Fiat Twin Cam engine
Encyclopedia
Designed by Aurelio Lampredi
the Fiat
Twin Cam (also known as the Lampredi Twin) was an advanced inline-4 automobile
engine produced from 1959 through 1994 as a Fiat
/Lancia
engine until it was replaced by the "family B" series of engines. These B-series engines were designed as turbodiesel units, petrol units and specific Alfa Romeo Twin Spark engine
(replacing the original Alfa Romeo Twin-Cam
in all front-wheel drive
Alfa Romeos). As the name implies, it was a DOHC design, which was quite unusual in the late 1950s. The engine was produced in a large number of displacements, ranging from 1297 cc to 2111 cc and was used in Fiat
, Lancia
, Morgan
and Alfa Romeo
automobiles.
Fiat was the pioneer in engine development during the time period, using a monoblock technology, belt driven camshafts and aluminium alloy heads.
Easy to maintain and robust, all versions of this engine were based on the same core. This meant that boring the cylinders of the block, it could be easily upgraded to a larger size.
Highly versatile, a version of 1.6 liters producing 110 hp, can be tuned to output over 200. Both turbocharged and supercharged versions were also offered.
and has been the most successful engine in the history of the World Rally Championship
. The World Rally Championship for Manufacturers has been won by Fiat and Lancia, using engines based on the Lampredi Twin Cam engine, for a total of 10 years.
Aurelio Lampredi
Aurelio Lampredi was an Italian automobile and aircraft engine designer.Born in Livorno, he began his career at Piaggio, makers of the Vespa scooter, but quickly moved up to larger engines...
the Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
Twin Cam (also known as the Lampredi Twin) was an advanced inline-4 automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
engine produced from 1959 through 1994 as a Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
/Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
engine until it was replaced by the "family B" series of engines. These B-series engines were designed as turbodiesel units, petrol units and specific Alfa Romeo Twin Spark engine
Alfa Romeo Twin Spark engine
Alfa Romeo Twin Spark technology was used first time in Alfa Romeo Grand Prix car in 1914. In the early 1960s it was used in their race cars to enable it to achieve a higher power output from its engines...
(replacing the original Alfa Romeo Twin-Cam
Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine
The all alloy Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine series was an inline-4 cylinder engine produced by Alfa Romeo from 1954 to 1994. For earlier Alfa Romeo engines featuring twin camshafts, refer to the main Alfa Romeo page...
in all front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
Alfa Romeos). As the name implies, it was a DOHC design, which was quite unusual in the late 1950s. The engine was produced in a large number of displacements, ranging from 1297 cc to 2111 cc and was used in Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
, Morgan
Morgan Motor Company
The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003...
and Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
automobiles.
Fiat was the pioneer in engine development during the time period, using a monoblock technology, belt driven camshafts and aluminium alloy heads.
Easy to maintain and robust, all versions of this engine were based on the same core. This meant that boring the cylinders of the block, it could be easily upgraded to a larger size.
Highly versatile, a version of 1.6 liters producing 110 hp, can be tuned to output over 200. Both turbocharged and supercharged versions were also offered.
Applications
- 1972-1976 Fiat 124 Abarth
- 1966-1985 Fiat 124 Saloon/Spider/CoupeFiat 124The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
- 1967-1972 Fiat 125Fiat 125The Fiat 125 is a large family car introduced by Fiat in 1967 and produced by them until 1972. Derivatives were built under license outside Italy until the 1990s...
- 1972-1984 Fiat 132/Argenta
- 1972-1984 Lancia Beta Saloon/Coupe/Spider/HPELancia BetaThe Lancia Beta is a car produced by Lancia. It was the first new model introduced by Lancia after it had been taken over by Fiat in 1969.-Berlina:...
- 1977-1980 Fiat 131 Abarth
- 1974-1984 Fiat 131/MirafioriFiat 131The Fiat 131, additionally called "Mirafiori", is a small/medium family car produced by the Italian car manufacturer Fiat from 1974 to 1984. It was exhibited at 1974 Turin Motor Show....
- 1975-1984 Lancia Montecarlo
- 1981-1985 Morgan 4/4Morgan 4/4Morgan 4/4 was the Morgan Motor Company's first car with four wheels. It appeared in 1936. Its model designation "4-4" stood for four wheels and four cylinders. Earlier Morgans had been three-wheelers, only, typically with V-twin engines...
- 1978-1988 Fiat Ritmo/StradaFiat RitmoThe Fiat Ritmo is an automobile from the Italian manufacturer Fiat, launched in 1978. Styled by Bertone of Italy, it was seen by some as the most distinctive looking small family car in Europe on its launch in 1978 Turin Motorshow. It was badged in Great Britain and North America as the Fiat Strada...
- 1980-1994 Lancia Delta/HF/Integrale; Alfa Romeo 155 Q4Lancia DeltaThe Lancia Delta is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown inFrankfurt Motor Show in 1979...
- 1981-1984 Lancia TreviLancia TreviThe Lancia Trevi is a saloon car which was produced between 1981 and 1984. The Lancia Beta Trevi was presented at the Turin Auto Show in May 1980. Much of the car was derived from the Lancia Beta. The most powerful version of the Trevi was introduced in 1982 - this Volumex version had a supercharger...
- 1982-1983 Lancia Rally
- 1984-1990 Fiat RegataFiat RegataThe Fiat Regata is the saloon version of the Fiat Ritmo small family car, produced by Italian automaker Fiat. It was produced from 1983 to 1990, corresponding to the post-facelift Ritmo. The Regata had a choice of three gasoline and two diesel engines...
- 1985-1990 Fiat Regata WeekendFiat RegataThe Fiat Regata is the saloon version of the Fiat Ritmo small family car, produced by Italian automaker Fiat. It was produced from 1983 to 1990, corresponding to the post-facelift Ritmo. The Regata had a choice of three gasoline and two diesel engines...
- 1985-1996 Fiat CromaFiat CromaThe Fiat Croma is a nameplate used for two automobiles produced by Italian automaker Fiat, one a large family car built from 1985 to 1996 and the other a cross-over wagon built from 2005 to 2011.- Fiat Croma :...
- 1985-1994 Lancia ThemaLancia ThemaThe Lancia Thema is an executive car produced by the Italian automaker Lancia between 1984 and 1994, and one of four cars to share the Type Four platform alongside the Alfa Romeo 164, Fiat Croma and Saab 9000...
- 1994-1998 Lancia KappaLancia KappaThe Lancia Kappa is an executive car produced by Italian automaker Lancia. It replaced the Thema as Lancia's flagship model in 1994 and was itself replaced by Lancia Thesis in 2001. It shared its platform with the Alfa Romeo 166 and was available as a saloon, estate or coupé...
- 1989-2000 Lancia DedraLancia DedraThe Lancia Dedra is a compact executive car produced by the Italian automaker Lancia from 1989 to 2000. It was initially designed to support, and later to replace, the Prisma that, six years after its launch, was having difficulties to keep in pace with its latest opponents...
- 1989-1995 Fiat TempraFiat TempraThe Fiat Tempra is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Fiat from 1990 to 1998. The Tempra was intended as a replacement for the Fiat Regata. The original project was called Tipo 3, being a mid-size car between the Fiat Tipo and the bigger Fiat Croma...
/Fiat TipoFiat TipoThe Fiat Tipo is a small family car designed by the IDEA design house and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a... - 1994-2000 Fiat CoupéFiat CoupéThe Fiat Coupé was a coupé produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1993 and 2000. The car was introduced at Brussels Motor Show in 1993....
- 1999-2006 Fiat Punto Hgt Abarth
Displacements
| Displacement (cc) |
Bore (mm) |
Stroke (mm) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1297 | 76 | 71.5 | Lancia Beta, Fiat 131 Supermirafiori |
| 1301 | 76.1 | 71.5 | Lancia Beta |
| 1367 | 78 | 71.5 | Lancia Beta, Fiat 131 Supermirafiori |
| 1438 | 80 | 72 | Fiat 124 Special T/Coupe/Spider |
| 1585 | 84 | 71.5 | Fiat 131 Supermirafiori/Argenta/Ritmo 105TC; Lancia Beta/Delta GT/Delta HF |
| 1592 | 80 | 79.2 | Fiat 124 Special T/Coupe, Fiat 132; Lancia Beta |
| 1608 | 80 | 80 | Fiat 124 Coupe/Spider, Fiat 125 |
| 1756 | 84 | 79.2 | Fiat 124 Coupe/Spider/132/Tipo/Tempra; Lancia Beta/Delta/Prisma |
| 1995 | 84 | 90 | Fiat Spider 2000/132/Argenta/Strada/Ritmo/Regata/Croma/Tipo/Tempra; Lancia Beta/Delta/Thema |
Motorsport
The Fiat Twin Cam engine has been widely used in motorsportMotorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
and has been the most successful engine in the history of the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
. The World Rally Championship for Manufacturers has been won by Fiat and Lancia, using engines based on the Lampredi Twin Cam engine, for a total of 10 years.
| Constructor | Car used in Championship | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
 FiatFiat FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli... |
Fiat 131 Abarth Fiat 131 The Fiat 131, additionally called "Mirafiori", is a small/medium family car produced by the Italian car manufacturer Fiat from 1974 to 1984. It was exhibited at 1974 Turin Motor Show.... |
3 | 1977–1978, 1980 |
| Lancia Lancia Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more... |
Lancia 037 Lancia 037 The Lancia Rally 037 was a mid-engine rally car built by Lancia in the early 1980s purely for the FIA Group B World Rally Championship. Driven by Markku Alén, Attilio Bettega, and Walter Röhrl, the car won Lancia the manufacturers' world championship in the 1983 season... |
1 | 1983 |
| Lancia Lancia Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more... |
Lancia Delta HF 4WD and Delta Integrale | 6 | 1987–1992 |