In a world where cars are held in high regard depending on how powerful their engines are, we sometimes lose perspective on the strength and might of these bad boys. A Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, considered the fastest car on the planet, carries an 8.0-liter W-16 engine that produces 1,200 horsepower and 1,106 lb/ft of torque with a world record top speed of 268 mph.

Put that against the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C, however, and the supposedly almighty Veyron's powertrain is reduced to nothing more than a go-kart engine. You see, the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C carries the distinction of being the world's largest engine. How large is 'large', you ask? For starters, each of the 14 cylinders it carries has a displacement of 111,143 cubic inches, which is about 1,820 liters, producing 7,780 horsepower. And that's just one.

Add up all 14 cylinders and you have a total displacement of 1,556,002 cubic inches - that's 25,480 liters - with a maximum power of 108,920 horsepower at 102 rpm and a peak torque of 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102 rpm.

More details after the jump.

If you thought those numbers are staggering, try getting a good look at the engine. It rises 44 feet above the ground, measures 89 feet long - the size of a small building if you're trying to draw any comparisons - and weighs a ridiculous 2,300 tons, with the engine's crankshaft already accounting for 300 tons in weight. Yikes.

Designed by Finnish manufacturer Wärtsilä, the RTA96-C was put into service back in 2006 on the Emma Mærsk, which at one point was the largest container ship in the world. To be able to power such a huge vessel, the RTA96-C uses up all of its performance numbers to its absolute limit and even at its most fuel efficient setting, it still uses up 1,660 gallons of heavy fuel oil per hour.

Just imagine how infinitesimal a Veyron Super Sport's engine is compared to this monolith of a powertrain. More than that, imagine if something like this - shrunk in size, of course - sits under the hood of your car.

Imagine the possibilities, indeed.