#Renovated Riva Aquarama By Ferruccio Lamborghini

It was built 45 years ago by Ferruccio Lamborghini, founder of the historic sports car brand, the recently restored Riva Aquarama is the fastest speed-boat in the world. The piece which amasses great interest to collectors, is equipped with the same 4.0-liter twin-engine Lamborghini V12 with 350 hp of the legendary 350 GT.

The fans were certain of the existence of Riva Aquarama by Ferruccio Lamborghini, but no one knew where it disappeared since the owner died in 1993. It was only until a Dutch collector of Riva, tracked it down laying still in the corner of a shipyard. The boat was restored by Riva Word, a world-renowned specialist focusing on the restoration of Riva yachts.

The project took about three years of work to complete. The wooden hull was repaired, sanded, and applied no less than 25 coats of paint. Some of the other changes include;  re-upholstered seats, the interior wood restored, all buttons and switches have been repaired, all chrome parts shine like new, and of course a new heart. Having the same heart as the first Lamborghini ever created (350 GT), makes this unique piece of the past…the fastest in the world.

“One of the two original engines of Riva can be found at the Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini in Italy, but unfortunately it was not possible to buy it for this project,” says Sandro Zani, “This is why we procured two additional V12 engines, even in the United States, and we have modified to make them suitable for nautical use.”

With record speeds of around 48 knots, let’s look at what makes this beauty’s engine so special:

- Two striking Lamborghini 4.0 V12 , each with 350 HP and six Weber twin carburetors (twelve in total)

- Speeds range from 700 to 5000 revolutions per minute

- Various engine modifications including a larger diameter and a longer stroke

Last summer after a few practice laps in the Netherlands, the Riva was transported to Italy where it was “liberated” in the waters of Lake Iseo, under the watchful eye of Carlo Riva. Mr. Riva was the the brand’s founder and built the superboat in just three month’s time in 1968 (after being spurred by Ferruccio Lamborghini).