Once upon a time, not that long ago, the Aventador was the craziest petrol-powered machine on the road. The angriest Raging Bull of them all, the noise and old-school thrills of Lamborghini’s hardcore supercar were simply legendary.
The Aventador’s beating heart was a monstrous V12 engine that, as it turns out, was also its Achilles’ heel. By the time the inevitability of electrification was begrudgingly embraced at the company’s Sant’Agata HQ, the dinosaur of supercars was on the verge of extinction.
Now it’s back – in spirit, at least. The all-new Revuelto is an Aventador for the modern age, one that still looks spectacular but has morphed into an in-vogue hybrid supercar. With the tiniest of tiny 3.8kWh batteries and a trio of 147bhp electric motors, Lamborghini’s new mid-engine flagship is arguably its finest model since the iconic Miura.
Naturally, rather than improved efficiency and greener credentials, the focus is very much on extra performance. If the 750bhp Aventador blew your socks off, wait until you’ve driven the 1,001bhp Revuelto. Wired up to its electric backpack, the 6.5-litre V12 slingshots the Lamborghini to 62mph in a bonkers 2.5 seconds using launch mode – and on to 217mph.
If that sounds scary, well, surprisingly it isn’t because a host of other improvements ensure handling and ride are the best they’ve ever been behind the wheel of a Lambo. Perhaps most noticeable on a 400-mile drive across the north of England was the silky gearchange. A boost of power from an electric supercapacitor in the dual-clutch eight-speed gearbox has had a calming effect, eliminating the Aventador’s infuriating ability to jolt your head back and forth at every shift.
Each front wheel has a motor of its own, while the battery is fitted in the space between the front seats, the place where the old, single-shaft gearbox used to sit. If you want to leave home early in the morning without disturbing the neighbours, the system is also good for about five miles of electric-only range, too.
The Revuelto’s third motor is in the gearbox, helping that throaty V12 drive the rear axle. Handling is a step up in every way from the Aventador, partly aided by a rear-wheel steering system, as well as torque-vectoring, to increase stability on the corners. This thing really sticks like glue.
For all that sensational grunt, the Revuelto is also very easy to drive at normal speeds. Around town, expect to be Insta’d at every stop, while rear-view visibility is dreadful. There’s also no reverse ‘gear’ – but don’t worry, it can still go backwards; that’s taken care of by the electrically driven front wheels. A clever bit of weight-saving there.
Measuring more than 89 inches wide, the latest Lambo is rather nerve-wracking to squeeze through a backstreet – even worse if, like me, you meet a tractor on
a narrow lane in the Forest of Bowland.
Inside, this might just be the most comfortable supercar Lamborghini has ever built – excluding the Urus SUV. Gone are the stiff, awkward seats, replaced with a pair of more curved, bucket seats. There’s not much fore and aft adjustment for the driver but Lamborghini claims an extra 8.4cm of legroom and 2.6cm of roof height.
Practical? Almost. If you must drive and drink a cup of something at the same time, there is now a brace of cupholders discreetly tucked away in the glovebox, as well as space for a (slim) wallet and mobile phone. Amazingly, designers have also remembered to add a slot for the key. Despite a modest 112 litres under the bonnet for two carry-on bags, the Revuelto obviously isn’t blessed with luggage space. Don’t expect door bins for your water bottle either. There’s a shelf behind the seats for a bag and jacket, although a word of warning, items may move in transit.
Infuriatingly, Lamborghini has stuck with the concept of operating some of the vital controls from various buttons on the steering wheel. That includes the indicators and windscreen wipers. What could possibly go wrong at 217mph as you look down to find the right one to press?
Elsewhere on a sharp-lined but minimalist dashboard, the infotainment screen operates many of the car’s functions. The Revuelto may be rocket-ship fast but the system simply doesn’t match it for speed – it’s positively clunky compared to the best of Porsche, Aston Martin and even the latest McLarens.
But the Revuelto does look gorgeous both inside and out – especially in special-order Verde Hydra green paint, well worth the extra £15,000 spend. Yes, the dramatic styling is no game-changer for Lamborghini – it couldn’t be any other marque – but the Revuelto is definitely different to the Aventador. The eye-catching side air intakes and piercing headlight design especially.
If that doesn’t turn enough heads, then try pulling up at the public charge point on the M5. A Revuelto wired up beside a pack of Tesla, Nissan and Audi EVs is quite a sight to behold. That minuscule battery – half the size of the McLaren Artura’s electric pack – also takes just 30 minutes to plug-in and charge up on a 7kWh home system.
The Lambo doesn’t support fast-charging because the onboard inverter would increase weight. Not that you should need to reach for a power cable that often. The battery also recharges from regenerative braking, of which there is much if you intend to drive the Revuelto in the manner for which it was built.
Find a suitable stretch of open road and the Lambo is a grin a mile. With the roar of a V12 behind your head, there’s no need to worry about the fancy sound system (you can’t hear it anyway), CO2 emissions of 278g/km, or the fact that despite the battery system, the Revuelto is barely managing 15mpg – maybe 10mpg around town.
Weighing in at £423,000 before options, the price won’t be an issue for most owners regardless. The spec sheet on our test car upped that to an incredible £547,000, including £417 for floor mats with leather edging, plus £668 for embroidered seat logos, which seems a bit stingy.
You won’t be able to buy one for now as the Revuelto is sold out for a couple of years at least. The cheapest V12 this side of a Pagani is the sort of supercar that astronauts drive to work, pulling out of the driveway to shouts of ‘Godspeed!’ Luckily, you don’t need to be an astronaut to own one, just a very wealthy high-flyer.
See more at lamborghini.com
