The Ferrari 125 S was powered by a V12 engine.
The 125 S debuted in 1947 as the first car to carry the Ferrari name. Its 1.5-liter Colombo V12 was designed by Gioacchino Colombo, with contributions from Giuseppe Busso and Luigi Bazzi. The engine’s name came from its approximate 125 cc cylinder displacement, multiplied across 12 cylinders.
The car followed Enzo Ferrari’s earlier Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, which used an inline-eight engine and was built before Ferrari officially produced cars under its own name. That history can cause confusion: the 815 preceded the 125 S, but the 125 S is generally regarded as Ferrari’s first true Ferrari.
The compact V12 established a layout that became central to Ferrari’s identity for decades. The 125 S first raced at Piacenza on May 11, 1947, and helped launch Ferrari as both a manufacturer and a racing force.