All posts in “Lamborghini”

Lamborghini applies to trademark ‘Huracan STJ’ for another limited edition

When Lamborghini showed the 60th anniversary Huracans at Milan Fashion Week last April, automaker CEO Stephan Winkelmann said “The special editions of the Huracán not only celebrate the 60th anniversary of our brand, but also give our customers maybe the last chance to purchase an otherwise sold-out V10-powered Lamborghini.” We wrote at the time that we thought “maybe” was a vital qualifier. The Huracan’s twin-turbo V8 hybrid-powered successor isn’t due until the end of this year; 18 months is a long time for the Sant’ Agata brand to go without a special edition for the growing legion of buyers ready with six or seven figures sight-unseen. CarBuzz might have restored order to the world and proved us right, finding a couple of trademark applications with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for a vehicle called the Huracan STJ.

The J is for “Jota,” the Spanish pronunciation of the letter “J,” representative of the FIA rule book’s Appendix J detailing sports car racing and homologation regulations (a connection that might or might not be true), and of Lamborghini’s most focused road-going models for retail customers going back to the Miura Jota prototype in 1970. Since then, there’s been a Miura SVJ, Diablo SE30 Jota, Aventador J one-off speedster and the Aventador SVJ.  

The short money says this is a turned-up version of the Huracan STO, itself the most raucous version of the Huracan that sold out through the end of production more than a year ago. The long money says this could be a track-only coupe, despite every previous J designation being legal for the street. The fans of all things bully at Lamborghini Talk say there will only be ten made, one for each of the automaker’s global regions, and all are sold out. One poster wrote that in December and January, Lamborghini approached prospective buyers with the chance to purchase the sole unit for their region. Our bet is that nary a “No” was heard. 

It’s possible the public will get its first and perhaps only look at the Huracan STO — outside of Pebble Beach or an RM Sotheby’s auction — at Lamborghini’s takeover of Italy’s Imola Circuit on April 6 and 7. The festival is called Lamborghini Arena, the automaker calling it “The most extraordinary event in our brand’s history.” Could make a worthy entrance for an extraordinary new J.

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Lamborghini Huracan STO SC 10 Anniversario won’t race, but should

Lamborghini’s one-make Super Trofeo racing series waved its first green flag in 2009. Installing the season-ending World Finals as a cap to the series didn’t start until 2013, the same year the Italian automaker created its Squadra Corse motorsports division, making this year the 10th anniversary of both. In honor of that, and perhaps to the benefit of a client or clients, Lamborghini’s Ad Personam custom division created the Huracán STO SC 10 Anniversario, a roadgoing Huracán with a special livery and aero package tweaked by the Squadra Corse racing division.

And since the Huracán is also headed into retirement after 10 years on sale, this racing-themed special model repeats history: Lamborghini sold a run of 50 Gallardo LP-570 Squadra Corse coupes for the 2014 model year on the eve of that model concluding its 10-year production run.    

The Verde Mantis and Nero Noctis livery shouts out to the SC63 hybrid endurance racer that will compete in the IMSA’s Le Mans Daytona Hybrid class starting next year. The Huracán’s flourished in the lower classes, having won the GTD class at the Rolex 24 at Daytona three years in a row. Unique touches include the Tricolore band running down the center, “Squadra Corse 10° Anniversario” logos on the sides and rear fin, plus Rosso Mars accents along the carbon fiber package pieces. Inside, a Nero Ade seats are contrasted by Verde Fauns stitching, four-point seat belts, a roll bar, and a carbon fiber floor. 

The company says this is the first time the Squadra Corse division has fiddled with a road car. The performance and aero changes count four-way adjustable racing-derived dampers replacing the adaptive shocks, specially developed Bridgestone tires, an Akrapovic titanium exhaust, new carbon fiber flics at the leading edges of the front cover vents, and a rear wing canted an additional three degrees for more rear downforce. The Gallardo Squadra Corse coupes got more downforce from a special rear wing, too, but the racing arm wasn’t in charge of that back then.

Chief technical officer Rouven Mohr described this as “a concrete demonstration of how experience gained in motorsport can be effectively transferred to the road product, enhancing performance and driving pleasure. We firmly believe that motorsport is the most technically sophisticated and challenging test bed, and Squadra Corse’s know-how is a valuable asset that deserves to be highlighted on unique models and limited road series with a racing vocation.” Lamborghini didn’t say whether there’d be more than one of these, nor mention a price, though, so perhaps give your dealer a call and a blank check to pass along if you’re interested. 

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Second, smashed 1989 Lamborghini Countach from ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ to be auctioned

We’re not sure if we should consider this situation trying to steal someone’s thunder or, as is done in the NFL, trying to ice the kicker. In August, RM Sotheby’s announced that in December in New York it will auction a 1-of-12, white 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary that starred in Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Resplendent in Bianco Polo, the auction star was one of two cars used in the film. Notably, it was the undamaged car. The second Bianco Polo 25th Anniversary Countach was damaged rather badly as part of filming, victim of the main character driving under severe influence. We said of the second car, “The location and current condition of the other Countach are unknown, but as far as we can tell, no one has attempted to restore or auction it in the years since filming.” We now know the location and condition of the other Countach: Bonhams announced it will auction the other star car this month as part of the festivities around the season-ending Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Lamborghini in the same condition as when it was hauled off the set. 

In the listing description, Bonham’s calls its offering the “Hero Car.” Then it makes quite a bit of noise about its Lamborghini having been on screen for “approximately 3 minutes and 11 seconds” in the company of Leonardo DiCaprio as opposed to RM Sotheby’s unhurt car being on screen for approximately 16 seconds, part of which was shot by a second unit filming a stunt driver, not DiCaprio. This, we suppose, is like concours judges arguing over whether patina and original condition imbue more value than restored to original condition. Except we’re arguing about a famous, crashed Countach potentially being worth as much or more than a famous, uncrashed Countach. 

The auction houses set their pre-sale estimates in the identical range, $1.5M to $2M. Bonhams’ put some sweeteners in the lot, though: A certificate of authenticity, DiCaprio’s costume as character Jordan Belfort, the director’s chair and a clapboard signed by Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie, two hoodies like the kind the film crew wore, and two DVDs of the film. Frankly, the strangest twist in this drama might be someone spending $2 million on a wrecked Lamborghini and having to declare two DVDs to customs on the way home.

It’s not the star associations alone that justify the estimates. For some backstory, even though the real Jordan Belfort said he was driving a Mercedes on the cinematic night in question, Scorsese upped the stakes with a Lamborghini. The director tried using a replica, but apparently the imitation stallion didn’t crumple like the real deal. So Scorsese didn’t just buy a Countach, he bought the Silver Anniversary editions. Lamborghini sold 658 units around the world, only 23 in Bianco/Bianco reported to have made the crossing to America. Hagerty values an example in good condition at $440,000.

Bonhams’ On the Grid: The Abu Dhabi Auction happens November 25. Two weeks later, RM Sotheby’s will hold its New York auction. Our guess is one bidder will attempt to win both. That’s what a wolf would do. 

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Lamborghini previews electric concept ahead of Monterey unveiling

Lamborghini will preview its first series-produced electric car (and the fourth member of its range) with a concept scheduled to break cover on August 18. It’s keeping details about the model under wraps, but it published a dark teaser image that hints at what’s in the pipeline.

Posted on the Italian brand’s social media channels, the picture shows what looks like the top of either a low-slung sedan or a big coupe. We’re not 100% sure what we’re looking at yet, but we’re nearly certain that it’s not a crossover. Instead, the silhouette vaguely reminds us of the Estoque, a close-to-production design study that could have morphed into a high-performance sedan but ultimately remained a concept.

Keep in mind that this is pure speculation; Lamborghini’s image doesn’t show shut lines so we don’t know whether the concept — whose name hasn’t been revealed yet — has two or four doors. Officially, company executives have described the car as “a grand tourer with a 2+2 seating layout” developed to fill the gap between super-sport cars like the Revuelto and the Urus SUV. It will offer “comfortable” rear seats.

If it’s a coupe, the fourth model will land in a very small segment. While two-door models with a 2+2 layout were reasonably common in the 1960s and the 1970s, even in the Lamborghini range, they’ve all but disappeared in recent years. Some of the more notable torchbearers left include the second-generation Maserati GranTurismo, which is also offered with an electric powertrain, and the Bentley Continental GT.

As for the drivetrain, we’ll need to be patient to find out how Lamborghini plans to deliver an electric model that’s as engaging to drive as its gasoline-powered cars. The brand has stressed that its fourth model will arrive as a standalone car, so it won’t land as an electrified version of, say, the Huracán’s replacement. We’re betting it will be electric-only; we’re not expecting this Bull will offer several powertrain options.

More details about Lamborghini’s next concept will emerge in the coming days, and its unveiling will take place on August 18. However, note that what you’ll see in Monterey in a couple of days isn’t necessarily what you’ll see in showrooms when production starts later in the 2020s.

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Electric Lamborghini concept headed to Monterey Car Week: Think ‘spaceships’

In a press release tracing the history of Lamborghini concept cars, the Sant’Agata Bolognese automaker let us know it will debut “the prototype” of its coming battery-electric car during Monterey Car Week. The word “prototype” is interesting here because Lamborghini touched on the transition from one-offs and concept cars to “few-offs” — those being “a limited run of cars for the most loyal customers that pre-empt or enhance the most advanced technical solutions that will be used on production cars in later years.” We’re told, “The same formula will be repeated in just a few days,” suggesting that whatever goes on show could end up in a few driveways before long.

We’re still not sure what’s coming, though. Autocar reports the EV is “expected to draw light inspiration from the Estoque saloon concept,” pictured above from its reveal at the Paris Auto Show in 2008. The same report also throws “high-riding,” “2+2 seating and GT proportions,” the idea the car might have two doors, and a tip from head designer Mitja Borkert that future products will “look like spaceships.”

That’s quite the combo. Most modern cars considered 2+2 have two doors and diminished rear quarters; the Estoque was a proper sedan with four proper seats. Know what was a 2+2? The hybrid Asterion LPI-910 from 2014, which could be considered a coupe-ified Estoque, design-wise.      

The automaker says the EV is “due to enter production by the end of the decade.” It’s anticipated that by then, the EV will join the battery-electric successor to the Urus, creating an electrified lineup for four cars when counting the hybrid Revuelto and the hybrid Huracán successor. It’s then we’ll find out what electrification the Lamborghini way really means, the brand still coming up with those answers.

CEO Stephan Winkelmann said, “There are definitions that I think no electric car in our sector has yet resolved sufficiently: not just acceleration and handling behavior but also responsiveness, braking feel and multiple acceleration protocols. These are unproven in high-performance EVs and things we must spend the next years working out.”

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Eccentrica Cars unveils Lamborghini Diablo restomod

San Marino-based Eccentrica Cars is bringing the Lamborghini Diablo, one of the most emblematic supercars of the 1990s, into the 21st century. The startup unveiled a limited-edition restomodded Diablo with a more modern design inside and out and a more powerful V12.

Eccentrica enlisted the help of several well-known suppliers to complete its first project. BorromeodeSilva, a design studio based in Milan, updated the Diablo’s lines by taking inspiration from the GTR model. The only exterior panel left untouched is the windshield; everything else has been updated, including the bumpers, the hood and the side skirts. Designers fitted a muscular-looking body kit, new-look headlights hidden behind retractable covers, and hexagon-shaped intakes that channel air to the radiators. The engine cover was redesigned as well.

What you see isn’t necessarily what you’ll get if you’re one of the lucky customers whose name appears on the waiting list. For example, the “remove before flight”-branded engine covers are temporary. They’ll be replaced by a pair of “mobile components” on the production car. 

The interior gets a similar treatment: it stays true to the original car’s spirit and layout while incorporating modern styling cues and materials. Eccentrica describes it as “a meeting point between the minimalism of the early 1990s and the state-of-the-art mechanics typical of luxury watchmaking.” It adds that one of the project’s goal was to replace many of the plastic parts found in the original Diablo.

Step in through the scissor doors — getting rid of such an emblematic styling cue was out of the question — and you’ll find a pair of Alcantara-upholstered seats, a reinterpretation of the regular Diablo’s steering wheel and a digital instrument cluster with a throwback look. Square buttons occupy most of the space on the center stack, while the center console features toggle switches and a gated shifter.

Fully street-legal, Eccentrica’s Diablo is powered by an evolution of the standard car’s 5.7-liter V12 that develops 550 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 442 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm thanks in part to valvetrain modifications. In comparison, the Diablo launched in 1990 with a 5.7-liter V12 rated at about 492 horsepower and 426 pound-feet of torque. The engine exhales through a Capristo exhaust system, and it spins the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. We haven’t heard the V12 fire up yet, but we’re betting it sounds amazing.

The firm quotes a 0-62-mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 208 mph, and it adds that the use of titanium and carbon fiber parts lowers the coupe’s weight, though the final figure hasn’t been released. More power and less weight is a combination that requires bigger brakes, so the updated Diablo gets a Brembo-designed braking system with six-piston front calipers that grip huge slotted rotors. Eccentrica hasn’t said much about the suspension system, but it widened the track and made the chassis stiffer to improve handling.

Eccentrica will build 19 units of its modern-day Diablo, and buyers will be able to personalize the paint, the upholstery and the trim material, among other features. The brand wants to ensure that no two examples are exactly alike. Pricing starts at €1.2 million (about $1.3 million at the current conversion rate) excluding any and all options and the cost of the donor car, and production takes between 16 and 18 months.

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2025 Lamborghini Urus to drop gas-only model, go PHEV-only

After introducing the first hybrid to the brand this year in the Revuelto, Lamborghini’s transformation takes two more big steps next year. Autocar reports that toward the end of 2024, the Urus will switch to a PHEV-only powertrain. We’ve known for a while there was an electrical cord headed to the Urus’ flanks, but we didn’t expect Lamborghini would give up the pure ICE variant. Brand honcho Stephan Winkelmann confirmed to Autocar the engine will be a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, but didn’t give output figures. A 2021 report in Car magazine — back when the purported Urus PowerHybrid was due in 2022 — predicted the engine in question is coming from Porsche and would produce about 660 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque. The horse count would rise with help from a 168-hp electric motor in the transmission. However, the gearbox’s internals wouldn’t allow any more than 660 lb-ft. That’s still a perfectly fine number; the 6.5-liter V12 and three electric motors in the new Revuelto “only” throw a combined 783 lb-ft.

Today’s Urus romps with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 making 657 horsepower and 627 lb-ft. in both S and track-focused Performante trims. Theoretically, the Urus PHEV could crank that to about 830 hp and 660 lb-ft. The additional power would be partially offset by additional weight, as much as 551 pounds if Car is correct. This SUV would carry on until 2029, when an all-electric version ushers in a second generation.

The Lamborghini Huracan successor is expected to debut before the PHEV Urus but go on sale about the same time as the Urus. Since that successor will use an adapted version of the engine headed to the Urus mated to the transmission in the Revuelto, we expect the release of vital details to begin as soon as the new baby coupe makes its introduction, thought to be around next spring. 

To hear Winkelmann talk, we’re ruminating now on the last hurrah of old-school, visceral, ICE-powered Lamborghinis. The brand has a high-riding battery-electric 2+2 GT penned in to debut in 2028 with about 300 miles of range. That will be the next big sign of things to come. He told Autocar, “You go with the most difficult legislation, which is the US, and is really California. Other states adopt California’s rules — typically big cities and that’s where we sell cars. …

Even if it [legislation] is not banning EVs, taxation will be a killing factor. Then mega-cities are talking of abolishing non-EVs before 2035 regardless.” And despite the work of sister brand and collaborator Porsche, Winkelmann’s not sold on synthetic fuels yet. For him, they’re “more about keeping alive the current car parc,” not creating new ICE-powered models using said fuels.

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Lamborghini Revuelto gets its closeup, makes some noise

Lamborghini revealed the successor to the Aventador at the end of March. The new biggest, baddest bull from Sant’Agata is called the Revuelto, powered by a hybrid V12 designed to celebrate the most feral side of Lamborghini’s take on internal combustion while also providing everyday hybrid manners in the city and meeting global emissions regulations. The first public viewing happened at Auto Shanghai in April, the Revuelto taking its first European bow late in the month at Milan Fashion Week, where Lamborghini also showed versions of the 60th Anniversary Huracan models. Now we’re getting more details on the new V12 in Lamborghini’s own words, thanks a seven-minute video called “The Challenge.”

Most importantly, we’re getting a taste of the Revuelto’s sounds. A leaked trademark application in Europe from earlier this year put a clip of the Revuelto’s pure EV mode on YouTube. That video’s been banished, but at 3:10 in this new vid there’s a sample that sounds similar to the leak. It opens up a discussion of techniques the sound engineers used to represent the new frontier for the brand, that section ending with a short blast of V12 noise.

Technical officer Reuven Mohr runs through some of the special numbers defining the Revuelto: The carbon fiber “monofuselage” is composed of RTM, pre-preg, and forged carbon fiber and weighs 10% less than the previous carbon tub while being 25% stiffer; and the V12 makes 30% more power than the final Aventador while producing 30% fewer emissions. There’s also an animation of the new eight-speed double-clutch gearbox that houses an electric motor. Replacing the former longitudinal transmission placed between the cabin seats with a compact unit mounted behind the engine meant being able to move the engine forward. Mohr gives the impression the relocation enabled designers to add a proper, deep diffuser. However, the 2017 Centenario gave us a taste of what we have now, including the visible chunk of rear tire.

There’s so much more we’re still waiting to find out about the new Italian flagship, but you can start your studies with the video above.

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Lamborghini shows off 2023 Huracan 60th Anniversary models at Fashion Week

As promised, Lamborghini pulled back the covers on its run of 60th anniversary Huracans. The three trims, Super Trofeo Omologata (STO), Tecnica, and EVO Spyder each come in two fashion-influenced colorways, and each will come in a run of 60 units for a total of 180 produced. The STO is inspired by sportwear and the athletic team kit. The first version comes in various shades of blue over black, the second version in gray over black. The Huracán Tecnica looks to motorsports liveries and the Italian flag, one variant in gray over black and red, the other in white with green stripes over black. The droptop EVO Spyder is a remix of the other two, available in either blue and white over black, or green with white strips over black.

Of note, CEO Stephan Winkelmann said “The special editions of the Huracán not only celebrate the 60th anniversary of our brand, but also give our customers maybe the last chance to purchase an otherwise sold-out V10-powered Lamborghini.” We think “maybe” is an important word in this sentence. The high-riding Sterrato only got 1,499 units that disappeared faster than wet cotton candy. The standard Huracan is sold out through 2024, as is everything else coming out the Sant’Agata Bolognese factory. Yet the Huracan successor isn’t due until the end of 2024, according to a Road & Track report. Eighteen months that will include the afterglow of a huge birthday year is a long time to go without one-third of the lineup, especially at a company that loves — and succeeds so well at — special editions.

As for that successor, about the only agreement among rumors is that the chassis be a modified version of the platform created for the flagship Revuelto. Car magazine says the hybrid V12’s carbon-heavy “monofuselage” will be reworked with aluminum to lower the price. As recently as last November, some pubs said they expected Lamborghini to stick with a V10, Auto Express writing about Lamborghini technical officer Rouven Mohr saying, “[the new car is] not a range-oriented hybrid and there will be no kind of downsizing,” the mag saying Mohr conveyed the sentiment “that it’s against Lamborghini’s philosophy to reduce the engine size and then ‘compensate’ with electrification as some rivals have done.” 

A twin-turbo hybrid V8 has come up more recently, this engine being of Lamborghini’s design. No longer having a corporate sibling in the Volkswagen Group stable to share V10 hybrid costs and upkeep with, a hybrid V8 makes much more sense. The Group is awash in V8s and will be using hybridized versions in models from several brands. The scuttlebutt on this engine alleges about 850 horsepower of total output, turbos that don’t spool up until 7,000 rpm, and a 10,000-rpm redline. 

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2023 Lamborghini Huracan celebrates 60 years with 180 special-edition cars

A person’s 60th birthday is the diamond jubilee, considered one’s entry into the golden years and the autumn of life. Lamborghini’s blowing out its 60 candles this year, the new Revuelto proving the Sant’Agata Bolognese automaker plans no such dissolution. The next phase of the party involves the 2023 Huracán 60th Anniversary Edition, three limited-run specials numbering 60 examples each put together with custom color combinations and badging. Dicing matters further, each limited edition comes in two color configurations, making a total of six across the range, all embellished with “1 of 60” plaques in carbon fiber and the “60th” on the bodywork and seats. 

Both versions of the hardcore Huracán Super Trofeo Omologata (STO) are said to be inspired by vibrant sportwear and the iconic two-tones of athletic team kit. The first version is all kinds of blue, something like the Squadra Azzurri Italian national soccer team. This one gets Blu Aegeus bodywork with Blu Astraeus contrasts, and can hit the hat trick with exposed carbon fiber trim in Blu Mira. The interior is in Nero Cosmus (black) and Grigio Octans (gray) Alcantara, offset by Nero Ade (another black) trim and Blu Amon (another blue) embroidery. The second Huracán STO does its showing off inside. It goes for a muted Grigio Telesto (gray) and Nero Noctis (yet another black) with traditional carbon fiber accents. This cabin comes in Nero Cosmus and Grigio Octans Alcantara, the leather accents and stitching in Rosso Alala (red). A set of 20-inch forged aluminum Hek rims in matte black complete both.

The Huracán Tecnica looks to motorsports liveries and the Italian flag, called the Tricolore. One variant wears Grigio Telesto (another gray) bodywork with Nero Noctis and Rosso Mars (another red) details. Opening the door reveals a Nero Ade Alcantara cabin with Rosso Alala accents. The other variant comes in Bianco Asopo (white) bodywork with double stripes in Verde Viper (green), the cabin in Nero Ade Alcantara and more Verde Viper. 

Finally, the Huracán EVO Spyder remixes the arrangements on the other cars. Going back to the blue well, one version’s dressed in Blu Le Mans bodywork adorned with Bianco Isi (another white) details. The cockpit sticks with the popular Nero Ade Alcantara, this time punctuated by Blu Amon embroidery and piping in Bianco Leda (another white). The alternative is a Verde Viper droptop with Bianco Isi stripes, its interior lashed up with Nero Ade Alcantara plus Rosso Alala and Bianco Leda accents.

The Tecnica and EVO Spyder both sit on 20-inch Damiso shiny black rims.

All three cars will be unveiled in full on Friday, April 21, at the Segheria in Milan.

Lamborghini Revuelto, riveting or revolting? The choice is yours with its online configurator

Lamborghini has opened an online configurator go accompany the new Revuelto flagship it unveiled yesterday. You can play with the supercar’s many options, though It’s a moot exercise unless you’re one of the few reserved one already. Lamborghini says the Revuelto had sold out for two years in early March, with most reservation holders never having seen what the car would look like. But if you want to kill a little time, you can build your own. There’s something for everyone, whether your tastes lean towards aficionado or influencer.

Color is where the Revuelto allows for the most personalization. There’s no less than 68 colors, many of which come in both gloss and matte finishes. A connoisseur might go for one of the Classica hues, which take inspiration from Lamborghinis past. The individual oranges and lime greens number greater than the entire palettes of most mainstream cars. It’s almost overwhelming. But because we enjoy a good chuckle, we went for the Ecleticca (Italian for “eclectic”) finish called Blu Uranus Matt. 

Wheels can make or break a car, and we definitely want to fit in with the newly wealthy Soundcloud artists constantly revving up Sunset Boulevard here in Los Angeles. So we’ll go for the 20- and 21-inch Bridgestone performance tires wrapping matte black Triguero wheels with carbon fiber center caps and titanium “rim bolts.” Even brake calipers are offered in seven colors, but we think the most eye-searing option is Arancio, or orange.

Interior upholstery and color options are as plentiful as paint codes. A retina-assaulting Nero Ade Sportiva (black) cabin with Verde Scandal (radioactive green) contrast color and Rosso Alala (red) stitching should not be allowed on a Blu Uranus Matt exterior, but it is, so we’re picking it. Naturally, we’re checking the passenger display option so we can impress our captiv — er, co-pilots — with exactly how fast we’re going, and adding cupholders because why not?

For finishing touches, the rear diffuser offers yet another set of colors, but we’re going for Verde Scandal again because it’s the brightest. Last but not least, let’s check the box for the titanium engine grid, which draws attention to the 1,001-horsepower V12 hybrid powertrain, the last 12-cylinder Lamborghini will ever make.

Nowhere in the process did we ever come across a price tag, so it’s one of those “if you have to ask …” scenarios. What do you think of our Revuelto? We like that it’ll feel right at home in La La Land or Miami. The good news is, if you don’t like it, you can build your own.

Lamborghini reveals more details about the Aventador’s hybrid successor

Lamborghini has released additional details about the Aventador’s long-awaited successor. Called LB744 internally, the model will stand out as the company’s first series-produced hybrid car, and the latest teaser gives us a better idea how the system is set up to behave.

Quick recap: Power comes from a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain rated at about 1,001 horsepower and made up of a new, 6.5-liter V12, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and three electric motors. This configuration allowed Lamborghini to dial in a 44% front and 56% rear weight distribution; engineers also fitted stiffer anti-roll bars and reduced the steering ratio by 10% compared to the Aventador Ultimae

Enthusiasts will have four driving modes called Città, Strada, Sport, and Corsa, respectively, to choose from. They’ll also be able to select one of three powertrain modes named Recharge, Hybrid, and Performance. As its name implies, Recharge relies on the V12 to charge the lithium-ion battery pack in a couple of minutes, for example. The LB744 is also capable of driving on electricity alone for short distances.

Selecting Strada (“road” in Italian) caps the drivetrain’s output at about 873 horsepower. Sport mode unlocks 894 horsepower and brings with it profile-specific settings for the transmission, the suspension system, and the active aerodynamic parts. Finally, selecting Corsa (“race” in Italian) unleashes the drivetrain’s full potential and configures the drivetrain’s electrified components for maximum performance. Drivers will also have the option of disabling the electronic stability control system, and the LB744 will come with a launch control function.

Going hybrid allowed Lamborghini to add electric torque vectoring to the front axle. We’re told that slowing down the front wheel that’s on the inside part of a corner makes the LB744 more agile while improving stability during high-speed driving. This technology works hand-in-hand with the four-wheel steering and brake-energy recuperation systems; it sounds like there’s a lot of electronic wizardry happening here.

Details such as the car’s weight haven’t been released yet. All we know at this stage is that Lamborghini designed the LB744 around a new carbon fiber monofuselage that includes a carbon fiber front structure (in contrast, the Aventador used an aluminum front structure). The active aerodynamic parts increase aerodynamic efficiency and downforce by 61% and 66%, respectively, in high-load situations, while a carbon-ceramic braking system that includes huge, 10-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers keeps the power in check.

Lamborghini will fully unveil the LB744 in “just a few days.”

Lamborghini highlights Aventador successor’s carbon fiber chassis

Earlier in March 2023, Lamborghini detailed the gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain that will power the Aventador’s successor. We still don’t know what the model (which is called LB744 internally) looks like, but the firm revealed one way it kept the hybrid system’s weight in check.

Lamborghini built the LB744 around a new chassis called a “monofuselage” that consists of a carbon-fiber monocoque and a front structure made with Forged Composites, an innovative material the company has used since 2008. While the now-retired Aventador featured a carbon-fiber monocoque as well, its front structure was made with aluminum. Switching to a composite structure unlocks many advantages: It’s 20% lighter than the Aventador’s front structure, and it helps make the overall monofuselage 10% lighter than the Aventador’s chassis.

Out back, the structure that the engine, the transmission, and parts of the hybrid system are mounted on is built with high-strength aluminum alloys. It incorporates a pair of hollow castings that the rear suspension system’s shock towers and the powertrain’s suspension system are integrated into. Here again, this layout saves weight by reducing the number of parts that need to come together to assemble the car.

Power for the LB744 comes from a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain that consists of a new, 6.5-liter V12 engine located directly behind the passenger compartment, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission mounted transversally behind the engine, a small electric motor integrated into the transmission, two electric motors on the front axle (one per wheel), and a 3.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack housed in what was previously the transmission tunnel. The system’s total output checks in at 1,001 horsepower. This layout delivers through-the-road all-wheel-drive, meaning that there’s no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles.

Lamborghini will unveil the LB744 in “a few weeks.”

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Atelier Jalaper’s new watch made from Lamborghini Miura bulkhead

Last August, French watchmaker Atelier Jalaper announced itself with an automatic timepiece whose dial was cut from the hood of an Aston Martin DB5. The next collection is ready, this one with an Italian flavor. After another lengthy search, the company located a burned-out Lamborghini Miura P400S in Avignon, France. We’re told a section of the aluminum bulkhead between the engine and the trunk escaped the fire, and with this, Atelier Jalaper created the AJ-P400.

Instead of the Miyota automatic movement used in the DB5’s AJ-001 and AJ-002 watches, the AJ-P400 is based around a Sellita SW200-1 manual caliber. Anyone without a watch winder will need to restore the power reserve after about 45 hours. The oval-shaped 39.5-millimeter satin-finished steel case shows off the first Miura connection: An oval outer bezel surrounding a circular dial, recalling the oval “eyelash” treatment around the Miura headlights. The chapter ring around the bezel comes in four colorways close to original Miura hues of Azzuro Cielo (blue), Verde Miura (green), Arancio Miura (orange) and Nero Cangiante (black). The Miura wreck provides the aluminum dial, its face textured and anodized matte black. The lengthy hash marks and somewhat crowded numbers are inspired by the Miura’s speedometer. At bottom, instead of a Lamborghini logo and unit indicator, the watch shows the power reserve meter. And the band makes a callback to Miura seats.

Last year’s Aston Martin watch was produced in a run of 1,200, costing from €800 ($852 U.S.) to €1,150 ($1,225 U.S.). The Miura timepiece will be more rare and more dear, coming in a run of 400 examples, each costing $2,000. Orders are open now, the first samples to be delivered in July.

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Lamborghini previews the Aventador’s hybrid, 1,001-hp successor

Lamborghini is nearly ready to introduce the Aventador’s long-awaited successor. Referred to as the LB744, the company’s next flagship model adopts a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain that’s built around a new, naturally-aspirated V12 and rated at about 1,000 horsepower.

We’ll need to be patient to discover the model’s exterior design, but Lamborghini provided us with a very good idea of what the specifications sheet looks like. The system’s centerpiece is a mid-mounted, 6.5-liter V12 that eschews forced induction — the company has previously made it clear that it wants to keep the naturally-aspirated 12-cylinder alive for as long as possible. While the Aventador was V12-powered as well, it sounds like the mechanical similarities between the two cars end there. In the upcoming LB744, the engine is bolted to an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission that’s mounted transversely behind the engine instead of longitudinally directly in front of it.

The company will need to find a new name for the transmission tunnel: it now houses a 3.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The electricity stored in it zaps three electric motors: one is integrated into the transmission, while the other two are each assigned to one of the front wheels. This layout delivers through-the-road all-wheel-drive, so there’s no mechanical connection between the axles, and it allows the LB744 to drive on electricity alone for short distances. The configuration also provides a torque vectoring function for sharper cornering.

Lamborghini pegs the system’s total output at 1,015 metric horsepower, which represents approximately 1,001 horsepower measured in U.S. terms. The bulk of the cavalry comes from the V12; it’s billed as the lightest and most powerful 12-cylinder that Lamborghini has ever made and it develops about 813 horsepower at a screaming 9,250 rpm (that’s 250 rpm short of its redline). Maximum torque checks in at 535 pound-feet. We haven’t heard the new engine yet, but Lamborghini stresses that it went to great lengths to give it an exhaust note worthy of a supercar.

More details about the LB744 will emerge in the not-too-distant future.

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Lamborghini Invencible and Autentica are its final NA V12 cars

A few months ago, we wrote that the final production units of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae represented the end of the reign of the naturally aspirated V12 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, and the last Aventador Ultimae meant the end of an NA V12 Aventador. Seems we were mistaken. Lamborghini now tells us these two one-offs are the proper and (maybe) final end of the NA V12. Created for a customer who worked with Lamborghini Centro Stile from inception, the duo are the Invencible (the Spanish spelling of “Invincible”) coupe and Auténtica roadster.

They’re not only farewells, they are greatest-hits compilations said to combine design features from the Reventón from 2008, the Sesto Elemento from 2010, the Veneno from 2013, and the 830-horsepower Essenza SCV12 track-only coupe from 2020. Lamborghini didn’t mention the Sián FKP 37, but the headlights are a match, and the side vents are a mix between the Sián and the Sesto Elemento.  

Both are based on the Aventador’s carbon fiber tub, and both feature a 6.5-liter V12 making 769 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque.

The Invencible wears carbon fiber panels in Rosso Efesto, which is Hephaestus Red, Hephaestus being the Greek god of things like fire and volcanoes. The paint’s accented with carbon-look elements that glint with red flakes, brake calipers in Rosso Mars, and pure carbon. The hexagonal Tricolore on the door fits in with numerous other six-sided elements like the DRLs, three-part taillights, and exhaust. A tidy, angular swan-neck wing hovers over the rear fascia, its stanchions anchored beside the backlight.   

Inside is a mix of Rosso Alala leather, Nero Cosmus Alcantara, and contrast stitching in Rosso Alala and Nero Ade. Rosso Efesto is used on the steering wheel and for the shift paddles. Designers removed the Aventador’s infotainment screen, moving all readouts to the digital gauge display and leaving twin hexagonal vents to dominate the open space over a pocket trimmed in red.

The Auténtica roadster is painted in Grigio Titans with details in Giallo Auge (Yellow Peak) and Matte Black. Instead of the Invencible’s rear wing, a pair of fins highlighted by a yellow line channel air over the rear spoiler. Inside, occupants sit on Nero Ade leather and Giallo Taurus stitching, and can ogle two-tone Nero Cosmus and Grigio Octans Alcantara.

This is really it for the V12. We think. The next engine out of the Sant’Agata gates will be the Aventador’s V12 hybrid successor, which Lamborghini says it only a few weeks away.

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Lamborghini applies to trademark V12 hybrid sounds in EV mode

Lamborghini is sprinkling various European intellectual property offices with bits of its future V12 super sports car it wants to protect. The internet continues to dig those bits up. After a couple of spy specialists found line drawings of the hybrid V12 coupe filed with the World Intellectual Property Office in North Macedonia, CarBuzz dredged up a sound clip of the V12 in pure electric mode filed with the European Intellectual Property Office. Spy shots have showed the car will come with a City Mode that’s expected to enable battery-only motivation. The audio clip appears to present three modes of the electric driving sounds required of all electric-capable vehicles to warn pedestrians of the EV’s approach.

CarBuzz believes the first sample was made under steady-state driving. It sounds a little like dark ambient ASMR with some wind in the background, like something from Atrium Carceri or Metatron Omega. The second would be under acceleration, the sinister electric symphony rising in pitch then fading as the unheard V12 internal combustion engine takes over. The last clip would be the reverse, as the V12 gives way to the battery again.

There’s nothing amiss in any of the sounds, but we find ourselves thinking there’s nothing especially Lamborghini about them, either. That’s not a slight against the crew from Sant’ Agata, that’s a statement about what the future of hybrid and electric supercars could mean to us everywhere outside of a highway or Cars and Coffee. It could make Dodge’s Fratzonic Exhaust that much more interesting assuming the production sonics match what we’ve been told, and a recent Ferrari patent shows a rival group of Italians trying to forestall roads full of computer monitor noises with a “sonority current.”