Now, typically, when an automotive manufacturer designs a vehicle, it has an engine created there as well. It’s been the status quo for well over 100 years. But when that just won’t be the case, such as when designing at one of these very niche manufacturers with finite capital to burn to develop a whole engine program from zero, this solution is to take advantage of someone elsewhere with such capital. No automaker has lent out its power plants more often and perhaps more widely thanFord has: Here’s the 10 most unlikely cars with heart of blue oval in it.

1. DeTomaso Pantera

A true ‘70s excess car icon perhaps most famous for having once been owned by Elvis Presley the Pantera from Alejandro De Tomaso: that name may even sound ‘made for TV movies’ but this machine really was born of an Argentinian-Italian business owner’s dream and has since become arguably De Tomaso’s best known design, the natural evolution of the Mangusta but this time with Italian flair powering through with some serious American muscle. However, the Pantera was far from an outright car designed at the whim of some crazy Italian who only ever cared for design; that said I suppose one could consider it a collaboration but the goal there was simply to move product through the Ford dealership line.

Pantera Fast Facts:

• Famously owned by Elvis Presley
• Distributed through Ford’s dealer network
• Engineered by a former Lamborghini engineer
• Designed by Tom Tjaarda
• Powered by 351 Cleveland V8

The car’s engineering was handled by a former Lamborghini engineer, while its striking design was penned by Tom Tjaarda, the same talent behind the Saab 900. As you’d expect from a Ford partnership, the Pantera was equipped with Ford power, becoming one of the coolest vehicles to house Ford’s 351 ci Cleveland V8 engine, and remained in production in various forms all the way into the early 1990s.

2. Qvale Mangusta

The DeTomaso connection returns in this rather peculiar automotive item. Actually it’s not a De Tomaso at all, for the Mangusta came into being as a Bigu project from De Tomaso, designed by both De Tomaso itself and the technically oriented man from Maserati named Giordano Casarini. De Tomaso needed additional finance for the venture and fortunately this was provided by entrepreneur Kjell Qvale, famous for his North American import work on the Jaguars and the first De Tomaso Mangusta before their divorce.

Mangusta Fast Facts:

• Started as DeTomaso’s Biguà project
• Styled by legendary Marcello Gandini
• Used Ford’s 4.6-liter Modular V8
• Same engine as SN-97 Mustang
• Only 284 units ever produced

Qvale took over the project and decided to market the car under his own name, and its powertrain came directly from Ford: the 4.6-liter Modular V8 that also powered the SN-97 Mustang. The Mangusta borrowed most of its interior wholesale from its Ford cousin, and with only 284 units ever produced, its platform would later form the basis for the MG XPower SV.

3. Zenos E10

Born from genuine credentials The Zenos E10 was developed by engineers that had formerly been employed by Lotus and Caterham, they knew how to build a light, track-ready sportscar. In a neat package of open top sports car, it follows this very well-worn British track rocket path with barely a nicety removed in the pursuit of a purer driving experience.

E10 Fast Facts:

• Founded by ex-Lotus, Caterham talent
• Choice of two Ford EcoBoost engines
• 2.0-liter from the Focus ST
• 2.3-liter from Focus RS, Mustang
• Up to 350 horsepower on tap

Underneath there are two sublime Ford powers the 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder found in the Focus ST, and the punchier 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo from the Focus RS, the one that also lives under the bonnet of the Ford Mustang. That’s a whopping 350 horsepower for those at the sharp end, slung toward the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox; The Zenos E10 was designed for exactly one place. The race track.

4. BAC Mono

“BAC Mono British road legal track car, however not exactly in line with the school it comes from. The first and evident difference are obvious here: there’s only one seat and its obvious here BAC is focusing on the roadster and has taken inspiration directly from an open cockpit race car, designing very dramatic lines.”

Mono Fast Facts:

• Single-seat, open-wheel inspired design
• 2.3-liter naturally aspirated Duratec
• Produces around 280 horsepower
• 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds
• Six-speed sequential paddle shifters

At the heart of this unique machine, lying over the rear axle, is a slightly older 2.3-liter Duratec four-cylinder, with no turbocharger or supercharger in sight. Despite being naturally aspirated, BAC managed to extract around 280 horsepower from it, translating to a blistering 0-60 mph time of less than three seconds in the featherlight Mono, with power sent through a six-speed sequential manual.

5. Morgan Super 3

The Morgan 3 Wheeler was arguably one of the coolest performance cars over the past few decades, it was a fantastic homage to Morgan’s F-Series cars, built between the ’30s and ’50s. It has now found itself a brand new successor say hello to the Morgan Super 3. As you can see, the design is pretty much the same, yes you get awesome monoblock wheels (thank goodness) but the main attraction of this car lays further up.

Super 3 Fast Facts:

• Successor to the Morgan 3 Wheeler
• Replaced the old S&S V-twin
• 1.5-liter Ford EcoBoost triple
• Produces 118 horsepower
• Weighs just 1,400 pounds

The S&S Cycle V-twin engine from the previous model has been replaced with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine from Ford, putting out a modest 118 horsepower. While that might not sound like much, it’s more than enough to provide a thrilling ride in the incredibly light Super 3, which pairs the Ford engine with a new aluminum chassis and a Mazda-sourced manual transmission.

6. AC Ace Continuation

Some automotive family trees have legendary branches, and this is one of them. Before Carroll Shelby created the fire-breathing Cobra, there was the AC Ace, a classic British roadster. Now, AC Cars is back and paying tribute to its own history. The new Ace Continuation is built on a tubular spaceframe chassis, just like the original, but the bodywork is now mostly modern carbon fiber.

Ace Continuation Fast Facts:

• Built on original spaceframe chassis
• Modern carbon fiber bodywork used
• 2.3-liter Ford EcoBoost engine
• Tuned to over 300 horsepower
• 0-60 mph in the mid-4s

The old six-cylinder is gone, replaced by Ford’s 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, the same one found in the Focus ST, tuned by AC to produce over 300 horsepower. While it’s heavier than its ancestor at 2,425 pounds, AC estimates a 0-to-60 mph time in the mid-four-second range, blending old-school charm with modern Blue Oval punch.

7. Caterham Seven

The Caterham Seven has such a presence in the hardcore sports car, track-prepped arena, that people often forget Caterham didn’t have anything to do with this car from the get-go. Originally, the design was intended for Lotus, with founder Colin Chapman eventually deciding to sell on and move onto other ventures, which is where Caterham picked the minimal concept up for continued life.

Seven Fast Facts:

• Originally designed by Lotus
• Cheapest models use Suzuki power
• Most use a 2.0-liter Duratec
• Naturally aspirated, revs freely
• 620R trim makes 310 horsepower

Although the two most affordable models get Suzuki hearts, the remainder of the range use a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec as its core, a largely naturally aspirated and near lunar redline-loving unit. Take it into Caterham’s Seven 620R specification with a Supercharger on said Duratec and you get 310 horsepower on a car with next to no windshield.

8. Noble M500

Noble Automotive has always had a close relationship with Ford, with most of its giant-killing supercars featuring a Blue Oval powertrain. The company briefly broke the mold with the M600, which used a Yamaha-engineered V8 also found in a Volvo XC90, but for its latest model, the M500, Noble is returning to its roots and aiming squarely at the Porsche 911.

M500 Fast Facts:

• Aimed directly at the Porsche 911
• 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6
• Same engine as the F-150 Raptor
• Makes 500 hp and 550 lb-ft
• No anti-lock brakes fitted

At its heart, the M500 houses the amazing 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 from the F-150 Raptor, producing a whopping 500 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque to go with what’s reported to be a full-on six-speed manual with three pedals. As only Noble would know how to pull off, there’s the awesome but also somewhat frightening fact that there’s no anti-lock brakes. Seriously.

9. Range Rover Evoque

Here’s the one that will make you do a double-take. The Range Rover Evoque was a smash hit for Land Rover, a stylish and compact SUV that brought the brand to a whole new audience. But in its earliest days, it was hiding a very humble secret under its hood: it was powered by Ford, a result of timing tied to Land Rover’s earlier ownership history.

Evoqua Fast Facts:

• Developed under Ford’s Premier Group
• Launched in 2010 under Tata
• 2.0 liter Duratek gasoline engine
• 2.0 liter Curator diesel option
• Same engines as Fusion, Mondeo

The Evoque was developed when Land Rover was part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, and by the time it launched in 2010 under Tata ownership, the company stuck with the original plan to save money. Buyers could get a 2.0-liter Duratec four-cylinder gasoline engine, and in foreign markets, a 2.0-liter Duratorq turbodiesel, both shared with the Ford Fusion or Mondeo, before JLR’s own Ingenium engines eventually took over.

10. GSM Delta

Ok, now this one’s getting really obscure. If you didn’t know what you were looking at you might mistake the GSM Delta for another English sportscar from the ‘70s but in fact the sports car was manufactured in South Africa in the ’60s. Originally the Dart was name, it was to be changed to the Delta for the UK as dodge owned the naming rights. There are somewhere around just 116 of these built, these early fiber glass bodied sports cars were built for and aimed at driving enthusiasts.

Delta Fast Facts:

• Originally named the Dart
• Only around 116 units made
• Powertrain borrowed from Ford Anglia
• Tuned to 72 to 116 horsepower
• Top speed up to 125 mph

The most interesting part was its powertrain, borrowed from the Ford Anglia’s 105E engine but tuned for high performance, producing between 72 and 116 horsepower depending on the version. That gave the featherlight Delta a top speed of up to 125 mph, a massive leap from the Anglia’s stock 39 horsepower and a perfect example of how a humble engine can become the heart of a true sports car.

The sheer variety of machines on this list is a testament to the versatility and reliability of Ford’s engineering. From stripped-out track weapons and rare classics to genre-defining luxury SUVs, the Blue Oval’s powertrains have left their mark in the most unexpected corners of the automotive world, proving that a great engine is a great engine, no matter what badge sits on the front of the car.