V12 Vs V8 Engine: What's The Difference & Is One Better For Daily Driving?

Having worked in car sales for some years, including running a small specialist car sales operation myself, I've been fortunate enough to have driven a wide range of vehicles. I say fortunate; however, it's important to note that some have been quite dreadful. Still, others have genuinely been a real treat to pilot, and among them have been a number of V8-powered machines, and even one with a V12 sitting up front.

The V8 cars varied somewhat. They included a Triumph Stag – a classic car that people love to hate on — which housed a plucky but not so potent 3.0-liter V8, a 4.4-liter Range Rover, and two Audis powered by 4.2-liter engines — a first-generation R8 Coupe (with the all-important gated manual), and a B7-gen RS4 sedan. Some of those are really no good for daily driving, namely the Stag and R8, as one's now over 40 years old, and the other is a two-seat sports car. The RS4 and Range Rover, though, are great examples of V8-powered cars that could be daily driven.

The only V12 car I've had the pleasure of using is an R129-generation SL 600, which I was able to kick around in for one summer. It was a low-mileage, black-on-black example that had been pampered by just two owners. The SL provided a very different driving experience to both the RS4 and Range Rover, and is perhaps more comparable to the RS, so it'll be these two I use as the basis for this comparison. The main difference between the two styles of engine is, of course, the cylinder count. A V8 sports eight cylinders, while a V12 has, you guessed it, 12. As for whether one suits daily driving better than the other, I'd say no, and here's why.

Both V8 and V12 engines have their own separate strengths and weaknesses. Where the V12 really excelled was in its effortless and smooth power delivery. While it boasted 389 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque, the SL never really begged to be driven hard. It was a sublime cruiser, surprisingly quiet, and this character was perfect for commuting in supreme comfort.

By way of comparison, the Audi's V8 was an entirely different beast. It sported an additional 31 horsepower, which is impressive considering it lacks four cylinders, and boasted a capacity 1.8 liters shy of the Merc's. However, the RS was developed with outright performance in mind, and that certainly shows when behind the wheel. The V8 would bark through the twin pipes, was fitted with a manual as opposed to an automatic, and felt as if it was always encouraging you to wring its neck out. Hilarious fun on a country road, and brilliant for smiles-per-gallon, but the aggressive nature of the V8 was much better suited to weekend drives than it was to daily driving.

Perhaps this is also why so many luxury cars, such as the Rolls-Royce Phantom and high-flying S-Class models, favor the V12. It's smoother and simply better when it comes down to comfort, which is why, in terms of driving characteristics, it's better suited than a V8 for daily driving in my opinion.

V12-powered cars are notoriously expensive to keep in great shape. I'm not just talking about the engines either, although with four extra spark plugs, coil packs, a larger oil capacity, and so on and so forth, basic engine maintenance is indeed more expensive. Where V12-powered cars also get you and your wallet is everywhere else. See, if a car packs a V12, then generally speaking, it also packs everything else — an interior laden with every electrical and luxury-focused gadget you can imagine, huge brakes, big wheels with pricey, low-profile tires. Nobody produces a cheap V12 car, and even though some 12-cylinder beasts do depreciate heavily, the servicing and maintenance of them do not, which is why you might want to think twice about buying that cheap used luxury car.

Now, a V8-powered car is hardly going to be a cost-conscious choice, but in my experience, keeping a V8 car healthy is still a less daunting prospect. Parts are typically more plentiful, as V8-powered cars are less exclusive than V12 options, and you'll find more technicians are willing to work on them, whereas some may decline working on a V12 car, as it'll be unfamiliar territory. So, in terms of ongoing maintenance, a V8 engine would be the better choice in a daily driver.

While both have their upsides and downsides, they are great to drive, be it as a weekend toy or as an extravagant daily. Even if it's just to experience it, if the opportunity arises to pick up either a V8 or V12-powered daily driver, perhaps for a summer or so, jump at it, as fewer and fewer manufacturers are producing cars like these in today's world, meaning it'll only get tougher to do so as the years roll on by.