The beating heart of Lamborghini - New challenges with the introduction of the Murciélago

Audi's acquisition of a majority stake in Lamborghini marked the beginning of a period of profound change. Under the new ownership, a different approach was taken to the development of the V12. The focus shifted from achieving high performance to volumetric efficiency to meet increasingly stringent regulations. An example of this is the Murciélago, which was introduced in 2001 with a 6.2-liter V12 engine that produced 580 hp. In 2007, the displacement was increased to 6.5 liters, enabling an impressive output of 670 hp. In addition, the vehicle was 100 kilograms lighter and the engine, which was revised in several parts, was equipped with dry sump lubrication with oil circulation via return pumps. This allowed Lamborghini to reduce the distance between the crankshaft and the car's underbody, thus improving handling. The development of the Murciélago engine allowed Lamborghini to find its own place in the world of Audi. But it was the decision to develop a new V12 from scratch after 45 years that enabled Lamborghini's developers to set new goals and exploit new opportunities.