Fiat - Engines 1
Gioacchino Colombo designed Ferrari's first twelve-cylinder engine, but Aurelio Lampredi (1917-1989) designed the second, achieving the first major successes. He was also responsible for
the four-cylinder Formula 2 engines at Ferrari. In 1955, he was replaced by Vittorio Jano, who came from Lancia.
He began his time at Fiat as head of engine development with a side job at Abarth, which lasted until 1977. Was the engine of the Fiat 124 or that of the 124 Coupé or Spider with two
overhead camshafts later called the Lampredi engine?
In any case, the engine evolved magnificently over the next 40 years. Displacement grew from 1.4 to a good 2 liters, and power reportedly reached over 500 kW (700+ hp), reaching the
pinnacle of four-cylinder engines, though by then, of course, it was no longer a naturally aspirated engine.
The first design was still relatively civil, with two camshafts in the three-part cylinder head, acting directly on the eight valves arranged in a V. Lampredi benefited from the fact that the timing
belt had just been invented as a drive for the camshaft(s) and had been made more robust.
The first design was still relatively civil, with two camshafts in the three-part cylinder head, acting directly on the eight valves arranged in a V. Lampredi benefited from the fact that the timing
belt had just been invented and therefore was made more robust as a drive for the camshaft(s).
This made the engine slender and light. Its predecessor, the 1600cc engine from Osca (Maserati), still used a double roller chain to drive an intermediate shaft and, from there, the camshaft.
Amazingly, the engine could also be produced as an OHV version without major modifications.
The DOHC engine had an intermediate shaft instead of the underhead camshaft, allowing the OHV to drive the ignition distributor and oil pump at both ends of this shaft. Eventually, the DOHC
would arrive as a sixteen-valve engine.
It's inexplicable how this rather unobtrusive engine was able to have such a successful career. The fact is, however, that it tolerated all forms of turbocharging. Many consider this engine to be
the most successful in motorsport.
In the Fiat 131 Rally Group 4, with a two-liter displacement and still without turbocharging, it achieved up to 170 kW (230 hp), with which was won the 1977, 1978, and 1980 World Championships, the latter with Walter
Röhrl, and the Monte Carlo Rally too.
In the Lancia 037 with its Volumex supercharger, mounted transversely as a mid-engine, the development of performance really took off. The reward for this successful work: winning the 1983 World Rally Championship.
The four-wheel-drive Lancia Delta S4 then exceeded the 400 kW (544 hp) barrier.
Further world championships with the Lancia Delta Integrale followed from 1987 to 1992, including the one with the Lampredi engine. These were just the rally cars. There's not enough space here for the many production
cars. You can find them in the individual data sheets.
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