Factory Sleepers That Came With Engines From Supercars

The article explores “factory sleepers”: vehicles that look ordinary but hide high-performance engineering delivered by manufacturers. It frames them as a way to showcase dominance, cut costs by sharing engines across platforms, or borrow prestige to challenge brands like BMW and Mercedes. The first highlighted example is the 1980s Lancia Thema 8.32, which used a 2.9-liter Ferrari V8 sourced from the Ferrari 308 and Mondial Quattrovalvole, making it the only front-wheel-drive factory car to ship with a Ferrari engine. To suit luxury-sedan needs, engineers changed from a flat-plane to a cross-plane crankshaft and adjusted valve and firing characteristics. The piece cites a 0–60 mph time of 6.8 seconds and notes a subtle exterior with a retractable rear spoiler.