the v8 is making a comeback but people can t afford themWhile fuel prices have been sending cash-strapped car shoppers running into the arms of hybrids, a very different movement is playing out at the upper end of the auto market. The V8 engine is staging a quiet comeback-driven by shifting federal emissions targets and die-hard enthusiast demand-even if dealer lots are struggling to move them as fast as factory assembly lines can pump them out.Relaxed regulations are clearing the runway for Detroit's favorite powertrain. Under NHTSA's updated SAFE Vehicles Rule III guidelines, the federal government stripped electric vehicles and compliance credits from its standard-setting baseline, targeting a combined fleet average of roughly 34.9 mpg by 2031. That increased regulatory breathing room has given legacy automakers the green light to double down on eight-cylinder iron.8 ways americans are saving money to afford high gas pricesAutomakers Bet Big on Muscle and TrucksAutomakers are wasting no time putting V8s back under the hood. Ram famously dropped the HEMI from the 2025 Ram 1500, only to hastily bring the engine back for 2026 after truck buyers revolted. General Motors poured $888 million into developing its new sixth-generation V8 family for the Silverado and Sierra lineups, while Ford has firmly held the line with its 5.0-liter Coyote V8 in the F-150 and Mustang.Related VideoOutside of full-size pickup beds, options remain slim, but the ones left are thriving. The aging Dodge Durango remains the only mid-size crossover on the market offering a V8 option, driving surprisingly strong showroom interest despite sitting on a platform that's over a decade old.According to CarGurus Q3 Intelligence Report, inventory data indicates V8-powered vehicles now account for 14.5% of all new vehicle listings-a 19 percent jump year-over-year. There's just one problem: while production is surging, buyers aren't biting quite fast enough to keep up with dealer inventory.Eight-cylinder vehicles sit on the opposite end of the affordability spectrum from budget-friendly hybrids. The average list price for a V8 vehicle has climbed to $75,000-a 26 percent increase since 2021-making them roughly twice as expensive as the average $35,000 to $42,000 price tag carried by mainstream hybrids.With gas prices hovering at elevated levels, high monthly loan payments combined with hefty fuel bills are causing shoppers to think twice. While overall V8 market share remains flat, rising dealer inventory has pushed average market days supply up to 87.7 days.Even the best-selling V8 trucks are feeling the slow burn on dealer lots:Ford F-150: 54.4 days to turnChevrolet Silverado 1500: 60.0 days to turnGMC Sierra 1500: 67.2 days to turnFor now, automakers seem more than happy to build high-margin V8 trucks and sport-utilities, accepting slower turnover times as the price of doing business with deep-pocketed capability buyers. Whether everyday consumers can keep absorbing $75,000 sticker prices in an uncertain economy remains to be seen.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter.