What's all this about?

With the Aventador now deceased, Lamborghini’s conventional V12s are no more. Instead, it’s time for a new Lamborghini flagship engine to come to the fore, and that’s exactly what’s about to happen. The Aventador’s replacement, currently dubbed the LB744, is on its way, and here’s everything we know about it so far.

What, no more V12s?

Yes and no. The V12 as we know it has indeed passed away, but this is Lamborghini we’re talking about, and the LB744 is still going to have 12 cylinders. But instead of simply burning fresh air and juicy petrol, the new propulsion system is going to add electric power, too. So, as well as the 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated V12 engine, there will be three electric motors that can power the car independently of the engine, but also exist to “boost power delivery at low revs”.

Two of those motors will be found on the front axle, while the other will join the engine in powering the rear wheels. That means this new Lamborghini will come with four-wheel drive as standard, but when it’s running solely on electrical power it will only be front-wheel drive unless the driving mode selector dictates otherwise. However, with a 3.8kWh battery capacity, we don’t expect the LB744 to run on electricity for long before that V12 needs to gird its loins.

And when it does, how much power will it produce?

On its own, and without any help from the electric motors, that V12 will churn out a quite substantial 825hp and 725Nm of torque. And with a 9,500rpm redline, it’s set to make a pretty healthy noise, too.

Of course, that’s all very impressive, but then you have to consider the electric motors. With each of the three producing 150hp and 350Nm of torque, the total power output for the LB744 stands at an awe-inspiring 1,015hp.

This all sounds very complicated. I assume it needs quite the gearbox?

It does indeed, and that’s where Lamborghini has made another massive change. There’s a new twin-clutch eight-speed transmission bolted transversally to the longitudinally mounted V12. That leaves space in the centre tunnel for the lithium-ion battery in what Lamborghini calls a “technical solution that’s unique in the world of high-performance cars”.

Aside from being compact and good for packaging, the gearbox is also lightweight, at just 193kg, and that includes the rear electric motor. The transmission also offers the LB744’s driver fast gear shifts, while the inclusion of an eighth ratio helps improve long-range efficiency. What’s more, Lamborghini has also integrated a feature called ‘continuous downshifting’, which drops down multiple gears when the driver holds down the left paddle under braking.

What about the architecture?

Here, Lamborghini has turned to the aerospace industry for help. The LB744 is based on a so-called “monofuselage” that combines a carbon-fibre monocoque with a front structure made of forged composites – essentially carbon fibres soaked in resin. That means the car is the first super sports car with a completely carbon-fibre front structure, but more importantly it means the monofuselage is 10 per cent lighter than the Aventador’s chassis and torsional rigidity is improved by 25 per cent.

But while the front end is decidedly carbon-based, the rear is much more metallic. The rear chassis is made with high-strength aluminium alloys and features two hollow castings to integrate the rear suspension shock towers and powertrain suspension in one single component.

So it's going to be fast, right?

We can only assume so. The chassis is light and the powertrain packs plenty of punch, so it should go like a rat with a knife in its ribs. But we don’t yet know exactly how fast it will be because Lamborghini has not yet deigned to tell us. We’re banking on a top speed of more than 200mph and a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds, though.

Do we know what it'll look like?

As yet, it’s hard to tell – we’ll have to wait until the final product is revealed. Until then, all we can say is the traditional Lamborghini silhouette, with that curved roofline, is set to remain in situ, while we’re expecting some pretty dramatic design features. Beyond that, we’ve no idea.

When do we find out?

Soon, apparently. Lamborghini says we’ll have to wait “just a few weeks” before the car is finally revealed to the world.

James Fossdyke - 14 Mar 2023