The phenomenon of automakers sharing parts is nothing new. Since the beginning of automotive history, engines and other components have been bought and sold, changing hands from one company to another to power models from other marques.

Sometimes, however, the model and the engine it’s powered by make a very odd couple indeed. Whether it’s a Volkswagen van with the heart of a sports car, a sports car with the heart of an SUV, or the other way round, there are some cases where what you find under the hood may not be quite what you expected. Here are some of the most unusual cases of engine sharing in automotive history.

This list includes 10 of the most unusual or unexpected examples of cars borrowing engines from other manufacturers. Items are listed in chronological order, from the oldest to the newest.

1

Volkswagen Vanagon/Porsche B32

One of the rarest Porsches ever produced was actually a Volkswagen. The Porsche B32 was a rare version of the Volkswagen van, known as the Transporter around the world and as the Vanagon in North America. The B32 was based on the high-end Carat trim level of the van’s third (T3) generation.

It was equipped with a flat-six engine borrowed from the 911 Carrera, as well as several other Porsche-sourced parts such as the suspension and brakes. The B32 was built as a test vehicle, and occasionally used for staff transport at Porsche. Only 10 examples were built, a handful of which ended up being sold.

2

Lada Samara T3

Although most car enthusiasts in the world will have heard of Lada, at least for its comedy value as a long-time producer of hilariously poor quality cars, the Samara is not one of the brand’s best-known models, unlike its more (in)famous sibling, the Niva. There is one particular variant of the Samara, however, which competed in the Paris-Dakar Rally in the early 90s, with racing legend Jacky Ickx behind the wheel.

This is the Samara T3: a rallying version of the model, the engine of which was sourced from Porsche. The German brand had a previous association with Lada, and had contributed to the design of the production Samara’s powertrain. In this case, however, one of Porsche’s own engines, a 3.6-liter flat-six, was transplanted into the car, along with the four-wheel-drive system from the Porsche 959.

3

Ultima GTR

This curious, little-known sports car was built by a small company based in Leicestershire, England. The Ultima GTR was available as both a kit car and as a fully assembled vehicle. Around 500 examples of the Ultima GTR are estimated to have been built.

Although several different engines were installed in the GTR, the most popular choices were engines from General Motors’ LS family, which were fitted to all factory-built examples. Displacement varied from 5.6 to 7.0 liters; some engines were tuned by American Speed, leading to power outputs of up to 700 hp in the GTR 720 variant of the model.

4

Pagani Zonda

The Pagani Zonda is one of the most well-known and loved sports cars in the automotive world, with a distinct design that makes it instantly recognizable. Over the course of its long life (the Zonda was introduced in 1999, and the final edition was only revealed last year), the Zonda has always been powered by V12 engines sourced from Mercedes-Benz.

Two different V12 units built by the German brand have made an appearance in the Zonda over the years: the M120 and the M297. Several different variants of the two engines were fitted in the countless versions of the Zonda that have been built over the years, with displacement varying from 6.0 to 7.3 liters.

5

Ariel Atom

(specs refer to Ariel Atom 2)

The Ariel Atom is quite unlike anything else on the road. It has a sharp, pointed silhouette, with traditional bodywork being replaced by an exoskeleton-style exposed chassis. It is produced by the Ariel Motor Company, the modern incarnation of a historic motorcycle brand, in a small workshop in Somerset, England.

While Ariel has used engines from several different brands for the Atom (including Rover and General Motors), Honda has been one of the Atom’s biggest engine suppliers, with many variants of the model being powered by Honda units. One of these engines was the K20C1, the 2.0-liter turbocharged unit also found in models like the Civic Type R.

6

Alfa Romeo 159

The Alfa Romeo 159 was first introduced in 2004, with both sedan and wagon body styles available. Designed by the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro, the 159 was available with several different engines depending on version and trim level.

One of these engines was sourced from General Motors: the 1.8-liter, 16-valve inline-four unit. Another, a 3.2-liter V6, was developed jointly by Alfa Romeo and GM. One of the diesel engines available in the lineup, a 1.9-liter turbodiesel, was also the product of a joint development process with input from Fiat and GM. The 159 remained in production until the 2011 model year, after which its place in the lineup was taken over by the Giulia.

7

Ascari KZ1

This hidden gem may not be familiar to US-based car enthusiasts, as unlike other Ascari models, it never made it to the States due to financial issues and difficulties with regulation compliance. Only 50 examples of the KZ1 were built in total.

The KZ1 was powered by BMW’s S62 engine, the M62’s high-performance sibling. This engine had also powered models such as the third-generation M5 and the Z8. It was the first BMW V8 to be equipped with the double Vanos system (variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts). In the KZ1, it also received a power output boost, going from 394 hp to 493 hp.

8

Noble M600

The Noble M600 made its debut in 2010, the sixth model produced by small British manufacturer Noble. It borrowed its engine from a model that, at first glance, doesn’t look like it has a connection to British sports cars at all: the first-generation Volvo XC90 SUV. This 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine had originally been developed by Yamaha for Volvo.

That being said, the engine found in the Noble is not quite identical to the original Volvo unit. Noble worked with two different companies during the development of the M600’s engine: Advanced Engine Research, a UK-based engine builder specialized in racing engines, and Motorcraft, a US-based engine builder. The result is an engine with forced internals, a MoTec electronic fuel injection system, and two Garrett turbochargers.

9

Morgan Plus 8

The original Morgan Plus 8 had an extremely long lifespan, being in production from 1968 to 2004. It was powered by a Rover V8, which went out of production causing Morgan to discontinue the Plus 8.

The modern version of the model, on the other hand, was only in production for six years, being introduced at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and being discontinued in 2018. It was powered by a BMW-sourced engine, the N62B48. This version of the N62 V8 engine had also appeared in models such as the second generation of BMW’s X5 SUV and the Wiesmann GT low-production sports car.

10

Aston Martin Vantage V8

The current Aston Martin Vantage was introduced in 2017, going on sale for the 2018 model year. The new Vantage’s heart comes from another automaker with a long history of building high-performance engines: Mercedes-Benz. While the V12-powered version of the model is equipped with an engine built in-house by Aston Martin, the V8 version is powered by the M177 twin-turbo V8. This hand-built Mercedes unit was also used in several AMG models, as well as other Astons (the DB11, DB12 and DBX).

The Vantage’s recent facelift, introduced for the 2025 model year, was not just about design, but also about performance. The engine was given a radical overhaul, which resulted in a power boost of 128 hp and 85 lb-ft of torque.

Sources: Alfa Romeo, Volkswagen, Ariel Motors, Morgan Motor Company, Pagani, Aston Martin, Noble