A Look at the Top 3 V12 Engines Ever Made According to Car Repair Experts

While many cars might look good, let’s face it: the engine is what makes a great automobile truly stand out from the competition. Engines are the source of raw power and sound that all auto enthusiasts love, and when it comes to engines, many consider the V12 to be the ultimate configuration.

V12s deliver more power than engines with six or eight cylinders and can often use part configurations that are lighter in weight. This is what’s made them popular for use in race cars, and one of the reasons why so many automakers have competed over the years to produce remarkable V12s. If you’re planning on going to auto mechanic school, here’s a look at a few V12 engines that car repair experts consider to be among the best ever made.

Lamborghini V12: Car Repair Experts Know that this Engine Started a Legacy

Car repair experts know that Lamborghini actually built their legacy around the V12 engine, using one back in the 1960’s in their first-ever production car: the 350 GT. Lamborghini’s V12 was made famous in the 1966 Miura, where it was placed behind the driver, with a cylinder head that had two chain-driven camshafts to operate two valves per cylinder.

Over the years, Lamborghini’s V12 evolved from a 3.5 litre engine capable of putting out 270 hp, into a massive 6.5 litre that could produce 661 hp. It was last used in later models of the Murcielago before the company designed a new engine for the Aventador.

Mercedes-AMG 7.3 M120: A Rare Sight Amongst Car Repair Experts

This massive version of the popular M120 made a brief appearance in the R129 version of the SL73 AMG. How brief? There were only 85 models of the car produced between 1999 and 2001. What made this engine famous was when AMG passed it over to supercar manufacturer Pagani, who used it in their Zonda S, Tricolore, and F Cinque.

As you study to become a mechanic, you might also learn that Mercedes continued to use a smaller version of the M120 V12 for several years in the S-class, before it was replaced by the M137 that they use today.

The BMW S70/2: The Champion of Engines?

Although the S70/2 might be one of the most famous engines that BMW ever built, the company never actually used it in any of their production models. It was, however, used to power the legendary McLaren F1.

The S70/2 is a 6.1 litre engine that can produce 627 horsepower. When fitted into the F1, the car could go from 0-96 km/h in 2.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 390 km/h. When the F1 was developed in the early 90’s, it broke the production car speed record thanks to the S70/2. Not only do car repair experts consider the S70/2 to be BMW’s best engine, it’s also widely considered to be the best car engine ever made.

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