7 Rarely Mentioned JDM Engines With Surprising Power

Key Points:

• Japan has a rich history of producing highly regarded automotive engines, with brands like Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda known for their performance and reliability, exemplified by iconic engines such as the Toyota 2JZ-GTE and Nissan RB26DETT.
• The Toyota 7M-GTE, a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six used in the late '80s Supra and JDM-only Soarer, is an underrated engine that delivered impressive power and performance despite being overshadowed by the more famous 2JZ.
• Nissan's VH45DE is a notable 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 from the late '80s and '90s, competing with Toyota's 1UZ-FE, producing around 277 horsepower but believed to have potential closer to 300 horsepower, powering luxury models like the Infiniti Q45.
• Mazda's rare and unique three-rotor 20B-REW rotary engine, used exclusively in the JDM Eunos Cosmo, combined smooth torque with strong performance, featuring a sequential twin-turbo system and outputting an estimated 300 horsepower.
• Nissan's VK45DE V8, introduced in the early 2000s in Infiniti models, produced between 315 and 340 horsepower and later served as a powerful base for Nissan's racing engines, including Super GT and LMP2 Le Mans racecars, highlighting its underrated performance and versatility.