One of the first things you should know about crate engines is that they come in a variety of sizes, configurations, and stages of completion. You can find a crate engine to replace the engine in your daily driver, power an old-school project with a period-correct appearance, or get a drop-in ready model, a long block, or a short block, depending on what best suits your build.

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You should also know that while some of the most popular crate engines are V8s, there are quite a few that do not have eight cylinders. While some of the most powerful crate engines you can buy from Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet are V8s, there are 12-, six-, four-, and even three-cylinder versions that deliver amazing power. Some of the non-V8 crate engines come from familiar automakers like Toyota, Honda, Ford, Mopar, and Ferrari, but others originate from more obscure brands and aftermarket engine builders.

Buying a 300-horsepower Toyota G16E-GTS 1.6-liter inline-three-cylinder crate engine in the United States could require overcoming some obstacles. However, its impressive power, as evident from its performance in the 2025 Toyota GR Corolla, might make the task worthwhile if you have the proper connections and don’t mind spending upwards of $15,800 plus shipping to make it happen. For example, Toyota reports the GR Corolla sprints from zero to 60 mph in under 5 seconds and has its top speed electronically-limited to 142.9 mph.

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Honda’s K20C1 engine ranks as one of the best Honda K-series engines ever made. The 306-horsepower turbocharged inline-four-cylinder 2.0-liter is probably best known as the powerplant under the hood of the Civic Type-R and Honda-powered race cars. Aftermarket engine provider 4 Piston Racing offers improvements over the factory Honda version with its “Stage 1” K20C1 crate engine priced at $7,550.

The Ford EcoBoost 2.3-liter inline-four-cylinder engine, found in a variety of Ford models, produces 310 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque in crate engine form directly from Ford Performance for $5,242.50. The EcoBoost only weighs 311 pounds and features a “single twin-scroll turbocharger,” according to Ford Component Sales.

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The 550-horsepower Cat3 Hurricrate is the most powerful Mopar crate engine you can buy for under $15,000. Twin Garrett turbochargers force up to 26 psi of boost into the 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder Cat3 to produce 531 lb-ft of torque in addition to the engine’s impressive horsepower output. 

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HPA Motorsports, based in British Columbia, Canada, offers a unique approach to crate engines with the VR550T that it builds exclusively for use in the 2018-2019 VW Golf R equipped with DSG DQ381 transmissions. The crate engine starts with a “German-manufactured VW 2.5L (DDKA) VR6 Turbo,” to which HPA infuses a number of custom in-house designed components, such as HPA camshafts, an HPA intake manifold, and an HPA high flow downpipe and intercooler to produce 550 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. The price for the HPA VR6 starts at $40,000, including labor.

Toyota fans already know about GR-series engines including the 2GR-FE variety, one of the most reliable engines found in a wide array of Lexus and Toyota vehicles. TCS Motorsports has taken the Toyota 3.5-liter 2GR-FE V6, starting at $8,300, to another level, producing up to 649 horsepower and 518 lb-ft of torque with the addition of the 2GR V6 Ultimate Turbo Setup Package. The TCS Motorsports 2GR-FE crate engine is drop-in-ready for a 1991-1999 Toyota MR2. However, professional dyno tuning is strongly recommended after installation.

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The Ferrari name is synonymous with precision and power in the automotive world. Therefore, it’s no surprise that a naturally-aspirated Ferrari Enzo 6.0-liter V12 would make our list by delivering over 650 horsepower and 485 lb-ft of torque. What is surprising is the rare existence of a Ferrari engine in crate engine form, something for which the Italian automaker isn’t particularly known. This example apparently shipped from the factory to a Ferrari dealer in Denmark in 2014 and sat unused until it sold at RM Sotheby’s Miami auction for $450,000 eight years later.

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The other naturally aspirated V12 on our list will be easier to source and cost quite a bit less, although it’s far from drop-in ready. The V12 LS Engine Builder Kit from Race Cast Engineering is priced at $49,300 and comes with a “ready to assemble” iron block bored to an LS7-inspired 4.125 inches and a billet crankshaft, with a 3.622-inch stroke, among other LS goodies. The optional aluminum alloy block comes with LS3 bores at 4.065 inches for an additional $5,000. Race Cast Engineering estimates the V12 LS will make between 750 and 1,000 horsepower depending on the camshaft and valvetrain specs chosen for the completed engine.