Lamborghini Revuelto Supercar: V12 With Added Plug

The Lamborghini Revuelto is a plug-in hybrid. It's the first Lamborghini that offers a front-wheel drive mode and it can be ordered with factory-spec winter tires. But it will still do 0-124 mph in 7.0 seconds.

It's a Lamborghini, but it is a plug-in hybrid. There's still a V12 under the long and angular carbon bodywork, but it has some help. Help comes in the form of three electric motors that give the supercar a big all-wheel-drive upgrade.

"The first super sports V12 hybrid plug-in HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle)." That's what Lamborghini is calling the Revuelto.

Revuelto gets two electric motors mounted to the e-axle up front. There is also a motor attached to the V12 in the back. Each motor can generate 147 horsepower, but the total output is a bit more complicated.

Lamborghini didn't want a huge electric battery. The company wanted something that was lightweight, as is befitting of a big-buck hypercar. The battery also needed to fit into the center tunnel, where Lamborghini's transmissions (and front drive shaft) used to live.

A 3.8-kilowatt-hour battery is the result. A battery pack with one serious limitation: It can only send out enough juice to make 187 horsepower.

Clever electronics can send that power to any or all of the three motors in whatever way it decides is best. In full-electric mode, all of that power will go to the front two tires most of the time. Reverse will also come from the two front-mount motors.

Should the need arise, though, say in a snowy ski lodge parking lot, the Revuelto can be an all-wheel drive EV. Just not a particularly quick one.

Having front-mount motors does more than just add power. It also helps improve handling. Lamborghini's control unit can send power to the left or right front tire to deliver a strong torque-vectoring effect for pulling harder out of a turn or reducing understeer and oversteer.

The electric power system offers a total of 13 different driving experiences, including the electric AWD ones. Lamborghini says it will also give the driver more confidence behind the wheel.

Surprisingly, Lamborghini actually expects its customers to use this newfound AWD performance. The Revuelto wears massive (345/30R21 in the rear) Bridgestone Potenza sport tires in the summer. For winter, Bridgestone developed a special version of its Blizzak winter tire. The tire, Lamborghini says, offers "outstanding grip on snow." They know where to find us to test that out!

Lamborghini has not abandoned the V12; it has actually made it better. Though this is a 6.5L V12, the same size as the one in the Aventador it is replacing, it is very different.

The new V12 weighs just 481 pounds. It's not light, but it is around 40 pounds lighter than the old one.

In the Revuelto, the engine is also flipped. The transmission is at the back now instead of in the front. The superquadro V12 puts out 814 horsepower, giving the car a total of 1,001 horses when gas and electric are fully combined.

That gearbox is a new 8-speed double-clutch unit. It comes with a trick decoupler that can send its power directly to the engine when the V12 is running. It can also send power directly to the transmission when the gas engine is off.

As always, the V12 sits proudly on display under its clear cover. The driver should be able to see it clearly through the rear window, as well.

It's the highest specific output of any Lamborghini V12 ever. The new engine will also tear to a redline of 9,500 rpm. Since Lamborghini puts a heavy emphasis on the car's sound, expect it to really scream.

What else can that V12 do? It can charge up the battery. Or at least you can tell the Carabinieri that's what you were doing when someone calls in a complaint.

The electric battery can be charged using standard electrical power at home. Or you can do it the fun way. Lamborghini says that you can use the V12 to charge the battery and that it takes just six minutes. Six glorious minutes where you can turn combustion now into electric power for later.

Lamborghini has given the Revuelto a high-tech cabin, too. It has the usual 12.3-inch digital dash display and an 8.4-inch center screen. The passenger gets their own screen, too. They can use it to control the infotainment system or just watch the map in front of them. The passenger can also access the dynamics controls.

Other new tech includes a telematics system and bringing over-the-air software updates to the car. Through the Lamborghini Unica mobile app, the owner can monitor car status online.

Owners can also use the tracking system to spot and stop unauthorized use. Or call the 24-hour vehicle recovery security service.

Last but not least, Revuelto gets radar cruise, lane departure warnings, and other advanced driver aids. It's the first time Lamborghini has added a complete advanced assistance suite.

So what about that name? Revuelto means scrambled in Italian — what the performance will do to your central nervous system. It is also the name of a fighting bull. Nearly all Lamborghinis worth a mention get their names this way. This particular bull fought in the 1880s.

Expect the Revuelto later this year. With more than 400 different paint colors and 70 custom interior colors, you might want to reach out to your dealer soon.

Lamborghini has lived, laughed, and loved with the V12 engine since 1963. That love affair isn't set to end, but it is going to change very soon. Read more…