The Evolution of Lamborghini V12 Engines: From Miura to Aventador
Published on Feb 25, 2025 at 4:33 AM | By Alessandro Renesis
Lamborghini has used a few different engines throughout its history but the V12 is the one that people – rightfully so, dare we say – tend to identify with the brand.
The first Lamborghini model ever created, the 350GT, had a V12 in it, and you can still buy V12 Lambos today.
Interestingly, even though the V12 has powered a long list of Lambos – from the Miura to the Revuelto – the automaker has actually only created two versions of it so far.
The first generation remained in production for about 50 years, and the second one was introduced just over a decade ago.
The first of the breed – the one that powered the Miura, Diablo, and Countach
The first V12 was introduced in 1963.
It was a 3.5-liter engine, capable of putting out 280 horsepower in its first iteration, and 320 horsepower in the ‘pumped-up’ version unveiled a few years later.
The 3.5-liter version was followed by a bigger unit, a 3.9-liter, available, among others, in the Miura, the Espada and the first Countach LP400.
Historically, every new V12 has always coincided with a milestone for Lambo.
The 5.7-liter V12 was unveiled along with the Diablo, and then we had the 6.2-liter and 6.5-liter, launched with the Murciélago and Reventón respectively.
The same 6.5-liter was also used for the Murciélago SuperVeloce, which became a swan song for the engine after 50 years.
Meet the new V12 boss, same as the old boss but better
In the early 2010s, Lamborghini decided to overhaul the V12 for the (then) new Aventador.
Without getting too technical, the new V12 was more powerful and lighter, even though it had the same cubic capacity. Every V12 since has been a 6.5-liter unit, but the power output has gone up significantly.
The first vehicle powered by the new V12, the Aventador, put out 690 horsepower when it first came out, which was then upgraded to 769 horsepower with the Ultimae, the last Aventador ever built.
Lamborghini then upped the ante three more times.
The same 6.5-liter V12 was used for the Sián FKP 37, Lambo’s first hybrid, with 774 horsepower, and then they did it again with the Revuelto and the Essenza SCV12, both of which are capable of 800+ horsepower.
Lambo’s newest halo car, the Revuelto, was unveiled less than two years ago, which means it’ll be around for a few more years.
Hopefully its successor will still be a V12 beast.
