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It all began in 1967 when, captivated by the elegance of Riva motorboats, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to purchase an Aquarama—the one with hull number 278. Legend has it that, during a lunch on Lake Iseo with Carlo Riva to sign the contract, the eclectic manufacturer from Sant’Agata Bolognese wanted to put his own stamp on the propulsion system as well. So, Mr. Ferruccio called his longtime test driver, Bob Wallace, directly with a clear instruction: to prepare two “suitable” engines for his new motorboat. The American-made V8s normally specified by the shipyard were thus replaced by a pair of V12s derived from the Lamborghini 350 GT, specially adapted for marine use with the help of Lino Morosini, head of Riva’s engine division.
Lamborghini’s V12 engine is known for powering iconic cars like the Miura, Countach, and Diablo, but as we’ve seen, its roar wasn’t just heard on the tarmac. In the golden age of offshore racing and fast powerboats, Lamborghini V12 engines roared from the sterns of the era’s most famous yachts.
After the Riva Lamborghini, we had to wait until 1982 to see the first design in-house and named “Quetzal,” an 11-meter boat designed by Aldo Cichero to dominate the waves. The racing version of the boat was “Masha,” built from aluminum; it was powered by two 8-liter engines, each capable of over 700 CV, which, paired with Arneson transmissions, propelled the hull to over 80 knots. But it was in 1984 that things got serious: Lamborghini V12 engines were installed aboard the CUV Miura, an Italian-built boat destined to compete in the FIM Offshore World Championship. The result? Lamborghini’s first world championship victory.
The environment in which the engines from Sant’Agata Bolognese are forced to operate is quite different from the one for which they were originally designed: at sea, their maximum power is not only required for a brief period of time, but they remain operating at full capacity for extended periods. Lamborghini’s V12 engines are derived from the road-going versions and have been adapted for marine use with these changed requirements in mind.
The most famous engine isthe L804, featuring a 60-degree V-configuration, a displacement of 8.2 liters, 4 valves per cylinder, and 4 overhead camshafts, all delivering 880 CV at 6,650 rpm.
A more powerful version, called the L900, was also built, with a displacement of 9.3 liters; these engines powered the “Spirit of Norway,” a P1-class boat that dominated the regattas from 2002 to 2006. Other famous boats powered by Italian engines included the Giesse Philosophy, Tenkara, and Victory. In total, up through 2007, boats powered by Lamborghini engines had won 10 world championships, ever since two “Toro” engines were installed on a Riva motorboat in 1967.
Federico Lanfranchi
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