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"Fnord666" writes:

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There's A Good Reason Semi Trucks Don't Use V8s [jalopnik.com]:

V8 engines are among our favorites [jalopnik.com]. They make big power and sound that is, in the vernacular of Boston, wicked awesome. It's only natural to think that such big engines would power the big semi trucks that transport most cargo in the U.S., but that isn't true. Instead, you're more likely to find an inline-6 under the hood of most modern semis.

There are some important reasons why V8s have fallen out of favor in trucking. A V8 makes great horsepower, but towing heavy loads is all about torque. The inline-6 engines powering most modern semis make between 400 and 600 horsepower. That's not much more power than a well-equipped pickup truck these days, and is likely all the horsepower you really need anyway [jalopnik.com]. However, most pickups don't make anywhere near the 1,000 to 2,000 pound-feet of torque that semi engines do. Big displacement in the 13 to 16-liter range, turbocharging, and diesel power maximize torque, and it shows in those four-digit figures.

Another factor is that in the U.S., semis are typically limited to a maximum weight of 80,000 lbs. Scania makes a 16.4-liter V8 producing 2,350 lb-ft used in Europe, but many of those countries allow heavier loads than we do. A smaller inline-6 can handle lighter American loads just fine.

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