Nearly 18 months after it broke cover at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, Lamborghini has finally allowed a select few behind the wheel of the Sian FKP 37.
Top Gear’s co-presenter Chris Harris was among the lucky first who got to experience it, as he pushed it to its limits on the show’s test track at the Dunsfold Aerodrome, part of series 30, episode 1 that aired over the weekend.
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So, what did he make of the Raging Bull’s first hybrid supercar, which also happens to be its most powerful street-legal product yet? That it’s lively, ‘sodding’ fast and he loves it. It’s also a very different animal than the Aventador, with which it shares the same platform and glorious Italian 6.5-liter V12.
That’s because it adds a 48-volt system incorporated into the gearbox for boosted performance and instant response, and a supercapacitor instead of a classic lithium-ion battery pack, mounted between the cockpit and engine so that it does not affect the weight distribution. The internal combustion unit was upgraded, and together with the hybrid system, it pumps out a total output of 807 HP (819 PS / 602 kW).
Lamborghini’s technical sheet reveals the ability to hit the 62 mph (100 km/h) mark in less than 2.8 seconds, and a top speed that exceeds 217 mph (350 km/h). And the set-up also allows the Sian to move under electric power during parking and reversing.
Production of the Sian will be limited to 63 coupes and 19 roadsters, though it’s unknown how many are destined for the U.S. market.