Copyright jalopnik
There's no denying Americans like big, powerful engines, and this passion for power led to Dodge's creation of the big block V10. This earth-shaking powertrain was first featured in a production sports car when Dodge released the Viper in 1992. At the time, the V10 engine could displace 8.0 liters for a comparatively modest 400 hp and 465-lb-ft of torque. In time, the Viper's V10 output was increased, going from 400 hp in its first generation to 500 hp by its third iteration. And by the time the Viper reached gen-four, the V10 block could deliver up to 600 hp with an 8.4-liter displacement. More fine-tuning resulted in the fifth- and final-gen Dodge Viper's 8.4-liter V10 putting out a heart-stopping 645 hp. For such a large powertrain, the V10 surprisingly weighed just 712 pounds. Keeping the engine as light as possible was key in ensuring the slick sports car could reach its 190 mph top speed and would never fail to go from a standstill to 60 mph in a mere 3.2 seconds. Although the Viper was the first production model to use the powerful V10 engine, it did make an appearance in other non-Dodge models. It would actually make more horses in the Spania GT Spano, where it pumped out 888 hp. Later versions of the car reduced displacement to 8.0 liters, but that change actually increased horsepower, jumping it to 900 ponies. Then, there was the VLF Force 1, which came with a version of Dodge's V10 that produced 745 hp.
