Key Takeaways
Collaborations between carmakers produce iconic cars like the SLR McLaren, Zonda, F1, RS2 Avant, Supra, and Giulia Quadrifoglio.
The SLR McLaren marks a milestone in Mercedes-McLaren partnership, excelling in design, performance, and innovation with a strong F1 influence.
Partnerships like the Toyota-BMW duo illustrate efficient cost-saving practices in the automotive industry, resulting in unique models for different customers.
When we think of car manufacturers working together in the modern world, it’s usually something dull like the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok coming out of the same factory. But there are multiple examples of manufacturers working together to create the ultimate driving machines.
From motorsport-inspired supercars to fast sedans and wagons, some of the most iconic cars in automotive history were the result of collaborations between carmakers. Here are six times that automakers joined forces to produce amazing products.
6
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren – Opulent Grand Touring Supercar
Engine
5.4-liter supercharged V8
Power output
617 hp
0-60 time
3.4 seconds
Top speed
207 mph
It’s hard to believe, but the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. The super-GT made its very first appearance as a concept car at the 1999 Detroit Auto Show and the collaboration with McLaren was announced a few months later at the British Grand Prix. After four years of development, the SLR (Sport Leicht Rennsport) was officially introduced as a production vehicle at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. The SLR’s origins lie in the successful McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 partnership in the late 1990s and early 2000s, which resulted in one constructors’ championship and four drivers’ championships.
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Mercedes-Benz did the original design, but everything else was up to McLaren. The task of getting it road-ready was given to Gordon Murray, who is still producing some of the best analog supercars of today. Highlights include a carbon fiber body, active aerodynamics, carbon-ceramic brakes, and bragging rights. When it was new, it was the quickest automatic car ever made. It blurred the lines between grand tourer and supercar. The SLR also represents one of the few times an automaker improved a car after its production run was done. The most recent example was the limited-edition 2023 SLR High Downforce Kit (HDK).
5
Pagani Zonda: Italian Beauty With An AMG Heart
Engine type
6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12
Power output
402/444 hp
0-60 time
4.2 seconds
Top speed
185 mph
The Pagani Zonda continues to capture car enthusiasts’ imagination 25 years after its debut. The first version of the Zonda, the C12, was powered by an AMG-produced 6.0-liter V12 engine producing either 402 or 444 hp, depending on the variant. It marked the start of a partnership with Mercedes-AMG, which has lasted to this day, as AMG will also provide engines for the Pagani Utopia and Imola.
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The Zonda was officially replaced by the Huayra in 2012, but Pagani has since continued to release special editions keeping the nameplate alive; the company frequently works on existing Zondas as well, upgrading them at customers’ request to create a bespoke vehicle. One such example is the Pagani Attack, which started life as a Zonda 760 and came back from the company’s workshop as a one-off work of automotive art.
4
McLaren F1: $20 Million Supercar With A BMW M Engine
Engine type
6.1-liter naturally aspirated V12
Power output
627 hp
0-60 time
3.2 seconds
Top speed
240 mph
One of the most iconic supercars ever made, the McLaren F1 is also one of the most exclusive, as only 106 examples were built. In the late 1980s, McLaren chief engineer Gordon Murray set out to create “the ultimate road car,” which would incorporate elements of McLaren’s Formula 1 DNA. After approaching several carmakers including Honda and Isuzu, Murray eventually built a partnership with BMW.
BMW’s M division, then headed by Paul Rosche, built a 6.1-liter naturally aspirated V12, which remains impressive even by modern standards. BMW initially tested the engine using an E34 M5 Touring as a test mule. A racing version of the F1 (the F1 GTR) won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, three years after F1’s debut; this achievement would never be repeated, but it was the most successful ever debut of any team at Le Mans.
A “spiritual successor” to the F1, the GMA T.50, began production in 2023.
3
Audi RS2 Avant: When Porsche Built A Station Wagon
Engine type
2.2-liter turbocharged five-cylinder
Power output
311 hp
0-60 time
4.4 seconds
Top speed
163 mph
The RS2 Avant was based on the Audi 80 wagon and powered by a turbocharged 2.2-liter five-cylinder paired to a six-speed manual transmission. Faced with competition from the BMW M3, Audi wanted to develop a car that could boost the brand’s image and turned to Porsche for help. Several components from the Porsche 911 were carried over to the RS2. “Around 20% of the RS2 stems from Porsche,” said Michael Hölscher, who led the RS2 project over at the Porsche camp.
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RS2 parts carried over from Stuttgart include the 17-inch Carrera Cup alloy wheels, wing mirrors, high-performance brakes, and front and rear bumpers. Only 2,891 cars were produced, and none were officially sold in America. It was also only ever built as a wagon, which makes it even cooler. While we missed out on the RS2, the USA will be getting the even more exclusive RS6 Avant GT.
2
Toyota GR Supra And BMW Z4: One Can’t Exist Without The Other
Engine type
2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four
3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six
Power output
255 hp
382 hp
0-60 time
5.0 seconds
3.9 seconds
Top speed
155 mph
155 mph
The collaboration between Toyota and BMW to resurrect the legendary Supra name was first announced in 2013 and the car was unveiled five years later, along with its sister model, the BMW Z4. While BMW took care of the underpinnings and interior, Toyota did the exterior design.
Why did Toyota turn to BMW for help? The cost of designing the Supra and Z4 independently would have been astronomical. Forging a partnership made perfect sense, as it meant both manufacturers could keep selling what are essentially niche models at a reasonable price.
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It does have its merits.
Sure, there are some people out there who make “Zupra” jokes, but it’s not like the two cars compete in the same segment. The one is a coupe, the other is a roadster. Those are two very different customers, so each company gets to make money from the same platform and engines.
The biggest argument for the Supra using the Z4 is simple. If Toyota didn’t do it this way, there wouldn’t be a Supra. Would you rather live in a world with a Supra, or without one?
1
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio: Ferrari’s First Sedan
Engine type
2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6
Power output
510 hp
0-60 time
3.9 seconds
Top speed
191 mph
Ferrari and Alfa Romeo have a long history of working together, but it wasn’t always a happy relationship. Alfa Romeo once banned Enzo Ferrari from using his surname to build cars.
The Giulia Quadrifoglio was never an official joint effort between Alfa and Ferrari, but there is enough overlap to earn an honorary spot on this list. According to Alfa Romeo, its 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 is not a Ferrari F154 V8 (as used in the 488) with two cylinders lobbed off.
Nope, not at all. The fact that the two engines share the same bore and stroke and were designed by the same man (Gianluca Pivetti) is purely a coincidence.