5 Reasons Why More Car Makers Need To Get It On

The old saying of ‘two heads are better than one’ is particularly relevant when it comes to motors. Some of the most iconic cars have been created when car companies get it on together to create something so epic, that it’ll forever be remembered as one of the greats. Here are 5 of the highlights so far.

1. Mercedes and Porsche: Merc 500E

When these two German power-houses got together to brew up a car, they came up with one of the best sleeper ‘Q’ cars of all time. The 500E’s outwardly very similar to the dependable W124 it’s based on, but take a closer look, and you notice a few subtle differences. That slightly wider track, those flared arches, the lower stance, it all points towards the fact that this is no ordinary W124.

Sure enough, there’s a socking great 320bhp 5.0-litre V8 from the R129 SL stuffed under the bonnet. All this was hand-built by Porsche at its Rossle-Bau factory until the car was discontinued in 1994. Porsche then moved onto its next collaborative effort, the Audi RS2.

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2. Audi and Porsche: Audi RS2

The stupendously fast Audi estate is something of petrolhead’s idea of perfection, and it all started with the RS2. Using Audi’s already brisk S2 Avant, the chaps from Stuttgart worked their magic on Audi’s 2.2-litre turbocharged five-cylinder unit, upping the power to 311bhp. The suspension and brakes were beefed up, with the whole shebang finished off with a set of Porsche’s 17-inch Cup rims.

The results were pretty startling; 60mph flew by in a scant 4.8 seconds, while the top end was electronically limited at 162mph. With the added traction of four-wheel drive, the dash to 30mph was dispatched in a neck-snapping 1.5 seconds, faster than the McLaren F1 hypercar.

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3. Lotus Carlton

This isn’t the first time the Hethel firm was called upon to beef up an otherwise ordinary car; the Lotus Cortina is evidence of this. But it was the Vauxhall Carlton that Lotus really went to town on. Enlarging the already powerful 3.0-litre straight-six to 3.6 litres and strapping on a pair of Garrett T25 turbochargers, Lotus unleashed a massive 377bhp. 

Refusing to limit the car’s top speed to 155mph - as German car makers were doing - the 176mph Lotus Carlton was the world’s fastest production saloon. The thought of a four-door family car that could knock on the door of 180mph caused something of a public outrage at the time, with some even calling to ban the car. It never was banned, of course, and for that, we are thankful.

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4. Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ

The result of Toyota and Subaru’s joint-venture resulted in the GT86 and BRZ: true driver’s cars that proves you don’t need massive power to have fun. The 197bhp 2.0-litre flat-four engine provides enough power for sideways fun, while the pairing’s low centre of gravity make them B-road weapons. Car makers of the modern world take note: we need more motors like this.

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5. Aston Martin and AMG

OK, so it’s still a little while before we’ll see the results of this tie up, but - aside from the fact that we probably have to kiss the glorious Aston V12 farewell - AMG firepower under the bonnet of an Aston Martin can only be a good thing, right? Plus, future Astons will also get much more modern electrical systems from the German manufacturer.

When collaborations go horribly wrong

Things don’t always work out so well when two car makers get together. Alfa Romeo and Nissan’s joint-venture of the 80s, for instance, may have sounded great on paper. Alfa styling with Japanese reliability? What could be better? Except the pair did it the wrong way round, marrying up the poor build quality and iffy electronics of the Milanese manufacturer with the boring as hell boxy body of the Nissan Cherry. As far as ‘what the hell were they thinking’ moments go in the car industry, this one takes some beating.