuration

Supercharged V8

Displacement

6.2 Liters

Power

710 hp

Torque

645 lb-ft

Fuel

Premium gasoline (required)

Front Headroom

39.9 inches

Rear Headroom

39.8 inches

Front Legroom

40.3 inches

Rear Legroom

38.6 inches

Front Shoulder Room

58.5 inches

With over seven years of experience in the automotive space, Krunal has lived and breathed cars since before he could talk. He has worked with several automotive and tech publications and has even worked on campaigns directly with supercar brands as a marketing and PR consultant. When he isn't writing or driving cars, he is planning his next travel adventure. Outside of cars and motorsports, he is a finance educator and is passionate about brands and business.