Sure, Brits love their tea, but they also build V8s that sound like they’ve been fired from a cannon. The 20 listed here aren’t your quiet countryside cruisers. These attitude-packed monsters did not care much about charm; they went straight to the track.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Don’t let the refined badge fool you—this Vantage was a proper brute. Its 5.3L V8 made it one of the fastest cars of its day, capable of smoking Ferraris while looking like it owned an art gallery. It was all British sophistication, just with fists under the bonnet.

Jaguar XJ (X308)

The X308 was a British butler in car form: polished and packing a sneaky punch. Under the hood was Jaguar’s 4.0L AJ-V8, the company’s first V8 since the ’60s. It came with 290 hp (or 370 hp in the XJR) and a thirst for mischief.

TVR Cerbera

TVR’s Cerbera came armed with the brand’s homegrown AJP8 engine, a 4.2L or 4.5L alloy V8 built for chaos. No traction control, no ABS, not even power steering. Just 350+ horsepower and a twitchy chassis built in Blackpool. 

Morgan Plus 8

Can a car look like a tweed blazer and drive like a riot? The Morgan Plus 8, launched in 1968, hit 60 mph in under six seconds and weighed barely over a ton. It was pure vintage chaos on wheels, built in Malvern with a 3.5L–4.6L Rover V8.

Range Rover (First Generation)

Debuted in 1970 with a 3.5L Rover V8 (actually a rebadged Buick 215), the original Range Rover had full-time 4WD and washable interiors. It made off-roading oddly posh. Mud met manners, and the luxury SUV genre was accidentally born from all that dirt.

Triumph Stag

When it ran (which wasn’t guaranteed), the Stag was a gorgeous, roof-down grand tourer. Parked in driveways, it looked like it belonged in a postcard. But that 3.0L Triumph-built V8? It’s a bold idea and a dodgy execution. The car came with equal parts charisma and a toolkit.

Bentley Mulsanne

With 505 hp and 752 lb-ft of torque in its final Speed trim, Bentley’s Mulsanne thundered. That L-Series 6.75L V8, hand-built in Crewe, evolved from a 1959 relic into a silent assassin in a Savile Row suit. Absolutely no chill.

Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II

Released in 1959, the Silver Cloud II introduced Rolls-Royce’s first V8: a buttery-smooth 6.2L engine built in Crewe. Graceful and posh outside, it moved like a whisper and hit hard when asked. Quiet confidence and over six decades of V8 legacy began here.

MG XPower SV

MG’s XPower SV debuted in 2003 with a Ford-sourced 4.6L V8 good for 320–385 hp, depending on trim. It was fast but expensive, designed in the UK, built partly in Italy, and finished in Longbridge. The car had muscle but also a full-blown identity crisis.

Jensen Interceptor

Yes, the V8 under the hood was American, but everything else about the Jensen Interceptor was steeped in British attitude. It was a mullet on wheels: tuxedo up front, bar fight in the rear. Sure, it looked Monaco-ready, but it roared recklessly at the same time.

Sunbeam Tiger

Stuffed with a 260 or 289 cu in Ford V8, the Sunbeam Tiger was Britain’s attempt to muscle up a dainty roadster. Shelby helped engineer it, giving it real bite. Assembled in the UK, it hit 60 mph in under 8 seconds.

Gordon-Keeble GT

The Gordon-Keeble GT was rare and inexplicably cooler than it had any right to be. It packed a fiberglass body, a British-built chassis, and a V8 engine that laughed at speed limits like they were suggestions. Let’s not forget the tortoise badge because irony always wins. 

AC 428 Frua

Looking good while outrunning expectations? The AC 428 practically made it a sport. It had a roaring V8, wore Italian curves thanks to Carrozzeria Frua, and had zero interest in being practical. Built in Britain but dressed for the Riviera, it was Bond with bell bottoms.

TVR Chimaera

Launched in 1993, the TVR Chimaera came with a Rover-derived V8 ranging from 4.0L to 5.0L, producing up to 340 hp. Weighing under 2,400 pounds, it could hit 60 mph in under five seconds. It loved corners and sounded like a heavy metal solo on wheels.

Marcos Mantula

Barely tipping the scales at 2,200 pounds, the Marcos Mantula had the sports car attitude of something twice its price. Rear-wheel drive and a Rover V8 ranging from 3.5L to 5.0L made sure it moved like a scalded cat. Launched in the 1980s, it was Wiltshire’s noisy little rebel.

Daimler SP250

Looks aside, the Daimler SP250 earned its stripes with performance. Sure, it looked like it chewed a lemon, but that hemi-head 2.5L V8 moved it faster than expected. It didn’t win pageants, but this oddball British roadster carved out cult status in the weirdest way possible.

Jaguar XJR (X350)

Powered by a supercharged 4.2L AJ-V8 producing 400 hp, the X350-generation Jaguar XJR wasn’t just a boardroom cruiser. Built in Coventry with an aluminum construction, it could hit 60 mph in 5 seconds or less. It’s the gentleman’s brawler, dressed in pinstripes and attitude.

Bristol 411

Introduced in 1969, the Bristol 411 had a Chrysler-sourced 6.3L (later 6.6L) V8 and a no-nonsense attitude. It looked like it should be pouring sherry, but it packed enough muscle to hassle Italian exotics. Filton-built, this machine united elegance with aggression.

Aston Martin V8 Zagato

Aston Martin’s V8 Zagato, introduced in 1986, had a 5.3L V8 pumping out 432 hp, basically the Vantage’s angry cousin in a boxy Italian suit. Only 52 coupes were made, making it rarer than it looks. It wasn’t pretty, but it was all muscle and marvelous noise.

Land Rover Defender OCTA

Equipped with advanced air suspension and electronic locking diffs, the Defender OCTA is a tech-savvy bouncer in SUV form. It’s built in the UK and has a BMW-sourced 4.4L twin-turbo V8 making 626 hp. This 2024 Defender conquers mountains and Mayfair both.