Sure, the standard in-vehicle amplifiers are exactly the same technology as large building amplifiers, the only difference is that they are lower powered as the coverage area is smaller (the interior of your car).
There are other versions, however, such as the Wilson SignalBoost, which is "direct-connect " i.e. it plugs directly into your cell phone rather than communicating wirelessly. For this reason, it is can be transferred to use in a building also - whereas wireless vehicle repeaters are not powerful enough to cover an entire home/office/other building.
Yes, there are models which are designed specifically for use in vehicles. There are also hybrids, which are portable enough to be used in vehicles but also in buildings.
For more info, visit RepeaterStore.com