New Lamborghini Temerario succeeds Huracan with 920hp V8 PHEV

A 10,000rpm redline, 0-100kph in 2.7 seconds and top-speed over 340kph are some headlining figures.

Published On Aug 17, 2024 04:40:00 PM

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Lamborghini has taken the wraps off the long-awaited successor to the Huracan at the ongoing Monterey Car Week: the Temerario. Despite being Lamborghini’s junior supercar, it packs in a 920hp 4.0-litre V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain. The styling is typical of Lamborghini, and it looks like an evolution of the Huracan while the interior is inspired by the flagship Revuelto.

Lamborghini Temerario powertrain, specs

Gone is the atmospheric 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine that has powered Sant'Agata’s junior supercars since 2003. In its place comes a new twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine, assisted by three electric motors and a battery, for the Temerario. This ground-up engine has a hot-V layout, meaning the turbos are mounted between the two cylinder banks.

As for the electric motors, one is positioned between the engine’s flat-plane crankshaft and the 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox, while the other two are mounted on the front axle. These electric motors are used for torque-filling at low revs, mitigating turbo lag from the large, high-pressure turbos. Technically, this setup also allows the Temerario to operate with all-electric front-wheel drive for short distances, although Lamborghini hasn’t listed the exact EV-only range.

But that’s certainly not the most interesting technical highlight of the Temerario. Instead, it would be the 10,000rpm redline of the new 4.0-litre V8 engine, which Lamborghini claims is the most powerful and highest-revving V8 engine ever installed in a production car. On its own, it produces 800hp between 9,000rpm and 9,750rpm, before redlining at 10,000rpm.

Meanwhile, the gearbox-mounted electric motor produces 150hp and 300Nm, while the axle-mounted motors produce 82hp each, drawing power from a 3.8kWh lithium-ion battery. The total system output stands at a whopping 920hp and 800Nm. For reference, the Huracan in its top-rung STO guise produced only 640hp. Lamborghini claims a 0-100kph sprint time of 2.7 seconds and a top speed north of 340kph.

The battery can be charged using a traditional AC charging port with up to 7 kilowatts of power in 30 mins, or it can also be charged via regenerative braking, or directly from the V8 itself.

Lamborghini Temerario chassis, hardware

Lamborghini has replaced the carbon fibre and aluminium architecture of the Huracan with an all-aluminium spaceframe for the Temerario. The brand claims that this new design improved torsional rigidity by 20 percent and helps keep the weight down, although it’s still fairly heavy at 1715kg dry. This can be reduced to 1690kg by the track-focused Alleggerita (‘lightened’) package that brings a carbon fibre rear wing, unique bumper treatments, and carbon fibre rims. An additional carbon pack further brings carbon treatment for the rear diffuser, mirror caps, and side air intakes.

The Temerario is fundamentally all-wheel drive, but there’s also a drift mode – a first for a Lamborghini – that sends power to the rear wheels at three varying levels of power. Other drive modes include Citta (FWD, fully electric), Strada, Corsa. Braking comes from 410mm aluminium disc brakes with 10-pot calipers up front and 390mm stoppers with four-pot calipers at the rear. Lamborghini claims a 100kph-0 stopping distance of 32 metres for the Temerario.

Lamborghini Temerario exterior design

Just a glance is enough to tell you that nothing but a Lamborghini badge is what fits on the bonnet of the Temerario. There’s a clear visual connection with the Huracan and the Gallardo that precede it, but it’s an all-new design, even reminiscent of the Revuelto in some ways.

The fascia features slim, swept-back LED headlamps at both edges of the bonnet (which, to these eyes, appear similar to the Ferrari SF90) and separate hexagon-shaped LED daytime running lamps mounted on the bumper. The bonnet and the flared wheel arches haven’t changed much from the Huracan, but the bumper looks sharper with its hexagon motifs and also features a carbon fibre front splitter.

In fact, the hexagonal motifs can be seen splattered all around the car – in the shape of the air intakes, the wing mirrors, the tail lights, the centrally-mounted rear exhaust outlet and even in the alloy wheel design. In profile, the Temerario features typical supercar lines with a vent over the rear fender to channel air into the engine bay, but what’s new over the Huracan is a large aerodynamic vent just ahead of the rear wheels. The Temerario has staggered 20- and 21-inch wheels with forged or carbon-fibre options.

At the rear, you are greeted with a perforated engine bay with the flanks featuring even more air vents. The roof has a concave profile that directs air towards the rear spoiler, and what particularly stands out are scooped out sections in the rear bumper exposing the rear wheels. The underbody gets vortex generators for ‘optimum’ flow towards the aggressive diffuser. Overall, it’s said to be 103 per cent more aero efficient than the Huracán Evo, and 158 per cent more with the Lightweight Pack.

Lamborghini Temerario interior design

As for the interior, it’s very similar to the Revuelto with Lamborghini’s typical fighter jet-themed cockpit. The driver gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, there’s a central floating 8.4-inch display and an additional, slim 9.1-inch display for the passenger. Here too, there are plenty of hexagonal motifs, like on the outward AC vents, some of the switchgears and even in the graphics of the infotainment system. As ever, the centre console continues with the drive and mode selector buttons as well as the fighter jet-style push start/stop button. Lamborghini has retained physical switchgear for key functions on the steering wheel and centre console, while most other secondary functions are housed in the screens.

The company says a big focus of the Temerario’s interior has been on comfort. The new chassis provides an extra 34mm of head room – said to be enough to allow drivers as tall as 6ft 5inch to wear a helmet – and an extra 46mm of leg room. The standard-fit ‘comfort’ seats are also heated and ventilated and offer 18-way electric adjustment. There’s also onboard telemetry, a dashcam, and augmented reality navigation. Lamborghini says it also has more luggage room than the Huracan.

The Temerario will officially go on sale in the second half of 2025 and an India launch can be expected soon after. It will, however, be more expensive than the Huracan, likely starting at about Rs 5 crore, ex-showroom.

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