Aventador

Segment
Coupe

Lamborghini recently hinted that the Aventador's eventual replacement will adopt some form of electrification. Now the company's CEO has confirmed Lamborghini's next flagship supercar will feature a hybrid setup. Speaking to AutoExpress at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Lamborghini's head honcho Stefano Domenicali confirmed the Aventador's successor will retain its V12 engine, but will also feature an electrical component, providing further boost to make it a hybrid. "The next Aventador will be hybrid, with a V12," he confirmed.

"A decision is made on that and this is something that will keep us different from the others and this is very important." The CEO also elaborated on Lamborghini's future electrification plans. Like the Aventador's replacement, the next-generation Huracan will also become a hybrid model, retaining the current car's V10 with an electric motor. The first model that will be electrified, however, will be the Urus, as a plug-in hybrid version of the Super SUV is due to arrive towards the end of the decade. Sources suggest the hybrid Urus will adopt the same powertrain as the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, which uses an electrified twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 to deliver 671 horsepower and 626 lb-ft of torque.

A fourth Lamborghini model funded by cash generated by the Urus' sales is also being considered. Domenicali said the company needs to monitor "when it would be right to have another model in our portfolio, to have an extended dimension. Sure, we can see the potential of it." An obvious void Lamborghini has yet to fill in its current model line-up is a luxury four-door sedan inspired by the Estoque concept to rival the Porsche Panamera. Domenicali didn't confirm if Lamborghini is considering entering this segment, but will monitor how the market evolves. "We need to listen to the customers, we need to see how the market is evolving because this is very important for us."

Beyond the next-generation hybrid supercar, an all-electric model isn't part of Lamborghini's current plans, but it's an option the company could explore in the future. "I believe it's too premature to say that we will see a full electric Lamborghini in the short term. I don't see that," Domenicali said. He did confirm, however, the automaker is looking at alternatives to lithium ion batteries including fuel cell technology to reduce the weight of a future EV. "When we're talking about performance, the killer of performance is weight," he said. "But the more you go for new technology the more you have to counterbalance to ensure you keep the weight under control."