These Cars Share An Engine, Though You’d Never Guess To Look At Them

Cars that share major internal components are often similar and in the same vehicle class. However, there are plenty of cars out there that share an engine despite offering completely different driving experiences. Of course, some of these engines are heavily modified to fit their new home, but the same heart hums under the hood no matter how surprising it might seem. 

Taking a new car design from concept to reality is both time-consuming and astronomically expensive. That’s why automakers sometimes share technology with other brands, especially for critical tech like the engine. Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota are just a few big names that have been known to share engine technology — but you might be surprised by just which brands they have teamed up with.

To that end, we’ve collected all the details you need about unlikely cars that share an engine, including modifications that alter the engine’s specs and performance capabilities. Here are the cars that might look dissimilar but secretly — or maybe not so secretly — share a powertrain.

You’d never believe the boxy Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63 SUV and sleek Aston Martin Vantage share an engine just by looking at them, but Aston Martin has been using Mercedes engines in their vehicles for some time now. The AMG engine in the Vantage is a modified version of the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that can also be found in the Mercedes-AMG G 63. Aston Martin enlarged the twin turbos, modified the cooling system, optimized compression ratios, and included quad exhaust for a distinct Vantage sound before equipping the powertrain in 2017.

Modifications to the recent editions of the Aston Martin Vantage V8 biturbo AMG engine gave it another jump in horsepower, meaning the 577 horsepower produced by the AMG G 63 increases to an impressive 656 horsepower for the Vantage. A nine-speed automatic transmission moves the Mercedes-Benz SUV through the gears, helping it get to a top speed of 137 mph. The Aston Martin Vantage pairs the V8 engine with an eight-speed automatic with a shorter final drive ratio for impressive acceleration and a top speed of more than 200 mph.

Mercedes-Benz is known for its precision engineering, and plenty of other automakers have been keen to utilize the company’s impressive technology. Take, for instance, the renowned M120 engine, which was found in the luxury W140 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan that was produced from 1991 to 1998. In models such as the S600, a 6.0-liter V12 engine makes 402 horsepower and can take the car from zero to 60 mph in just over six seconds.

The Pagani Zonda hypercar has featured the AMG tuned V12 engine in most models since 1999. With a few tweaks to the engine and some significant tuning work by AMG, the original 1999 Pagani Zonda could reach a top speed of 185 mph while the 6.0-liter V12 engine produced 394 horsepower. While later Pagani models produced far higher hp figures using AMG-tuned engines, the Zonda’s lightweight design took advantage of every ounce of muscle provided by the M120 and allowed it to reach 60 mph in just over 4 seconds.

Marcelc/Getty

The V12 Mercedes engine was at its most impressive in the Zonda, but it performed just as well under the hood of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. In a 1998 S-Class, the V12 can launch the sedan to a top speed of 155 mph. 

We all know that Toyota builds long-lasting engines that endure for hundreds of thousands of miles while Lotus creates lightweight, driver-focused sports cars. What you may not know is that to keep its cars affordable, Lotus uses engines supplied by Toyota for some of its models. As such, Toyota’s reliable 2GR-FE 3.5-liter V6 engine powers both the stylish Lotus Evora sports car and four-door Toyota Camry sedan.

Tramino/Getty

Getting the performance capability Lotus expected from the Toyota engine took some tuning, but in the end, the Evora is an incredible machine offering dynamic looks and a thrilling driving experience. When equipped with the supercharged variant of the 2GR-FE in the Evora GT430, the powertrain delivers a hefty 430 horses. Even on the low end, the mid-engine Evora can pump out 276 horsepower.

Going forward, the Toyota Camry will only sport a hybrid powertrain, but in its day, the popular sedan used the same 2GR-FE V6 Toyota engine as the Evora to get around town. In the TRD Camry, the 3.5-liter V6 can generate up to 301 horsepower, but the eight-speed automatic transmission makes the car’s acceleration feel sluggish. So while these cars share an engine, the differences in how they drive, handle, and look are obvious.

The first Koenigsegg production supercar, the CC8S, used the same engine found in the Ford Crown Victoria. That’s right — the Crown Victoria used by police forces across the U.S. shared an engine with an innovative supercar. While Koenigsegg heavily modified the modular Ford V8 powertrain to improve performance, the basic concept from the Ford engineering team laid the foundation for Koenigsegg’s improvements.

Darthart/Getty

The Ford modular V8 engine had a 4.6-liter displacement in the Crown Vic, but the displacement was increased to 4.7 liters for the CC8S. This change — among many others — took the 210 to 250 horsepower possible in the Ford sedan to 655 horses for the Koenigsegg supercar. Other alterations Koenigsegg made to the Ford V8 engine include upgrading the engine with two centrifugal superchargers, fitting the block with dry-sump lubrication, and adding a larger intercooler.

With these changes to the Ford V8 modular engine, Koenigsegg created an award-winning supercar with capabilities that far exceed what the Crown Victoria could achieve. Where a Crown Victoria had a top speed of about 130 mph, a CC8S was able to reach speeds of 240 mph. Beyond that, going from zero to 60 mph took well over eight seconds in the large Ford sedan, while the Koenigsegg supercar could blast past 60 in less than four.

The BMW i8 and Mini Cooper are two very different vehicles. The BMW i8 focuses on head-turning good looks, exceptional handling, and speed, while the Mini Cooper is a fun compact car made for tight city streets. However, they do share an engine – a BMW B38 — and have since 2014. Of course, some important modifications were made to the powertrain before equipping it in the BMW i8 to ensure it had sportier performance specs.

Fotografia Inc./Getty

One of the main differences between the Mini Cooper and BMW i8 powertrains is that the i8 also has an electric motor system. This means the i8 is a hybrid vehicle with a combined output of 369 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. In the Mini Cooper, meanwhile, the 1.5-liter three-cylinder B38 engine delivers a mere 134 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque. 

Top speeds for these cars are spread out as well, with the Mini able to make it to 120 mph and the i8 capable of reaching up to 155 mph. So, once again, despite having the same basic engine, these two cars couldn’t be more different.

The branding alone would lead you to assume the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 are completely different vehicles, not to mention the storied heritage behind both the Z and Supra lines. However, in the late 2010s the two auto companies tuned a turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six BMW-made engine to suit the needs of their respective vehicles, giving each ride its own unique feel on the road.

Toyota Supras and BMW Z4s share more than a 382-horsepower engine output, however, because they were actually developed together through a high-profile collaboration between BMW and Toyota. The BMW B58 engine the cars share has been available in the A90 Supra since 2019, but the Toyota-BMW partnership is slated to end in 2026, leaving Toyota on its own for the Supra’s next generation.

These cars both offer a rear-wheel-drive system that produces 369 lb-ft of torque in the BMW and 368 lb-ft in the Supra. Handling and steering are what really set these two vehicles apart, as the Supra only offers Normal and Sport driving modes while the Z4 adds Comfort, Eco Pro, and Adaptive driving modes for a tailored driving experience.

Both the Supra and Z4 are only available with two doors, but the Z4 is a convertible while the Supra is a hardtop coupe. Inside, the car’s similarities end with having two seats. They each feature a dashboard design and layout that’s nothing like the other’s, but a wider variety of interior color options is available with the Z4, which also features premium materials throughout.

A joint effort between Audi and Lamborghini — both of which fall under the Volkswagen Group label — resulted in the 5.2-liter V10 powertrain. You’ll find this engine powering the legendary Audi R8 and the stealthy Lamborghini Huracan, tuned by Audi and Lambo engineering teams to fit the driving style that best served these performance-minded models.

Jetcityimage/Getty

As you’d expect, a Lamborghini Huracan generates more horsepower and torque with the V10 engine than the R8. That doesn’t mean the R8’s maximum 602 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque aren’t impressive, but most of us would take the Huracán Spyder’s 640 max horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque any day. Even at the base trim level, the Huracán’s V10 block generates 610 hp.

These sports cars both pair a seven-speed gear shifter to the engine with a dual-clutch transmission setup that glides through gear ratios. However, where the Audi R8 is designed for refined comfort on the road and the track, the Huracan is made for raw speed. So while both high-end models offer a capable drive with the 5.2-liter V10 arrangement, there’s a distinct difference in their real-world performance.

Although Lincoln and Jaguar target the luxury market, you’re not likely to mistake one brand for the other. In the case of the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type, you’d never think the cars share an engine by looking at them — although the reason the cars share some similarities is that Ford owned Lincoln and Jaguar at the time the LS and S-Type were in production. Ford later combined Jaguar and Land Rover, but in 2008 the company sold the entire branch to the Tata Group in India.

The smooth curves and rounded edges of the S-Type give the car an elegant air. Meanwhile, a bold grille and roomy interior make the Lincoln LS an appealing yet powerful luxury sedan.

Getty Images/Getty

The Jaguar designed V8 that powers the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type put out 252 horsepower in early LS models and up to 280 in later versions. In the Jaguar S-Type R, an upgraded 4.2-liter supercharged version of the V8 can deliver 400 horsepower. Both vehicles use a five-speed automatic transmission tied to rear-wheel drive to torque the back wheels, although later S-Types have a six-speed gearbox.

Luxury abounds in either the LS or S-Type, but the Jag’s higher price isn’t for nothing. The higher-end S-Type offers ergonomic seats with leather upholstery and wood trim on the dash. Lincoln LS cabins have elegant features as well but incorporate more plastic, which makes it feel a little less extravagant.