Lamborghini has become accustomed to a decade-long production life cycle for its flagship V12 supercars. Like its Murcielago predecessor, the Lamborghini Aventador S is likely to be replaced sometime next year; it was launched in 2011. Last week, the ultra-limited edition (and already sold out) Lamborghini Sian Roadster was revealed. It too has the familiar naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12, but unlike the Aventador S, also includes a hybrid system providing additional power and improved efficiency.
What's more, the Sian Roadster features supercapacitor technology, meaning that instead of a traditional lithium-ion battery pack, the supercapacitor has three times the power of a battery and weighs about the same. It allows for "symmetrical" charging and discharging functionality and, many believed, this is a preview of what we can expect to find in Lambo's next V12 model. Apparently that won't be the case.
Motor Trend recently learned from the Italian automaker's chief technical officer, Maurizio Reggiani, that the next V12 flagship supercar will not offer the supercapacitor but rather a more traditional hybrid battery technology setup. Why is this? Wouldn't it make sense for Lamborghini to opt for the latest tech? Yes, but Lamborghini clearly understands there's a difference between Aventador (and Aventador successor) owners than Sian buyers.
In short, the former group of customers is far more likely to drive their supercars on a relatively regular basis. Some even use them as daily drivers. The Sian Roadster and last year's coupe, however, are made in limited numbers and are viewed more as collector's items and investments by their owners. In short, they're far less likely to be driven.
Basically, a traditional hybrid battery pack and system is more suitable for daily operations and, therefore, meeting regulatory requirements. That's the whole reason why hybridization is being utilized in the first place. The Sian, like the Aventador, utilizes a single-clutch automatic transmission, and its supercapacitor works well with it in regards to storing a limited amount of electricity. But the Aventador's successor will utilize a dual-clutch gearbox which not only provides faster shift times but also helps to provide better efficiency; the supercapacitor simply isn't needed.
Reggiani made clear, however, the supercapacitor isn't a one-off piece of tech for the Sian only. Eventually, it'll find its way to future models, just not the Aventador's replacement.