Why Lamborghini Favors Electrification Over Turbos For Aventador Successor

Lamborghini is one of the few automakers still producing engines with double-digit cylinder counts and no artificial assist. But the company’s R&D chief says that can’t carry on forever.

Speaking with Motor Trend at the reveal of the new Aventador SVJ in Monterey last week, Maurizio Reggiani confirmed that the Aventador’s eventual successor will remain naturally aspirated, but adopt a hybrid assist.

“The successor to the Aventador will be V-12 naturally aspirated. We can add a hybrid or plug-in to respect all the rules of fuel consumption and emissions,” said Reggiani. “Maybe we have hybrid boost for turbo-like performance. When I have a tank of energy, I want to use what is best for homologation. Once you fulfill that requirement, the additional energy can be used for performance.”

Sant’Agata’s chief engineer went on to outline how the next-generation supercar will implement the electric assist. Using the existing Anima selector, the Strada mode would disconnect the electric assist, possible using it only for battery propulsion around town. Sport mode would implement the hybrid assist for torque vectoring. And Corsa mode would bring it on line to fill in for the internal-combustion engine’s gaps in power delivery.

It’s a different approach than that which the Raging Bull marque took with the Urus crossover, which packs a twin-turbocharged (but electrically unassisted) V8. “If you want to move a car weighing 2.2 tons on every surface, even if it’s gravel or sand, you need an engine that provides huge torque at 1,500 rpm,” explained Reggiani. “Only a turbo can provide this. The decision of using a turbo was based on the mission of the car. Supersports cars don’t have this kind of mission.”