lamborghini sián debuts as brand's first hybrid production car

lamborghini reveals its first hybrid supercar, the sián. the new model, which will debut at the frankfurt motor show in germany next week, is the fastest and most powerful lamborghini ever made. the name, sián, means ‘flash of lightning’ in the traditional bolognese dialect of lamborghini’s northern italian home, according to lamborghini. it references the first electric application in a lamborghini production car.

images courtesy of lamborghini

the model has the lowest weight-to-power ratio of the lamborghini v12 family ever, accelerating 0-100 km/h in under 2.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of over 350 km/h. a 48 volt e-motor, delivering 34 hp, has been incorporated into the gearbox to provide immediate response and improved performance: the first time in any low-voltage hybrid that a direct connection has been made between electric motor and wheels.

the unique hybrid system focuses on providing the highest power possible via the lightest solution. rather than a lithium-ion battery the sián innovates supercapacitor application: a technology pioneered originally in the lamborghini aventador but dramatically developed to store ten times the power. it is three times more powerful than a battery of the same weight and three times lighter than a battery producing the same power.

the v12 engine, which incorporates titanium intake valves and is uprated to 785 hp (577 kw) at 8,500 rpm, is the highest output ever from a lamborghini power plant. combined with the additional 34 hp from the hybrid system, the sián delivers a total of 819 hp (602 kw).

the lamborghini sián incorporates a highly advanced regenerative braking system, especially developed by lamborghini. unlike a battery, the supercapacitor supports charging and discharging with the same power. thus, the supercapacitor is totally charged every single time the driver brakes. that energy is stored and provides a power boost and added torque during acceleration up to 80 mph.

the sián is clearly a new design with a few nods to the countach and the terzo millennio concept car. the low front with integrated carbon fiber splitter is dominated by the ‘y’-shape headlights and at the back, six hexagonal led taillights mirror the exhaust tip, which feature the same shape. in the roof, the ‘periscopio’ tunnel that originally incorporated a rear mirror in the countach, adds a bold feature that links with the slats of the rear engine cover.

the aerodynamics have also been optimised to resulting in a more efficient design. airflow is directed through the front splitters and through the front bonnet, through the side air intakes and outlets and over the rear spoiler. active cooling vanes on the rear use lamborghini patented technology. the operation of these vanes is triggered by the reaction of smart-material elements to the temperature generated by the exhaust system, causing them to rotate and providing an elegant and lightweight cooling solution.

lamborghini will make only 63 of the sián, commemorating the year of its founding, 1963. all 63 have already been sold for a cost of $3.6 million USD each. lamborghini’s newest creation is set to take the stage for its public reveal at the 2019 frankfurt auto show, which runs from september 12th – 22nd.