Four-cylinder engines were once only seen in everyday point-to-point vehicles. V8s, V10s, V12s, or even W16s, as in the case of the Bugatti Veyron, were frequently used as the engines in the fastest sports vehicles. But because of mounting pressure from environmental activists, automakers are being compelled to lessen the carbon footprints of their cars and are replacing their four-cylinder engines with smaller, lighter, and more environmentally friendly alternatives.
| Fast 4 Cylinder Cars | Speed (MPH) |
|---|---|
| Subaru WRX STI | 155 Mph |
| Volkswagen Golf R | 155 Mph |
| Audi S3 | 155 Mph |
| Toyota GR Supra 2.0 | 155 Mph |
| Lotus Exige 265E | 158 Mph |
| Alfa Romeo 4C | 160 Mph |
| 2016 Ford Focus RS | 165 Mph |
| Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S | 167 Mph |
| Honda Civic Type-R | 169 Mph |
| Porsche 718 Cayman GTS | 180 Mph |
We now have four-cylinder engines that are capable of producing far more power than older engines twice their size because of advancements in engine technology, forced induction, and hybrid technology. This article examines 10 incredibly quick four-cylinder vehicles that demonstrate there is a displacement alternative.
Table of contents
1. Subaru WRX STI – 155 Mph
The WRX STI is still one of the most well-liked Japanese automobiles in the US even if it stopped going by the name “Impreza” in 2014. The WRX STI is a favourite among gearheads because it incorporates Subaru’s top-tier rallying innovations into a street-legal car.
With a familiar 2.5-liter turbocharged four-pot delivering 305 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque to all four corners with a six-speed manual transmission, the most recent WRX STI has exciting performance.
2. Volkswagen Golf R – 155 Mph
Everyone loves the Golf GTI. The Golf R is your best option if you’re looking for the quickest, most potent Golf, nevertheless. Like the Golf GTI on steroids, the Golf R.
Despite sharing a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with the Golf GTI, the most recent Golf R has undergone a number of improvements to increase its output to 315 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It should come as no surprise that the Golf R is regarded as one of the best hot hatchbacks available today.
3. Audi S3 – 155 Mph
The S3 is the best iteration of Audi’s base sedan, excepting the RS3. While the final S3 was built from 2013 to 2020, it had a different car and exterior styling from the A3.
The S3 was fairly speedy thanks to its 2.0-liter TFSI inline-four engine, which produced 296 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Other improvements over the original A3 were an aluminium cylinder head, reinforced connecting rods, and new pistons with new rings and stronger bolts.
4. Toyota GR Supra 2.0 – 155 Mph
The Toyota Supra of the fourth generation set a remarkably high bar for its replacement. Toyota built the Supra Mk4’s replacement over the course of nearly two decades, and many gearheads are pleased that the firm took its time.
The newest Supra generation made its debut in 2019, and many people were delighted by its chic appearance, fantastic driving characteristics, and reasonable pricing. It was created in partnership with BMW and shared many components, notably a spirited 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with the BMW Z4.
5. Lotus Exige 265E – 158 Mph
Lotus unveiled the Exige in 2000 as a more extreme coupe variation of the Elise. Throughout the Exige’s 21-year production span, numerous variations were produced, and the 265E is among the best.
The 265E, which debuted in the late 2000s, is a factory-built Exige S variant that has been enhanced to operate on E85 fuel. The Exige 265E features a 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder and a modest engine, yet it has a top speed of 158 mph and a 0-60 time of under four seconds.
6. Alfa Romeo 4C – 160 Mph
Alfa Romeo may have a poor reputation when it comes to build quality and reliability, but the Italian marque has shown on multiple occasions that it can build a gorgeous car. A prime example of that is the 4C. Even though it was retired, the magnificent two-seater that served as Alfa Romeo’s mainstay for the majority of the previous decade is still very well-liked by motorheads.
Alfa Romeo fitted the 4C with a little turbocharged four-pot that produced 240 hp in order to make it one of the most affordable Italian sports cars you could purchase. The 4C weighs under 2,000 pounds, which might not seem like much.
7. 2016 Ford Focus RS – 165 Mph
The Ford RS division was discontinued in 2015, but not before building arguably its best model ever – the third-generation Focus RS. There was no need for gearheads to be without this amazing hot hatch.
It had a four-wheel-drive system in addition to a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produced a powerful 350 horsepower and 351 lb-ft of torque. It is easy to see why the 2016 Focus RS is regarded as one of the best vehicles produced by the Ford RS division with a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph.
8. Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S – 167 Mph
Mercedes-Benz is renowned for producing some of the world’s quickest sedans. Therefore, the goal was to make the CLA45’s four-cylinder engine as powerful as possible so that customers wouldn’t notice that it was different from the standard six and eight-cylinder engines.
The CLA45’s turbocharged four-cylinder engine was enhanced by Mercedes-tuning Benz’s division AMG to do this, producing 375 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. The CLA45 S is a delight to drive, with a 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 167 miles per hour.
9. Honda Civic Type-R – 169 Mph
The Civic has remained at the top of sales rankings for decades because it is one of the greatest new inexpensive cars you can buy. However, the Civic is a completely different car when the “Type-R” badge is attached.
Consider the most recent Civic Type-R. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with over 300 horsepower was available in this fantastic car when it was first introduced in 2016. It’s understandable why gearheads are enthusiastic about Honda’s upcoming release of a new Civic Type-R.
10. Porsche 718 Cayman GTS – 180 Mph
Porsche replaced the naturally aspirated flat-six in the 718 Cayman with a turbocharged four-cylinder in 2016, which was a highly divisive move. The new 718 Cayman proved excellent to drive, despite the initial scepticism of many gearheads, therefore the decision was successful.
For enthusiasts who purchased the high-performance GTS model, things got much better. The 718 Cayman has a 0-60 time of little under 4 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph thanks to its 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, which is rated at 360 horsepower. Excellent numbers given that it’s one of the least expensive German sports cars available today.
