Lamborghini Temerario Is The 907HP V8 Successor To The Huracan

Earlier this year, we told you about the Lamborghini Huracán STJ, the final Huracán model to be powered by the car’s iconic 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine.

Now today, we get our first look at the replacement for the beloved Huracán, with the all-new Lamborghini Temerario, the legendary Italian marque’s new twin-turbo V8 hybrid supercar, making its debut at Monterey Car Week in California.

While it is easy to get hung up on the loss of that glorious V10 engine, the Temerario is not exactly hurting for power, powered by a twin-turbo V8 that also uses three electric motors, making a combined 907 horsepower, and revving to nearly 10,000 rpm. Lamborghini claims the Temerario will rocket from 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds, with a top speed of 213 mph.

“The Temerario is a genuine ‘fuoriclasse’: a car in a league of its own, an extraordinary and innovative vehicle both from a technical and stylistic point of view,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “Every new Lamborghini must surpass its forerunners in performance terms, while at the same time being more sustainable from an emissions standpoint. With the Temerario, we have completed a key chapter in the electrification strategy included in our Direzione Cor Tauri plan: we also become the first luxury automotive brand to offer a completely hybridized range.”

With the Temerario Lamborghini has also achieved new heights in terms of aerodynamic efficiency, combined with stylistic details and lines that represent a further landmark in the brand’s design. Also entirely new is the aluminum chassis which, thanks to the use of a cutting-edge high-strength, ultra-light alloy, significantly increases torsional rigidity and contributes to excellent driving dynamics.

The chassis delivers excellent passenger comfort and increased roominess: the Temerario is a super sports car that expresses its full potential on the track while offering more space for passengers and luggage than any other vehicle in its segment. The Temerario also delivers the most advanced multimedia experience in Lamborghini history, thanks to the introduction of the Lamborghini Vision Unit system, which provides access to new functions and applications that allow users to relive and share their track and road driving experiences.

Powertrain

The heart of a Lamborghini has always been its engine. With the new Temerario, Lamborghini takes an entirely new approach, delivering an unprecedented supercar powertrain, comprised of an high-revving biturbo internal combustion engine combined with three electric motors.

“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 V8 and a performance-oriented electrification. 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,” says Rouven Mohr, Chief Technical Officer at Lamborghini. “Temerario is in a league of its own, in terms of engineering solutions and performance.”

The new powertrain is integral to the second supercar in Lamborghini’s High-Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) product range. The first target was to achieve the highest possible power and torque, while at the same time offering the response of a classic high-revving naturally aspirated engine. Therefore, only high-performance components are used in the drivetrain: the new 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine has a specific output of 200 CV per liter and works together with an oil-cooled axial flow electric motor fully integrated in the V8 housing. Propulsion is supported by two electric motors on the front axle.

“By combining a high-revving V8 biturbo with three electric motors of axial flux type we are taking a very sophisticated approach that has never been seen before in series production and the result will impress Lamborghini fans all over the world – With this adrenaline-machine, we are catapulting ourselves into a new paradigm for super sports cars,” continues Mohr. “This linearity and progression, with high revving characteristics, which was previously only possible with naturally aspirated engines, now offers high torque with high engine speeds, thanks to the turbochargers.”

Lamborghini’s new engine is now one of the most powerful engines in the segment. The V8 biturbo delivers its peak power of 788HP from 9,000 to 9,750 rpm and 538 lb-ft of torque between 4,000 and 7,000 rpm. The electric motor, in P1 position (between the V8 engine and the gearbox), ensures immediate response starting from low engine speed and continues consistently through gear shifts, working as a “torque gap filler” and improving the transient response, giving the sensation of linear and limitless progression up to 10,000 rpm.

Thanks to the two large turbochargers, efficiency and performance are increased at top speeds. The V8 biturbo can rev up to 10,000 revolutions per minute: the maximum boost pressure of the turbochargers is 2.5 bar (abs). The turbines are controlled with an electrical wastegate and a wheel-speed sensor. Lamborghini designed air filter boxes with tubular cartridges, making them extremely compact to create space and become even more efficient.

At the heart of the crankshaft housing is a flat-plane crankshaft with a 180° angle between the crankshaft bends. This crankshaft, which is typically used in racing engines, ensures optimal fluidodynamic behavior due to even firing orders in comparison to the cross-plane crankshaft, and a unique engaging sound. Titanium conrods reduce the rotating masses and offer excellent material properties in terms of strength and lightness, reducing weight. The engine casting material consists of A357+Cu, the same used in motorsport applications.

The characteristics of a smoothly revving, naturally aspirated engine, with the power delivery of a turbo engine in combination with electric drives, is unique in the way it works and sounds. Lamborghini claims that they’ve succeeded in developing a new V8 biturbo that combines the pronounced linearity of the rev development in the previous Lamborghini naturally aspirated V10, with enormous power and torque of a modern turbo engine.

Design

As you can see, the Lamborghini Temerario is a looker, still instantly recognizable as a Lambo, but following a new styling with its own essential and iconic identity. The new car’s design points towards the future of Lamborghini’s legendary mid-engine sports cars, while the shapes of the car stay pure, athletic and well-defined. With a clean-sheet design and new drive concept, the Temerario carries a connection to its legendary predecessors while its all-new persona is characterized by reduction, clarity, sharpness and recognizability.

“The Lamborghini Temerario marks definitively a new milestone in our design language. We call it “essential and iconic” with enhanced athleticism from its surfaces. From the first glance, this is a puristic, futuristic and yet fascinating super sports car, with its compact and agile proportions, the new hexagonal light signature, the ‘Feel like a pilot’ interior design and its sharp lines emphasizing the new hybrid powertrain and its fun-to- drive dynamics. We provide a clear view of the new V8 biturbo engine: the emotional heart of the car and an innovative source of power,” says Mitja Borkert, Director of Design at Automobili Lamborghini.

The Temerario’s designers combine elements from aviation with a visceral muscularity that starts at the front. The design is characterized by well-formed athletic surfaces and a cabin that tapers towards the hexagonal tailpipes. The tip of the hood dominates the entire front end in a strong and striking shark’s nose design: a symbol of bravery and speed. The sharp, elegant headlights are slightly overlapped by the hood, drawing inspiration from the sports motorcycle world. Air-guiding slats connect the low front spoiler with the hood, while fins on the sides direct the airflow along the flanks. Sharply shaped side skirts support the aerodynamics and increase downforce at the same time.

With a broad shoulder and long, powerful muscularity, the side stretches from the front over the door, emphasizing the extreme sportiness of the Temerario. The powerful and efficient air intakes behind the side doors ensure the necessary airflow for the V8 biturbo’s performance and at the same time, visually enhance the chassis’ downforce. A fixed rear spoiler emphasizes the car’s rear width. The compact yet technical rear end incorporates details from motorsport, such as the wide diffuser that extends under the vehicle and the integrated exhaust tailpipes. The rear lights feature the new hexagonal design, also allowing air to pass through for engine cooling.

The roof is also functional in terms of aerodynamics. A slightly rearward offset profile directs the air directly onto the integrated rear wing. The designers almost invisibly integrated air inlets behind the passenger compartment above the sculpted shoulder: a highly functional component that helps supply the engine, radiator and turbocharger with sufficient air.

Inside, the Temerario mirrors the extraordinary exterior design, creating a balance between digital and physical experiences. Lamborghini uses best-quality materials such as carbon, leather and Corsatex by Dinamica suede throughout the interior, combining them to create a high-quality interior experience with a special feel. It’s also considerably roomier inside than the Huracan.

Following the “Feel like a pilot” philosophy, thanks to the new generation dashboard, the pilot and co-pilot quickly become one with the car. Clear and intuitive to operate, the pilot can reach all the controls from their perfect seat position. Iconic hexagonal air vents are elegantly integrated into the cockpit, and the center console has space for a smartphone and wallet.

The newly-developed steering wheel with optional carbon elements takes inspiration from the racing world and allows the driver to control the main driving functions. On the left-hand side of the steering wheel is the red-crowned rotor, which is used to select driving modes. Below this are buttons for the lift function to raise the vehicle; the ‘race start’ button; and between them the switches for the indicators. The driver can operate Launch Control with a simple touch of a button, for maximum control.

As you would expect, there’s also plenty of tech on board, including lots of screens (the 12.3″ digital instrument panel, 8.4″ central screen and 9.1″ passenger display), a comprehensive infotainment system complete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cameras galore inside and out, an app to monitor your car from afar, track recorder, and more.

We could go on and on about the new Lamborghini Temerario, but you get the gist of it. We’ll have plenty more to share about it down the line, and hopefully we’ll be lucky enough to get some seat time in it as well. Fingers crossed!