LAMBORGHINI DETAILS THE AVENTADOR SUCCESSOR'S NEW 6.5-LITER HYBRID V-12
The Lamborghini Aventador’s successor, known internally as LB744, is slated to arrive for next month's 60th-anniversary celebration. While the team in Sant 'Agata has managed to keep details about the supercar under wraps, the brand is now ready to do a bit of teasing. Lamborghini confirmed details Tuesday about the car’s all-new 6.5-liter hybrid V-12 powertrain, which the automaker says will pump out 1001 horsepower.
The LB744 will arrive as the first high-performance electrified vehicle in regular series production from Lamborghini just in time for the brand’s 60th anniversary. The Aventador successor should be quite the present for fans, bringing an all-new architecture, engine, gearbox, and hybrid system to the supercar. The powertrain all starts with the new L545 V-12 engine, which is 37 pounds lighter than the unit it replaces. The motor is rotated through 180 degrees compared to the outgoing V-12 as well, supporting a maximum rev range of 9500 rpm. Specific output is up to 126 hp/liter, thanks to adjustments to intake flow, better control of ionization in the combustion chamber, a free-flowing exhaust, and a higher 12.6:1 compression ratio.
The motor will work in tandem with three electric motors: two motors are mounted on the front axle with a third mounted between the engine and gearbox. The two front motors are each 110-kW units, weighing in at just under 41 pounds a piece. The front axle is able to use those motors to provide torque vectoring and regen capabilities. The LB744 can also run exclusively on the front axle in EV-only mode, making this the first Lamborghini model to be operable as a front-driver. All four wheels can be driven under EV conditions, however.
The third electric motor is mounted above the brand’s new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Unlike the Aventador, the LB744 will feature a transverse-mounted gearbox that sits behind the engine. Only the Miura and the Essenza SCV12 before this have featured a gearbox behind one of the brand’s V-12s. This motor powers the rear wheels when in certain drive modes or when conditions support the extra boost. The area once utilized as a trans tunnel will now house lithium-ion batteries, which together provide a total capacity of 3.8 kWh. Lamborghini says a charge only takes 30 minutes on a plug, or just six minutes using the V-12 as a generator. Customers can also use the brakes to earn back a bit of juice under deceleration.
Lamborghini should have more information to share about the upcoming LB744 and its unique powertrain when the brand celebrates its 60th anniversary in May.