Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini has retired its revered 5.2-liter V10 petrol engine in favor of a plug-in hybrid set-up with its upcoming Huracán replacement.
The latest model, badged the Temerario and due in 2025, will instead feature a smaller capacity 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine that is accompanied by three electric motors for a total output of 907bhp, making it significantly more powerful than any outgoing Huracán iteration.
In order to placate Lambo fans, the upcoming car will be capable of a 0-62mph sprint time of just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 211mph, while emitting the sort of raucous engine note that attracts all of the attention.
However, while the Italian marque will wax lyrical about the performance benefits of offering electric motors and battery packs, the marque also has to appease the increasingly strict emissions regulations that are facing all modern manufacturers – even those of very expensive super cars.
Lamborghini hasn’t quoted an all-electric range for the Temerario, but it shares much of its EV technology with the hybrid Revuelto, and that manages around six miles before those batteries run dry. The 3.8kWh battery can be charged by an AC device at rates of up to 7kW – so yep, you can plug it in.
It it highly unlikely that owners will ever use pure electric mode, aside from silent starts where the bark of a V8 is frowned upon. But instead, the electric motors are chiefly used to fill gaps in torque delivery at lower rev ranges, rather than relying on petrol-sapping turbochargers to do all the heavy lifting.
What’s more, the use of electric motors and regenerative braking has afforded Lambo engineers greater control over torque vectoring and traction control systems.
As a result, this will be the first car with a Raging Bull badge to offer a proper 'Drift Mode', where clever electronics assist in maintaining the perfect slip angle for big, rubber-burning skids.
A more mature Lamborghini
Alongside the modern hybrid powertrain, which looks set to deliver potent performance to Italian super car fans, the Lamborghini Temerario has also grown more sensible in its overall design and the levels of comfort it promises.
An all-new aluminum spaceframe, built to house all of the fresh electronic parts, offers more headroom for taller drivers, as well as additional stowage space for luggage.
What’s more, the seats have been made more comfortable (and more adjustable), while the latest infotainment system, which consists of a 12.3in digital instrument cluster for the driver, a 9.1in display for the passenger and a central 8.4in display, provides the digital user experience luxury car owners demand.
Shockingly, Lamborghini has even programmed its gear changes to be much smoother in its most comfortable Strada mode and the suspension now has more travel so there is a tangible difference between ride comfort in the various performance modes.
We’re not sure what’s more surprising, the promise of a comfortable Lamborghini or one that can be plugged in and charged. Times are, indeed, changing.
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