Good things come to those who wait, the saying goes, and De Tomaso seems to have proved the point with its new 888 horsepower V12 engine. Announced in 2022 and originally expected in 2024, the final specification for the bespoke 7.0-liter V12 engine designed to power the forthcoming P900 was recently revealed by the Italian supercar firm.
The V12 is a collaboration between De Tomaso and Italian powertrain specialist Italtecnica, a company that focuses on designing and producing extreme specification engines for use in road cars and motorsport. The engine is developed exclusively for track use and does without turbocharging or hybrid electric assistance.
View Price on AmazonThe cylinder banks are set at 65 degrees, rather than the traditional 60 degrees, matching that of later Ferrari V12s and the Murray T50, for example. It has an eight-stage dry sump lubrication system to ensure a perfect supply of oil throughout the engine when undergoing extreme acceleration, braking, and cornering forces. There are quad cams, with double overhead camshafts operating the valves in each cylinder head.
Rather than belts or chains, the engine designers have opted for a "full gear-driven cascade" - a gear train taking the drive from the camshaft to each of the four cams, ensuring extremely precise valve timing at the highest engine speeds. Construction is described as billet aluminum with extensive use of titanium and carbon fiber for components. In practice, that equates to a crankcase machined from a solid billet of aluminum alloy for lightness and rigidity, as are supporting components for the carbon fiber intake system.
The intake system is designed as much to produce an epic sound as give the most efficient airflow. A fairly traditional approach is taken to major internal components, with forged connecting rods and lightweight pistons helping reduce reciprocating masses, and there are titanium valves to reduce inertia as they open and close at massive speed. The compression ratio is described as "high" to maximize power and efficiency, but the figure is undisclosed at this stage.
Source: autocar.co.uk
