Even Lamborghini isn’t immune to the rush of electrification and the pressures of emission reduction.
As one of the last naturally-aspirated V12 dinosaurs still on sale, Lamborghini the Aventador has been a fantastic swansong for a bloodline of twelve-cylinder Lambos running back over five decades, from the pioneering Miura to the ultimate expression of flamboyance and excess that exists today. It now seems, though, that the curtain has to close on such a unit in its purest form.
For those who just cannot get the Toyota Prius out of their heads whenever the idea of a hybrid is mentioned, it’ll be a turn-off. But surely, when the alternative is a downsized motor augmented by turbocharging which, even today, can dull throttle response and muffle the hard-edged soundtrack, such a proposal should be welcomed?
Still, if the years of hype surrounding the Porsche 918 and LaFerrari have proven anything, its that a well-executed petrol electric drivetrain can be just as exciting - if not more so - than the traditional powerplants. For starters, more power is a dead cert: could the next Lambo hypercar push past the 800bhp barrier? With the Ferrari 812 Superfast nearly doing so with an unassisted V12, there’s surely a strong chance.
Electrification also brings all sorts of cleverness, such as instant torque vectoring and the ability fill the gap between gearshifts with extra thrust. While it’s unlikely to have the all-electric range of, say, a BMW i8, the idea of silently gliding into a supercar meet before firing up the V12 at the best crowd-stunning moment.
The biggest concern will be the weight it adds - Lambo could maybe adopt the 48v electric anti-roll system from the Lamborghini Urus SUV to help combat body movement, yet there’s only so many ways you can artificially mask the laws of physics.
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Next Aventador to be first hybrid V12 Lamborghini
Lamborghini Aventador review
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Getting left behind......
Sooner or later not just some, all will have to have EV power of some sort some configuration, you want pure Fossil powered?, there will be plenty classic ones for sale in the future....
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Personally I do think the Aventador and Huracan have the best engine notes of any car in production today... Do you have a view on the Enzo or 812?
@ vertigo
I am not a fan of the V10 engine note personally, but that doesnt mean it isnt good....just not my choice.
I have driven an 812, but not an Enzo, although a close friend of mine who deals in heavy weight classics has Enzo's through his hands regularly.
812 sounds OK to me but a bit manafactured as all these exhaust valve cars do, including \ferrari's and Pagani's.
I prefer the old school V12 sounds of early Ferraris....a 512S or M sounds sublime...puts the hairs up on the back of your head.
But all of this is purely personal.....I mean I love the sound of a Group 4 Stratos or a Metro 6R4!
Pure or manufactured....?
So many have Exhaust noise pumped into the cabin nowadays, artificial engine noise, not cool, I agree, Lamborghini have the best modern sounding engine,but, what, in your opinion is or was the best “old School” sounding road Car....?
@ Peter Cavellini
I suppose a 60's AC Cobra is still hard to beat?
@ vertigo
"surprised at resistance to the concept given how excellent the La Ferrari is"
Maybe because Lamborghini's USP was always ploughing its own furrow and NOT following the herd?
Does it matter if some hybrids are faster....none of them sound as good.
If the herd is made up of
If the herd is made up of LaFerrari and 918, maybe not such a bad one to follow?
289 wrote:
There's only one other V12 hybrid road car in the entire history of the industry, and it cost four times as much as an Aventador. If that's not ploughing their own furrow, I'm not sure what is.
The alternatives would be to turbocharge the engine, which Ferrari is doing, or downsize to a V8, which is what everyone else is doing, or go all-electric, which is what Tesla is doing for their potentially Aventador-rivalling Roadster. None of those options provide the sound of a high-revving V12.
Hybrids actually don't do anything to alter the sound of the engine. They allow you to run the car with the engine off at idle or low speeds, but when the engine is actually running, it sounds the same as it normally would. That's the whole point, this is the only way to comply with emissions rules and power expectations while keeping the great sound of their engines.
The Prius sounds nasty because of its CVT gearbox, current F1 cars sound crap because they're turbocharged V6s (which, remember, is what going hybrid allows Lamborghini to avoid). The LaFerrari sounds amazing because it's a naturally aspirated V12, which is what the Aventador's successor will be.
@ vertigo
Thanks for the brief education in the world of supercars Vertigo, I feel enriched!
I never suggested that there were numerous V12 ybrids....I didnt mention number of cylinders if you re-read my post.
I merely suggested that Lamborghini shouldnt follow the herd i.e. McLaren/Ferrari/Porsche and should differentiate themselves by being different - as they always have done.
I also havent suggested that Hybridisation changes engine tone....of course it doesnt and I dont need you to point this out to me. I said..... that none of them (Porsche Ferrari/McLaren) sound as good as the Aventador....and that includes the (V12) La Ferrari, and I have ridden and driven several.
So thats my opinion...Aventador sounds better than a La Ferrari and miles better than the 918 or P1...all of which happen to be Hybrids.