Lamborghini Aventador V12 engine

Is there a reason Lamborghini likes using V12 engines?

What are the advantages of a Lamborghini V12 engine?

Ever since Lamborghini first set out to battle with Ferrari and make true supercars the likes of which this world has never seen before, they have also been exploring the power and feel of V12 engines. But what are the advantages of a Lamborghini V12 engine? We will explore that topic and more right here!

Lamborghini Miura V12 engine

Lamborghini Miura V12 engine

Why does Lamborghini use a V12 engine?

The V12 engine format is surely not the only engine that Lamborghini has ever used, but it is the most prevalent, and the reasons are many-fold. For starters any large cylinder count engine is inherently better balanced, this leads to less vibration and a smoother ride.

More importantly, because of that balance, engineers do not have to employ as much counterweighting in the crankshaft. This means that your V12 engine has less dead weight to accelerate when you step on the pedal. Speaking of smooth, with 12 cylinders, there is a cylinder firing every 60 degrees of rotation making for smooth power delivery as well.

Finally we come to power. With small cylinders, that engine can naturally rev higher with less engine strain. You can do this with a small engine too like a V-twin, but a small cylinder is limited in how much power it can generate, this is why upping the cylinder count to 12 gives you the perfect balance between high revs, and plenty of displacement to really put power to the road.


What are Lamborghini models named after?


Lamborghini V12 engine at the factory

Lamborghini V12 engine at the factory

Disadvantages of a V12 engine

There are also some disadvantages, number one being the price. It is both expensive to build and produce a V12 engine, much more so than a V8. This cost is primarily due to the insane amount of complexity inherent in design of the V12. With 12 pistons and 48 valves, there are a ridiculous number of moving parts.

Size and weight are the other disadvantages. You have to have a lot of room to cram a V12 in your car, and that’s why Lamborghini designs often seem built around that engine. As far as weight is concerned, yes they are heavy, but you can make up for that weight with the engine’s huge amount of power, which we have previously discussed.

Read More: Aventador Coupe performance specs

The rest comes down to balancing the car, which is why so much engineering goes into the Lamborghini suspension. It’s also why modern Lamborghini models like the Aventador and the V10 powered Huracan remain mid-engine to this day.

 


Aventador color options for 2017