There’s no mistaking that Lamborghini has been eyeing a fourth model for a long time now. The Raging Bull of Sant’Agata Bolognese also made it clear that electrification is the way forward, a compromise that would allow the company to navigate fuel economy and emission standards.
Lamborghini’s first proper shift in this regard was unveiled a whopping eight ago in the guise of the Asterion LPI 910-4. To whom it may concern, Longitudinale Posteriore Ibrido refers to a longitudinally-mounted V10 engine augmented by a plug-in system comprising of a lithium-ion battery and three permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors. The 910-4 suffix, on the other hand, means 910 metric ponies and (electric) all-wheel drive.
Terzo Millennio is another concept worth remembering. Developed in collaboration with two laboratories of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the all-electric hypercar is a four-motor affair that makes do without batteries. In their place, supercapacitors accept and deliver charge quicker than lithium-ion batteries can. The Aventador also uses low-voltage supercapacitors to power the stop-start system of the 6.5-liter V12 lump.
Come November 2018, previous chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said that a fourth model isn’t a question of if, but of when. Fast forward to March 2019, and the current big kahuna of the Formula One Group let it slip that a 2+2 grand tourer is under development. Of course, Domenicali highlighted that such a car wouldn’t be possible if the other three lines aren’t selling well. But guess what? All three do, especially the Urus that features a Volkswagen platform and Porsche-developed engine.
Speaking of Volkswagen and Porsche, the Volkswagen-group automaker has been spied testing a Taycan Sport Turismo at their factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Does this mean the 2+2 grand tourer mentioned by Domenicali so long ago prepares for its first outing? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain. As opposed to the J1 vehicle architecture used by the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, the yet-to-be-named and yet-to-be-spied newcomer will use the Premium Platform Electric developed by Porsche and Audi. The first car officially announced on the PPE is the A6 e-tron.
On an ending note, Lamborghini will electrify all three of its current lines by 2024. In the second of two videos below, we're told that the full-electric fourth model will be introduced by the year 2025.
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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