This is a V12 engine from a Lamborghini Jarama, it’s said to have been removed from a wrecked Jarama and it’s now being offered for sale on eBay in “as is” condition.
It’s been said that the Lamborghini Jarama was one of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s favorites, he preferred it to the Miura – which could be tricky to get in and out of. The Jarama still offered a sporting driving experience, while also offering GT car luxury and comfort in spades.
Ferruccio Lamborghini with a Lamborghini Jarama and one of his famous tractors. It’s been said that the Lamborghini Jarama was one of Ferrucio Lamborghini’s favorites, he preferred to the Miura – which could be tricky to get in and out of. Image courtesy of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
The Lamborghini Jarama
“I preferred the Jarama to all the others, because it is the perfect compromise between the Miura and the Espada. The Miura is a sport car for the young at heart who wants to go like hell and love to be seen.”
“Myself, I considered the Miura too extrovert after a while. In turn, the Espada was my Rolls Royce – still quite fast, but also large and comfortable. The Jarama is the perfect car if you just want to have one car.” – Ferruccio Lamborghini
The engine used in the Lamborghini Jarama was a modified version of the V12 that had been used in many earlier Lamborghinis, including the Islero, Espada, and 400 GT. Lamborghini called it a 4.0 liter, they still do to the current day, but given it has an actual displacement of 3,929cc it’s really a 3.9 liter.
From the factory this engine came with six Weber 40 DCOE carburetors feeding into the middle of the vee, with the double overhead cam crossflow heads sending the exhaust to the outside. The first Jarama was listed as producing 350 bhp, and the later Jarama S model made 365 bhp.
The car would be ordered with either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic, and it had a dry weight of 1,450 kgs (3,197 lbs) – considered fairly heavy for the time. The styling of the Jarama has always been a little controversial, it was done by Marcello Gandini at Bertone and quite closely resembled the Iso Lele – one of his other designs from the period.
The styling of the Jarama has always been a little controversial, it was done by Marcello Gandini at Bertone and quite closely resembled the Iso Lele – one of his other designs from the period. Image courtesy of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
The Jarama had a listed top speed of 162 mph, approximately 261 km/h, and it could comfortably carry two to four adults and a modest amount of luggage on cross-country trips, or on simple outings to the office, yacht club, or country club – as was its intended purpose.
It was sold from 1970 to 1976, though some are claimed to have been made as late as 1978 given the financial turmoil that had engulfed the company at the time – leading to long wait times and significant production disruption. Just 327 would be made, and it would be Lamborghini’s final front-engined V12 GT car.
The Lamborghini Jarama V12 Engine Shown Here
The engine you see here is listed as a Jarama V12, however the listing doesn’t mention if it’s from the original Jarama or the later Jarama S model.
It’s being offered with one of the shortest eBay descriptions we’ve ever seen, it just says: “Jarama engine from a wrecked Jarama. As is.”
Lamborghini call it a 4.0 liter, they still do to the current day, but given it has an actual displacement of 3,929cc it’s really a 3.9 liter.
This isn’t a whole lot of information given the $35,000 USD asking price, but they’re a highly-rated seller and I’m sure they’ll be happy to answer questions about it.
If you’d like to make it yours you can visit the listing here, it’s being offered for sale out of Los Angeles, California.
Though the styling may be controversial, there is a dedicated fan base around the Jarama that absolutely loves both the way it looks, and its performance. Image courtesy of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Images courtesy of Miura Parts
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