6 Vehicles You Probably Didn’t Know Had a V12

The V12 engine is a rarity in the automotive world. Providing massive power along with enormous fuel bills, V12s are typically reserved for opulent luxury cars like Rolls-Royces or high-end performance cars like Ferraris. Sometimes, however, automakers go nuts and put large V12s in vehicles that just don’t make sense. 

1. Volkswagen Touareg W12 

While Volkswagen’s W12 engine is not truly a V12 in configuration, it has 12 cylinders, so we’ll go with it. The W12 was originally made for Volkswagen's failed flagship sedan, the Phaeton, which shared its platform with Audi and Bentley. Later, the W12 found a rather strange home in the Volkswagen Touareg SUV. While this decision sounds absurd, it makes sense in the automotive world of the 2000s because VW was trying to move upmarket to compete with BMW and Mercedes at the time. Offering such an opulent powertrain was bound to make some waves. The result was a Bentley-powered family SUV that produced 444 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque.

2. Toyota Century V12 

Toyota has a reputation for making sensible, reliable commuter cars. It also used its reputation for quality to successfully launch the Lexus brand and compete in the luxury car market. However, Toyota went one step further with its Century, a Japan-exclusive Toyota limousine that used the brand’s only V12 engine from 1997 to 2017. Unlike a Bentley or Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Century was intended to be a subtle sign of wealth. It wasn’t designed to be fast; it was designed to be comfortable. The V12 engine produced only 295 hp and was tuned to be as smooth as possible. The rest of the Century followed this approach with an insulated cabin, thick tires, and a subtle wool interior. 

3. Mercedes-Benz G63/G65 

Over the G-Class’s lifespan, it has transitioned from a military SUV to the de facto choice for lavish transportation for wealthy drivers. The G-Class is typically powered by V8 engines, but earlier models also offered six-cylinder and even diesel options. Surprisingly, the G-Class also featured a V12 at two points in its life. Most notably, the G65 offered from 2012 to 2018 featured a twin-turbo V12 making 603 hp. This is an enormous amount of power, especially for an SUV that’s as tall and boxy as the G-Wagen. This V12 was designed for high-speed cruising, making its place in this high-riding off-roader even more questionable.

4. Audi Q7 V12 TDI 

This V12 is the craziest one on this list, as it's also the only diesel-powered V12 in existence. From 2008 to 2012, Audi offered its Q7 flagship SUV with a twin-turbo V12 diesel engine. Just before this, Audi won Le Mans with the R10 TDI race car, the first diesel-powered car to win at Le Mans. To celebrate this win, Audi put a similar engine in a roadcar, picking the Q7 because it was one of the only cars in its lineup that could accommodate a huge 6.0L V12. The output of the Q7 was 493 hp and an insane 738 lb-ft of torque. This is a very odd use of a V12 and a strange way to make a fast SUV.

5. Lamborghini LM002 

Long before the Urus, Lamborghini had an SUV in the 1980s called the LM002. It’s not unusual for a Lamborghini to use a V12, but the story of how the LM002 came to be is certainly odd. Initially, Lamborghini made an off-roader in a bid to fulfill the U.S. Army’s need for a new way to transport troops. Lamborghini developed a stripped-back, capable platform that could easily be adapted to any role it required, and was called the Cheetah. It used an AMC 5.9L V8, as Lamborghini was owned by Chrysler at the time. The contract ultimately went to AM General with its Hummer, leaving Lamborghini with a useless prototype. The Cheetah was eventually developed into the LM002, which Lamborghini marketed as an ultra-luxurious off-roader. For the production version, Lamborghini fitted it with the 5.2L V12 engine from the Countach, good for 444 hp. Unsurprisingly, the LM002 had ghastly high fuel consumption, as its 2,700-kg (5,952-lb) weight combined with a thirsty V12 was not even a tiny bit efficient. Good thing it had a 290L fuel tank to reduce pit stops. 

6. Honourable Mention: Amati 1000

In the late 1980s, Mazda attempted to capitalize on the success of other Japanese luxury brands such as Lexus and Acura. Mazda was ready to launch the Amati brand in 1994, with its flagship being the Amati 1000, which was set to feature a V12 engine. The V12 was made by combining two existing V6 engines on the same crankshaft. Power was set to be around 350 hp, which would have made the Amanti one of the most powerful sedans at the time. Unfortunately, the Amati brand never made it to the market, especially following the Japanese stock market crash of 1992. It's weird to think that Mazda was planning to produce such a large engine not too long ago, especially considering how the brand mainly makes four-cylinder powertrains today.