Lamborghini V12 Engine

1963 to 2011
Layout
Configuration	60° V12 petrol engine
Displacement	3.5: 3,465 cc (211.4 cu in), 3.9: 3,929 cc (239.8 cu in), 4.8: 4,754 cc (290.1 cu in), 5.2: 5,167 cc (315.3 cu in), 5.7: 5,707 cc (348.3 cu in), 6.0: 5,992 cc (365.7 cu in), 6.2: 6,192 cc (377.9 cu in), 6.5: 6,498 cc (396.5 cu in)
Cylinder bore	3.5: 77.0 mm (3.03 in) 6.2: 87.0 mm (3.43 in) 6.5: 95.0 mm (3.74 in)
Piston stroke	3.5: 62.0 mm (2.44 in) 6.2: 86.8 mm (3.42 in) 6.5: 76.4 mm (3.01 in)
Cylinder block alloy	Cast aluminium alloy
Cylinder head alloy	Cast aluminium alloy
Valvetrain	double overhead camshaft, 3.5/4.0/4.8: 2-valves per cyl, 5.2/5.7/6.0/6.2/6.5: 4-valves per cyl
Compression ratio	6.2: 11.6:1 6.5: 11.8:1
Combustion
Fuel system	3.5/3.9/4.8/5.2: 6 Weber carburettors, 5.7/6.0/6.2/6.5: electronic multi-point sequential fuel injection
Fuel type	Petrol/Gasoline
Oil system	3.5/3.9: wet sump, 6.2/6.5: dry sump
Cooling system	Water-cooled
Output
Power output	3.5: 273.7 PS (201.3 kW; 270.0 bhp) 6.2: 580 PS (427 kW; 572 bhp) @ 7,500 rpm 6.5: 640 PS (471 kW; 631 bhp) @ 7,500 rpm
Specific power	3.5: 79 PS (58.1 kW; 77.9 bhp) per litre 6.2: 94.4 PS (69.4 kW; 93.1 bhp) per litre 6.5: 98.6 PS (72.5 kW; 97.3 bhp) per litre
Torqueoutput	6.2: 650 N⋅m (479 lbf⋅ft) @ 5,500 rpm 6.5: 660 N⋅m (487 lbf⋅ft) @ 5,200 rpm
Dimensions
Dry weight	253 kg (6.5 litres)
Chronology
Successor	Lamborghini V12 L539

The Lamborghini V12 refers to the flagship V12 engine used by Lamborghini. Lamborghini has had two generations of V12 engines through their history, both of which were developed in-house. The first-generation Lamborghini V12 was a sixty degree (60°) V12 petrol engine designed by Lamborghini,and was the first internal combustion engine ever produced by the firm.

It first entered production in 1963 as a 3.5 litre displacing 3,465 cubic centimetres (211.4 cu in) fitted on Lamborghini's first car, the Lamborghini 350GT. The engine remained in use for almost fifty years, the final version, a 6.5 litre, installed in the Lamborghini Murciélago. Lamborghini discontinued their first-generation V12 after the Murcielago, opting for a brand-new V12 that first saw use on the Lamborghini Aventador.

History

When Ferruccio Lamborghini set out to compete with Ferrari, he contracted Giotto Bizzarrini to design the engine for his car and, according to some accounts, paid him a bonus for every horsepower over what Ferrari's V12 could produce. The finished 3.5-litre (214 cu in) V12, with minor improvements, went on to become the 6.5 litre powering the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640, and completed its service for Lamborghini with the final version of the Murciélago, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.

Technical overview

The engine was designed from the start to be a quad cam 60 degree V12 - as an intentional snub to Ferrari's single overhead camshaft per-bank design. When the 3,464-cubic-centimetre (211.4 cu in) prototype was tested in 1963, it was able to produce 370 brake horsepower (276 kW; 375 PS) at 9,000 revolutions per minute(rpm), or almost 107 brake horsepower (80 kW; 108 PS) per litre. Bizzarrini insisted the engine was mechanically capable of reaching 400 brake horsepower (298 kW; 406 PS) at 11,000 rpm with an uprated fuel system, but the design was judged adequate, and when fitted with production carburettors, all the auxiliary systems, and detuned for road use, the engine still made 280 brake horsepower (209 kW; 284 PS).

Over the years, this V12 engine has nearly doubled in displacement - first to 6,192 cubic centimetres (377.9 cu in), and later to 6,496 cubic centimetres (396.4 cu in). It has seen the modification of the cylinder heads to allow four valves per cylinder, the replacement of Webercarburettors with electronic fuel injection, and the re-engineering of the lubrication system from a wet to a dry sump design. However, the engine that powers the current Murciélago LP 640 can trace its lineage directly to the F1-inspired design of Bizzarrini and his team more than forty years ago.

Audi ownership and V12 Successor

Since Lamborghini was purchased in 1998 by the German Volkswagen Group subsidiary AUDI AG, the V12 engine continued undergoing constant upgrade, growing its displacement from 5.7 liters (Diablo VT then in production) to the final 6.5 liters (Murciélago LP670-4 Superveloce). It took years to decide that a new-from-scratch engine was needed and finally the decision was made: Lamborghini's all-new L539 6.5 litre engine for their 2011 Aventador produces 700 PS (510 kW; 690 hp), is 18 kg lighter, is "over-square" (bore:95 mm - stroke:76,4 mm) and has a different firing order: 1–12–4–9–2–11-6–7–3–10–5–8 instead of 1–7–4–10–2–8–6–12–3–9–5–11.

Specifications

First Generation

engine configuration — 3.5 & 3.9

 60° V12 engine; wet sump lubrication system

engine configuration — 6.2 & 6.5

60° V12 engine; dry sump lubrication system

engine displacement etc.

3.5: 3,465 cubic centimetres (211.4 cu in); bore x stroke: 77.0 by 62.0 millimetres (3.03 in × 2.44 in) (stroke ratio: 1.24:1 - 'oversquare/short-stroke engine'); 288.7 cc per cylinder

3.9: 3,929 cubic centimetres (239.8 cu in)

4.8: displacement increase to 4,754 cubic centimetres (290.1 cu in) by increasing both the bore and stroke.

5.2: 5,167 cubic centimetres (315.3 cu in) Stroke increased to 75 mm, compression ratio 9.5:1 and downdraft Weber carburetors.

5.7: 5,707 cubic centimetres (348.3 cu in)

6.0: 5,992 cubic centimetres (365.7 cu in), bore x stroke: 87.0 by 84 millimetres

6.2: 6,192 cubic centimetres (377.9 cu in); bore x stroke: 87.0 by 86.8 millimetres

6.5: 6,496 cubic centimetres (396.4 cu in); bore x stroke: 88.0 by 89.0 millimetres 

3.5: 284 metric horsepower (209 kW; 280 bhp) @ 6,500 rpm; 325 newton metres (240 lbf⋅ft) @ 4,500 rpm — Lamborghini 350GT

3.5: 324 metric horsepower (238 kW; 320 bhp) @ 7,000 rpm — Lamborghini 350GT Veloce

3.9: - 400 GT, Miura, Islero, Jarama, Espada, Countach LP400

4.8: - Countach LP500 S

5.2: - Countach Quattrovalvole and LM002

5.7: - Diablo and Diablo VT

6.0: - Diablo GT

6.2: 580 metric horsepower (427 kW; 572 bhp) @ 7,500 rpm; 650 newton metres (479 lbf⋅ft) @ 5,500 rpm —

6.5: 640 metric horsepower (471 kW; 631 bhp) @ 7,500 rpm; 660 newton metres (487 lbf⋅ft) @ 5,200 rpm — Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 Coupé and Roadster

6.5: 650 metric horsepower (478 kW; 641 bhp) — Lamborghini Reventón and Murciélago LP 650-4 Roadster

6.5: 670 metric horsepower (493 kW; 661 bhp) @ 8,000 rpm; 660 newton metres (487 lbf⋅ft) @ 6,500 rpm — Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

Second Generation

Type: V12, 60°, Multi Point Injection

Displacement: 6,498 cm³ (396.5 cu.in.)

Bore and stroke: Ø 95 mm x 76,4 mm

Valve gear: Variable valve timing electronically controlled

Compression ratio: 11.8 (± 0.2) : 1

Maximum power: 700 CV (515 kW) @ 8,250 RPM

Maximum torque: 690 Nm (507 lbft) @ 5,500 RPM

Emission class: EURO 6 – LEV 2

Emission control system: Catalytic converters with lambda sensors

Cooling system: Water and oil cooling system in the rear with variable air inlets

Engine management system: Lamborghini Iniezione Elettronica (LIE) with Ion current analysis

Lubrication system: Dry sump

applications of the V12 engine