Lamborghini’s New Temerario Hybrid Is Silent or Shrieking—Your Choice

Lamborghini unveiled its newest supercar today in Monterey. The much-anticipated Temerario ushers in a new era for the Italian carmaker, with its twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter hybrid V-8 sitting amidships as a replacement for the naturally aspirated V-10 that served so diligently in the outgoing Huracan (and the Audi R8, for that matter). 

The new V-8 is a clean-sheet design that benefits from a race-derived flat-plane crankshaft, with crank pins placed at 180 degrees versus the 90-degree placement found in cross-plane cranks. The V-8 produces 789 standalone horsepower, with a screaming 10,000 rpm redline and peak power coming on between 9000 and 9750 rpm. The engine’s 538 lb-ft of torque is available from 4000 to 7000 rpm. Paired with three electric motors—one fully integrated between the V-8 and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and two propelling the front axle—total system output climbs to 907 hp, which will launch the new Lambo to 62 mph in just 2.7 seconds and on to a top speed exceeding 210 mph. 

“We wanted to develop an incomparable, high-performance sports engine that combines the best of two worlds: an emotional combustion engine based on a twin-turbocharged V-8 and a performance-oriented electrification,” says Rouven Mohr, chief technical officer at Lamborghini. “Our concept of incorporating three electric motors with a combustion engine ensures to achieve instantaneous acceleration, torque vectoring, and energy recuperation. With the Temerario we are redefining the segment.” A highly potent segment, it should be noted, that includes hyper machinery like the McLaren Artura and 750S, the Ferrari 296, and the Porsche 911 Turbo S.

The axle-mounted electric motors combine for 220 kW of peak output and 1586 lb-ft of torque to drive the front wheels when required and allow the Temerario to sneak about silently in fully electric mode. Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack mounted low in the car’s central tunnel that can be recharged in 30 minutes via a plug-in charger, by regenerative braking from the front wheels, or directly by the V-8.

The primary electric motor mounted in the powertrain acts as a “torque gap filler,” according to Lamborghini, providing consistent propulsion through gearshifts and turbo lag to ensure linear, ceaseless acceleration all the way up to redline. Meanwhile, the crankshaft is key to the aural sensation for those in the cabin. “With the V-8 biturbo, the amplitude and frequency of the sound increase as the engine speed rises,” says Mohr. “And thanks to the flat-plane crankshaft, subtle vibrations underline the power of the drive depending on the engine speed. For the occupants, the ride in the Temerario is an incredible experience for all the senses.”

If the glory of the shrieking V-8 isn’t enough, Lamborghini has also tuned the way sound plays throughout the cabin depending on which drive mode—Città, Strada, Sport, Corsa—the Temerario is in. In emission-free Città mode, for example, when the car is near-silent, the cabin has a “smooth and pleasant listening experience.” Strada mode, for backroads and freeways, emits a “homogeneous V8 biturbo sound experience with evenly distributed frequencies, without any barking or sharp peaks. The sounds of Sport and Corsa modes are far more amplified and raucous and aptly match the driving experience of the modes themselves.”

All of this new tech is incorporated seamlessly into an all-new aluminum chassis, with increased rigidity over that of the Huracan and offering more passenger and cargo space than other cars in its class. Headroom is increased by 3.4 centimeters and legroom by 4.6 centimeters, and Lamborghini claims the cabin can accommodate passengers up to nearly 6 feet-6 inches, helmet included. Get to racing, tall folks!

Wrapped around that chassis is an aggressively athletic aluminum body that cuts an unmistakable Lamborghini profile, with a sharp new hexagonal light signature that is echoed in subtle details around the exterior, including the exhaust pipe, the side air intakes, and the taillights. Several carbon elements are available, including the front splitter, mirror caps, and rear diffuser.

Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires cling 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels, with 10-piston front/4-piston carbon ceramic brakes behind them.

Drivers and passengers will be cocooned in an interior that incorporates carbon fiber, leather, and Corsa-tex microsuede fabric. The steering wheel puts many controls directly at the driver’s fingertips, including driving modes, a lift function to raise and lower the car, launch control, and more. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster sits front and center before the driver, with a 9.1-inch display ahead of the passenger. In between is center-mounted 8.4-inch display. All incorporate a Human Machine Interface that features 3D graphics, widgets, and animation. The optional Lamborghini Vision Unit, meanwhile uses three cameras to offer onboard telemetry, a dashcam, and Memories Recorder, which allows drivers to save and share up to two minutes of driving video.

The Temerario will launch with more 400 exterior color options to allow customers to make their new Lambo their very own. Also available from the outset is an “Alleggerita” (lightweight) package for owners itching to get on track; it sheds nearly 55 pounds from the car’s 3726-pound curb weight when fully configured. 

As a High-Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV), the Temerario joins the Revuelto and the Urus SE in Lamborghini’s transition to electrification, and its zero-emissions capability will allow it to operate in many European city zones now designated as emissions-free. 

Temerario, which means “reckless” in Italian, shuns the traditional naming scheme of past Lamborghinis for bulls and elements of the bullfighting world. Time—and YouTube—will tell whether the name is simply a precursor to Lambo owners with more lead in their feet than talent. 

Lamborghini has not released pricing specifics at this time, nor when first deliveries will take place, but the Temerario configurator is live on the company’s website, so late 2024 or early 2025 seems as good a guess as any.