Remember the ending of Top Gear 13 when Jeremy said that supercars will be soon consigned to the history books?! Well, it seems that the curse is already starting to take effect! Due to all that emission standard and fuel consumption restrictions, car manufacturers are forced to downsize their massive engines in order to keep the green party happy. Audi and BMW are the first to use this tactic by dropping their V10s and using turbocharged V8s instead.

Fortunately, because of the modern technologies, less cylinders and displacement do not necessarily mean less power! In BMW’s case for example, their M-powered V10 develops 507 hp, while the turbocharged V8 that they are already using in the X5M and X6M is more powerful at 555 hp. This engine will also power the next M5 and M6 models.

Audi has a similar situation. Their Lamborghini derived V10 which is used i the S6 and RS6 will be a no no for the next generation models. Instead a newly developed V8 possibly with two turbochargers will be in charge of performance.

Although there will be no shortage of power with new cleaner engines, but this is the start of something terrible! As you know Mercedes too will be losing its mighty V12 engines. Maybe in next few years these V8s also become dirty and be pushed out, then what?! It will keep going until all of us drive hybrids! Then the thing we will miss the most is the heavy roar of a V12 engine!