Twelve cylinders once defined the peak of automotive ambition, and a handful of makers still build them. The cars below span Japanese limousines, German flagships, Italian supercars and British grand tourers across several decades. Here are eleven V12 cars worth knowing, ending with the Maybach that keeps Mercedes’ twelve-cylinder alive.
The tech news worth your time: 400,000+ professionals from Google, Apple and OpenAI read Techpresso, a daily email with the most interesting tech news and insights.
We may earn a commission if you sign up.
1. Toyota Century (1997 V12): Japan’s Lone Twelve
The Century’s 5.0-liter 1GZ-FE was the only production V-12 to ever come out of Japan. Toyota built fewer than 10,000 Centurys between 1997 and 2017.
That small production run helps explain why the formal Japanese limousine remains a rare sight outside its home market. A twelve-cylinder engine in a sedan aimed at chauffeured, quiet travel made the Century an unusual entry in a field otherwise dominated by European and Italian marques.
2. BMW 750iL: Munich Goes Twelve
BMW’s first V12 arrived in June 1987 in the 750i and long-wheelbase 750iL, and the E32 7 Series was described as the first V12-engined German car since the Maybach Zeppelin DS8 of 1939.
Top speed was limited to 155 mph, a figure that applied to both the standard and the long-wheelbase body. The 750iL pairs the extended wheelbase body with the smooth twelve-cylinder, a combination aimed squarely at rear-seat comfort and relaxed high-speed cruising on long autobahn journeys.
3. McLaren F1: The Speed Benchmark
On March 31, 1998, with Andy Wallace driving, the car hit 240.1 mph, a production-car speed record. McLaren built 106 examples, each powered by a BMW 6.1-liter V12 making 618 hp.
The figure of 386.4 km/h stood as the benchmark for years and made the F1 a reference point for every later hypercar. The central driving position and the compact, naturally aspirated twelve-cylinder remain the details most often cited when the car is discussed today.
4. Lamborghini Aventador: Raging Bull Flagship
The original LP 700-4 carried a 6.5-liter V12 rated at 700 PS, or 690 hp. Lamborghini built the Aventador from 2011 to 2022 before replacing it with the Revuelto.
Its long run made it the brand’s flagship through an entire decade of supercar development. Scissor-style doors and a low, wedge-shaped body gave it the dramatic look associated with the maker, and the twelve-cylinder engine was the centerpiece of that identity.
5. Lamborghini Revuelto: Hybrid Successor
The Revuelto replaces the Aventador with a hybrid V12 powertrain that pairs a 6.5-liter twelve with three electric motors. Combined output reaches 1,001 hp, enough for 0-60 mph in under 2.5 seconds.
Pricing sits at about $608,358, placing the car firmly in the exotic bracket. Electrification changes how the V12 is used, supporting the engine instead of replacing it. That approach keeps a twelve-cylinder in Lamborghini’s lineup while meeting the performance expectations of buyers at this level.
6. Ferrari 12Cilindri: Maranello Revs High
Ferrari’s 12Cilindri uses a 6.5-liter V12 making about 820 hp, and the engine revs to 9,500 rpm. Top speed is above 211 mph.
The name translates simply as twelve cylinders, a direct statement of what the car is about. A front-mounted, naturally aspirated engine of this size and rev ceiling is increasingly uncommon, which is why the model features on lists of twelve-cylinder cars still on sale. The sound and throttle response of such an engine are central to its appeal.
7. Aston Martin Vanquish (2025): British Grand Tourer
The 2025 Vanquish is powered by a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 producing 824 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is listed at 214 mph.
Aston Martin has long used the Vanquish name for its range-topping grand tourer, and the current car continues that tradition with a twelve-cylinder engine up front. The output figures place it among the most powerful road cars the company has offered, and keeps a front-engined twelve in the showroom.
8. Rolls-Royce Phantom: Flagship Of Goodwood
The Phantom runs a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 rated at 563 hp, and a Motor1 price list for 2025 puts it at $505,750.
As the marque’s flagship saloon, the Phantom treats the engine as a source of effortless, silent thrust rather than outright speed. The twelve-cylinder layout has long suited Rolls-Royce’s aim of smoothness, and the car remains the benchmark by which the brand’s other models are measured, with its price reflecting that status.
9. Rolls-Royce Cullinan: Twelve Cylinders, Tall Roof
Rolls-Royce’s SUV is a V12 as well: the Cullinan makes 563 hp, with the Black Badge version rated at 592 hp. Motor1 lists the base price at $391,750 for 2025.
Few vehicles of this size and body style carry a twelve-cylinder engine, which sets the Cullinan apart from most luxury utility models. The tall body and the twin-turbo V12 combine to deliver the brand’s signature quiet, unhurried character on any surface.
10. Rolls-Royce Ghost: The Baby Rolls
Jalopnik’s 2023 roundup called the Ghost the 13th and final V12-powered car on offer, describing it as the baby Rolls. It shares the same 563-hp twelve-cylinder as its larger siblings.
That shared engine is the reason the Ghost sometimes gets flagged as a near-duplicate of the Phantom and Cullinan on lists like this one. Its smaller footprint makes it the more approachable way into the brand, while keeping the twelve-cylinder character intact.
11. Mercedes-Maybach S 680: Stuttgart’s Last Stand
Mercedes-Benz describes a handcrafted 621-hp 6.0-liter V12 biturbo that outputs 664 lb-ft of torque in the S 680. The 0-60 mph time is 4.3 seconds, and pricing starts at $247,450 for 2027.
The car is the reason Mercedes can still say it sells a twelve-cylinder, at a time when most rivals have dropped the layout or added electric assistance. Hand assembly of the engine reinforces the Maybach’s position at the very top of the S-Class range.
The tech news worth your time: Subscribe to Techpresso →
We may earn a commission if you sign up.
More from Morning Overview
- Hybrids have 15% fewer problems than gas cars, while EVs and plug-in hybrids have about 80% more, Consumer Reports finds
- Regulators cleared the first U.S. small modular reactor, 4 months early
- Lake Powell sank to a record 3,517 feet, nearing the level that stops Glen Canyon Dam’s turbines
- Seven of Earth’s nine planetary boundaries are breached, and all seven are worsening
