Lamborghini has announced that its hybrid successor to the venerable Aventador will be unveiled by the end of April. Lamborghini's announcement was made as part of a recap of the history of its iconic V12 engine, which will no longer be sold without electrification.

"The Aventador was the last Lamborghini to run a pure naturally aspirated V12 engine before the next hybrid chapter is rolled out in the first quarter of 2023," reads an excerpt from the recap.

That unassisted V12 is certainly worth celebrating. The first version of the motor was introduced in the 350 GT and was so good that its evolved design was only retired when the Aventador arrived. Even then, the 6.5-liter unit in that car kept the "main technical concepts unchanged," with new materials and technologies introduced to reduce weight.

"The Lamborghini story was born with the V12," said former Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer Maurizio Reggiani. "It is clear that in the 1960s, the V12 represented the pinnacle of technology, luxury, and sportiness of every car." After appearing in the 350 GT and its derivatives, the V12 entered the Miura in 1966. In 1971, it found a home in the original Countach. A 5.2-liter version of the engine was also used to power the LM 002 in 1986. In 1990, the V12 design found its way to the Diablo before ending its life in the Murcielago.

Lamborghini's love affair with the V12 extends beyond the asphalt and into the marine industry, too, with the Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 yacht powered by two V12s producing a combined 4,000 horsepower.

Since the Aventador showcased Lamborghini's second V12 design for automotive applications, one might assume that the same engine will find its way to the Aventador successor, albeit with some electrification. But the Aventador was launched in 2011, and the world has become a lot less accepting when it comes to carbon emissions. Thus, the V12 in the hybrid flagship replacement will be an all-new unit. Thankfully, it should be at least the same size. A leaked sound clip discovered by CarBuzz has even revealed it will have a pure electric mode, too.

"In any car, we will not make a downsizing hybridization," said current Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr.

While it's frustrating that the next V12 Lambo's reveal date is somewhat vague, at least we know it will be worth the wait and worthy of the legacy of its forebears.