- This unique Daewoo Matiz is powered by a V6 powertrain.
- The 3.2-liter V6 was sourced from a Vauxhall and generates around 210-220 hp.
- Setting aside the Porsche wheels and the vented hood, the city car retains its stock looks.
The Daewoo Matiz—yes, that frumpy little city runabout that eventually begat the Chevrolet Spark—was never anyone’s idea of a performance machine. Far, far from it, in fact, but this particular build from the UK flips that notion on its head, and then some. Underneath the Matiz’s modest, jellybean exterior now sits a powertrain no one asked for but everyone can appreciate: a 3.2-liter GM V6.
The crazy engine swap is the handiwork of Lincoln-based tuner PowerCrazy Automotive. The team managed to squeeze a 3.2-liter V6 from a GM Vauxhall / Opel sedan under the tiny hood of the Matiz, fulfilling the wishes of the owner who wanted the smallest car with the biggest engine possible. This impressive feat required more than just brute force as it involved modifying the intake and positioning the engine at an angle, all held in place by custom mounts.
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The transformation was documented by the YouTube channel Twin Engine Corsa, where they sat down with the car’s owner, who goes by the name @v6matiz on Instagram. Video footage reveals that every inch of the miniature-sized engine bay is occupied by the new engine, which is unsurprising to say the least.
This V6 delivers an estimated 210-220 horsepower or more than four times the 50 hp (38 kW / 51 PS) output of the stock three-cylinder 796cc (0.8L) unit found in the entry-level Daewoo Matiz. Power is sent to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, the only departure from the Matiz’s otherwise stock (and tragically underwhelming) interior.
Staying true to the sleeper nature of the build, the V6-powered city car does without a fancy bodykit and remains largely untouched. The only differences with a humble Matiz are the vented hood and a set of 18-inch Porsche wheels which look massive for the 3,495 mm (137.6 inches) long body of this little Daewoo.
Rounding out the list of upgrades, PowerCrazy fitted the Matiz with far beefier front brake rotors sourced from a Ford Focus RS. Using a V6-powered lightweight city car with a stock chassis as a daily sounds scary, which is why the owner treats the Matiz like a show car.
Originally launched in 1998, the Daewoo Matiz has a quirky design lineage signed by none other than Italdesign Giugiaro, based on a rejected Fiat Cinquecento concept. When Daewoo was acquired by General Motors in 2002, the Matiz was reborn as the Chevrolet Spark in various markets, though it never quite escaped its reputation as a utilitarian econobox.