While the V8 engine configuration exploded in terms of popularity across the Atlantic, in the US, several British carmakers showed that engineers from the Old Continent could also build some brilliant V8 motors, particularly during the 1990s when the following five modern classics were unleashed on public roads.
By the 1950s and 1960s, the V8 engine had become as American as apple pie. Nevertheless, enthusiasts often forget that the configuration was first patented in Europe back in the early 1900s by French engineer Léon Levavasseur.
With American production V8s delivering ample power and great reliability, several European manufacturers elected to import and use them in their models throughout the 1960s, 1970s and beyond.
Nevertheless, in the UK, the 1990s marked the resurgence of locally-build V8s capable of delivering performance figures comparable with contemporary American eight-cylinders.
This led to some impressive enthusiast’s cars powered by proper British V8s, such as the five we’ll rediscover bellow.
1990 Ginetta G33
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
Though its name alludes to something purely Italian, Ginetta Cars is 100% British and throughout its history, the company built several impressive race and road cars that could go head-to-head with similar models built in Italy.
One such model was the G33, a lightweight two-seat roadster that delivered an impressive driving experience comparable to what one would experiment behind the wheel of a much more expensive exotic.
The G33 was a further development of the G27, featuring a several improvements that made it a much more potent car.
Photo: RM Sotheby’s
The G33 felt at home on the race track and any public road, and delivered the unparalleled thrill that only a 1,763-pound (800-kg) purely analog machine could deliver.
Though a very low number of units were delivered with a 2.0-liter Ford Cosworth inline-four, the vast majority of the units built between 1990 and 1993 featured a British V8.
Although based on the architecture of the all-aluminum Buick 215 (3.5-liter), the Rover V8 at the heart of the G33 was a thoroughly revised, 3.9-liter British legend that delivered around 200 hp, enabling the car to sprint from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in around five seconds – quicker than the Honda NSX or the Ferrari 348 TB.
1992 MG RV8
Photo: Collecting Cars
In the early 1990s, the Rover group looked at imports like the Mazda MX-5 and decided to revive both the MG brand and the discontinued MGB model in a refreshed, modern guise.
The result was the MG RV8, which made its public debut at the British International Motor Show in October 1992.
A two-seat roadster, the RV8 featured a modernized MGB bodyshell manufactured with the original tooling used during the 1970s, but equipped with a long list of new components, such as headlights borrowed from the Porsche 911.
Photo: Collecting Cars
Like the MGB, the new model received the legendary Rover V8, albeit in modern, 3.9-liter guise. That meant it now had no less than 190 hp on tap.
That power, combined with the low weight of the car, resulted in a 0-to-60 mph (0-97 kph) sprint of 5.9 seconds, which made the RV8 far quicker than import models in the same price range.
Due to the economic climate of the period, the model struggled domestically, but became wildly popular in Japan, where the vast majority of the units produced found a home.
Praised for its smooth power delivery and excellent handling, the RV8 remains one of the few British sports cars or the era that was far more successful and popular in Japan than it was back home, in the UK.
1996 TVR Cerbera
Photo: Collecting Cars
Throughout its history, TVR built several impressive road cars that continue to be highly revered in the UK and, to some extent, in other countries.
One of those impressive road cars was the Cerbera, which made its public debut at the London Motor Show in 1993 and went into production three years later.
A 2+2 sports car, the TVR reinterpreted the traditional British grand tourer recipe and marked TVR’s powertrain independence.
Photo: Collecting Cars
While previous models used engines sourced from other manufacturers, the Cerbera became TVR’s first production model to only featured in-house-developed motors.
Built around a tubular steel chassis covered by a gorgeous fiberglass body, the Cerbera was powered by several versions of TVR’s Speed Eight V8.
The initial version displaced 4.2 liters and produced 360 hp, but later in the production run, the engine was enlarged to 4.5 liters and power rose up to 440 hp in Red Rose specification.
Even with the initial 4.2-liter, the 1996 Cerbera could reach 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill in an impressive 4.2 seconds, which meant it was slightly quicker than a Ferrari F355.
1996 Jaguar XK8
Photo: Collecting Cars
In 1996, Jaguar discontinued the venerable XJS and introduced a worthy successor in the shape of the XK series.
The new series had several impressive members, including the XK8, which was the entry-level model, equipped with a naturally-aspirated version of the all-new AJ-V8 engine.
While it had four less cylinders than the V12 that powered the discontinued XJS, the new engine, which became Jaguar’s first mass-produced V8, was potent enough to successfully carry the torch.
Photo: Collecting Cars
In its initial, naturally-aspirated guise, the 4.0-liter DOHC all-aluminum motor could produce a respectable 290 hp.
With that power on tap, the XK8 could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 6.4 seconds, an adequate feat for what was essentially a modern grand tourer that prioritized a comfortable driving experience rather than brutal performance.
For brutal performance, Jaguar introduced the supercharged XKR a couple of years later and with 370 hp to deliver, it became the high-performance Jag that even the most demanding customers were impressed by.
1996 Lotus Esprit V8
Photo: Bring a Trailer
One of the most iconic production models that Lotus has ever built, the Esprit debuted in 1976, and was produced in five distinct series until the end of the 2004 model year.
Until 1996, all Esprits were powered by various naturally aspirated or turbocharged versions of the Lotus 900 series inline-four.
However, 1996 saw Lotus introduce a new V8 engine which made the already-great Esprit far better.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
The new V8, an in-house-developed 3.5-liter codenamed Type 918, was equipped with a pair of Garrett AiResearch T25 turbochargers and was developed to safety produce 500 hp.
However, for reliability purposes and also because Lotus lacked the funds to develop a gearbox that could safely cope with all that power, the engine was restricted to 350 hp.
Nevertheless, even with the detuned engine, the S4 Esprit V8 could reach 60 mph (97 kph) from a standstill in 4.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 175 mph (282 kph).
Those figures put it on the border of supercar territory and, thanks to its exceptional handling, the model quickly became one of the greatest road-legal sports cars ever produced in the UK.
