The Raging Bull of Sant’Agata Bolognese has just unveiled its first plug-in hybrid series-production car, which is named after a fighting bull, in true Lamborghini fashion. It marks a new beginning for the Italian automaker, which intends to electrify its entire lineup by the end of 2024. In light of this paradigm shift, here is how the Revuelto compares to the Aventador Ultimae.
First and foremost, what’s in a name? Revuelto was the name given to a rowdy fighting bull that allegedly jumped into the stands a whopping eight times in the 1880s. Aventador claimed the coveted Trofeo de la Pena La Madronera in 1993 at the Saragossa Arena in Spain.
Codenamed LB744, the Revuelto doesn’t feature the alphanumeric suffixes of the Aventador, which is a big change in the Volkswagen Group-owned automaker’s nomenclature. LP simply means longitudinally-mounted engine out back, whereas the 780-4 in Aventador LP 780-4 stands for 780 metric ponies and all-wheel drive.
The reason for choosing the limited-run Ultimae over any other member of the Aventador family is pretty straightforward. It’s the final internal combustion-only V12 flagship to wear the Taurus badge, a reference to Ferruccio Lamborghini’s zodiac sign (born on the 28th of April in 1916) and interest in Spanish bullfighting.
Photo: Lamborghini / edited
Side by side, Lamborghini’s plug-in hybrid V12 flagship seems a bit fussy in terms of exterior design compared to its forerunner. Certain peeps may be tempted to say the Aventador hasn’t aged a bit since its grand reveal in 2011, but alas, the Murcielago influences are obvious. Looking a bit closer at the newcomer, you should notice that certain styling traits intertwine with functionality.
The double bubble-style roof has a recessed profile to create more headroom for the driver and passenger while also channeling air to the rear wing. Speaking of which, a brand-new active rear wing manages downforce and drag depending on driving conditions. The hollowed-out central portion of the rear decklid channels air to the inverter and electric motor. NACA ducts cool off the rear brakes, and the front diffuser is designed to channel air to the front brakes. The Ultimae is a pretty aero-conscious design as well, but not on the same level as this fellow.
The forerunner is built around a carbon-fiber monocoque with aluminum front and rear frames. It also features carbon fiber and aluminum panels. The Revuelto steps it up a notch or two with a lighter monocoque that Lamborghini refers to as the monofuselage. It features a Forged Composites front structure, yet retains aluminum for the rear structure. The monofuselage and front structure are 10 and 20 percent lighter, respectively. Lamborghini also improved torsional stiffness by 25 percent compared to the Aventador, thus promising “best-in-class dynamic capabilities” for the newcomer.
Photo: Lamborghini / edited
The quoted line can only be interpreted as Sant’Agata Bolognese taking its gloves off against Maranello. Truth be told, the Raging Bull took inspiration from the V8-engined Ferrari SF90 to create the three-motor V12 plug-in hybrid setup of the Revuelto. Coming to a dealership near you as a 2024 model, the Revuelto weighs 1,772 kilograms (3,907 pounds) dry, compared to 1,550 kilograms (3,417 pounds) for the Aventador Ultimae.
Said weights are distributed 44:56 percent in the Revuelto and 43:57 percent in the Aventador Ultimae. Part of the reason for the humongous increase in weight is the plug-in hybrid side of the powertrain, which includes a transmission-mounted electric motor, two more for the front wheels, as well as a high-voltage battery pack neatly tucked away in the central tunnel.
Wheelbase increased as well, from 2,700 millimeters (106.30 inches) in the Revuelto to 2,779 millimeters (109.40 inches) in the Aventador. So did the overall height, length, and rear track. In terms of wheel sizes, Automobili Lamborghini fits 20x9.5s and 21x12s as standard. The optional wheels measure 21 by 9.5 inches and 22 by 12.5 inches, compared to 20 by 9 inches and 21 by 13 inches for the limited-run Aventador Ultimae.
Photo: Lamborghini / edited
Lamborghini also worked its magic in terms of rubber boots. The Aventador Ultimae was offered with 255/30 ZR20 and 355/25 ZR21 tires from Pirelli, whereas the Revuelto uses Bridgestones for both tire options. The Potenzas in question measure 265/35 ZR20 and 345/30 ZR21, and 265/30 ZR1 and 355/25 ZR22, respectively.
Big changes happened on the inside as well, where you’ll find a portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system. It’s joined by a passenger display, something the combustion-only Aventador Ultimae doesn’t have. Both screens and the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster are managed by a single unit, which also supports over-the-air updates and – for the U.S. only – SiriusXM 360L.
Greatly influenced by the Aventador-based Sian FKP 37 up front, the Revuelto harks back to the oh-so-pretty Miura with its transverse gearbox. It’s a double-clutch design with eight gears, compared to the somewhat jerky seven-speed automated manual in the Aventador and Aventador-based supercars. The electric motor positioned above the new dual-clutch transmission can assist the naturally-aspirated V12 engine if needed.
Photo: Lamborghini
Said gearbox weighs 193 kilograms (425 pounds) including said electric motor, which provides up to 110 kW (148 horsepower) and 150 Nm (111 pound-feet) of torque. As for the motors up front, peak torque is 350 Nm (258 pound-feet) apiece. Reverse is provided by the front motors in regular driving scenarios, but in low-grip conditions, the rear motor assists them as well. There’s also a dedicated all-electric driving mode dubbed Citta, the Italian word for city, in which the Revuelto can travel a less-than-impressive 10 kilometers (think 6.2 miles).
Electric torque vectoring also makes the 2024 model a very different animal from its predecessor in the corners. The sonorous V12, which is rocking the L545 moniker, as opposed to L539 for the Aventador Ultimae, is a brand-new lump despite mirroring the 6.5-liter displacement of Lamborghini’s second series-production V12. Developed by Giotto Bizzarrini, the original V12 was used since Lamborghini’s very beginning as an automaker, all the way to the Murcielago, in displacements between 3.5L and 6.5L.
A front-wheel-drive affair in the Citta setting, the most powerful series-production bull to come out of Sant’Agata Bolognese strangely uses port fuel injection rather than direct or dual fuel injection. The L545 puts out 825 ps (814 horsepower) at 9,250 revolutions per minute and 725 Nm (535 pound-feet) at 6,750 revolutions per minute, as opposed to 780 ps (769 horsepower) and 720 Nm (531 pound-feet) the L539 in the Aventador Ultimae. In combination with said electric motors, peak combined output is 1,015 ps (1,001 hp).
Photo: Lamborghini
Ladies and gents, Lamborghini has matched the Bugatti Veyron’s ponies without resorting to a 16-cylinder lump with four spinny lads to boot. It’s a momentous occasion for the supercar genre, which is blurring the line between supercar and hypercar. The Revuelto’s performance stats will also make jaws drop in awe, although the Bugatti Veyron still has the upper hand in terms of top speed.
The Revuelto hits 100 kph (62 mph) in 2.5 seconds. The newly developed engine revs to an ear-splitting 9,500 revolutions per minute. Lamborghini estimated the top speed at more than 350 kilometers per hour (217 miles per hour), which is pretty good by modern standards.
The more analog Aventador Ultimae promises 2.8 seconds and 355 kilometers per hour (221 miles per hour), respectively. That being said, would you take the new Revuelto over the ICE-only Aventador Ultimae?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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