We Asked ChatGPT What The Best Engine Ever Made Is. Here's What It Said

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As generative artificial intelligence grows in cultural significance and processing power, luminaries from across the tech world have raised concerns. Should tech industry professionals be concerned for their jobs? What are the likely economic impacts? How can responsible programmers implement strong ethical guidelines on technology designed to alter its own code?

SlashGear is interested in the really big questions — does AI have decent taste in cars? Having already confirmed that ChatGPT knows a good motorcycle when it sees one, we upped the ante, asking the robot in residence about the best engine ever made.

Ever one to hedge its bets, ChatGPT offered a list of five. Like any good gearhead, its favorites covered a range of tastes, representing both no-debate classics like the Porsche flat six and a few left field picks. Here are ChatGPT's five choices for the best car engines ever made, with both its reasoning and our assessment of same.

ChatGPT: "The BMW M3 E92's S65 V8 engine is often considered one of the best engines ever made, with a high-revving design that produced an impressive 414 horsepower."

This particular engine and its specs may be a bit of a reach for best engine, despite ChatGPT's proclamation. The M3 is solid. The V8 version was no different. It united power with precision in a fully satisfying fashion back in the late 2000s and early 2010s. It's all love, particularly for the many delightful S65-powered edge cases, like BMW's 2011 April Fool's Day M3 pickup and SVE's hard-top homage to the great BMW Z-classes of the past.

The M3 has always been at its best as a straight-six with a turbocharger. BMW apparently agrees: the M3 has come with an I6 since 2013, giving the design 11 model years of longevity and counting. The S65 tapped out at eight.

ChatGPT: "The Ferrari 3.9-liter V8 is a turbocharged engine that is used in the Ferrari 488 GTB and Spider. It produces an incredible 661 horsepower and is known for its performance and sound."

Ferrari's turbocharged V8 is on the short list for one of the greatest automakers' best performing engines. The 488 GTB in particular was an easy inclusion in the SlashGear list of the 15 greatest Ferraris of all time, a true road-and-track thoroughbred that could eat miles as readily as checkered flags. The 3.9-liter V8's triumphs weren't limited to a single model number, either. As Ferrari rightly boasts, racers powered by the mighty V8 with various track-appropriate updates have continued to pick up podium finishes well into the 2020s.

The F140 V12 is a more exciting Ferrari engine, but given that it's virtually impossible to obtain let alone drive, ChatGPT may have a point about the 3.9-liter V8.

ChatGPT: "The Honda S2000 was known for its high-revving engine, which produced an impressive amount of power for its size. The F20C engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that could rev up to 9,000 RPMs."

The Honda S2000 could be one of the most underrated cars ever built — a sensibly priced, relentlessly reliable roadster that could compete on sheer fun factor with anything contemporary from BMW or Porsche. The high-revving V4 was at the heart of its appeal, tough as a tank with ferocious pickup. The S2000 was one of the great unsung heroes of the 2000s tuner revival, fantastic stock and a perfect platform for gearhead experimentation.

Despite being out of production since 2009, the S2000 is a great deal on the used car market. The brilliant-yet-sensible Honda is rapidly getting pricier, however, so interested buyers should seek out the little roadster that could at maximum speed.

ChatGPT: "The Porsche 911 has been using a flat-six engine for decades, and it has earned a reputation for its power, smoothness, and distinct sound."

The excellence of the 911's flat-six is inarguable, and anyone who says the Porsche flat-six isn't one of the great engine designs is not serious about cars. Flat engines trace their DNA back to Karl Benz himself — the man who invented the car patented the first flat engine design in 1896. Porsche hasn't been in the flat-six business quite that long, but the 911 and its signature engine did celebrate its 60th birthday this year; that's over half a century of conquering podiums and devouring Autobahns. The Porsche flat-six belongs in the dictionary under "classic."

If a driver prefers a thundering roar to Porsche's banshee shriek, seeks low-end might instead of high-rev precision, or simply would like not to spend a gigantic amount of money on a four-wheeled textbook of German engineering, that is entirely their business. Love it or hate it, the 911 and its engine have earned their place as top performers in the automotive history.

Plus, they sound amazing.

ChatGPT: "This engine was used in the Toyota Supra and is known for its impressive performance and reliability. It's a turbocharged inline-six engine that has become popular in the aftermarket tuning community."

The 2JZ-GTE does have a history dating back to the 1970s with the Celica coupe. And it is the most suped-up version of the Toyota 2JZ engine in the Supra Turbo.

Sometimes the "conversational" tone of ChatGPT can make a user forget that, fundamentally, it's just a self-searching database of other people's work. In that same vein, ChatGPT opinions on the Internet can also come from "Fast and Furious" movies. 

The 2JZ-GTE powered Supra MK4 was a fun if outdated 90s-vintage tuner car. Even its star turn as the late Paul Walker's character's deeply improbable "ten-second car" in the first Fast and Furious film acknowledged the Supra's best point was how easily a good mechanic could turn it into something better.

Cars That Will Blow You Away In 2023 And Beyond

For those of us who have been around for a while, the days when automakers added computers and switched over to fuel injection, adding such unheard-of luxuries as heated seats in middle-class cars and stereo systems that did not sound like wires plugged into a coffee can seemed as though the boundaries of auto technology had been pushed about as far as they could go. Computerized engine management and better manufacturing meant cars would run better and longer, and the days when a car was worn out at 100k miles were in the rearview mirror. New models designed on computers used a myriad of equations and algorithms to create shapes that cut through the wind better and fuel economy had nearly doubled in some cases while horsepower did too. Cars became so much better and so much more than we could have imagined, which leads us to today.

Today we are lousy with supercar choices and base model economy cars have more luxury appointments than many Cadillacs from a few decades ago. The incredible technology that first entered our homes on family computers and migrated to handheld devices in our pockets is now fully integrated and integral to the motoring experience. The forward-thinking General Motors EV-1 electric car which seemed like a cool project that would never be viable for mass consumption has morphed into a range of makes and models using battery-powered propulsion. It would be folly to consider the current technological boundary around automakers is near its endpoint. Therefore, in a brief survey of what is coming, these cars will be blowing you away in 2023 and beyond.

As recently as 2017, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne, according to Business Insider, said unequivocally that there would be no SUV wearing a Prancing Horse badge. At the time, it seems he felt the company would do just fine producing the same thing it always had, fantastically beautiful, expensive, and fast cars. Now that 2023 is around the corner, perhaps Sergio has a bit of egg on his face, but he probably doesn't mind.

According to Fortune, The all-new 2023 Purosangue SUV is first and foremost not an SUV. According to current CEO Benedetto Vigna, "It's a Ferrari." Sure, dude. Whatever you say. Whether you want to call it an SUV or not, it is impressive and appears to be worthy of wearing the Ferrari badge.

Then again, despite its belt line, oversized wheels, and slightly taller ride height, Road & Track says that it does not feel like an SUV. It feels like a Ferrari. This new model is powered by a 715 horsepower 6.5-liter V12 putting its power to all four wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The all-wheel-drive system and suspension are actively controlled by Ferrari's highly sophisticated control system including its Side Slip Control 8.0 software. In short, it puts the power to the ground and keeps it there. Curiously, the AWD system does not engage the front wheel above fifth gear, which is said to keep it feeling more like a sports car than an off-roader.

Most importantly, it is a beautiful machine. It carries many of the latest Ferrari hallmarks and design language from across the line but balances it with its beefier proportions well. Unsurprisingly, the price is steep at $375,000, but it doesn't matter anyway as Fox Business reports it is already sold out for the first two years.

Hyundai is really on a tear lately. From its lowly U.S. introduction with the abysmal Excel, the company has accelerated its development and built its reputation as a leader in its field, producing some of the best cars available while remaining affordable. Its all-electric Ioniq 5 has already won Motor Trend's SUV of the year award, being the first EV to do so, and Hyundai is following up that model with an equally clever Ioniq 6 sedan.

The Ioniq 6 shape uses more curves and sweeping arcs in contrast to the straight cuts and angles of the Ioniq 5. It is the kind of styling likely to be polarizing with love-it-or-hate-it opinions. Everything below the surface is shared with the Ioniq 5 and will be available in a 225-horsepower single-motor or 320-horsepower dual-motor version, according to Car and Driver. The preliminary range estimate will be 340 miles, which is an impressive figure, especially considering this will be a $44,000 car with base model options selected.

Like many similar cars, the interior is minimalist and one of the complaints from Car and Driver reviewers is the overabundance of digital controls, eliminating buttons and switches with tactile feedback. Still, based on the excellent Ioniq 5 already on sale, this model should also set Hyundai's electron-heavy course in the right direction.

Toyota has long been known for being a relatively conservative company that builds its reputation on its excellent build quality and cars that work as advertised. Although it has built memorable performance cars – the MkIV Supra is legendary – the bulk of its production is sensible transportation. However, management within the company has let loose a little bit and allowed its in-house tuning group, Gazoo Racing, lay a few hands on the Corolla, giving us the high-performance GR Corolla for 2023.

For the GR Corolla, Gazoo has tuned a tiny 1.6-liter 3-cylinder engine to crank out 300 horsepower thanks to its turbocharger and probably a bit of genuine wizardry. Car and Driver says this is the same engine used in the GR Yaris that never made it to American shores. All copies of this car will be all-wheel-drive with a six-speed manual transmission, as a true hot hatch should. Despite being able to launch off the line like no other Corolla before it, fuel economy is excellent, thanks to that 3-cylinder engine. EPA estimates are 21 mpg city and 28 highway, which is less than a standard Corolla, but those are nowhere near as fun.

Inside, expect to see similar quality and refinement as you would with other Corollas, but with more sport/race-inspired trim. All this fun will be available for $36,995. For those who are more concerned with power than comfort, a special Morizo Edition will be offered for $50,995 with a stripped-down interior — that means no rear seats — and added power.

Porsche's Macan compact SUV has been with us for several years already and it has proven to be an attractive addition to the company's offerings and a perfect companion to the larger Cayenne SUV. It has not changed much since its 2015 debut but did receive a facelift with the 2021 model. With the 2023 model year, Porsche is offering a full-electric version of the Macan. Based on the reception and feedback of the all-electric Taycan, this should be a welcome development.

The new Macan will, according to Autoweek, share the 800-volt electric architecture of the Taycan but is being built on a new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) that will also underpin future models. While the Macan will be capable of hauling groceries, it will be able to haul something else with its 603 horsepower and instantly available 707 pound-feet of torque. Porsche is targeting charging improvements with its 800-volt system to provide the ability to charge from 5% to 80% in just 25 minutes, with the right charger. The range is not yet mentioned, but a peculiar detail is that the new platform will offer a slight weight advantage to the rear wheels with a front-to-rear ratio of 48% to 52%. Autoweek suggests this presents some speculation of this platform's ability to sit beneath a future 911 EV, but Porsche isn't talking.

Porsche has already sold more than 100,000 of its Taycan EV and is gearing up for Macan deliveries, which are not expected until 2024, according to Electrek.

One of the biggest explosions in the world of sports cars for decades was the arrival of an all-new mid-engine Corvette. What had been hinted at and rumored since the '60s with a variety of concept cars and extravagant rumor mills finally came to fruition, a Corvette with the engine in the middle. Chevrolet had positioned itself to compete with the Europeans by creating a car that is as capable as cars that cost three or four times its listed price.

The C8 Corvette arrived with a new V8 making 495 horsepower and plenty of other tricks to make it go fast in a straight line and not lose it in a corner. While this satiated its adoring fans for a time, more power would inevitably be in order. Now that 2023 is upon us, so is that boost of power. We had the opportunity to drive one, returning with high marks for its all-new overhead cam LT6 V8 that is handcrafted and makes a healthy 670 horsepower.

The LT6 engine is exclusive to the Z06, utilizing a flat-plane crankshaft along with surgical precision in the machining of the quad-valve heads and final assembly. All its power comes without forced induction, using good old-fashioned American engineering and know-how to accomplish a lofty goal. The interior of the car is familiar, but the wheels and tires are both super light and very sticky. Everything combined with the electronically controlled suspension and upgraded dual clutches in the transmission makes for a very fast Corvette that will keep up with most exotics and even pass a few.

For the quintessential British grand tourer, Aston Martin has always been on top of the list. Fast and elegant four-seaters have always been the company's forte, but it is branching out now...into supercars. The company already made waves with the 1,160 horsepower Valkyrie in 2021, but also has another mid-engined beast coming out just on the heels of that car. In another nod to the people that overtook the British Isles in the later part of the first millennium, the second car is called Valhalla, the majestic hall entered by slain warriors in the afterlife.

The new Aston Martin will be powered by an AMG-sourced 4.0-liter V8 fed by twin turbos and spinning a flat-plane crank. The engine is expected to produce 812 horsepower, but that is not all. It will also have a 400-volt hybrid system with electric motors front and rear for a combined power output of 1,012 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Gasoline power will be put to the wheel through an 8-speed dual-clutch unit, the first for an Aston and the transmission is coming from Graziano as a bespoke unit for this car (via Motor Trend).

This is new territory for Aston Martin, but it appears the company is pulling it off. It is one thing to make a car go fast, but Aston is also making it a stunningly beautiful ride, barely sticking up off the ground and shaped such that any wisp of air will go straight over it. Furthermore, Aston Martins are known for having finely crafted interiors and the Valhalla is no different, albeit with a laser focus on the driver. It should be fun.

The Hornet nameplate has a long history, beginning with the fabulous Hudson Hornet that dominated NASCAR for a time and then starred in the animated classic "Cars." AMC acquired the name, applying it to a less competitive midsize affordable family car, and it has now returned as Chrysler acquired the name when it bought AMC in the '80s.

The new Hornet will share its platform with the new Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV as well as much of the technology. This will be Dodge's new compact crossover available with a PHEV featuring a 1.3-liter turbo 4-cylinder paired with a 90-kW motor on the rear axle. The GT trim comes with a larger turbocharged 4-cylinder making up to 268 horsepower coupled to a 9-speed automatic transmission and AWD (via J.D. Power).

This new vehicle is an attractive adaptation of the Alfa platform, which should also offer a more affordable drive as Chrysler claims the Hornet GT will be one of the fastest and most powerful SUVs under $30,000. It will be a welcome addition to the Dodge lineup, which only offers 2 cars and the Durango at the moment. Chrysler's website says the Hornet will be available in Q4 2022, although the ability to build and price one is not yet live at the time of writing.

For nearly six decades, Ford Mustangs have been a part of American highways. While new models of many cars to be excited about are already coming over the horizon, for some, the new Mustang is the main event. The 2005 redesign of the car showed what Ford could do with the Mustang while looking to its past models to guide its design, but now, Ford is taking its pony car into the future. The upcoming 2024 Mustang is sleek and aggressive, yet familiar. All the correct pony car bits are there and they are joined by the latest technology, including those for comfort and performance.

While the Mustang has shed its retro inspiration, nods to past generations are still ever present, from its triple LED sequential turn signals to its row of buttons in the dash that mimics an old AM radio. The new car will be powered, according to Jalopnik, by a choice of EcoBoost 4-cylinder making 315 horsepower and an almost unbelievable 350 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, a 1988 Mustang with the same size 2.3-liter engine delivered just 90 horsepower (via automobile-catalog). But the real money is on the GT model with the Coyote V8 making an astonishing 486 horsepower. These are Mustang performance numbers seen only on the drag strip not so long ago. And there is also the Dark Horse edition that should be seeing drag strips soon as its total power output is 500 horsepower.

Inside drivers will find a large screen crossing over from the gauge cluster area into the center stack for infotainment and HVAC controls, and it will have all of Ford's most recent integration and communications. This looks like the future of the pony car.

If any existing model of car is overdue for a redesign, it is the Nissan Z-car. The outgoing 370Z debuted in 2008 and has had periodic updates with no major overhauls on design or technology. 14 years on the market unchanged is unheard of in the modern age. However, Nissan has finally done the deed and it is delivering an all-new Z, dropping the numerical prefix from its name and updating everything.

With this new Z, Nissan has decided to take a play from the retro styling look by including many cues that harken back to the original 240Z, 260Z, and 280ZX. The throwback curves, however, are more subtle than what we saw in the retro styling explosion circa 2004. Still, the new Z is an attractive car and is decidedly different from its predecessor. You may need some time for the new looks to grow on you, or you may love it right away. It is that kind of car.

Power is derived from a twin-turbo V6 that has been shaved down to 3.0 liters for this car, yet makes considerably more power than the outgoing model at 400 horsepower, per Motor Trend. The interior is not a retro affair with sorely needed updates to things like the infotainment system, although it does include a nice triple gauge set on the dash that recalls that of the original 240Z from 1969.

Lotus has been making fantastic sports cars for decades as an underdog boutique automaker, although its engineering capabilities have always been among the best. The company has built its reputation on small and agile cars that gain a speed advantage not by stuffing giant engines under the bonnet, but by maintaining founder Colin Chapman's mantra of, "Simplify, then add lightness" (via Classic Driver).

While Lotus history is full of phenomenal sports cars like the Esprit, Elise, and Exige, its future looks rather different. Automotive News Europe reported that Lotus finalized a strategy to convert its production to making 100% electric vehicles by the end of the 2020s. The first of these is the all-electric Evija.

For its first time out making an electric hypercar, Lotus is pulling no punches. While its shape and setup are not unlike many mid-engine cars the company has made in the past, the Evija turns its flow of electrons through lithium-ion batteries into almost 2,000 horsepower of forward motion. Top Gear got to test it at the Lotus test track in Hethel, England, putting it through its paces to give its four motors a workout, although it had only 1,600 horsepower and a top speed limited to 140 mph. What a bummer. The many impressive details that make this car special would require a feature article, but one could just say that it takes off like a fighter jet and looks just as cool. Expect to see these on the roads later in 2023. Although, with just 130 examples – which are already sold out – being made at a cost of more than $2 million, sightings will be exceedingly rare.

In its relatively short history, Tesla has already built a reputation for announcing new models with radical and novel features long before they ever hit the streets driven by paying customers. Since 2017, people have been waiting with bated breath for the follow-up to the original Tesla Roadster which is essentially a second-generation car, but with a rather long hiatus between. The 2017 concept was announced with some lofty performance goals, including a top speed of over 250 mph, 1.9 seconds 0-60 mph time, and an 8.8-second quarter-mile, according to Car and Driver. That is fast.

We already know that Tesla can deliver on fast promises as the Model S Plaid Edition has proven already. The prototype was unveiled back in 2017 and has been on display intermittently since then, showing the public what the car will look like. Production versions are not likely to stray far from the prototype, which is a good thing as it looks sharp and carries Tesla design language throughout. Confirmed details about production models are murky, but Top Electric SUV lists the prototype as having all-wheel-drive with torque vectoring and the battery pack will utilize the new 4680 battery cell. The range is estimated at an impressive 620 miles, supported by 350 kW DC charging.

The takeaway is that it looks cool and it will be undoubtedly fast, although superb quality control is not guaranteed. This car in production form will see the light of day, but it just may take longer than you want to wait.

Chevrolet's recent announcement that the company will be using the Corvette name as a sub-brand on a range of cars to include at least one SUV likely drew the ire of hardcore Corvette junkies. For some of them, moving the engine to the middle was sacrilegious, but to turn their favorite fiberglass-covered go-fast toy into a grocery-getter is an immortal sin. However, those guys don't buy new cars, so Chevrolet isn't building anything for them. Chevrolet wants products that turn profits.

Car and Driver explains that Chevrolet will be diversifying the Corvette portfolio to expand the lineup to include base model sports cars along with high-performance models and advanced hybrids as well. It is an overall strategy to raise the Corvette cache and monetize its legacy value. With Ferrari and Lamborghini building uber-exclusive SUVs, how can Chevrolet tempt a defection toward a domestic brand? A well-equipped Tahoe won't cut it. The C8 Corvette is already offering buyers an excellent alternative to a finicky Italian brand and it makes sense to make a play for Purosangue and Urus buyers with a more affordable alternative.

At the moment, few details are out in the open. These are preliminary plans of what appears to be a genuine move by Chevrolet to build up the Corvette name. Keep an eye on this space as SlashGear will be bringing you news about any new Corvette models as soon as they are released.

Cadillac is another marque that has announced a shift to all-electric drive over the next few years, and that includes at least one ultra-lux sedan that looks as though it will rival anything coming from Europe. Cadillac's advantage in shifting to electric cars over its competitors is access to the GM Ultium EV platform. This new platform gives automakers the ability to build a diverse array of vehicles using the same platform in different configurations.

With the electric drive platform being more or less homogenized across the company, Cadillac has more time to devote to the interior and making it a proper luxury car. Based on publicity photos, Cadillac is taking this task seriously. Production-ready prototypes have been shown by Cadillac and it appears the Celestiq will set a new standard for American luxury. According to GM Authority, Ultium power will deliver 600 horsepower and 640 pound-feet of torque. The electric "skateboard" will take advantage of Cadillac's magnetic ride control and all four wheels will drive the car with an advanced all-wheel-drive system.

While this will be a fast car, the interior is where it will shine. A 55-inch screen spreads across the entire dashboard and includes digital blinds to prevent the driver from being distracted by what is displayed on the passenger side. The rest of the interior will be a mix of the finest materials in what looks like a car to rival the opulence of V16 Cadillacs of the '30s. The vast amount of technology and ultra-fine craftsmanship of this car looks to be among the best in the world, which should be expected as its price is set at $300,000, making it the most expensive Cadillac ever.

Lotus is going all-in on electric cars in a big way. Not only has the company created its first insanely high-powered hypercar, but it is also creating an SUV based on its new EV technology. The 2023 Electre has already rolled off the production line with full production ramping up in late 2023. Inside EVs tells us this car is a dual-motor with 591 horsepower and offers an estimated 370 miles of range, however, more powerful variants are in the works. It appears that, since EVs make it difficult to "add lightness", Lotus is going for power instead.

Lotus announced this vehicle as the world's first electric hyper-SUV. The interior is described as a "digital cockpit" centered on an all-new Lotus Hyper OS built upon the Unreal Engine technology from gaming. The in-car experience will be further enhanced by the integrated Dolby Atmos audio system, making the Electre an immersive driving experience.

Lotus has clearly put a lot of thought into bringing its first SUV to market and wants to put its best foot forward. Much more information is to come about this in the coming months, but it will be available at a price of just over $100,000. The first ones are going to the Chinese market. Perhaps the most interesting fact about it relates to this as it is being built at a brand new Lotus manufacturing plant in Wuhan, China. Carmaker Geely owns a controlling share and has vast resources, so expect to see more exciting developments coming from Lotus soon.

The electrification of Volkswagen is happening rapidly. Plans have already been set into motion to phase out gasoline engines completely and the ID.4 is already on the streets. Next up for 2024 is the return of the VW Microbus rolling on an electric platform. The revival of the VW Bus has been desired by VW fans for many years. The ID. Buzz helps to bring that part of the company's history back around, but will also fill a people mover slot within the lineup, something VW has been missing since the abysmal rebadging of a Chrysler as the Routan.

While the old bus can be looked upon through the lens of nostalgia, it was unbearably slow, handled like a rolling refrigerator, and could be described as unsafe, but that word just scratches the surface. This new Microbus will be thoroughly modern with the instant torque on demand from its electric drivetrain. Motor Trend drove a production model, but it is a Euro-spec model and the U.S. spec will be different in a few ways. By the time an ID. Buzz arrives in American showrooms, it will be nearly a foot longer and have a power boost to 295, which is welcome news. It will seat six or seven passengers and share many features and characteristics of the ID.4.

It will be interesting to see what will eventually be released. The basics will be the same and the looks extremely similar, and we should start seeing more activity surrounding its debut in the next six months. Whether this will be a sufficient successor to the much-loved Microbus is yet to be determined.