Lamborghini’s been talking about building a hybrid car for a few years now and we finally get to see it today, officially. This is the 2020 Lamborghini Sián, with a hybrid V12 powertrain. It’s being produced in extremely limited numbers, but it likely also represents the next generation of supercars we can expect from the Italian automaker.
First off, the nerdy stuff. The V12 engine, which alone produces 785 horsepower at 8,500 rpm, now works with a 48-volt e-motor that produces 34 HP. That motor has, apparently, been incorporated into the gearbox, according to a press release, which provides more instantaneous response and better performance. The car also uses this motor to pull off low-speed maneuvers like parking and reversing, which is neat.
And it doesn’t use a lithium-ion battery like most other hybrids do. Instead, the Sián uses a supercapacitor that supposedly is much lighter than a battery and can store “10 times the power” than what was originally developed for the Aventador. It’s found in the bulkhead between the cabin and the engine and weighs 34 kg (about 75 pounds).
The Sián charges itself via a regenerative braking system and the automaker says the energy storage system gets fully charged “every time the vehicle brakes.” The e-motor disconnects automatically after 80 mph, so it sounds like it’s all about low-speed acceleration. Lamborghini says its new hybrid car can hit 62 mph from a standstill in less than an estimated 2.8 seconds.
Together, the engine and the motor produce 819 HP and can hit a claimed top speed of over 217 mph.
As for its looks, I am, uh, not 100 percent sold. It has that weird, insect-like aesthetic the Veneno had. Lots of Y-shaped angles everywhere. Lamborghini said it took inspiration from the Countach with its Gandini line, but frankly I don’t see it. I just see a very flat, very busy-looking car. Maybe you’re into it.
Lamborghini is only making 63 examples of the Sián. It isn’t for sale yet, but The Drive reports that it’ll cost around $3.6 million (though the story seems to have been taken down at this time). That seems like it tracks.
What thrills me most of all, though, is that no turbochargers are found anywhere in this thing. Which means it probably sounds like a banshee. This is a great thing.
