Brands like Lamborghini are synonymous with thoughts of exotic beauty, performance, and emotion. It’s that way by design, and all three factors have been brought together time and time again to form some of the world’s greatest cars. This holds true for modern cars like the Lamborghini Aventador, for example, or the Lamborghini Sian and the Lamborghini Urus. But, even if you look to the past, models like the Gallardo, Diablo, and the Murcielago all follow the same basic recipe: performance and beauty come together to create an emotional experience – an experience that is capable of striking deep into the heart of nearly every automotive enthusiast on the planet.
This time-tested recipe, however great it is, seems to be in danger as the industry shifts into full-scale electrification. Venturing into the unknown leaves us with doubt that the element of emotion can survive in a world without internal combustion engines. The truth is that it can, and it will, because brands like Lamborghini won’t let it die.
Lamborghini is Preserving the Past, But Not Forever
Like other automakers in the high-performance landscape, Lamborghini is trying to figure out how to chart the road to the future. The sound of Lamborghini’s V-12, for example, is a source of unapologetic emotion not only for those behind the wheel but for those riding shotgun and even those looking in from the sidelines. This is why Lamborghini has chosen to keep the V-12 alive as long as possible. The Aventador's successor, for example, will be powered by a V-12, albeit one that's paired with a powerful mild-hybrid system.
The Aventador’s successor may not be the only new Lamborghini coming with a V-12, either. In an interview published in the latest issue of CAR Magazine, the brand’s new CTO, Rouven Mohr, stressed just how important the V-12 and the emotion that it evokes really is. He has promised that “for future projects, you can be sure we strongly believe in the V-12 because it’s part of our DNA. Even after so many years in production, the Aventador is still an incredible car. Therefore, you can be sure that in the future we will, let me say, save this kind of emotion.”
Electrifying Emotion and Exploiting Advantages
All of this is well and good in the short term, but taking the hybrid route is like putting a Band-Aid on a deep cut – it will help for now, but further intervention is needed. This is where the biggest problem lies, as the soundtrack emitted by Lamborghini’s large-capacity engines is such a fundamental part of each and every car’s appeal. It’s not everything, but it’s a big factor. So, how does Lamborghini build a car without that essential piece of the puzzle and maintain the same appeal and emotion? How does it make an electric car feel like a ‘real’ Lamborghini? Well, it won't be easy, but it is doable.
Mohr admitted that it is quite the challenge and that it’s not as easy as it might seem from the outside. The company has to essentially rewrite its playbook page by page, but that also means the company is going to do it the right way from the very start.
It’s clear that people expect this from Lamborghini, and I'm not only talking about the people that really matter. I don’t just mean the folks with deep pockets that actually buy their cars, but also those looking in from the outside. The Lamborghini effect trickles down to those dreaming, fantasizing, and yearning just for the chance to see one in person, let alone get behind the wheel of one - that's the power of exclusivity.
The good news is that while electrification is hard for a brand like Lamborghini to embrace, it doesn’t come without its advantages. Mohr explained to the magazine that it’s actually easier to preserve on-road performance through electrification. The weight distribution of the battery and electric motors makes it easier to create a lower center of gravity while the electric motors make it much easier to enhance torque-steering systems. Even things like power distribution and on-road driving dynamics can all be improved upon because of electrification. On the other hand, the sheer mass of electric components and intricate energy-management systems (keeping weight down and power use efficient) is high on the list of changes.
Needless to say, the company has a give-and-take relationship with electrification. Mohr is optimistic about the brand’s future, though, reiterating that the brand’s extremely emotional products will carry on into the future. For him, the Lamborghini brand had always been emotional and overwhelming, so when he says that their task is “100-percent to save this in the future” you can take that to the bank.
