Aug 3, 2023 · VW tested its prototype W10 engine in an E39 BMW M5. That car has survived and is now for sale, and it may have the only working W10 on Earth.

Mar 31, 2025 · Discover the wild story of VW’s secret W10-powered BMW M5—a prototype born from Piëch’s obsession and worth nearly $500K today.

Aug 6, 2023 · Indeed, it appears a Volkswagen W10-engined E39 BMW M5 is out there. A car that still exists, and worked well enough back then that it was pressed into daily service by VW’s CEO.

Aug 5, 2023 · Volkswagen aficionados are well aware of the German automaker's W engines, which were born of the VR6 project, but while many of us are familiar with the W8, the W12, and the W16, we've never...

Mar 31, 2025 · Linked to a six-speed manual, the W10 makes 480 horsepower and 436 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. For context, a stock E39-gen M5 uses a 4.9-liter V8 that produces 394 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque...

This one has had its BMW V8 swapped out for a Volkswagen W10. This is the only car ever to have this engine fitted. Only one other example of this engine exists, too, and it's owned by the same ...

2 days ago · The story of the BMW M5 E39 with the Volkswagen W10 engine is a fascinating example of how, in the automotive world, unusual alliances and secret experiments can lead to masterpieces of engineering. Sometimes, even the most secret and audacious projects can remain in the shadows for decades until they are revealed to the public, capturing the ...

Mar 31, 2025 · One such design the company built but never entered production was a W10. The automaker was going after BMW and wanted to create an M5-crushing model with that engine. To test it, the company...

Apr 3, 2025 · The car’s story starts with Volkswagen using it as a test mule for a prototype W10 motor. The vinyl decals on the car states the W10 motor makes 450-500 hp (330-367 kW) and 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) of torque.

Oct 19, 2023 · Combined from two 2.5-liter engines, the W10 reached a displacement of 5.0 liters and reportedly generated 500 horsepower and 550 Nm (440 lb/ft) of torque. This may not sound like much, but in the early 2000s, these figures easily qualified the engine as supercar-worthy.