Starting with a clean sheet of paper
The specification for the development of the new twelve-cylinder, known internally as the L539, was written quickly – yet was highly demanding in its formulation. Naturally, it had to deliver more power and torque than its predecessor in the Murciélago, but it should also be smaller and lighter and enable a lower center of gravity. At the end of the day, low weight is just as important to the performance of a super sports car as high power output. Fuel consumption and gas emissions should also be reduced significantly.
So the R&D team started with a clean sheet of paper – metaphorically speaking, of course. Design and development in Sant’Agata is conducted using state-of-the-art systems and equipment. The outcome is a V12 with a classic cylinder bank angle of 60 degrees, and thus an amazingly compact power package – the power unit measures only 665 millimeters from top to bottom, including the intake system. Its width, including the exhaust manifold, is only 848 millimeters, while its length is a mere 784 millimeters. Its weight of 235 kilograms is also respectably low – each kilogram of engine weight corresponds to 3.0 HP maximum output.
