Gioacchino Colombo

Who was Gioacchino Colombo?

Gioacchino Colombo was an Italian automobile engine designer.

Colombo was born in Legnano. He began work as an apprentice to Vittorio Jano at Alfa Romeo. In 1937, Colombo designed the 158 engine for the Alfetta and caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari. Ferrari asked Colombo to design a small V12 for use in the new Ferrari marque's racing and road cars. The first Ferrari-Colombo engine appeared on May 11, 1947.

Colombo's great work for Ferrari was a tiny 1.5 L V12, first used in the Tipo 125, 159, and then 166 sports cars. This engine, known in Ferrari circles as the "Colombo engine", was produced for road cars and endurance racing cars for more than 15 years in displacements up to 3.3 L. These included the famed 3.0 L Ferrari 250 racing, sports, and GT cars.

Colombo's engine was not as successful in Formula One racing. After stunning early success in the 166, the engine was supercharged for use in Formula One but failed to perform well. Ferrari hedged his bets, as he often did, by bringing on competing designer Aurelio Lampredi to create a large naturally aspirated V12, which replaced Colombo's.