Ever looked inside different cars and noticed their engines seem kind of similar? It’s like finding out your top snacks are made by the same company, but with cars. This is a car secret called “engine sharing.”  

This happens for a few reasons 

Cost-Effective: Developing engines is expensive. By sharing resources, companies can save money and focus on what makes their cars unique, like design or interior comfort.

Tried and Tested Tech: Borrowing a well-regarded engine means a car company knows it’s reliable and powerful.
 
Multiple suppliers: Maybe a company wants a sporty engine for one car and a fuel-efficient one for another. Partnering with another engine maker gives them more options. 

The fun part about car companies: Car companies can mix and match engines from different suppliers. So, a car from Company A might have an engine designed by Company B, while a truck from Company B might use an engine from Company C. 

Who Makes the Engines? 

Some specialist companies focus just on engines like Cummins, a strong name for powerful truck engines. Global players like Toyota and Volkswagen also design and build engines for themselves and sometimes even sell them to others. 

List of global companies using different engines 

Borrowing Company Engine Supplier Region Example Car 
Suzuki Fiat Japan Suzuki Swift 
Dodge (FCA) Ferrari (co-developed) USA Dodge Challenger 
Toyota BMW Japan Toyota Supra (A sporty revival) 
Alpine (Renault) Renault France Alpine A110 (Renault subsidiary) 
Aston Martin Mercedes-AMG UK Aston Martin Vantage (For a more powerful option) 
Red Bull Racing (F1) Honda Austria (F1 Team) Red Bull RB18 (Regulations now limit engine development) 
Mini (BMW) PSA Group (Peugeot, Citroen) UK (Owned by BMW) Mini Cooper (Some models) 
Chevrolet (GM) Subaru USA Chevrolet BRZ (Sports car with Subaru DNA) 
Dacia (Renault) Renault Romania (Budget brand by Renault) Dacia Sandero (Affordable and reliable) 
SsangYong Mercedes-Benz South Korea SsangYong Rexton (Luxury SUV with Mercedes power) 
Lotus Toyota UK Lotus Evora (Lightweight sports car with Toyota reliability) 

Why Not Make Your Own Engine? 

Staying Competitive: By offering a wider range of engines, car companies can cater to different customer needs and compete more effectively.
 

Focus on What They Do Best: Companies can focus their resources on designing unique features and technologies for their cars.
 

Faster Innovation: Sometimes, collaborating with other companies can lead to faster development of new engine technologies. 

The Future of Engine Borrowing:

The future of engine borrowing is likely to continue, especially as the industry focuses on developing cleaner and more efficient engines. Collaboration between car companies and engine specialists can accelerate the development of electric and hybrid power engines, guiding the way for a more sustainable future. 

Electric engine makers in India:

Electric Engine Manufacturers Use Description  
Ather Energy Electric Scooters Makes electric motors for its own Ather scooters 
Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited Electric Vehicles Makes electric motors for its own Mahindra electric 3-wheelers and cars 
Tata AutoComp VE Motors Limited Electric Vehicles Manufactures electric motors for Tata Motors electric vehicles and may supply to other Indian EV manufacturers 

So, in the world of car companies, there will always be collaboration with big engine companies. 

Interesting insights: Indian cars share the same engine 

Sr. No.  Cars   Engine  
1 Tata Safari and MG Hector Plus 2.0-Multijet diesel 
2 Skoda Slavia and Volkswagen 1.0 L, 1.5 L TSI Petrol 
3 Kia Carens and Hyundai Alcazar 1.5 CRDi diesel 
4 Nissan Kicks and Mercedes Benz A-Class Limousine 1.3 L HR13DDT Petrol 
5 Renault Triber and Renault Kwid  1.0 L BR10DE Petrol 
6 Hyundai Creta & Kia Sonet 1.5L U2 CRDi Diesel Engine 
7 Tata Harrier & Jeep Compass 2.0L Diesel Engine 
8 Nissan Magnite & Renault Kiger 1.0L Turbo Petrol Engine 

List of internal combustion engine makers in India:

Engine Maker  Use Description 
Bajaj Auto Primarily in-house Makes engines for its own Bajaj and KTM brands 
Cummins India Trucks, Buses, Construction Equipment Supplies engines to major OEMs like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, etc. 
Greaves Cotton 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, Generators Sells engines to various manufacturers like Ampere Vehicles, Altigreen, etc. 
Mahindra & Mahindra Primarily in-house  Makes engines for Mahindra cars, SUVs, tractors, and also supplies some engines to other manufacturers 
Maruti Suzuki Primarily in-house  Sources most engines from Suzuki, with some in-house development for Maruti Suzuki cars 
Tata Motors Primarily in-house  Designs and manufactures engines for Tata cars, SUVs, trucks, and also supplies some engines to other commercial vehicle manufacturers 
TVS Motor Company Primarily in-house  Manufactures engines for its own TVS motorcycles and scooters 

Conclusion 

Engine sharing is an interesting aspect of the automotive industry that highlights the power of collaboration and innovation. Whether you’re driving in Europe, America, or India, chances are they are a shared engine powering your drive. 

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