The Biggest Displacement Four-Cylinder Engine In A Modern Production Car

The four-cylinder engine stands as a cornerstone of automotive history. Without this foundational technology, today’s V6 and V8 powerplants may never have come to exist, and the automobile itself might have remained an unrealized dream. The concept of self-propelled transportation hinged on developing a practical engine that could be installed onboard. Interestingly, the earliest four-cylinder designs were remarkably large, sometimes matching or exceeding the displacement figures we now associate with engines having twice or even four times as many cylinders. As engineering advanced, powertrains became increasingly efficient, allowing for reduced displacement without sacrificing performance.

Today, four-cylinder engines exceeding 2.5 liters are uncommon, and those reaching 2.7 or 2.8 liters are considered impressive outliers. Yet, it wasn’t so long ago that mainstream four-cylinder engines regularly surpassed the 3.0-liter mark. Among these giants, two examples—one produced by Mitsubishi and another by Pontiac—are particularly noteworthy as the largest four-cylinder engines of the contemporary automotive age.

The Mitsubishi 3.2-Liter Turbodiesel Is The Largest Modern-Day 4-Cylinder Engine

The Mitsubishi 4M4 line of four-cylinder turbodiesels debuted in 1994 and is presently still being used. The largest to date displaces 3.2 liters, and is the largest engine in a modern-day production vehicle, powering the much-evolved Mitsubishi Pajero SUV that was sold around the world (more than half of distribution in Japan), and as Montero in America.

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The 4M4 turbodiesel premiered in the 1994 Pajero as a 2.8-liter model, replacing Mitsubishi’s 4D5 turbodiesels that topped out at 2.6 liters. The 4M41 variant that displaced 3.2 liters came in with the third-generation Pajero in 1999, but it did not power the American Mitsubishi Montero, which featured a 3.5-liter V6. The 3.2-liter turbodiesel not only took power up a notch from the 2.8 – taking power outputs up to 197 hp and 325 lb-ft, from the 2.8 four-cylinder’s 138 and 232, respectively – but also improved fuel economy from a combined average of 22.3 mpg to 25.6 mpg.

Mitsubishi 4M41 Di-D Specs

The 3.2-Liter Mitsubishi Turbodiesel Never Made It To North America

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While diesel technology gained widespread acceptance in many global markets, it never achieved the same popularity in the United States—particularly in smaller vehicles. As a result, neither the larger turbodiesel nor its more compact predecessor ever reached American shores. However, robust international demand ensured the engine remained in production throughout the Pajero’s entire production run, which concluded in 2022.

The 3.2-liter 4M41 Di-D four-cylinder turbodiesel also found its way into the fourth-generation Mitsubishi Triton mid-size pickup truck. In previous generations, North American buyers knew the Triton by a different name: the Mitsubishi Mighty Max. The truck also appeared in rebadged form as the Dodge D50/Ram 50 and Plymouth Arrow Truck, which were sold from 1979 through 1994.

The Mitsubishi 4M41 Is The Latest In The History Of Large 4-Cylinder Engines

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The 4M4 was the primary diesel engine for most of the history of the Mitsubishi Pajero, starting with its second generation. It arrived initially with the original 2.8-liter version in 1994 and then moved up to the 3.2 when the SUV was redesigned for the third generation. It went through three stages of development.

During the Pajero’s run, the 3.2-liter engine evolved into a downsized 3.0-liter version called 4M42, which was used in Mitsubishi’s medium-duty Fuso Canter trucks for commercial purposes, which is really the way most diesel engines are viewed in North American markets.

Mitsubishi 4M41 Evolution Specs

Cars Have A History With Large 4-Cylinder Engines

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In the early days of vehicles, making engines larger was the sure-fire way to get more power in your car than what competitors used. More cylinders followed in short order, and V-configurations weren’t too far behind, but the days of the large four-cylinder stretched well into the automobile’s formative years.

One of Bentley’s early successes was the 4½-Liter, but that was downright tiny, especially on the track, compared to the Blitzen Benz, from Benz & Cie, and its 200-hp 21.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder or and Fiat’s S76 and its 300-hp 28.35-liter four.

Diesels, on the other hand, have kept a modicum of sanity, though there are some modern Detroit Diesel four-cylinder mills that push the five-liter mark and one at 8.5 liters. None of the above could really be considered production cars, though. For that, we turn to Mitsubishi’s closest rivals of 3.2- and 3.0-liter displacements.

Pontiac Trophy 4

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The Pontiac Trophy 4 was literally half the famed Pontiac 389, which was nicknamed the Trophy V-8 for its racing prowess. The 3.2-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine only lasted a couple of years and was only installed in the first-generation Pontiac Tempest, suffering from the four-cylinder engine’s chief issue – vibration.

Pontiac Trophy 4 Specs

Porsche M44/41

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In 1989, Porsche introduced a new, larger 3.0-liter four-cylinder engine for its front-engine Porsche 944 sports car, in both its coupe and cabriolet forms. The engine replaced a 2.7-liter model and went on to its greatest success in the 944-replacement, the Porsche 968. The most notable application was in the 968 Turbo S, where it made 300 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.

Porsche M44/41 Specs

The Future Of The 4-Cylinder Engine With Induction And Electrification

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In theory, four-cylinder engines should have a viable path forward as the automotive industry shifts toward electrification. However, manufacturers appear to favor pairing electric motors with larger V-configuration engines instead. While the primary objectives of electrification are improved fuel economy and reduced emissions, the technology also delivers a welcome boost in performance.

Current electrification strategies—whether integrating motors into the transmission or mounting them on one or both axles—work equally well with any cylinder configuration. This technical flexibility makes the choice of engine architecture more about market perception than engineering necessity. Since consumers traditionally view V6 engines as superior to inline-fours, four-cylinder powertrains may increasingly be confined to smaller, entry-level vehicles.

In these compact applications, manufacturers will likely prioritize space efficiency, opting for the most diminutive engines available. This trend suggests that large-displacement four-cylinder engines may have reached the end of their era in consumer vehicles. That said, substantial turbodiesel four-cylinders will almost certainly maintain their relevance in commercial and industrial applications for years to come.

Sources: Mitsubishi, GM Heritage, Porsche.