At this year's Detroit Auto Show, following the announcement of the cancellation of GM's "Ultra" V-8 program and Ford's announcement of its EcoBoost line of engines, many analysts are predicting an end to the heyday of the V-8. Some are even going to far as to say it will be phased out in half-ton trucks in favor of forced-induction six-cylinders. Do you think they're right? Or do you think the V-8 is here to stay?  

While I do think smaller motors with turbos and superchargers will become more commonplace, there will ALWAYS be people with enough cash and the cajones to drive a V8. Just as there is a Ying to the Toyota Prius, there must be a Yang in a Dodge Ram Hemi.

Truck owners are a very conservative bunch, and I think the truck makers will find they are very leery of turbo sixes and hybrid powertrains. To be honest though, the V8 hasn't had a heyday in the auto industry since the 1970's. It is only in the truck market that V8s dominate.

This ultra V8 was more intended for crossovers, Buicks and Cadillacs and not workaday Chevy and GMC trucks. Most of the V8s offered are simple and inexpensive to manufacture. That is another reason they will survive.

I can't even imagine buying a supercharged V6 in, say, an F150. Call me traditional, but I see that as heresy. Kind of an automotive freak on the level not seen since the Mustang II.  

So I dare not even ask what you think of the prospect of a four-cylinder, turbocharged Explorer!    

I believe, the V8 has yet to follow Elvis out the door. Now if they want to bring an Inline Six back and turbo charge that....But that won't happen. Being a V8 guy, if that is actually a type of guy, I'd like to say it will be a long time before the big cheeses nix the V8. But anything is possible, ecspecialy in these days. I also think the prospect of a 4cyl Turboed Explorer would be horrible...but that's just my 2 cents.  

As long as the internal-combustion engine is still around, and there's something to fuel it with, there will be demand for V8s. Granted, maybe not as much as today, but it'll be around for some time to come. Just remember everyone thought the oil crisis of the 1970s was the end of the world, and we'd all be driving around in Toyota hatchbacks & VW Beetles. Well, once oil prices stabilized, everyone went right back to their old habits. But yeah, it will probably be limited to full-size trucks, performance & muscle cars, and luxury cars, which really describes what models mostly have V8s now.  

It will never happen, Worst case for the V8 is they will get smaller, like a 4.0. Hell just look at ITALY, ENGLAND and FRANCE!!!!!  

Shoot, I've seen V8s as small as 3.0 liters! The Ferrari 308 that Magnum P.I. used to drive was a 3-liter, and BMW had a 3-liter V8 in the 90s. I actually drove one. Smooth as silk and pretty peppy. Seems kind of silly to me to have a V8 that small, but hey, whatever floats your boat.  

DAMN, If they get that small, will have to drop one in a GEO METRO, and see how fast it can move?????  

On a somewhat related note, I remember Mazda had a 1.8L V-6 in the early-mid '90s. Again...kind of an answer to a question nobody asked. Interesting, though.  

Not completeley while the USA has the luxury of the cheapest gas in the world,(and uses over 1/3 of the world's total consumption)if prices went up to around the $6 mark,(which is still around a lot cheaper than in europe where the V8 is the luxury) then the demand for 4 cylinder cars would go up for sure
if the government puts more pressure on the enviromental issue in line with most of the western world it would force more  trucks and SUV'S off the road
In the UK this is happening,where SUV'S don't make much sense financially and i guess morally too,heck they're acually pretty frowned upton and even laughed at when used to carry just 1 or 2 people,prices of them have dropped bigtime,as less and less people want them,but like i say i think they'll stay just decline,nothing can beat driving a V8 after all huh!!  

Well, no doubt about it, there's nothing like the sound and feel of a well-tuned V-8. But I think they've already kind of become a niche product.

There will be some that will always still want a V-8, and I think they will remain in full-size pickups, luxury and sports cars, but the days of the V-8 being a mainstream engine are already essentially over.

I think one of the factors is that 4 and 6-cylinders have become so much more powerful, that people don't really see the need for a V-8 anymore.

Case-in-point, back in the early '80s, the GM 5.0L V-8 only produced 140 horsepower and 255 lb./ft. of torque. In specific terms, that's truly pitiful output. Now, GM has a 2.0L four-cylinder turbo that produces 260 hp and 260 lb./ft. of torque, and a V-6 that makes 304 horsepower and 274 lb./ft.

Honestly, anymore, other than the sound, there's not a whole lot of reason to get a V-8, when the sixes are producing more power than V-8s were just a few years ago.