Ferrari Colombo engine

Colombo engine in a 1961 250TR Spider
Overview
Manufacturer	Ferrari
Production	1947–1988
Layout
Configuration	60° & 54° V12
Displacement	1,497 cc (1.5 L) 1,995 cc (2.0 L) 2,341 cc (2.3 L) 2,563 cc (2.6 L) 2,953 cc (3.0 L) 3,286 cc (3.3 L) 3,967 cc (4.0 L) 4,390 cc (4.4 L) 4,823 cc (4.8 L) 4,943 cc (4.9 L)
Cylinder bore	55 mm (2.17 in) 60 mm (2.36 in) 65 mm (2.56 in) 68 mm (2.68 in) 73 mm (2.87 in) 77 mm (3.03 in) 81 mm (3.19 in) 82 mm (3.23 in)
Piston stroke	52.5 mm (2.07 in) 58.8 mm (2.31 in) 71 mm (2.80 in) 78 mm (3.07 in)
Cylinder block alloy	Aluminium
Cylinder head alloy	Aluminium
Valvetrain	OHC, 24-valve
Compression ratio	7.5:1 - 9.8:1
Combustion
Supercharger	Roots-type (in some versions)
Fuel system	Weber carburetor Bosch K-Jetronic FI
Fuel type	Petrol
Oil system	Wet sump Dry sump
Cooling system	Water cooled
Output
Power output	105 PS (104 hp; 77 kW) 165 PS (163 hp; 121 kW) 118 PS (116 hp; 87 kW) 230 PS (227 hp; 169 kW) 280 PS (276 hp; 206 kW) 300 PS (296 hp; 221 kW) 330 PS (325 hp; 243 kW) 340 PS (335 hp; 250 kW) 400 PS (395 hp; 294 kW)
Torque output	217 lb⋅ft (294 N⋅m) 240 lb⋅ft (325 N⋅m)
Chronology
Successor	Ferrari flat-12 engine

The Ferrari Colombo Engine was a petrol fueled, water cooled, carburetted 60° V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo and produced in numerous iterations by Italian automaker Ferrari between 1947 and 1988.

Colombo had formerly designed Alfa Romeos for Enzo Ferrari. These V12 powerplants ranged from the diminutive 1,497 cc (1.5 L; 91.4 cu in) unit fitted to the 125S to the 4,943 cc (4.9 L; 301.6 cu in) unit in the 1986 412i. Significant updates were made in 1963 for the 330 series featuring a redesigned block with wider bore spacing.^[1][2]

Enzo Ferrari had long admired the V12 engines of Packard, Auto Union, and Alfa Romeo^[3] (where he was long employed), but his first car, the 1940 Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, used a Fiat straight-8. Ferrari's first homegrown engine was a V12 designed by Colombo, with development continuing long after original designer Colombo had been replaced by Aurelio Lampredi as the company's marquee engine designer. Although Lampredi's engines were a real force for the company, it was Colombo's V12 which would be the primary motivator for the company's consumer products through the 1950s and 1960s.

125

The first homegrown Ferrari engine was the 125. First appearing May 11, 1947 under the hood of Ferrari's 125 S sports racer, the engine allowed the company to claim six victories in 14 races that year. The 125 S sported tiny 55 mm (2.17 in) by 52.5 mm (2.07 in) cylinders, the resulting 124.73 cc (7.6 cu in) of each cylinder rounded up to give the engine, and the car, its name. Overall, the engine displaced exactly 1,496.77 cc (1.5 L; 91.3 cu in). It had a single overhead camshaft on each cylinder bank with a 60° angle between the two banks. The engine had two valves per cylinder fed through three 30DCF Weber carburetors. A 7.5:1 compression ratio yielded 118 PS (116 hp; 87 kW) at 6800 rpm.

Colombo and Ferrari had designed the engine with Formula One regulations in mind, and introduced it the next year in the company's first F1 car, the 125 F1. This time, it was supercharged, in accordance with F1 dictates, for a total output of 230 PS (227 hp; 169 kW) at 7,000 rpm. However, the single-stage Roots-type supercharger was incapable of producing the high-end power required to compete with the strong eight-cylinder Alfa Romeo 158 and four-cylinder Maserati 4CLT. Nevertheless, strong driving and a nimble chassis allowed the company to place third in its first outing, at the Valentino Grand Prix on September 5, 1948 and the company persevered in racing.

For 1949, the engine was further modified with dual overhead camshafts (though still two valves per cylinder) and a two-stage supercharger.^[4] This combination gave the car better top-end performance and the resulting 280 PS (276 hp; 206 kW) gave it five Grand Prix wins. Development continued the following year, but the problematic superchargers were dropped in favor of larger displacement and Lampredi's 275 engine superseded the original Ferrari engine.

Applications:

• 1947 Ferrari 125 S — 118 PS (116 hp; 87 kW)
• 1948 Ferrari 125 F1 — Single supercharger, 230 PS (227 hp; 169 kW)
• 1949–1950 Ferrari 125 F1 — Dual-stage supercharger, 280 PS (276 hp; 206 kW)

58.8 mm stroke

Ferrari 212 2.6 L engine

Colombo Testa Rossa engine in a 1958 250TR

Colombo engine in a 1962 250 GTO

The early 166, 195, and 212 cars used Colombo V12s of varying sizes. All shared the same 58.8 mm (2.31 in) stroke, with 60, 65, and 68 mm (2.68 in) bores giving displacements of 1,995 cc (2.0 L; 121.7 cu in) in the 166, 2,341 cc (2.3 L; 142.9 cu in) in the 195 and 2,563 cc (2.6 L; 156.4 cu in) in the 212, respectively. Output ranged from 105 PS (104 hp; 77 kW) to 165 PS (163 hp; 121 kW).

330

The 1960 400 Superamerica replaced the previous model's Lampredi engine with a 3,967 cc (4.0 L; 242.1 cu in) Colombo. It diverged from the standard 58.8 mm (2.31 in) stroke with a 71 mm (2.80 in) stroke and 77 mm (3.03 in) bore. Output was 340 to 400 PS (335 to 395 hp; 250 to 294 kW) with triple Weber carburetors.

Although the 1963 330 series also used a 3,967 cc (4.0 L; 242.1 cu in) engine with the same bore and stroke as the 400 Superamerica, this engine was quite different. It used a wider bore spacing, paving the way for future displacement increases. The spark plugs were moved and a new water pump was used. The dynamo on the prior versions was replaced by a true alternator. In the end, 300 PS (221 kW; 296 hp) was on tap.

Four-cam

The Colombo V12 was substantially reworked for 1967's 275 GTB/4. It still used two valves per cylinder, but dual overhead cams were now used as well. In a departure from previous Ferrari designs, the valve angle was reduced three degrees to 54° for a more-compact head. The dual camshafts also allowed the valves to be aligned "correctly" (perpendicular to the camshaft) instead of offset as in SOHC Ferraris. It was a dry-sump design with a huge 16 L (17 US qt) capacity. The engine retained the bore and stroke dimensions of the 275 model for 3,286 cc (3 L; 201 cu in) of displacement. Output was 330 PS (325 hp; 243 kW) at 8000 rpm and 240 lb⋅ft (325 N⋅m) of torque at 6000 rpm with six 40 DCN 9 Weber carburetors.

365

The 330 Colombo engine was enlarged with an 81 mm (3.19 in) bore to 4,390 cc (4.4 L; 267.9 cu in) for 1966's 365 California, retaining single overhead cams and wet sump lubrication. A reworked engine with four camshafts was used in the GT/4 models. The 365 GTB/4 Daytona was the only 365 engined car featuring dry sump lubrication.

Applications:

• 1966–1967 365 California
• 1968–1970 365 GTC, 365 GTS
• 1968–1972 365 GT 2+2
• 1968–1973 365 GTB/4 Daytona, 365 GTS/4 Daytona
• 1971–1972 365 GTC/4
• 1972–1976 365 GT4 2+2

400, 412

The wet sump, four-cam, 365 Colombo engine was enlarged again to 4,823 cc (4.8 L; 294.3 cu in) for 1976's 400 with the same 81 mm (3.19 in) bore and a 78 mm (3.07 in) stroke. The carburetors were replaced with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1979. In 1986 the engine was bored to 82 mm (3.23 in) giving a displacement of 4,943 cc (4.9 L; 301.6 cu in).

Applications:

• 1976–1979 400
• 1979–1985 400i
• 1986–1988 412i

See also

• List of Ferrari engines

References