Lamborghini’s first hybrid sports car will have a new V12 coupled with electric motors
Two one-off supercars will mark the end of Lamborghini’s naturally aspirated V12 era, with the Italian marque set to reveal its first hybrid sports car “in the coming weeks”.
The Invencible coupe and Autentica roadster have been dubbed “a unique farewell” to the carmaker’s iconic 12-cylinder powertrain, arriving just before the reveal of what is expected to be the long-awaited, hybrid-powered replacement for the Lamborghini Aventador – itself tipped to arrive with a totally new V12, supplemented with electric motors.
Lamborghini Invencible, Autentica last to get current V12 engine
The radically designed pair, which are based on the current Lamborghini Aventador – and sit on its carbon-fibre monocoque chassis – share its 780hp, 6.5-litre rear-mounted V12. Mated to a seven-speed ISR gearbox, this sends 720Nm (at 6,750rpm) to all four wheels. Although no official figures have been given, expect times close to the Aventador’s 2.8sec 0-100kph and 355kph top speed.
“The V12 engine is one of the pillars of our history and our marque’s success,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini chairman. “As we head towards embracing a new era of hybridisation at the heart of our Cor Tauri strategy, this is the Lamborghini way of celebrating the naturally aspirated V12 with two one-off vehicles that perfectly represent our concept of excellence in personalisation.”
Lamborghini Invencible, Autentica: exterior, interior design
Styled by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile for two owners, the concept-looking designs have been created to showcase the “maximum creativity using the V12 platform”. They draw designs from special Lambos of the past, such as imposing front ends inspired by the Reventon and Veneno, pronounced front splitter and vertical struts taken from the track-only Essenza SCV12 hypercar, and a rear wing (on the Invencible) like that on the lightweight Sesto Elemento.
Both cars are wrapped in carbon-fibre and feature centrally mounted triple exhausts with Inconel tips – a special high-performance steel alloy derived from the aerospace industry.
The pair also share a stripped-out interior to “focus attention on pure driving enjoyment”. “We have created two one-off cars with their own unique character, inspired by track days and the high-octane circuit environment,” said Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini head of design. “These one-off designs draw on our unique design DNA while once again elevating our design heritage to a new level.”
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