2024 Lamborghini Revuelto vs. Ferrari SF90 Stradale Comparison: Setting the Standard

When the Italian automaker (read: road spaceship builder) announced its Aventador successor, the automotive industry was certainly in for a shock, figuratively and literally. Instead of simply unveiling its latest product, Lamborghini made the Revuelto's reveal look more like history in the making. Let's see, the Revuelto is the company's first plug-in hybrid, the first 12-cylinder-powered production PHEV and it marks the debut of an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

All that technology in a car that already looked otherworldly, not to mention Lamborghini's dramatic presentation, made quite a big statement. More importantly, it served as a warning shot to the competition. Of course, when it comes to the Revuelto's closest competitor, there's no better candidate than Ferrari's own history-making PHEV – the SF90 Stradale. Enthusiasts have already been comparing the older Lambo Aventador to the newer SF90 in the past. But with the arrival of the Aventador's successor, the playing field now seems more level.

Aesthetic-wise, there isn't much to tie the two drastically-different looking coupes together apart from featuring high-positioned exhaust pipes. Changes in powertrain positioning and the implementation of a hybrid system prompted both cars to make deviations from past designs. However, both hypercars still found time to pay homage to past models: the Revuelto's Y-shape motif channeled elements of modern Lamborghinis like the Veneno and Centenario, while the SF90's flying buttresses took cues from Ferrari icons like the 330 P3 and P4.

Redefining the plug-in hybrid ecosystem

Both models share enough qualities to start a new hypercar holy trinity with another worthy candidate alongside them. Inside, the new hypercar hides three electric motors fitted into similar positions, one in the rear above the gearbox and two in the front powering both wheels independently. Although it might be Lamborghini's first time integrating a double-clutch 8-speed transmission into one of its V12 flagships, this is a system Ferrari's SF90 was already familiar with.

Other standard features include Torque Vectoring for maximizing traction while cornering, a flurry of electronic traction control settings and on-demand power distribution to all four wheels. The same goes for the reverse gear's omission, as both hypercars use only their electric motors to fulfill that function. On the inside, however, is where the two take on truly diverging paths. Lamborghini's flagship features a more conventional cockpit comprised of a 12.3-inch digital screen, an 8.4-inch central console display, and a 9.1-inch passenger-side infotainment system.

Meanwhile, the SF90's “eyes-on-the-road” ethos imbues it with more cutting-edge features like steering-wheel mounted touch controls, a heads-up display, and a more streamlined 16-inch center console. The Revuelto's analog approach to its Human Machine Interface seems more conventional, if not a bit dated. In comparison, the Ferrari Flagship's EV-esque digital approach to everything, including its capacitive buttons, feels more futuristic, if you can even feel anything at all given the lack of tactility virtual controls present.

Lamborghini Revuelto vs Ferrari SF90 by the numbers

In terms of power plants, the Revuelto's massive 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 revs up to 9,500 RPM, making the SF90's so-called “most powerful V8 ever” appear less mighty. Despite the Ferrari flagship's 4.0 liter turbocharged V8 topping its revs at 8,000 RPM, it doesn't mean it's not as quick as the Lambo – even with about 15 horsepower less. Acceleration-wise, both hypercars can go from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 2.5 seconds.

Top speed is where the hybrid Lamborghini shines though, making the most out of those extra cylinders to push itself past 217 mph (350 km/h) – over 6 mph more than the SF90's claimed 211 mph (340 km/h) maximum speed. All that engine mass does weigh the Revuelto down a bit, with its 3,906.5 lb (1,772 kg) dry weight being over 441 lb (200 kg) heavier than the SF90's 3,461 lb (1,570 kg). Battery capacity is yet another weakness for Lamborghini's electric bull, considering it only has a 3.8 kWh capacity compared to the 7.9 kWh available to the SF90.

This translates to the Revuelto getting a laughable all-electric range of about 6 miles (10 km), next to the Prancing Horse hybrid's equally minuscule yet still better 15 miles (25 km). Differences aside, these two Italian flagbearers are already setting the standard for future performance-driven hybrids. Also, the Revuelto might have one foot into the digital future, with another foot still buried into its traditional gas-guzzling roots, whereas the SF90's a little bit ahead of the times given its smaller-displacement engine and progressive technological direction.

However, if these baby steps are what it will take to enjoy the best of both ICE and EV worlds without crossing out either, then we can expect both of these PHEVs to serve as an inflection point for greater things to come. It's easy to forget that this is merely Ferrari and Automobili Lamborghini's first attempts at making a PHEV hypercar. Since this already resulted in the most powerful production vehicles both automakers have ever made, whatever else they come up with in the years to come will surely be even more special.