Lamborghini Testing Upcoming Hybrid V12 Engine In An Aventador Mule

A few weeks ago we learned that Lamborghini has sold out the last units of the Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae, the last hurrah for the non-electrified V12 engine. Having no flagship available for people to order puts pressure on the team at Sant’Agata to quickly reveal the next big Lambo, which has been spotted testing in the form of an Aventador-shaped mule.

The mule looks like a performance variant of the now discontinued Aventador but we know that under the camouflaged body hides a new carbon-fiber monocoque and the all-new hybrid powertrain.

After laying out the Italian brand’s electrification plan, Lamborghini’s CEO Stephan Winkelman confirmed that the upcoming flagship will arrive with an all-new V12 engine mated with a hybrid system. Unlike the limited-production Sián FKP 37 and Countach LPI 800-4 that came with a supercapacitor, the Aventador successor will use a different type of hybrid technology: “The technology is different, it’s a completely new engine, a completely new drivetrain, a new battery, everything is completely new”, said the CEO.

The new model will continue the lineage of mid-engined V12 flagships following the footsteps of the Miura, Countach, Diablo, Murcielago, and Aventador. Judging from Lamborghini’s product strategy, we expect it to serve as a base for several limited-edition hypercars with custom-designed bodies. Like its predecessors, it will likely get performance variants bearing the SuperVeloce name with more power, a more track-focused suspension setup, and extreme aero.

Lamborghini hasn’t given us an exact date for the premiere of the Aventador successor but we should expect it to reach the market by 2024 when the whole range – including the facelifted Urus and the upcoming Huracan successor – will be electrified. The first fully-electric Lamborghini is rumored to follow sometime between 2025 and 2027.