Earlier this summer, Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr revealed a few details about the upcoming Huracan successor. He didn’t venture too far into the weeds, only revealing that the replacement would have a plug-in hybrid powertrain and between 6 and 12 cylinders under the hood. However, a new report from Motor Trend appears to help fill in some gaps.
The report, citing its unnamed “sources,” says that Lamborghini is dropping the V10 engine for the next-generation supercar. Instead, automaker will allegedly adopt a V8 engine similar to the one in the Urus to power the Huracan replacement. The company also plans to sandwich an electric motor between the engine and transmission – an increasingly vital necessity for high-powered cars looking to meet tightening emissions regulations and anti-pollution laws.
Gallery: 2021 Lamborghini Huracan STO
The new info is welcomed, but questions remain about the car’s powertrain setup. It’s unclear how Lamborghini will achieve all-wheel drive in the model, whether mechanically or electronically. It’s also possible that the car will grow in size compared to the current Huracan as engineers will need to find space for its electrical powertrain components. The car’s expected to ride on an updated platform, forgoing all-new architecture.
The report does dive into how the engine will operate, and it’s a bit strange. According to Motor Trend, the turbochargers won’t engage until 7,000 rpm. If engine revs remain below that, it operates like its naturally aspirated. However, once the engine reaches that 7,000 mark, they kick in until the 10,000 rpm redline. The addition of electric assist likely changes the calculus for the turbos.
Electrifying the Huracan successor is part of the company’s plan to offer a hybrid variant of each model by the end of 2024. That’s two years away, and Lamborghini is already working toward that goal.
Our spy photographers have already caught the Urus Hybrid out testing, and it could be borrowing the engine from the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. The twin-turbo electrified V8 makes 689 horsepower (514 kilowatts). However, as Motor Trend’s report notes, the Huracan will have an engine similar to the Urus’, which could indicate that the supercar will have a unique powertrain.
