1,000PS Lamborghini Revuelto replaces the Aventador | GRR
The time has come at last! We have eyes on the car that will replace the Aventador. It’s called the Lamborghini Revuelto. As expected, it continues the V12 bloodline, but for the first time ever it’s now a plug-in hybrid.
It's a brand new naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12, producing 825PS (607kW) at 9,250rpm before maxing out at 9,500rpm, the same size as the engine found in the back of the Aventador, but the Revuelto’s is 17kg lighter.
That engine is combined with a set of three electric motors, one powering the rear wheels, and the other two powering the fronts. In the most powerful ‘Corsa Performance’ mode the hybrid system combines to deliver 1,015PS (747kW), more than the Ferrari SF90.
Performance, as a result, is pretty striking. Lamborghini has quoted a 0-62mph time of 2.5 seconds with a top speed of more than 217mph.
Another first for Lamborghini is that the Revuelto is capable of driving exclusively in electric mode with the engine switched off. In electric mode the motors deliver 180PS (132kW), powered by a tiny, but lightweight, 3.8kWh battery. It only weighs 70kg and offers around six miles of silent driving that can be fully recharged by the engine in just six minutes. As such it seems unlikely that plugging in the Revuelto is going to be a very common occurrence.
Those motors work independently, able to deliver a maximum of 150PS (110kW) each, and the complete power of the battery can be shifted between them to balance torque demand. The rear motor is also built into the gearbox in such a way that the powertrain can drive different gears simultaneously.
That transmission is new, too. The front wheels are driven exclusively by the electric motors, which means all of the power from the engine is sent to the back via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Reverse is driven exclusively by the electric motors.
This being a hybrid, there is a weight penalty for the Revuelto over the Aventador. Despite its ground-breaking forged carbon-fibre chassis saving precious kilos, and that lightened V12 engine, the Revuelto stands at just under 1,780kg thanks to the added bulk of the battery and motors.
Elsewhere, the Lamborghini Revuelto features rear-axel steering and active aerodynamics with a peak downforce figure there or there abouts with the Aventador SVJ in its slipperiest setup.
In terms of styling, we doubt anyone is too surprised by how the Revuelto looks. It conforms with the style we’ve come to expect from Lamborghini, the short wedge at the front angles into a low and long tail with all manner of intakes cutting in and around the front and rear wheels. Two large channels sweep up into the roof of the engine bay, which we imagine will be for cooling the hybrid elements of the powertrain.
The angular chin remains at the front, but the headlights are now set into dark and incredibly angry looking face. It looks good, befitting of the badge sitting proud on the nose. At the rear, the exhausts sit high above an enormous diffuser and between a pair of snake tongue-shaped lights. The engine, thankfully, is visible through its carbon cover.
Interestingly, the Revuelto’s interior is more spacious than the Aventador’s. There are three displays, a digital dashboard behind the steering wheel, an 8.4-inch central touchscreen and further 9.1-inch display on the passenger side and there is even a set of cupholders that pop out of central tunnel. The steering wheel is packed with functionality, including a selector for driving and powertrain modes.
The price of the Revuelto hasn’t been officially revealed, but we do know that the first two years of production are already accounted for, and they are expected to cost more than the Aventador SVJ.
Lamborghini has confirmed that its push towards hybridisation won’t end here either. The Huracán’s replacement will feature the same hybrid system, albeit combined with a new twin-turbocharged V8.