Lamborghini has for the longest time stuck to its V12 internal combustion engines to power its cars as it has believed that those big mills without any boost in terms of supercharging or turbocharging have been, in part, what has characterised a top-line Lamborghini. In fact, with Lamborghini having in a way set the template for supercars starting with the Miura in the 1960s, most of them have been powered by V12 petrol engines — till now.

The rear end with prominently placed exhausts in the middle in a way emphasises that the heart of the vehicle is still a combustion engine

But even the most steadfast non-conformist has had to bow to the Gods of emission and compromise. So, Lamborghini has had to limit the emissions of vehicles bearing the Fighting Bull badge. The Revuelto, the first hybrid vehicle from the brand, is a result of that cleaning-up exercise. It has, however, tried to do that without losing the essence of what it means to be a Lamborghini. The consequence of that is a pretty impressive supercar.

Some of the cues in profile hark back to earlier cars

And that has been rolled out in India last week at prices starting Rs 8.89 crore at the showroom. It might be worth noting here that other superluxury carmakers like Ferrari have driven down this hybrid road already. So, what is this new supercar from Lamborghini all about?

For starters, it is being touted as the first super sports V12 hybrid plug-in high-performance electrified vehicle (HPEV). Which basically means that its V12 petrol engine has been coupled with electric units, specifically three of them. The architecture has been specifically developed for this vehicle and uses a lightweight carbon frame. An output of a shade above 1,000hp is delivered by a new combustion engine together with three electric motors, alongside a double-clutch gearbox that appears on a 12-cylinder Lamborghini for the first time.

As a result of all this, the Revuelto has some breathtaking performance. Acceleration to 100kmph from standstill takes only 2.5 seconds, which is expectedly somewhere between what electric hypercars and topline combustion engine vehicles are offering. And while it may be academic for all practical purposes, the car is capable of a top speed of more than 350kmph, or almost 220mph. Helping to achieve this performance is the introduction of the electric torque vectoring and four-wheel drive available also in fully electric drive mode. In short, it is a car one can drive easily on the road or the track depending on the occasion.

The V12 is on prominent display under a transparent cover

Lamborghini says: “The Revuelto is based on a new aeronautics-inspired chassis, the ‘monofuselage’. As well as a monocoque made entirely of multi-technology carbon fibre, it features a front structure in forged composites; a special material made of short carbon fibres soaked in resin.” As the successor of the Aventador, the monofuselage is torsionally stiffer and lighter. There is widespread use of carbon fibre.

As for the powertrain, the primary one is the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 mid-mounted engine that is complemented by three electric motors, one of which is integrated into the new double-clutch eight-speed gearbox mounted transversely behind the engine. A lithium-ion battery powers the electric motors. The electric motors boost power delivery at low revs and can also turn the Revuelto into a purely electric car, reducing overall CO2 emissions by 30 per cent compared to the Aventador Ultimae 1.

The new engine, designated L545, is a 6.5-litre unit and is the lightest (218kg) and most powerful (814hp at 9,250rpm) 12-cylinder engine ever made by Lamborghini. Maximum torque is 725Nm at 6,750 rpm. The Revuelto retains one of Lamborghini’s strongest traditions, that is four-wheel drive. Remember LP4 in the names? And while the combustion engine provides power to the rear wheels, a pair of electric motors make their debut on the front axle, each supplying traction to one of the front wheels. There’s also a third electric motor positioned above the eight-speed double-clutch gearbox that can supply power to the rear wheels, depending on the selected driving mode and the conditions.

One could go on about it, but the pictures will probably do a better job of that. So, we’ll not try to describe it. Suffice it to say that the Revuelto is a break from the past in some ways but does retain the essential Lamborghini characteristics. And aficionados agree. It is sold out till 2026 even at its eyewatering price!