why are vehicle engines measured in liters?

Answer 1

Because it's a metric measurement for volume, which is what it is describing.

Answer 2

Well the engine size is measured in how much liquid the cylinders could hold if all of them are as far down as they could go. I guess they called the engine size liters because a 3 quart engine would sound kinda stupid.

Answer 3

Once upon a time, about 30 years ago, the U.S. Govt. decided (for our own good, as usual) that we are going to change over to the metric system.

Well, most of us were brought up with the old system and we resisted this change.

Eventually, they gave up, and now we have a sort of combination of measurements, and us old timers still use the OLD, out of stubbornness, or inability to change, I don't know which.

Answer 4

all the other answers are right. bikes are measured in cc's though because the combustion chambers are smaller and therefore would sound stupid calling a GSX 750 R a 0.75 liter bike and a 2.0 L VW a 2000 cc. both are correct terms, but its simpler and more effective for each application. geddit?

Answer 5

due to the metric system. a liter is about 61 cubic inches, or 1000 cc's. it's very inaccurate. ford calls their 302v8 a 5 liter, and chevy called their 305 v8 5 liter as well. chevy calls their 350 a 5.7 liter, and ford calls their 351 a 5.8 liter. chrysler calls their 360 a 5.9 liter. go figure.

Answer 6

Because the majority of the world uses the metric system.

Answer 7

used to be in pints. It measures the cubic capacity of the firing chamber the bigger the more power

Answer 8

metric is the nato standard mesurment for machines, cars, ect.