Five essential V8 facts

Radical SR8: UK specialist Radical (b.1996) concentrates on open-wheeler sports cars using motorcycle engines. Fair enough, but taking pride of place is its SR8: "The world's fastest production sports car" and god of the Nurburgring since it started visiting there in 2005. Basically, the SR8 is powered by two Suzuki Hayabusa 1.3-litre four-cylinder engines - or rather, their cylinder heads and other bits married to Radical's own engine block design - for a total output of around 283kW and 305Nm. But if this V8 isn't mental enough for you? Then strap into the SR8 LM's bored-out 343kW 2.8-litre version...