Why does a Ferrari V8 shriek while a Mustang V8 rumbles? Engineering Explained breaks down the single design choice behind that difference: the shape of the crankshaft. Flat-plane and cross-plane cranks split the V8 world into two camps with opposite strengths — one light and screaming, the other smooth and torquey. Jason Fenske lays out the physics in plain English. Find out which one is actually better, and why the answer depends entirely on what you want.