Sonny Leonard — the legendary builder of American mountain motors — has done the unthinkable: constructed the world’s first V8 drag racing engine to exceed 1,000 cubic inches of displacement, producing more than 2,150 naturally aspirated horsepower.
Sonny’s Racing Engines, based in Virginia, U.S.A., has been the undisputed king of big cubic-inch horsepower for decades. Founder Sonny Leonard has spent a lifetime developing the so-called “mountain motor” — a genre of massively displaced, naturally aspirated V8 engines used primarily in Pro Mod and Pro Stock drag racing. Now, he has crossed a barrier that many believed was impossible.
The SAR 1005 — “The Godfather”
Designated the SAR 1005, Sonny’s latest creation displaces an extraordinary 1,005 cubic inches (approximately 16.5 litres). Nicknamed “The Godfather”, it is the first V8 engine in the world to exceed the 1,000 cubic inch mark — and it does so with staggering performance credentials.
| Designation | SAR 1005 |
| Nickname | “The Godfather” |
| Displacement | 1,005 cubic inches (~16.5 litres) |
| Bore | 5.22 inches |
| Stroke | 5.87 inches |
| Power Output | 2,150+ HP |
| Torque | 1,550+ ft-lb |
| Aspiration | Naturally Aspirated (no turbo, no blower) |
| Engine Type | Big Block V8 / “Mountain Motor” |
| Base Architecture | BBC stroker |
| Application | Pro Mod / Drag Racing |
| Price Range | USD $95,000 – $120,000 |
Naturally Aspirated — No Shortcuts
What makes this achievement truly extraordinary is that every one of those horsepower figures is produced without a turbocharger, supercharger, or nitrous oxide. The SAR 1005 is a pure, naturally aspirated engine — relying entirely on displacement, compression, precision machining and Sonny Leonard’s lifetime of accumulated knowledge to produce its phenomenal output.
“I believed back in those days that engines could only get about 540 or 550 tops,” Sonny has remarked. “Those were mountains back then, but in today’s world they are effectively molehills.” Each incremental year of development — from the 600ci engines of the past to this landmark 1,005ci creation — has brought ever-higher displacement, ever-bolder bore spacings, and increasingly extraordinary performance.
A Lifetime of Achievement
Sonny Leonard opened his garage in 1968 in Virginia, turning a passionate hobby into one of the most revered engine building operations in American motorsport. Specialising in American V8 engines ranging from 600 cubic inches up to this new record-breaking 1,005 cubic inch unit, Sonny’s Racing Engines has supplied powerplants to countless championship-winning drag racing teams over more than five decades.
The SAR 1005 “Godfather” is available for order, with pricing in the range of $95,000 to $120,000. For more information, visit SonnysRacingEngines.com.