GENTLEMAN MEXICO / MEXICO CITY / PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF LAS MARCAS. DR ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The new “bull” of the Lamborghini ranch, which bears the name Revuelto, replaces the “top of the range” of the firm, the Aventador. For Lamborghini, the LB744 project – born in the year of the brand’s 60th anniversary – is quite a milestone: it represents the important challenge of starting the electrification of the range. So this new supercar called Revuelto (like a notorious fighting bull from 1980) is the first plug-in hybrid in its history (a system that has been defined as “HPEV”: High Performance Electrical Vehicle). And it is not for less: it offers a combined power of more than 1,000 CV, keeping the traditional V12 thermal engine, which provides more than 800 of them.
Its aesthetic is somewhat less baroque than the Aventador but equally spectacular.Lamborghini
Scrambled LB744: three engines for the most powerful Lambo
The Revuelto LB744 is the most powerful production Lamborghini made to date thanks to its electric hybridization. This is made up of three motors, two axial and independent in the front end and a third -radial- coupled to the gearbox. They have functions of propulsor, generator of current and of torque vectoring (power distribution) between the wheels. They offer electric permanent all-wheel drive, without mechanical connection. The transmission tunnel is now occupied by a compact 3.8 kW/h lithium-ion battery, which powers the entire system and is recharged by plugging in in 30′ or by the action of the heat engine in 6′.
The Revuelto’s sophisticated hybrid system has taken some of the prominence out of the immortal 6.5-litre V12 thermal engine, which has been updated (17kg lighter and with higher compression) and delivers 825PS at 9,250rpm, with 725Nm of torque . It has rotated 180º with respect to its predecessors to make room for the battery. Now, the new gearbox -hybrid- of 8 speeds and double clutch is transversal and is located behind the engine. A new mechanical jewel that they are very proud of in Sant’Agata Bolognese.
The Revuelto adopts hybrid technology combined with the traditional naturally aspirated V12 engine.Lamborghini
All-wheel drive and reverse gear are provided by front electric motors of 110 kW and 350 Nm of torque each, with support from the rear in 100×100 electric mode. The Revuelto offers no less than thirteen different driving modes, from the quiet “City” to the exuberant “Corsa”, through “Strada”, “Sport” and combinations with hybrid options. The Revuelto can circulate in “zero emissions” mode or display its 1,015 CV of power with a thunderous sound. Lamborghini has taken care that it complies scrupulously with all anti-pollution standards… and with an adequate consumption for its use in each case.
A truly spectacular design
The design of the new Lamborghini Revuelto is due to Mitja Borkert and his team, who have surpassed themselves by reinterpreting the brand’s own lines, which go back to the legendary Countach. The “Y” and the hexagonal motifs are stylistic elements that are repeated on the bodywork, which does not have an ugly angle. Less “baroque” than the Aventador, it offers a pure silhouette that seems to come directly from the designer’s stroke. A genuine Lamborghini silhouette, which is enhanced by details such as the vertical-opening doors, which are hallmarks of the house.
But much of the technology in the new Revuelto is not visible to the naked eye. Like its predecessor, part of a carbon fiber monocoque. But this time, the nickname “monofuselage” goes much further. The lower bathtub is made with a forging process (pressure at high temperature), while the roof -which is glued- is produced in an autoclave. The entire front subframe and its deformable structure are also made of forged carbon fiber, while the rear is made of aluminum tube (removable and repairable). Compared to the Aventador, the chassis is 25% more torsionally rigid and 10% lighter. Most of the bodywork is also carbon.
The chassis is completely renovated to accommodate all the electrical part.Lamborghini
Suspensions and active aerodynamics
The frame has changed a lot, with semi-active double wishbone suspension (instead of “push-rod”), thicker stabilizers, larger diameter ceramic brakes with up to 10-piston front calipers, wider Bridgestone wheels (265/345) … all electronically controlled to the thousandth of a second by a “brain” that takes care of the maximum driving pleasure and level of passive safety in each “mode”. Hybridization now plays a very important role in distributing power to each wheel.
The Revuelto’s active aerodynamics have also evolved from its predecessor. The tail of the rear hood automatically rises in the form of a spoiler, reinforcing the ground effect of the lower air extractor (more efficient, thanks to the transversal change). In the nose, the airflows have also been optimized thanks to the front spoiler and its side and upper ducts. Suffice it to say that downforce has been improved by 66%! In addition, the turning agility -despite its longer wheelbase- is maintained thanks to the steering system in the rear.
A delirious interior
The interior of the Revuelto is like a spaceship: absolutely crazy and spectacular. The digital instrumentation is divided between three screens, one of which can be controlled by the co-pilot. The cabin is now larger, with luggage space behind the seats (plus two trolley bags under the front hood) and higher ceiling height. Naturally, design and materials are completely customizable to an infinite number of combinations. For example, there are 400 different colors available for the body…
The interior is even more spectacular than the other Lamborghini.Lamborghini
The driver is faced with a very simplified sports steering wheel, with just four rotary knobs. With them you can choose the driving mode, select the level of hybridization, change the height of the suspension and activate in launch-control. Behind are the paddle shifters (even faster than the Huracán) and to the right, on the center console, the start button protected by an aeronautical safety cover. Comfortable, luxurious, spacious and inimitable: this is the interior of a Revuelto, as befits Lamborghini’s “flagship”.
More in everything than the Aventador
Compared to its predecessor, the Aventador, it has gained 30% in performance and has saved 30% of CO2. With its 1,015 CV, the Revuelto is capable of exceeding 350 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds and from 0 to 200 in less than 7. It has a power-to-weight ratio of only 1 .75 kg/CV and provides 128 CV per liter of displacement. Added to its impressive aesthetics, the sophisticated hybridization system and its road qualities, no one will be surprised that it costs half a million euros. By the way, the first two years of production are already sold…
