These five cars were never meant to have a V8, but the factory did it anyway

These five cars were never meant to have a V8, but the factory put one in anyway.

A lot can change for a car in its development process.

What can start off as a modest daily driver can become a whole drive vehicle with the introduction of a V8 engine.

It’s not an easy process to insert one, but the end result often justifies the hassle.

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The cars that weren’t meant to have V8 engines but ended up with them anyway

Before we get into the eight cars that got a ‘last-minute’ V8, let’s just remind ourselves of what we’re talking about here.

A V8 is an internal combustion engine with eight cylinders, allowing for higher horsepower, a distinctive sound, and a longer lifespan.

They don’t come without some drawbacks, however – more fuel consumption, and being costlier in terms of manufacturing and maintenance.

These eight cars all started their production life without eight cylinders, but rolled out on the shop floor looking very different.

Firstly, there’s the MG ZT 260 (and by extension, its fancier counterpart, the Rover 75 V8).

This car began as a British luxury sedan, before becoming a rear-wheel-drive model thanks to a 4.6-litre Ford Mustang V8.

As autoevolution noted, this wasn’t a ‘lazy badge job’.

This was an extensive change, requiring a ton of work.

Then there’s the AMC Gremlin/Hornet/Matador, from the other side of the Atlantic.

When they were made back in the 1970s, they were considered economy-oriented choices with compact designs.

Doesn’t sound like the ideal car to push a big V8 inside, does it?

In the case of these AMCs, the transition wasn’t exactly graceful, but it still worked out inexplicably.

And how about Volvo dipping its toe into the V8 pond in the early 2000s with the S80 and the XC90?

The Swedish company collaborated with Yamaha Motor Corporation on a compact transverse-mounted V8 and put them in cars not intended to house them.

It was a stark contrast – this brand that usually played it safe, opting for high-power engines.

Heck, this is the company that invented the modern seat belt; it’s got safety in its DNA.

But we have to respect it when companies step out of their comfort zone.

More cars that got a power up in the factory

Let’s not forget the Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracuda.

In the 1960s, simple compact models from Chrysler’s A-body platform got V8s — starting with a 273 ci, then later far larger ones like the 426 Hemi.

These cars were intended as practical and affordable models; adding big V8s turned them into unexpected muscle machines.

Things weren’t quite so seamless for the Ford Taurus SHO.

This family sedan earned itself an engine upgrade thanks to a collaboration with Yamaha – a 3.4-litre 32-valve, to be exact.

However, there was one problem – the Taurus wasn’t built for this big engine, so Ford had to put in a Herculean shift to get it to fit.

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