Lamborghini has confirmed its hybrid V12 successor to the Aventador will be revealed in “just a few days”.
Codenamed the LB744, the Italian carmaker has revealed more details about the car’s driving dynamics. This follows two previous teasers detailing its powertrain and chassis.
The upcoming plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will come with a total of 13 different driving modes, including an all-electric mode called Città and a recharge mode.
A number of these drive modes can be selected using two rotors on the redesigned steering wheel.
In addition to the driving modes there’s electric torque vectoring courtesy of the hybrid system’s e-motors, and a four-wheel steering system.
Thanks in part to the new architecture, the LB744 has “optimal” weight distribution, with 44 per cent at the front and 56 per cent at the rear. This is said to result in better agility.
In addition, the LB744 has 11 per cent stiffer anti-roll bars at the front and 50 per cent stiffer anti-roll bars at the rear, as well as 10 per cent quicker steering ratio than the Aventador Ultimae.
The LB744 comes with a range of active features designed to improve aerodynamics, including semi-active suspension. There are also two NACA ducts ahead of the front wheels.
In high-load situations the LB744 is 61 per cent more aerodynamically efficient than the Aventador Ultimae. It also has 66 per cent more downforce.
The LB744 comes with “specially developed” Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres with a 4 per cent larger front footprint than the Aventador Ultimae.
Providing the stopping power is a set of the latest generation carbon ceramic brakes, with 10 piston front calipers with 410x38mm discs, and four piston rear calipers with 390x32mm discs.
As previously detailed, the LB744 will be the brand’s first series production High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV), with a new 6.5-litre V12 engine at its heart.
Producing 607kW of power and 725Nm of torque, it’s hooked up to the rear axle only. Redline is 9500rpm, or 500rpm beyond what the 4.0-litre six in the Porsche 911 GT3, GT3 RS, and 718 Cayman GT4 RS can manage.
It won’t be augmented by turbochargers, superchargers, or even 48V mild-hybrid technology. But it will be backed by three electric motors.
One (with 110kW and 150Nm) is attached to the transverse-mounted, eight-speed dual-clutch transmission; the other two are attached to the front wheels.
This is only the third V12 model from Lamborghini to have a transverse-mounted tranmission. The first was the Muira, the second the track-only Essenza SCV12.
Lamborghini says the transmission can decouple the engine in a way that allows its new V12 supercar to be all-wheel drive even when it’s in EV mode.
Those front-mounted motors each makes 110kW of power and 350Nm of torque, and open the door for all kinds of torque vectoring trickery not possible with the conventional all-wheel drive system in the now-defunct Aventador.
Combined, the PHEV powertrain will make make 745kW (1000hp) of power.
Feeding the electric motors is a 3.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted in what would once have been the transmission tunnel.
It can be charged in 30 minutes using a 7kW wall box, or with regenerative braking from the front wheels, or using the V12 in six minutes.
Reverse is handled by the electric motors, rather than the petrol engine and transmission.
MORE: LB744: Lamborghini Aventador successor’s chassis detailed
MORE: LB744: Lamborghini PHEV will have V12, three e-motors, wild outputs
Keyword: Lamborghini's new hybrid V12 hero is 'a few days' away