Penned by Italdesign's Fabrizio Giugiaro and the Volkswagen Group's Luc Donckerwolke, the Gallardo was a big deal for the Raging Bull of Sant'Agata Bolognese. Not only did it replace the V8-powered Jalpa, but it also introduced Lamborghini enthusiasts to a sonorous V10 we all know and love.
Developed with Wolfsburg's money and Ingolstadt's technical expertise, the 90-degree tenner grew from the initial 5.0 liters to 5.2 for the mid-cycle refresh of the Gallardo. The Italian automaker switched from even to an odd firing order, taking away some of the higher pitch sounds of that fabulous engine.
This powerplant, however, is due to be discontinued at some point in 2024. Most probably, the fall of 2024 is when final engine assembly at Sant'Agata Bolognese will conclude in favor of something a little smaller. Audi produces the block and crankcase in Hungary at the marque's Gyor powertrain factory.
The reasons why the V10 is not long for this world are pretty obvious. First and foremost, Lamborghini has a Huracan successor in the making, a Revuelto-inspired supercar believed to feature a twin-turbo V8 instead of a V6 à la the Ferrari 296 and McLaren Artura. Secondly, the Italian brand has to lower fleet-wide carbon emissions and improve fuel economy in a short amount of time due to stringent regulations.
Recently spied testing by carparazzo Acriore in Lamborghini's hometown, the yet-unnamed replacement for the Huracan has big shoes to fill. To be revealed in late 2024 for the 2025 model year, the newcomer might fail to replicate the Huracan's incredible commercial success. More than 20,000 were produced through April 2022, making the outgoing Huracan the most successful Lambo ever.
Photo: Acriore on YouTube
With the Italian marque selling way more utility vehicles than mid-engine supercars in this day and age, it's pretty clear the Urus will be anointed – eventually – the best-selling Lamborghini of all time. Turning our attention back to the camouflaged prototype caught on camera by Acriore, it's easy to tell that a pair of turbos hide under the engine lid.
The number (and sizes) of the air intakes clearly indicate turbocharging. As the car pulls away, it does appear to make faint twin-turbo V8 noises. If the Huracan's offspring truly features a twin-turbocharged V8, that would greatly help Lamborghini stand out in this particular segment. After all, eight is better than six.
Similar to the V6-powered supercars mentioned earlier, we're dealing with some kind of hybrid assistance. It's most probably a plug-in setup, albeit we're not certain if Lamborghini used the Revuelto's three-motor layout as inspiration for this fellow.
Considering how similar the next-gen Baby Lambo is to the Revuelto in terms of exterior styling, it wouldn't come as a surprise for the V8's dual-clutch tranny to be mounted transversally. Word on the street is the V8 is electronically governed to 10,000 revolutions per minute, which sounds like wishful thinking in a road-going vehicle with a V8 and two turbochargers. For reference, Ferrari limited the F8 Tributo to 8,000 rpm. Over at McLaren, the 750S tops 8,500 rpm and the track-only Senna GTR offers close to 9,000 rpm.
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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