Lamborghini Teases Hybrid V12 Super Sports Car
March 7, 2023As the era of electrification continues to envelop the automotive world, Lamborghini continues to give purpose to the V12 engine. The Italian automaker has teased their first hybrid super sports car, driven by an electrified V12.
The car, codenamed LB744, will make a full debut amidst Lamborghini’s 60th anniversary celebrations. In the meantime, they’ve teased the LB744 powertrain: A 12-cylinder engine combined with three electric motors, combining for a total system output of approximately 1001 horsepower.
The new L545 engine has a displacement of 6.5-liters, touted as the “lightest and most powerful 12-cylinder engine ever made by Lamborghini.” In fact, it weighs in at 218 kilograms (~480.6 lbs), 17 kilograms (~37.5 lbs) lighter than the Aventador’s unit. Alone, it puts out about 814 horsepower at 9,250 rpm, with max torque rated at about 535 lb-ft of torque at 6,750 rpm. Also in comparison to the Aventador, the engine has been rotated 180 degrees.
Four-wheel drive is standard, as the aforementioned engine powers the rear wheels and a pair of electric motors debut on the front axle, giving each wheel its own power unit. But that’s not all– a third electric motor has been mounted above the eight-speed double-clutch gearbox, supplying additional power to the rear wheels depending on drive mode and road conditions. Putting these electric units together with the V12 serves up the 1001 horsepower total.
The onboard battery pack is mounted within the central tunnel to keep the center of gravity low and the weight distribution optimal. It can feed the front motors alone for a pure electric driving experience, recharged through either a plug-in port, regenerative braking, or directly from the V12.
This isn’t the first time electrification was plugged into a Lamborghini V12 (see the 2019 Sián), but this future powertrain does signify the entry of a new generation of V12 and High Performance Electrified Vehicle– HPEV. We should see some more details about the LB744 emerge soon.