Listening to This Lamborghini L900 V12 Marine Engine Cold Start-Up Is Invigorating

Most of you know Lamborghini for their bull-badged supercars but the same badge has adorned many other machines, from tractors to trucks and even motorcycles. Not everything in the vast catalog of Lamborghini has wheels though, as the Italian company has also made exquisite marine engines for luxury and racing boats. The L900 V12 Marine Engine was one of the finest and smoothest, and it turns out that one of these beasts is on the market for sale.

This V12 is naturally aspirated as you’d expect from a proper Lamborghini powerplant and it was based on the first generation of Lamborghini V12 engines designed by the genius Giotto Bizzarrini. Motori Marini Lamborghini produced several versions of the powerplant, including the carbureted L900 with 9,3 liters and 770 horsepower and the fuel-injected L802 with 8,0 liters and 900 horsepower. The unit on sale is the L900 model and it's mounted on a stand for the owner's enjoyment.

Before you mark it for an engine swap for your Aventador you should consider not only its power but also its heft. At 990 pounds (449 kg), it might not be the best option for a road car, unless, of course, that car is the Lamborghini LM002. If you recall, the “Rambo Lambo” could be specified with an L804 V12 marine engine with 8.2-liter and 940 horsepower borrowed from a Class 1 offshore racing boat. Sweet!

Back to the L900 engine, we found it for sale on Bring a Trailer and it looks like new. The listing mentions that all 12 cylinders have good compression, and a complete refurbishment was carried out in 2016. Despite the highest bidder placing a $32,750 offer, the reserve was not met, so we guess this means it's still for sale.

The engine features dual overhead camshafts, electronic ignition, six twin-choke Weber 44 DCNF carburetors, and a Daytona marine transmission. The current owner mounted it on a stand for his own viewing pleasure, with all the ancillary equipment needed for proper operation. The seller also provides a video with him cold-starting the engine, which we found invigorating. Just head below and listen to the sound of firing cylinders.