These Cars Have The Best-Looking Engine Bays

Earlier this week I asked all of you to share what you think are the best-looking engine bays, and to my surprise, your answers were varied and actually pretty great! (Not that I didn’t have faith in you Jalops to pick good choices, I just wasn’t sure if anyone would care about this question.) My example was the Bugatti Tourbillon, which leaves its hybrid V16 exposed to the elements and surrounded by heaps of carbon fiber, but your responses ranged from sensible cars to other exotics and classic race cars. Your answers weren’t just restricted to older cars, either. Despite most modern cars having boring engine bays covered in plastic, there are still plenty that have genuinely good designs under the hood. There was one major throughline, though: Y’all love front-hinged, clamshell hoods, and so do I.

Without further ado, these are the cars that our readers think have the best-looking engine bays. As usual, after perusing through our favorite answers, head to the comments to let us know what cars your fellow Jalops missed.

Alfa Romeo GTV 916 V6. When you open the hood/bonnet it’s like the opening of the curtains for a concert. The polished chromed intakes look like the instruments from an orchestra, and the red font on the valve cover is like the red lipstick of a beautiful singer, and like in a stage, plastic cladding is used to hide those things that might distract the viewer, and leave the main star front and center.

Suggested by: Tiago Bastos

I’m honestly shocked more of you didn’t say this. I don’t think Alfa has ever made a bad-looking engine, at least not until the 21st century.

Other than the uber expensive hypercars I always thought the GTR was pretty cool looking. 

Suggested by: RC350F

I’ve always been a fan of this one.

McLaren F1. Practicality aside, it’s just pure ostentatious. Everything a super car should embody.

Immediately thought of the F1’s engine. SO much gold!

Suggested by: Bossrday, Scott Goodpaster

Goooooooooldfingaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!! *brrr brrrrrrrr brrr*

I am a homer, so going with my car, but you could go with any MB with the M156, pretty much the same picture. Thanks for the engine Oliver Becker!

Suggested by: Big Block I-4

Mercedes really knows how to make a good-looking engine. I’m disappointed no one said the SLR!

Don’t laugh, but the third gen SHO.

Suggested by: HeathcliffeL 

Yeah, that is great.

Just add the Cross-brace. I love these things. Sure, it’s not all chrome and showy, but I love them.

+1 for Vipers (with front hinge hoods), especially since the forward clamshell hoods make almost every non-car person go OOhh woow like it’s something they’ve never seen before.

Nothing like popping the hood and seeing an angry red V10 staring back at you.

I’m a big sucker for clamshell hoods, for this one I gotta give it up to the original Viper GTS. The SRT Viper is killer with the Spidey cross brace but the engine doesn’t have as much visual impact. The 3rd gen Viper might be my favorite overall but it doesn’t have a clamshell hood. This is pure mechanical beauty.

Suggested by: Someone Else, Tony, Dr.Xyster, Hakosuka Dreaming

I picked an original Viper for the image, but as you all said, every Viper has an awesome engine bay.

The 1959 Testarossa engine and engine bay are art. The rosso corsa body work, the black bay that makes it look like the engine is floating, the red heads, the polished aluminium… So pretty.

Suggested by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

When an engine looks this good of course you’re gonna name the car after it.

Rolls Royce’s V12. It’s an ultra luxury car, it shouldn’t look this good. Luxury cars usually have plastic covers on everything to minimize engine noise. 

Suggested by: whale

I do really love that Rolls-Royce shows its engines, though newer models have more elaborate cover designs. The pictured model is a last-gen Phantom Waterspeed special edition.

E46 M3 CSL. I mean come on!

Suggested by: Richard Bobby

I’m always here for something asymmetrical.

Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR V12 engine bay – pure art!

Suggested by: Sun Seeker

Specifically you want the Roadster, which has a lot more of its engine exposed when you remove the rear clamshell.

I love the Ferrari F12 engine bay. Can see all the cylinder intakes, plus it looks like your car is powered by a Lego superhero action figure (once you see it you cant unsee it)

Suggested by: BoneHeadOtto

Front-mid-engine cars are just so cool, man.

1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda 426. Because how do you not like a proper shaker hood?

Sorry people, I gotta go with a ’70 Hemicuda. Popping that hood and seeing that 426 is my sunrise.

Suggested by: LarriveeC05, Notreal

Shaker hoods are one of mankind’s coolest inventions.

We don’t need no stinkin’ engine bays.

Suggested by Golden Earring

I know you posted a photo of an older 3-Wheeler, but I think these newer ones look even better. (The latest-gen Super 3 is extremely cool, but with less of the engine exposed.)

Probably a hot take, but the Volvo XC60 PHEV, it may have a few covers, but it’s jam-packed without looking crammed, organized, and neat. The engine has a nice, meaty looking cover, and all the electrical, covers, etc has nice shades of matte orange and black. Sitting inside that gorgeous chassis, it just looks right.

Suggested by: Blahaj

You know what, sure.

Joke Answer: The Trabant has the best engine bay. It looks like it was assembled by going to the Auto Parts store and saying “I’m gonna make a car, so I need some parts. Doesn’t really matter which parts, just throw whatever seems good in the bag and I’ll wing it from there.”

Just look at this absurdity! There’s basically nothing in there!

Suggested by: Give Me Tacos or Give Me Death

It kinda reminds me of when Volkswagen and Honda guys do “shaved” engine bays, but like, bad.