Lamborghini has announced details of its new V12 engine in advance of the debut of the Mucielago replacement, scheduled for debut at 2011's Geneva Auto Salon. The all-new engine marks the end of the existing V12, which first appeared in the 350GT in 1963. The replacement Murcielago's V12 engine and  innovative new gearbox is described as 'two generations ahead in every sense' by company boss Stephan Winkelmann.

The new car codenamed LP837, will be capable of sprinting from 0-60mph in less than three seconds and will hit a top speed in excess of 217mph. The 6.5-litre V12 engine will boast 690bhp, and while it shares the same capacity as the outgoing engine, the new powerplant does not share a single component with the outgoing Murcielago’s motor.

The new engine now revs to 8250rpm, and the overall weight is down by 18kg to 235kg. The engine will be mounted 60mm lower - thanks to dry-sump lubrication - in the chassis than the Murcielago’s V12 to ensure that the new car’s centre of gravity is as low as possible.

Lamborghini has confirmed that the new car will be underpinned by a lightweight carbonfibre chassis, previewed in the Sesto Elemento shown at the Paris Motor Show, which trims the current car’s 1650kg weight by 150kg. Weight saving will be resposible for improved performance and economy.

As before, the new car will feature four-wheel drive, although it's now by a Haldex system which replaces the current viscous-coupling system. In normal running, the drive is split 30:70 front-to-rear, but can shift instantly to give 60 percent torque to the front. Further details of this exciting new car will undoubtledly be released towards 2011's launch.