The Ford 5.0-liter V8 engine, commonly referred to as the Coyote, is celebrated among car aficionados due to its remarkable performance and refinement. It has significantly contributed to making the latest generations of the Ford Mustang GT among the fastest and most thrilling performance vehicles available for their price range.
Technically, the Coyote is noteworthy, benefiting from numerous updates throughout its production. Despite its smaller displacement relative to many other American V8 competitors, the Coyote consistently delivers outstanding power: in the 500-hp Ford Mustang Dark Horse, it achieves an astonishing 100 horsepower per liter without the aid of a turbocharger or supercharger.
Nonetheless, the Coyote has had formidable challengers within the V8 category over the years. This article highlights five competing V8 engines, both domestic and international, that have generated greater peak horsepower than the Coyote. While many forced-induction V8s surpass the Coyote, this comparison will focus solely on naturally aspirated engines for fairness, and we’ll also consider output from each engine’s benchmark model year or generation.
Dodge 6.4 HEMI V8
The contemporary Dodge HEMI strongly reinforces the adage that larger engines can offer better performance. The 6.4-liter HEMI unambiguously surpasses the 5.0 Coyote in displacement. Additionally, the design of the two engines differs significantly; the Dodge 6.4 features an overhead-valve architecture with a single camshaft, while the 5.0 Coyote is equipped with four overhead cams.
Examining their performance in 2015 is intriguing; this year marked the introduction of the S550-generation Mustang with the Coyote rated at 435 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. In contrast, the Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack debuted with the powerful 6.4 HEMI, generating 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.
Although the HEMI’s figures outstrip those of the Coyote, real-world conditions affected the Challenger due to its significant weight compared to the Mustang GT, which was also not exactly light. In practical tests, the two muscle cars exhibited similar acceleration and quarter-mile results, illustrating that mid-2010s enthusiasts enjoyed a plethora of V8 options.
BMW 4.0 S65 V8
In 2011, Ford introduced the 5.0 Coyote in the Mustang, delivering an impressive 412 hp that significantly enhanced the performance of the 2011 Mustang GT. The increase was so pronounced that it led to comparisons with the 2011 BMW M3, sparking much interest.
The M3 of that time was driven by the S65, a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that produced 414 hp, giving the BMW a slight edge in horsepower over the Mustang’s larger engine. However, the Ford’s torque was notably greater at 390 lb-ft versus the M3’s 295 lb-ft. Despite the Mustang being priced considerably less than the M3, the initial Coyote models allowed the Mustang GT to compete closely with the M3 both on paper and on track, cementing the Coyote’s reputation as a premier V8 engine.
Sadly, this rivalry was short-lived, as BMW transitioned to turbocharged inline-6 engines for future M3 generations. Nevertheless, the E90 M3 remains highly regarded for its engine sound, and the S65 has earned its status as an iconic engine, significantly contributing to the E90’s classic status.
Chevy 6.2 LT1 V8
The longstanding competition between Ford’s Mustang and Chevy’s Camaro remains a defining chapter in automotive history. After witnessing Ford’s success with the Coyote in the Mustang, Chevrolet responded with the introduction of the LT1 V8 for the sixth-generation Camaro SS in 2016. This 6.2-liter engine offered 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque, clearly outmatching the time’s 5.0 Mustang GT by 20 hp and a notable 55 lb-ft of torque.
The torque advantage allowed the LT1 to deliver stronger low-end performance compared to the Coyote, enhancing the Camaro’s performance in many assessments. Nonetheless, the Mustang generally received higher praise for comfort and overall refinement.
Updates to the Coyote engine in 2018 and again in 2024 allowed Ford to regain the horsepower lead over the Camaro’s LT1, but GM had already decided to discontinue the Camaro, leaving the Mustang GT and the Coyote as the only American V8 pony car for now.
Toyota 5.0 2UR-GSE V8
Interestingly, the closest competitor to the Coyote in terms of specifications is not a Chevrolet or Dodge, but rather Toyota’s Lexus lineup. Specifically, the 2UR-GSE V8, which debuted prior to Ford’s Coyote, shares the same 5.0-liter displacement and similar DOHC, 32-valve architecture. The 2UR-GSE first appeared in the Lexus IS F sedan back in 2007 and generally achieved superior horsepower over Ford’s offering.
In 2015, with Ford’s launch of the S550 Mustang GT featuring a 435-hp Coyote, Lexus also unveiled the RC F Coupe, boasting an output of 467 hp, decisively surpassing the Ford engine in the contest of naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8s.
As of now, the Lexus LC 500 remains the last vehicle equipped with this engine, rated at 471 hp. Although Ford has surpassed this with the 480 hp Coyote in 2024 models, the 2UR-GSE will be remembered as one of Toyota’s most formidable engines, representing a compelling segment of Japanese performance engineering.
Chevy 6.2 LT2 V8
The Coyote engine, in its most recent versions, is more powerful than ever, with the 2026 Mustang GT boasting 480 hp and up to 486 hp when equipped with the performance exhaust. In response, Chevrolet now offers the LT2 engine in the C8 Corvette Stingray, which is its entry-level performance V8. Though both engines boast a 6.2-liter displacement and are overhead-valve designs, there are significant differences between the older LT1 and the newer LT2 model.
When comparing the LT2 to the latest iteration of the Coyote, the Corvette’s LT2 is rated at 490 hp (or 495 hp with the performance exhaust), giving it a slight 10 hp advantage over the Mustang GT. However, it is the torque figures that reveal a larger gap, with the LT2 producing 465 lb-ft compared to the Coyote’s 415 lb-ft. If you opt for the Mustang Dark Horse, it regains a narrow lead with its 500 hp output, but the Corvette still significantly leads in torque.
Overall, the face-off between the LT2 and the Coyote engines is closely matched; however, the cars differ widely in character and pricing. The Mustang GT starts around $47,000 as a front-engine, four-seat coupe, while the mid-engined, two-seater Corvette has a much loftier starting price of $70,000.
