With the strong motorsports traditions in Japan and Great Britain, I would be surprised if this was a uniquely American thing.
I've never known anyone that has purchased a crate engine, but doesn't it sound fantastic that such a thing exists? Fresh from the factory, with a warranty, support, parts, etc just by going to your local dealership! Put it into anything you can think of, whether that be an old car or something else entirely - limited only by your imagination and bank balance!
I meant the phrase "crate engine", not the existence of engines :)
We generally call self-build cars "kit cars", because they come as a kit that includes everything you need. AFAIK we don't have a specific word/phrase to specifically describe the engine (other than "engine", obv :)
I've never known anyone that has purchased a crate engine, but doesn't it sound fantastic that such a thing exists? Fresh from the factory, with a warranty, support, parts, etc just by going to your local dealership! Put it into anything you can think of, whether that be an old car or something else entirely - limited only by your imagination and bank balance!