Lamborghini debuts Revuelto hybrid supercar

LAMBORGHINI has debuted its first production hybrid supercar – the V12-engined Revuelto plug-in hybrid – as a replacement for its 12-year-old Aventador flagship, marking the beginning of the Italian marque’s imminent transition to an all-hybrid line-up in its 60^th Anniversary year.

Yet even though full production is yet to commence – prior to first European deliveries in the final quarter of 2023 – Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann says that the next two years of Revuelto production is already spoken for, based on the number of pre-orders for the car prior to its official 29 March unveiling.

“We already have a high demand,” said Mr Winkelmann at a preview event, as reported by US car magazine Road & Track. “If you put all the orders in [for Revuelto] we are seeing today, we are already exceeding two years of ordering.

“We are going to open up the [ordering] system at the end of March or the beginning of April when we are officially going to present the car … but today it is already clear we are exceeding two years.”

The Revuelto builds on the mild-hybrid technology of 2019’s limited-production Sian supercar by incorporating a 110kW electric motor in each front wheel – providing electric drive to the front ‘e-axle’ and electronic torque vectoring for the first time in a Lamborghini, which is claimed to enhance agility in tight cornering and improve high-speed stability.

At the rear, a 110kW/150Nm electric motor is mounted on top of an all-new transversely mounted eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which sits behind a new naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 petrol engine.

Replacing the previous L539-series V12, this new L545 generation weighs 17kg less than its predecessor and is capable of revving to 9500rpm, with peak outputs of 607kW at 9250rpm (compared to 574kW at 8500rpm in the final Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae) and 725Nm at 6750rpm (compared to the Ultimae’s 720Nm).

The rear electric motor acts as a starter/generator while also providing additional bursts of acceleration to the rear wheels, depending on the selected drive mode (there are 13 in total) – boosting the Revuelto’s combined maximum output to 747kW and making it the most powerful Lamborghini in history.

Propelling a dry overall weight of 1772kg, Lamborghini says the Revuelto is good for 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds (0.3sec quicker than the 227kg-lighter Aventador Ultimae), with a top speed in excess of 350km/h.

Conversely, when driven in EV-only mode (which is only possible for short distances), the plug-in hybrid Revuelto operates as a front-wheel drive, with the rear electric motor providing additional drive only when needed.

The previous V12’s centre transmission tunnel is now occupied by a 3.8kWh lithium-ion battery that can be charged either by regenerative braking, by the engine in six minutes, or via a charging current of up to 7kW in 30 minutes.

Body wise, the all-carbon-fibre ‘monofuselage’ Revuelto chassis weighs 10 per cent less than the Aventador and improves torsional rigidity by 25 per cent, with aerodynamic downforce increased by 33 per cent at the front and 74 per cent at the rear under “maximum load conditions”.

Lamborghini also claims the Revuelto offers 84mm more legroom and 26mm more headroom than its predecessor, with enough packaging space to accommodate a golf bag behind the seats.

The cabin features an 8.4-inch vertical centre touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and a 9.1-inch display for the passenger, while the Countach-inspired exterior can be configured in up to 400 different paint colours.

Australian pricing and launch timing are yet to be announced for the Lamborghini Revuelto, though expect the first examples to arrive around mid-2024, commanding an almost seven-figure sum.