Since cars started being mass-produced, automakers globally have manufactured over a billion cars. From the disposable entry-level cars to the highly-exclusive exotic ones, there is a car out there for every budget, need, or want. It is always wrongly assumed that expensive cars are fast by default.
Some of these cars look fast but are actually incredibly slow. Whether it is their looks or their overall potential, some gearheads out there always find ways to properly modify these snails on wheels. Over the last decade, a sub-trend started becoming increasingly popular: Chevrolet LS engine swaps.
10 Honda Civic
When Honda first arrived in the US, most critics were pretty adamant about Honda's upcoming failure in the domestic market. These critics were wrong. Honda is now one of the best-selling brands in the US. However, Honda is having issues growing out of its "affordable and disposable" image. It is not until fairly recently that the brand started releasing truly admirable vehicles.
There are several reasons why the Honda Civic is a favorite among tuners. The first reason being that it can be turned into about anything. The crappy four-cylinder engine was replaced by a very respectable 454ci LSx powerplant that cranks out over 500 hp. This Civic is far from being the typical ricer.
9 BMW E30
BMW is best known for its M-badged vehicles. Though regular BMWs are a dime a dozen, most gearheads tend to focus on the more elite cars released by the Bavarian automaker. Back in the 1980s, BMW put its very first M3 on the market and it was an instant success.
The E30 M3 was great for its time. However, the old M3 can no longer compete with modern cars. Its four-cylinder engine produces only 197 hp. Needless to say, non-M-badged E30s from the same era have far less power. The owner of this E30 got rid of the aging engine and replaced it with an LS3 V8 that produces 500 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. That is the definition of a cool E30.
8 Lamborghini Huracán
Lamborghini is one of those carmakers that solely bet on the high-end clientele. Though several car companies failed when taking the same business approach, Lamborghini has been successful. In the most recent years, Lamborghini released several mind-blowing supercars, including the Huracán.
This is the world's first LS swapped and manual Lamborghini Huracán, and it sounds insane. This twin-turbocharged LS V8 powered Huracán produces 800 hp and 795 lb-ft of torque. This insane Lamborghini was featured at SEMA, of course, and it must have been one of the most outrageous Huracáns ever showcased at the show.
7 Toyota AE86
Japanese sports cars are some of the best compact sports cars ever made. For over forty years, brands like Toyota have been diligently working on producing some of the most reliable and decently powered sports cars. Though these cars are no match to an AMG-Series beast, they sure can be transformed into something scary.
It is often believed that overly powered cars are unnecessary to drift. Though it might hold some truth, the owners of this AE86 simply did not care. This 720 hp Toyota AE86 LSx V8 is a beast. The car simply is not made for the meek. It is a true Japanese legend powered by America's best.
6 Mercedes-Benz W108 280S
To the vast majority of the public, Mercedes-Benz cars are luxurious. Sadly, they tended to be geared towards more of an older crowd. In the last three decades or so, Mercedes-Benz really shook off this image, which may have also encouraged tuners to look into transforming older Mercedes-Benz cars.
It is not common to see an old school Mercedes-Benz with a setup like this. The beautifully restored 5.3L LS V8 from a '99 Chevy truck. As if it was not enough, the owner of this sick Mercedes added a turbo. The car now produces 620 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque on 10 psi of boost.
5 Nissan 300ZX
Nissan is known in the car enthusiast community as a respectable manufacturer of sports cars. However, most people are unaware of the fact that Nissan did not originally come up with the Z-Series (also known as Fairlady) or the Skyline. Prior to being merged into Nissan, Datsun was the Japanese automaker responsible for the existence of these iconic cars.
The 300ZX is a really good sports car. First released in the late 1980s, the 300ZX came with a monstrous twin-turbocharged V6 that produced 300 hp. Though this is respectable even by today's standards, nothing beats a twin-turbocharged 6.2L LS3 V8. Estimated at 1,110 hp at the wheels, this 300ZX means business.
4 Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-7 FD3S is by far the best car ever made by Mazda. Wanting to replicate this epic success, Mazda released the RX-8 shortly after discontinuing the RX-7. To most people, the RX-8 is nowhere near being a worthy successor. Its rotary engine has caused so many issues that RX-Series fans sort of looked the other way when they realized the RX-8 was a disappointment.
It is well-known that the RX-8 was an abject failure thanks to the unreliable rotary engine found under the hood. Instead of the original engine, a humongous 6.0L LS6 V8 can be found under the hood of this particular example. Though the LS6 was not modified, that is still 433 hp to the wheels. Much better than the original engine.
3 Aston Martin Vantage
Aston Martin is by far one of the classiest and exclusive British automakers. Unlike Bentley and Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin prioritized sportiness over comfort. As a result, Aston Martin cars are more likely to perform well on a track in comparison to the two other brands.
It is quite rare to stumble upon a highly modified Vantage. Sure there are some gnarly custom Vantages out there, but nothing like this one. Built by Lunatics By Nature, an Abu Dhabi-based tuner, this twin-turbocharged LSA V8 powered British drift car is far more American than you may think. With a power output of 700 hp, this Vantage is far from being your regular Aston Martin.
2 Subaru Impreza STi
Subaru first released the Impreza back in 1992, the company must have not thought that it was about to enter a battle with Mitsubishi. Throughout the years, the Impreza STi and Lancer EVO have been duking it out both on the racetrack and on the streets.
An engine swap should be among the best mods for your Subaru WRX STi. Though the STi is a beast, it is nothing in comparison to this thing. A turbocharged 6.0L LS2 V8 was shoehorned in this Subie's engine bay. The powerplant cranks out 794 hp and 657 lb-ft of torque to the wheels on 12 psi of boost.
1 Tesla Model S
From the early 2000s onward, the market for hybrid and electric cars exploded. With the Toyota Prius hogging the vast majority of the market, other carmakers realized that the demand for more environmentally friendly vehicles was booming. While Toyota was riding the green wave in style, newcomers started dropping in on Toyota.
The Tesla Model S is a great car all around. Thanks to an amazing torque, the car proved that electric cars were certainly going to be all the rage in the future. However, some gearheads out there truly miss the sound of a gasoline-powered V8. If you own a Tesla, know that the front compartment could be put to much better use