In the automotive industry, parts sharing is common and, in many ways, inevitable. It is textbook economies of scale. While conglomerate-level automakers have access to significant hardware and resources, the same can’t be said about low-volume and boutique manufacturers. The basic idea was to borrow engines from larger, proven suppliers to keep engineering and R&D costs under control, simplify emissions homologation, and open the door to global markets without starting from scratch.
Look back over the last three decades, and the evidence is everywhere. Familiar powerplants found in sedans, pickups, and SUVs, luxury cars, and even fleet staples were quietly repurposed with significant engineering efforts and hardware enhancements into something far more exotic. Now, some of the donor cars on this list were genuinely quick in their own right, but they were still worlds apart from the machines they helped create. Here are ten examples where that formula produced truly iconic exotic cars.
(B6/B7) Audi S4 and Spyker C8
Audi 4.2 FSI V8, Naturally Aspirated
Kicking things off with the B6 and B7 Audi S4, produced between 2003 and 2008, that packed a naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 in a compact executive sedan, delivering roughly 340 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque with an emphasis on smoothness and durability. Dutch supercar maker Spyker, which has its roots in aviation going back over a century, adopted the same 4.2-liter Audi V8 for the C8, which entered production in the early 2000s, but reworked it extensively.
Changes included revised intake and exhaust systems, bespoke engine management, lighter internals, and a higher-revving calibration. Output rose to around 400 horsepower, paired exclusively with a six-speed manual. Twin-turbo and supercharged was also offered in some later variants. In the Spyker C8’s lightweight aluminum chassis (~2,700 pounds), the engine gained urgency, sound, and mechanical presence, trading refinement for character without chasing extreme power figures. This same unit would also do duty in the R8, before the V10 glory shared with Lamborghini.
(E46) BMW 3 Series and Wiesmann MF30
BMW M54 Inline-Six, Naturally Aspirated
From a German sedan to a German roadster, the theme of transformation continues. The E46 BMW 3 Series, produced from 1998 to 2006, commonly used the M54 3.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-six, making around 228 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque in models like the 330i. German boutique automaker Wiesmann adopted this same M54 engine for the MF30, which entered production in the early 2000s.
Wiesmann retained the stock displacement but revised intake and exhaust systems, sharpened engine mapping, and paired it with a close-ratio manual gearbox. Output remained similar on paper, yet the experience changed completely. In a lightweight fiberglass body with an aesthetic that recalled the pre-war days, a modern rear-wheel-drive chassis with minimal insulation, the M54 portrayed immediacy, sound, and character, proving that context mattered more than outright numbers. The MF3 that came next featured the more potent S54 3.2-liter unit from the E46 M3, pushing 343 horsepower.
Volkswagen Phaeton and Bentley Continental GT
VW Group W12, Naturally Aspirated to Twin-Turbocharged
Stepping up in cylinders and ambition, the Volkswagen Phaeton, which was one of Ferdinand Piëch’s most ambitious projects, showcased the VW Group’s engineering might. While the flagship Phaeton sedan the produced from 2002 to 2016, was offered with a V6 and V8, it was the Group’s 6.0-liter naturally aspirated W12 that was the pièce de résistance from Wolfsburg’s finest, making around 420 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque with near-silent refinement. It was designed for effortlessness, beyond anything else.
Bentley adopted the same W12 architecture for its Continental GT in 2003. Twin turbochargers, reinforced internals, revised cooling, and bespoke calibration lifted output beyond 550 horsepower, with torque swelling past 479 pound-feet in early models and far higher in later evolutions, making up to 700 horsepower. What began as a limousine-grade showcase engine became the backbone of Bentley’s modern grand-touring identity for subsequent generations and Bentley models. The W12 was capable of sustained high-speed performance (200+ mph) without sacrificing refinement.
Ford Mondeo V6 and Noble M400
Ford Duratec V6, Twin-Turbocharged
From luxury to outright minimalism, Noble’s approach could not have been more different. The Ford Mondeo, particularly in early 2000s V6 form in models like the ST220, used the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter Duratec V6, made around 220 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque, tuned for smooth everyday performance. Low-volume British sports car maker Noble adopted the same Duratec V6 architecture for the M400, launched in 2004, but transformed it completely.
Noble retained the block while adding twin turbochargers, forged internals, revised cooling, and bespoke engine management. Output jumped to roughly 425 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, in a package that tips the scales at just ~2,300 pounds. Noble carried this philosophy forward with the later Noble M600, which used a twin-turbo V8 shared with the Volvo XC90, an engine famously engineered by Yamaha.
(C6) Audi S6 V10 and Lamborghini Gallardo
Audi Lamborghini FSI 5.2 V10, Naturally Aspirated
If Noble proved restraint, Audi went the opposite route. The Audi S6 V10, produced between 2006 and 2011, featured a 90-degree 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 derived from the same engine family used in the Lamborghini Gallardo. In the four-door S6, the engine produced around 435 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, tuned for smooth delivery, emissions compliance, and long-term durability.
Audi lowered the redline, softened throttle response, and paired it with a torque-converter automatic to suit daily use. In the Gallardo, the same core engine revved harder, sounded angrier, and delivered up to 552 horsepower in later variants. The S6, both in sedan and wagon form, became one of the most discreet ways to experience true supercar hardware in an everyday package and took on the equally enticing V10-powered (E60) BMW M5 at the time. This unit was also seen in the flagship S8 at the time, and it offered something rare: supercar sound and configuration in a restrained executive sedan. The 5.2-liter unit would also feature in the Gallardo’s successor, the Huracan, and was only recently discontinued with the introduction of the hybrid V8 Temerario.
Audi RS6 and Gumpert Apollo
Audi 4.2 V8, Twin-Turbocharged
German supercar maker Gumpert pushed Audi’s V8 further than anyone. The C5 RS6 used a twin-turbocharged V8 derived from Audi’s 4.2-liter V8 architecture, putting out 450 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Gumpert took that same core engine design and stripped away every comfort-led compromise.
For the mid-engine Apollo, the V8 gained (K26) turbochargers, dry-sump lubrication, reinforced internals, and motorsport-grade cooling, with output rising beyond 650 horsepower and 800+ horsepower in later variants. Crucially, the Gumpert Apollo was engineered around aerodynamics and chassis balance, generating massive downforce and prioritizing track performance. The result was a road-legal car capable of lapping faster than many contemporary supercars, exposing the extreme potential hidden within Audi’s V8.
Maserati Quattroporte and Ferrari F430
Ferrari F136 V8, Naturally Aspirated
During the FCA-era, the fifth-generation Maserati Quattroporte, built from 2003 to 2012, employed a version of Ferrari’s F136 V8, a modular naturally aspirated engine family developed jointly by Ferrari and Maserati. The F136 featured an aluminum block and heads, flat-plane crankshaft, dry-sump lubrication in Ferrari applications, and a race-inspired valvetrain designed for high revs and durability.
In the four-door Quattroporte, the 4.2-liter unit was a cross-plank one, and it put out around 400 horsepower, tuned for smoothness, refinement, and long-distance comfort. In the Ferrari F430, the same engine family was pushed harder, revving higher and delivering up to 483 horsepower with sharper throttle response and track-focused calibration. Despite its softer tuning, the Maserati retained an unmistakable Ferrari sound and character, making it one of the most authentic supercar-engine sedans ever produced.
Ford Crown Victoria and Koenigsegg CC8S
Ford Modular V8, Naturally Aspirated to Supercharged
Sticking with Ford’s modular V8, the iconic Ford Crown Victoria, produced from the early 1990s through 2011, relied on Ford’s Modular V8, most commonly the 4.6-liter SOHC unit that delivered between 200 and 250 horsepower. It was engineered for longevity, simplicity, and ease of service. It was built to idle for hours, tolerate abuse, and run reliably for hundreds of thousands of miles.
Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg selected the same core Modular V8 architecture for the CC8S, introduced in 2002, and then transformed it completely. The engine gained displacement (4.7 liters), forced induction through twin superchargers, lightweight forged internals, revised cylinder heads, larger intercoolers, bespoke engine management, and dry sump lubrication. Output climbed to around 655 horsepower. This pragmatic approach allowed a startup manufacturer to reach true supercar performance using proven mass market engineering as a foundation.
Ford F-150 SVT and Ford GT
Ford Modular V8 Architecture, Supercharged
Ford’s Modular V8 might be the most versatile engine family on this list. The Ford F-150 SVT, produced in various forms from the late 1990s through the early 2000s as previously mentioned, also relied on versions of Ford’s Modular V8 engineered for durability, torque, and repeatable performance under sustained load. 1999 F-150 SVT Lightning Gen 2 featured a supercharged 5.4-liter Triton with upto 380 horsepower on tap. That same core modular architecture formed the foundation of the Gen-1 Ford GT, built between 2005 and 2006. Ford chose it deliberately, trusting a proven engine family already tested in demanding duty cycles.
In the Ford GT, the 5.4-liter Eaton supercharged V8 was extensively reworked with forged internals, revised cylinder heads (four, instead of the SVT’s 2), dry-sump lubrication, race-grade cooling, and a six-speed manual gearbox. Output rose to around 550 horsepower, enabling supercar acceleration and sustained high-speed capability. Where the SVT truck prioritized toughness and everyday usability, the Ford GT proved the Modular V8 could underpin a Le Mans-inspired halo car that was also an homage to Ford’s Centennial back in ‘03.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class V12 and Pagani Zonda
Mercedes-AMG M120 V12, Naturally Aspirated
More than any other car on this list, the Zonda proves that parts sharing does not dilute identity; it can define it. Mercedes-Benz offered the (M120) 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12 in discreet sleeper variants of luxury coupes like the SL and sedans like the S-Class (W140) during the mid to late 1990s, making around 402 horsepower with an emphasis on smoothness, longevity, and near-silent operation. Horacio Pagani recognized the engine’s overbuilt architecture and partnered with AMG to adapt it for the Zonda, which debuted in 1999.
In the Pagani Zonda, the V12 was hand assembled with bespoke internals, revised intake and exhaust systems, lighter components, and higher rev limits. Power steadily climbed beyond 500 horsepower and up to 700 horsepower in later versions, culminating in the (M297) 7.3-liter AMG V12. A redline above 7,000 comes with one of the most evocative soundtracks in the automotive world. While the Zonda’s V12 evolved far beyond its sedan origins, the underlying Mercedes engineering philosophy of durability and refinement remained intact for decades, forming the soul of one of the most celebrated supercars ever built. It remains one of the most extreme evolutions of a luxury sedan engine into a true supercar icon.
BMW 750i and McLaren F1
BMW M70 to S70/2 V12, Naturally Aspirated
Saving the most consequential transformation for last. The BMW 7 Series, produced from 1987 to 1994, introduced BMW’s M70 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V12, engineered for near-silent operation, smooth torque delivery, and long-term durability in a luxury sedan. Gordon Murray saw this architecture as the perfect starting point for something far more ambitious. BMW Motorsport used the M70 as a conceptual baseline before developing the bespoke S70/2 for the McLaren F1.
Almost everything was redesigned by BMW’s M division, including individual throttle bodies, dry sump lubrication, lighter internals, higher compression, variable valve timing, four valves per cylinder, a dramatically 7,000+ rpm higher redline, and an engine bay famously lined with 24-karat gold. Displacement grew to 6.1 liters, and output soared to 627 horsepower. Despite the transformation, the engine retained BMW’s hallmark refinement, making it the ultimate example of a limousine engine that would eventually go on to become the fastest car in the world when it hit 241 mph at Nardo in 1998, a record it held until the Veyron came along in 2005. The F1 is widely considered one of the most valuable automobiles ever created, consistently fetching over $20 million at auction.
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