Ferrari Lampredi engine

The Ferrari Lampredi engine was a naturally aspirated all aluminum 60° V12 engine produced between 1950 and 1959. Inline-4 and Inline-6 variants for racing were derived from it.

Aurelio Lampredi designed a number of racing engines for Ferrari. He was brought on to hedge the company's bets with a different engine family than the small V12s designed by Gioacchino Colombo. Variants of his design powered the company to a string of world championships in the 1950s. All were quickly abandoned due to changing engine displacement sizes (because, starting in 1958, the sports regulations required sport cars to have engines within 3 litres), with the Dino V6 and V8 taking the place of the fours and sixes and evolution of the older Colombo V12 continuing as the company's preeminent V12.

After little luck in Formula One with the supercharged Colombo V12, Ferrari returned to natural aspiration. The task of creating the new V12 for Formula One use fell to Aurelio Lampredi, who designed a 3.3 L (3322 cc) unit, with bore centres at 108 mm apart, for 275 S and 275 F1. The SOHC, 2-valve engine debuted in 275 S, as a test bed, with three Weber 40DCF carburettors, developing 270 PS (199 kW; 266 hp) and was soon upgraded with 42DCF Webers for 300 PS (221 kW; 296 hp) for F1.

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Being unable to match Alfetta 158 performance, Lampredi upgraded the design to 4.1 L (4101 cc) for 340 F1. Power output grew to 335 PS (246 kW; 330 hp) but the single-seater was used in non-championship race only and very soon replaced by even bigger engined Ferrari. Like the Colombos, Lampredis engines found their way into road cars as well. The 1950 340 America and later 340 Mexico/MM were first with big 4.1 L (4101 cc) engines producing 220–280 PS (162–206 kW; 217–276 hp). All GT road cars used wet sumps, apart for dry-sumped 340 America having engine based directly on the 340 F1.

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In the same year as 340 F1, the last Lampredi-designed F1 engine was inaugurated. Now at 4.5 L (4493 cc) and 350 PS (257 kW; 345 hp) installed in 375 F1, Ferrari was finally able to beat Alfa Romeo, in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. For the 1952 season Ferrari modified the 375 F1 for the Indianapolis 500 race. The bore was reduced by 1 mm (to 79 mm) for a total displacement below 4.4 L (4382 cc). New Weber 40IF4C carburettors improved power output to impressive 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp). All Formula One Lampredi V12s used dry sump lubrication. This engine family remained the only Ferrari V12 never upgraded to a four-cam configuration. In 1953 Lampredi V12 powering customers 375 MM had displacement enlarged to 4.5 L (4522 cc) and power grew to 340 PS (250 kW; 335 hp). Its detuned version also powered the 375 America. Factory 375 MMs received different engines straight from Formula One, displacing 4493 cc.

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