What an exciting moment to be a supercar enthusiast, as we are seeing only the sixth brand-new V12 Lamborghini in the previous 60 years. This is the Aventador’s replacement, the raging bull’s new flagship vehicle, and Sant’Agata Bolognese’s first complete hybrid, but it is very different from your mother’s Prius.
V12, you read that correctly. As other automakers reduced the size of their engines and added turbochargers to make them more environmentally friendly, Lamborghini merely said, “… nah.” There are a few significant changes, but it is a modified version of the V12 from the Aventador, so you still get the same large 6.5L chunk of metal behind your seats.
The first is that, because the motor has been rotated 180 degrees, the 12 enraged bulls that are charging around behind you are facing the wrong direction. In order to align the new dual-clutch, hybrid-boosted 8-speed transaxle with the back wheels, this is necessary. Additionally, it makes room for the Revuelto’s hybrid battery to fit low and in the middle of the front, where the gearbox once stood.
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The second is that the V12 is now the most potent road-going engine made by Lamborghini to date, producing about 814 HP and 535 lbs-ft of torque all by itself. It has a lot more power than the Aventador Ultimae’s variant, which only produced a meagre 780 HP.
Along with that engine, there are three electric motors: the front two are mounted on the centerline of the vehicle and each drive one wheel; the back three are top-mounted but integrated with the transaxle. The Revuelto’s AWD is supplied by the hybrid motors up front and the big angry shouty thing in the centre as each of these motors has a horsepower rating of 148. The V12 is only connected to the back wheels.
The transaxle-mounted engine acts as a generator to recharge the battery while shifting and to provide torque during shifts. Because the two front motors are independent, torque vectoring can be used to help the vehicle turn quickly and pass every apex it approaches.
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When running combined in Corsa mode, the V12 and trio of hybrids will provide 1,001 HP, in that just oh-so-Italian way. “No, we cannot have one thousand! We need one thousand and one!” You can also run the car in “City” mode, which is full EV and only 178 HP from the front two hybrid motors.
Speaking of that shouty thing, it’s on full display. No engine cover here, thank you!
Lamborghini moved the exhausts up to rest just below the dynamic wing because there is a tonne of under- and over-body active aerodynamics. This enables the large diffuser to occupy all of the available area without obstructing the pop-up wing.
For now, let’s just say that we’re relieved that Lamborghini is still circling in circles and banging pots and pans together despite having reasonable German parents who are all about efficiency and electrification.